Following a national search, Stephanie McGowan, an experienced educator with both classroom and administrative experience, has been selected to serve as the dean of Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s College of Education and Communications.
McGowan comes to IUP from Felician University, where she is a professor and dean of the university’s School of Education; the International Center for Autism and Disabilities Research in Education; and the School of Education preschool.
“Dr. McGowan brings a great deal of experience to IUP,” Provost and Vice President Lara Luetkehans said. “She has a clear commitment to student success and to initiatives to strengthen enrollment and retention, and a strong history of securing grants and creating strategies for teacher educators to help them to better serve diverse types of learners. We are very pleased to welcome her to IUP,” she said.
McGowan will begin her work at IUP on July 1. Sue Rieg is currently serving as the interim dean of the College of Education and Communications.
“Dr. Rieg has done an incredible job in the interim leadership role,” Provost Luetkehans said. “She has continued to move the College forward, including securing competitive grants to advance our initiatives, and we are very grateful for her service,” she said.
“I also want to thank the search committee for its careful review of the candidates and for the collaborative nature of the search process,” Provost Luetkehans said.
In her current role at Felician University, McGowan is responsible for all of the operational management, professional development, recruitment, and program redevelopment of all undergraduate and graduate academic programming for her university’s School of Education.
She has worked closely with all student support services and collectively with her university’s undergraduate and graduate admissions for recruitment and with enrollment management in support of all retention and graduation initiatives; since 2017, the School of Education at Felician University has doubled total enrollment. In addition to growing enrollment, McGowan established several “grow your own” partnerships and high school dual enrollment programming with local school districts.
In April 2018, McGowan was an invited speaker at the United Nations in New York City to speak at the International Day of Women and Girls in Science and unveiled the International Center for Autism, Disabilities, Research, and Education at Felician University which she cofounded.
“Now more than ever, we are called to prepare dynamic young people to enter the workforce as both critical thinkers and compassionate change-makers,” McGowan said.
“The incredible spirit on display at IUP, and its storied history of service spanning to its beginning in 1875 as a Normal School, make it a prime educational space to create innovative and inclusive opportunities for everyone to learn and grow. I am excited to work collaboratively with President Driscoll, Provost Luetkehans, and the IUP faculty and staff to provide cutting-edge, inclusive, and inspiring programming moving forward.”
In her current position, she secured a $2.3-million grant for “Fostering Equity in Learning through Inclusion, Connectivity, and Engagement” through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. Additionally, she secured more than $17 million through the federal Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants focused on championing marginalized populations and preparing twenty-first-century workforces for schools, agencies, and hospitals.
McGowan has successfully led national accreditation for the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation, Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, Teacher Education Accreditation Council, and Middle States. She has served as a consultant to many organizations and has been an invited presenter for a number of national professional conferences and meetings.
She had received several community honors and recognitions for teaching and for service.
Prior to her work at Felician University, she was the director of accreditation and assessment at Kean University’s College of Education, associate dean for assessment and accreditation at Seton Hall University’s College of Education and Human Services; was the director and faculty member at Drew University’s Caspersen School of Graduate Studies master of arts in teaching program; and was director of education, enrollment, and certification at William Paterson University’s College of Education.
Prior to her roles in higher education, McGowan served as a chief administrative officer for Liberty Academy Charter School, principal at St. John Nepomucene School, and was the Middle States chairperson for Our Lady of Grace School in New Jersey. She began her career as a middle school teacher.
McGowan earned an EdD from Fordham University in educational leadership, administration, and policy, and has three degrees from Seton Hall University: an EdS in administration and supervision; a master of arts in education, and a bachelor of arts in English.