John Watzke is the new dean for the School of Education starting on July 1
By Roya Ghorbani-Elizeh
The University of Portland has selected John Watzke as the School of Education's new dean. Watzke, who is currently the dean at the College of Education and Public Service at St. Louis University, will begin his new job on The Bluff on July 1.
"I am very excited to join UP," Watzke said. "The school has a great reputation, which was one of the reasons that drew me to apply."
Watzke hopes to strengthen the School of Education's ties within the surrounding communities by reaching out to alumni and implementing new programs in the summer, which will help serve community needs.
"I think that part of this one of the major plans is to really connect with the community and to really look to establish UP as the center of education for the state and region," Watzke said. "A key thing is to really strengthen and expand the professional network of alumni, partners and community members."
Watzke has been the coordinator of supervision at the University of Notre Dame's M.Ed. program and a member of the faculty at the University of Iowa. He has also taught in secondary schools in Iowa, Russia and Poland.
In Fall of 2009, former dean Sister Maria Ciriello left her position at UP to be the Director of Founded Ministries in Kentucky. Ciriello spent 13 years on The Bluff, and was recently named the Dean Emerita of the School of Education by University of Portland president Fr. E. William Beauchamp, C.S.C.
The School of Education is the academic home to 200 undergraduate and 250 graduate students.
Associate Provost Thomas Greene, interim dean for the school, helped the search committee screen and interview candidates for the position.
"I spent a hour with each of the two candidates that came to campus," Greene said. "Afterwards the committee would solicit feedback."
Greene accepted the position of interim dean at the request of provost Brother Donald Stabrowski, C.S.C. Greene is currently the dean of the Graduate School.
Greene believes that the changeover in leadership will be an easy change for the school.
"We have strong input from our faculty on leadership," Greene said. "I have been in contact with Watzke so we can work together for a smooth transition."
Joe Womac, a former student of Watzke can attest to his leadership and teaching style both in and out of the classroom.
"He was one of the best teachers because he gets to know each of his students on an individual basis," Womac said. "He has high expectations, but he was willing to go above and beyond for his students."
Womac, a UP alumnus, worked under Watzke at the University of Notre Dame in the Alliance for Catholic Education program.
"For him it was more about people then the subject matter he was teaching," Womac said. "He is extremely intelligent in that he knows what he is talking about in his field."
Watzke visited campus as a candidate on Feb. 23 to 24 to see the campus and meet faculty, staff and students from the university.
"His varied background and experience in teaching and administrative roles demonstrates the needed flexibility that teachers must possess to balance the old and new teaching strategies," junior Bergen Steif, who interviewed Watzke, said. "I also appreciated that he has a young family that connects him to the local schools."
Watzke, who has three daughters who are 9, 7 and 4, plans to move his family to Portland this summer. Watzke's parents moved to Portland in the 1980s and he believes the move will be "a real homecoming" for the family.
According to Watzke, the School of Education will be an "excellent source for continued education for teachers."
"I think that one of the most important lessons we can give students is to continue to learn in their profession," Watzke said. "We can produce leaders who are invigorated and excited about what they do and who stay in the profession."
