Clara M. Jennings, Ph.D., dean of the Graduate College of Education at the University of Massachusetts at Boston (UMass) has been named dean of the DePaul University School of Education. Jennings, who brings to the job a multitude of experience in urban education, assumed the deanship in September 1.

“Dr. Jennings has extensive background as a classroom teacher, faculty member and dean which has given her a comprehensive understanding of what it takes to train and support teachers working in urban environments,” said Richard Meister, DePaul’s executive vice president for academic affairs. “Her values and academic accomplishments complement DePaul’s mission of service and its engagement to K-though-12 and urban education.”

Jennings’ experience in higher education spans 25 years--more than 15 of those in higher education administration. Her accomplishments at UMass include working with the administration to make teacher education a priority and helping to successfully steer the Professional Education/Graduate College of Education program through its first National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education accreditation process.

Prior to assuming the deanship at UMass, Jennings served in a variety of distinguished positions associated with education or higher education administration. Her experience includes such jobs as dean of the Beeghly College of Education at Youngstown State University; associate dean of the College of Education and associate professor and chair of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education at the University of West Florida; Rountree Caldwell Bryan Distinguished Professor of Education and chairperson of the Education and Social Sciences Division at Arkansas College.

She also has lectured widely on the subject of early childhood education and higher education. Her articles include studies of accidents of three- and four-year-olds in center-based preschool programs; improving slow learners’ reading and writing skills through a whole language approach; and trends in college and university faculty development programs.

She is active in such organizations as the National Council for Black Child Development; the American Association for Colleges for Teacher Education; the Association for Childhood Education International; the American Association for Higher Education; the Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development; and the National Council of Teachers of English. She also has worked extensively with the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) as both a Board of Examiners Team Chair and member. She was recently appointed an alternate member of the NCATE Unit Accreditation Board (UAB).

Jennings earned a doctorate in elementary education and language arts from Michigan State University, a master’s degree in elementary education, language arts and reading from Wayne State University, and a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Arkansas Agriculture, Mechanical & Normal College.

It is her belief that in order to build educationally healthy economies and communities, universities must play a pivotal role in shaping young minds. Her commitment to training quality educators, combined with her strong interest in improving pre-school through adult education, led her to DePaul.

“I chose DePaul because of its urban mission and its focus on improving and renewing the P-through-20 educational system in Chicago,” said Jennings. “I have the background to help me discern what students need to succeed as educators, especially in an urban environment, and I look forward to moving the School of Education aggressively toward the goals it has set for itself, as well as help it shape new ones.”

The School of Education at DePaul had more than 1,900 students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs in the fall of 2001. It offers knowledge-based programs geared primarily toward preparing teachers and administrators who are urban, professional, multicultural educators. The School of Education also is Chicago’s education partner though participation in a host of programs and projects designed to improve Chicago schools.