Marie Ann Donovan has been selected to serve as interim dean of DePaul University’s School of Education (SOE), where she has served as an associate professor and associate dean.

"Marie brings her passion and a proven track record of leadership to this position," Provost Helmut Epp said. "Her extensive experience and deep knowledge of the School of Education both within the university at large and in its relationships with the state of Illinois and other accrediting bodies will be a great benefit to DePaul."

An active member of the Associate Deans’ Council, Donovan joined the School of Education faculty in 1996, specializing in early childhood education. Her research interests include family literacy education, vocabulary acquisition and development, and children’s literature for building family literacy.

A resident of Chicago’s West Lincoln Park neighborhood, Donovan was instrumental in helping the SOE create a new joint degree program with DePaul’s School for New Learning and has been a driving force behind the development of new joint five-year degree programs with the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. She has served as chair of the teacher education department and is a member of the SOE’s Executive Council.

Donovan, who earned an Ed.D. from Harvard University, leads the second-largest school of education in the Chicago area. The School of Education offers degree programs in early childhood education; elementary and secondary education and physical education; special education; bilingual/bicultural education; curriculum studies; educational leadership; human services and counseling; and language, literacy and specialized instruction.

"I am honored to be chosen for this position and hope to build on the school’s reputation for excellence while strengthening our public and private school networks and partnerships," Donovan said.

Donovan replaces Clara Jennings, who stepped down from the deanship after six years to embark on a two-year scholarly leave, after which she will return to the SOE faculty. DePaul will launch a national search for a new dean in the fall.

In related news, associate professor Carol Wren and assistant professor Christopher Worthman will join Sally Julian as associate deans for the school, serving on an interim basis for the 2008-09 academic year.

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