Office of the Dean

ABOUT

Beering Hall at Purdue University College of Education

Office of the Dean

As the college’s chief academic and administrative officer, the Dean provides vision and leadership to ensure the College’s learning and research activities are of the highest levels of excellence. The Dean works closely with the College’s associate and assistant deans, department heads, faculty, staff and student leaders to foster a culture of academic excellence and inclusiveness.

The Dean provides leadership for interdisciplinary teacher education programs from the six colleges that collaborate on teacher preparation at Purdue University: Education, Science, Agriculture, Liberal Arts, Health and Human Sciences and the Purdue Polytechnic Institute.

The Dean works collaboratively with local and national educational leaders to advocate for equitable, accessible and high quality education for all students.

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Phillip J. VanFossen
Interim Dean, and Ackerman Distinguished Professor

I am honored and humbled to be asked to serve as the Interim Dean of the College of Education.  I have been blessed to have a variety of experiences over my 25 years at Purdue, and I will draw on all of these in continuing to move the College forward as we leverage the momentum we have built with our Innovation Initiative (I2)–a cutting-edge educator-preparation program that has transformed our teacher education programs—as well as our other highly successful, nationally-ranked programs across both departments.

Indeed, I look forward to working with faculty, staff, and students across the entire College to support the outstanding work being done across all of our program areas, and to ensure our I2 effort is successful.

I did not attend Purdue, but I bleed Old Gold and Black, and both of my daughters–Madison (ELED, 2017) and Lilly (ELED/SPED, 2021; MS in ABA, 2022)–graduated from the College of Education. That, in addition to my 25+ years here make me feel like I’m a Boilermaker. A Boilermaker educator.

Boilermaker educators are helping their students make giant leaps. Boilermaker educators are equipping their students to build a better world; Boilermaker educators have an ‘ever true’ commitment to lifelong learning.

I invite you to come to the College of Education to see for yourself what it means to be a Boilermaker educator! 

Dean Speech/Appearance Request

Staff

Phillip J. VanFossen
Interim Dean, and Ackerman Distinguished Professor
Email: vanfoss@purdue.edu
Phone: 765-494-2367
Room: BRNG 6138

Rita Neidlinger
Administrative Assistant to the Dean
Email: rneidlin@purdue.edu
Phone: 765-494-2336
Room: BRNG 6138

Dean’s Advocacy Council

View Dean's Advocacy Council

Ann Barnes

Educational Technology Consultant, Professional Education Solutions

Ann Barnes

Educational Technology Consultant, Professional Education Solutions

BA’68, MS’71 (Purdue Univ.)

Scott Bess

Executive Director, Purdue Polytechnic High School

Scott Bess

Executive Director, Purdue Polytechnic High School

BS ’83 (Purdue Univ.)

Michael Bottorff

Chief Technology Officer, MSD of Lawrence Township

Michael Bottorff

Chief Technology Officer, MSD of Lawrence Township

BA ’01 (Purdue Univ.)
MBA ’07 (Univ. of Washington)

Denny Cahill

Consultant

Denny Cahill

Consultant

BA ’69, MS ’73, Ph.D. ’92 (Purdue Univ.)

Ashley Dawson-Bottorff

Teacher of Exceptional Learners, MSD of Lawrence Township

Ashley Dawson-Bottorff

Teacher of Exceptional Learners, MSD of Lawrence Township

BA ’00 (Purdue Univ.)
MA ’10 (Ball State Univ.)

Susie L. Dollens

Retired Teacher

Susie L. Dollens

Retired Teacher

BA ’70 (Purdue Univ.)
‘72 MA (Indiana Univ.)

Kay Hayes

Retired Assistant Principal, Carrol County Public Schools

Kay Hayes

Retired Assistant Principal, Carrol County Public Schools

72’ BA , Purdue University

Judi Hendrix

Executive Director, Wabash Valley Education Center

Judi Hendrix

Executive Director, Wabash Valley Education Center

86’ – BA, Purdue University
91’ – MA, Purdue University
93’ – MS, Butler University
00’ – PhD, Indiana State

Rusty King

Executive Director, West Central Indiana Educational Service Center

Rusty King

Executive Director, West Central Indiana Educational Service Center

BA ’74 (Purdue Univ.)
MS ‘80, (Indiana Univ.)
EDS ’93 (IU at Bloomington)

Colleen Moran

Superintendent, North Montgomery Community School Corporation

Colleen Moran

Superintendent, North Montgomery Community School Corporation

BS ’91 (Indiana Univ.)
MS ’98 (Butler Univ.)
Ph.D. ’05 (Indiana State Univ.)

Sarah Powley

Retired Teacher, Instructional Coach (secondary), Tippecanoe School Corporation

Sarah Powley

Retired Teacher, Instructional Coach (secondary), Tippecanoe School Corporation

BA ‘65 (DePauw Univ.)
MS ’85 (Purdue Univ.)

Gina Shropshire

Associate Advising Professor and Assistant Director for Advising and Administration, University of Notre Dame

Gina Shropshire

Associate Advising Professor and Assistant Director for Advising and Administration, University of Notre Dame

BA ‘83 (Univ. of Notre Dame)
MA ’93, PhD ’99 (Purdue Univ.)

Mary Kay Sommers

Secretary Treasurer, World Education Forum-USA

Mary Kay Sommers

Secretary Treasurer, World Education Forum-USA

BS ’68 (Indiana State Univ.)
MS ’73 (Indiana Univ.)
PhD ’90 (Purdue Univ.)

Deb Teuscher

Planetarium Director, MSD of Pike Township

Deb Teuscher

Planetarium Director, MSD of Pike Township

BS ’72 (Bluffton Univ.)
MS ’94 (Purdue Univ.)

Administrative Council

Ad Council is convened by the dean and is advisory to the dean; its purpose is to function as a representative and leadership-oriented body of both departments, academic services, and the College as a collective with the purpose of addressing college-level issues and initiatives along with proposing, discussing, revising, and determining directions in policies and procedures that impact personnel and students in the College. Members include the dean, associate deans, assistant dean, and department heads.

Meets: 2nd Tuesday/month from 9:00 – 12:00

View Administrative Council

Janet Alsup
Department Head of Curriculum and Instruction

Jennifer Barce
Assistant Dean for Teacher Education

Tara Johnson
Associate Dean for Learning

Ala Samarapungavan
Department Head of Educational Studies

Phil VanFossen
Interim Dean

Kathy Obenchain
Associate Dean for I2

Wayne Wright
Associate Dean for Research, Graduate Programs and Faculty Development

Expanded Administrative Council

Expanded Ad Council is convened by the dean and is advisory to the dean; its purpose is to function as a representative body of key stakeholders within the College with the purpose of fostering collegial support between individual units and reinforcing an atmosphere of collaboration and awareness while reviewing activities, plans, and general policies and procedures that may impact the College. Members include the dean, associate deans, assistant dean, and department heads, Director and Assistant Director Financial Affairs, Director ELRC, Chief Development Officer, Director of Communication, Director Office of Information and Technology, Director of Assessment and Accreditation, Manager of Online Programs, Director Office of Diversity, Office of Graduate Studies, Diversity Fellow, and Faculty Affairs Committee representatives.

Meets 4th Tuesday/month from 9:00 – 11:00

View Expanded Ad Council

Janet Alsup
Department Head of Curriculum and Instruction

Jennifer Barce
Assistant Dean for Teacher Education

Ala Samarapungavan
Department Head of Educational Studies

Phil VanFossen
Interim Dean

Kathy Obenchain
Associate Dean for I2

Wayne Wright
Associate Dean for Research, Graduate Programs and Faculty Development

Willie Burgess
Director, Evaluation and Learning Research Center

Tammy Maynard
Chief Development Officer

Brittne Paramore
Director, Office of Diversity Initiatives

Robin Cunningham
Manager of Online Programs

Bob Evans
Director, Office of Information Technology

Marshay Jolly
Director of Financial Affairs

Amanda Goodwin-Bowman
Director, Office of Graduate Studies

DeEtte Starr
Director of Communication

Amber Reed
Director of Assessment and Accreditation

Kirke Willing
Senior Director of Financial Affairs

Diversity Fellow:

Chrystal Johnson
Associate Professor, Social Studies Education

FAC Representatives:

Amanda Case
COE Faculty Affairs Committee co-chair

Stephanie Masta
Associate Professor, Curriculum Studies

Faculty Committee Assignments

View Faculty Committees Assignments

AREA PROMOTION AND TENURE COMMITTEE

Phil VanFossen, Chair

EDCI – Bill Watson

EDCI – Tim Newby

EDCI – Lynn Bryan

EDCI – Brenda Capobianco

EDCI – Victoria Lowell

EDST – Christine Kiracofe

EDST – Rick Olenchak

EDST – Marcia Gentry

EDST – Youli Mantzicopoulos

EDST – Alice Johnson

Department of Curriculum and Instruction – Janet Alsup, Head

Department of Educational Studies Head – Ala Samarapungavan, Head

EX OFFICIO MEMBERS

Kathy Obenchain, Associate Dean

Wayne Wright, Associate Dean

AWARDS COMMITTEE

EDCI – Wanju Huang

EDCI – Muhsin Menekse, Chair

EDCI – Amanda Hoffman

EDCI – Brooke Bair

EDST – Nielsen Pereira

EDST – Ben Mason

EDST – Jingyuan Zhang

EDST – Brooke Weisner

EX OFFICIO AND STUDENT MEMBERS

Wayne Wright, Associate Dean

CURRICULUM COMMITTEE

EDCI – Signe Kastberg, Chair

EDCI – Jill Newton

EDCI – Laura Bofferding

EDST – Toni Rogat

EDST – Lisa Snodgrass

EDST – Jasmine Begeske

EX OFFICIO MEMBERS

Kathy Obenchain, Associate Dean

Dir. of OGS: Sean McCan

Dir. of Advising: Jackie Thomas Miller

Asst. Dir. of OTL: Joy Garton-Krueger

Administrative Support: Abby Weiderhaft

DIVERSITY COMMITTEE

EDCI – Lynn Bryan

EDCI – Jake Burdick

EDCI – Chrystal Johnson

EDCI – Rose Mbewe

EDCI – Ella Clayton

EDST – Rich Olenchak, Chair Fall 2022

EDST – Nielsen Pereira, Chair Spring 2022

EDST – Denise Whitford

EDST – Jingyuan Zhang

EDST – Jace Hughes

EX OFFICIO AND STUDENT MEMBERS

Brittne Paramore, Dir. Of Diversity

Jackie Thomas-Miller, Dir. Advising & Recruiting

FACULTY AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

EDCI – Adrie Koehler Co-Chair

EDCI – JoAnn Phillion

EDCI – Christina Wessel-Powell

EDCI – Virak Chan

EDST – Rose Mason Co-Chair

EDST – Christine Kiracofe

EDST – Alice Johnson

EDST – Amanda Case

EX OFFICIO MEMBERS

Wayne Wright, Associate Dean

GRADE APPEALS COMMITTEE

Kathy Obenchain, Chair

EDCI – Adrie Koehler-Blair

EDCI – Sunnie Watson

EDCI – Victoria Lowell

EDCI – Stephanie Scherer

EDST – Xiang Zhou

EDST – Jennifer Smith

EDST – Eric Deemer

EDST – LaMonica Williams

Alternate EDCI – Brenda Capobianco

Alternate EDST – Ben Mason

STUDENT MEMBERS

EDCI UG: Luc Sproles

EDCI UG: Lauryn Ranc

EDST UG: Irene Scudder

EDST UG: Jenna Campbell

EDCI Grad: Holly Fiock

EDCI Grad: Austin Jenkins

EDST Grad: Ammi Chang

EDST Grad: Julie Stuckey

Students will be used as a “pool” from which 2 students will be chosen for each appeal depending on whether it is an undergraduate or graduate appeal

INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION COMMITTEE

EDCI – Virak Chan, Chair

EDCI – Brenda Capobianco

EDCI – JoAnn Phillion

EDST – Yan Ping Xin

EDST – Eric Deemer (2nd Term)

EDST – Yukiko Maeda

EX OFFICIO AND STUDENT MEMBERS

Kathy Obenchain, Associate Dean

Erin Schultz, Dir. Advising

EDCI UG: Sydney Terrell

EDST UG: Kylie Hayworth

EDCI Grad: Chen Chen Lu

EDST Grad: Krista Robbins

NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS COMMITTEE

EDCI – Nadine Dolby

EDCI – Luke Bennett

EDST – Denise Whitford, Chair

EDST – Christine Kiracofe

University Committees

View University Committees Assignments

UNIVERSITY FACULTY MEDIATION COMMITTEE

COE – Christine Kiracofe

UNIVERSITY GRADUATE COUNCIL

COE – Eric Deemer

UNIVERSITY GRIEVANCE HEARING COMMITTEE

EDCI – Anatoli Rapoport

EDST – Jasmine Begeske

At-Large – Tim Newby

UNIVERSITY HONORS FACULTY GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE

COE – Brenda Capobianco

UNIVERSITY P & T REPRESENTATIVES

Education: Helen Patrick

UNIVERSITY RESEARCH INTEGRITY COMMITTEE

COE – Nadine Dolby

UNIVERSITY UNDERGRADUATE CURRICULUM COUNCIL

COE – Jill Newton

UNIVERSITY SENATE REPRESENTATIVES

EDCI – Jim Greenan

EDST – Rose Mason

At-Large – Denise Whitford