Message from the Dean

Dear Friends of the College of Education:

We are now in our second academic year in the new J.E. and L.E. Mabee Foundation Education Complex. As an education professor at TCU for the last fourteen years and now serving as the Interim Dean for the College of Education, I can tell you first hand that the students, faculty and staff are taking full advantage of the facilities. As I walked into the building this morning I was remembering the days before the renovation of the Bailey Building and the addition of the Steve and Betsy Palko Hall when students came to the Bailey for classes but were rarely seen in the building outside of class time. Today, I saw students studying in the Ann Jones Student lounge, working in teams in the McDonald team room, and sunning in the Munnerlyn Atrium swapping tales of the weekend. When you drive by Palko Hall on a beautiful sunny day you may see classes meeting on the patio. The building is alive and vibrant. Teaching and learning are evident throughout the building. Your support helped make this possible. The visionary leadership of Dean Sam Deitz also made this possible. Although he retired in June, his legacy lives on. Thank you Sam.

Our new space supports the many projects and initiatives of the faculty in the College of Education. A priority for the COE this year is to recruit more teachers into areas of high need. Dr. Jennifer Brooks, Director for the Center for Urban Education, through the Aspiring Educators Program is recruiting students in area high schools and at Tarrant County College to become teachers who specialize in working with bilingual and ESL students in urban schools. Dr. Mark Bloom is aggressively recruiting TCU students to major in mathematics and science education. The faculty are searching nationally for a professor to become the Ann Jones Endowed Chair in Special Education. This will enable the College to recruit future educators to middle and secondary special education. Each of these initiatives addresses the nationwide need for teachers with these specializations.

Our new statue entitled, Teaching to Change the World, captures the intention of the faculty, staff and students to fulfill the mission of the College of Education, to develop effective, ethical educators with a passion for learning. We are proud of our programs and the accomplishments of our students and faculty. I invite you to explore our web site, visit us in our beautiful new buildings, and meet our outstanding students, faculty and staff. As you read through our newsletter and have ideas about the future of our College, I would love to hear from you. Please send a note, dash off an email (m.patton@tcu.edu) or drop by for a visit.

Sincerely, Mary M. Patton, Interim Dean