Founding Dean, College of Education and Human Development

Founding Dean, College of Education and Human Development

The University of Mary Washington is seeking an accomplished scholar, visionary leader, and proven academic administrator to lead the new College of Education and Human Development. The Founding Dean will have a unique opportunity to play a defining role in shaping the future of the college.

Founded in 1908, the University of Mary Washington (UMW) has built a rich history of traditions and accomplished academic excellence. UMW is a residential campus located in Fredericksburg, Virginia, just an hour from Washington, DC, to the north and Richmond, VA, to the south. The University offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs with emphasis on teaching and learning, and faculty engage in research that enhances classrooms and involves undergraduates in research.

UMW offers more than 100 majors, minors, and courses of study with rich learning experiences that include first-year seminars, undergraduate research, internships, study abroad, leadership service, and other experiential opportunities. UMW graduates are models of adaptive learning, personal achievement, responsible leadership, service to others, and engaged citizenship in a diverse global society.

Academic affairs at UMW are comprised of three colleges, with the College of Business and the College of Arts and Sciences described in the description text. The Mary Washington Eagles compete in NCAA Division III athletics with multiple teams and programs, and athletics is an academic department within the new College of Education and Human Development.

U.S. News & World Report has named Mary Washington among America’s Best Colleges and top public liberal arts colleges;
The Princeton Review and other guides have also recognized the university. In 2025, the Princeton Review identified UMW as a top school for internships and making an impact. The University has been recognized as a top producer of Fulbright students and Peace Corps volunteers.

In 2025, UMW announced the creation of the new College of Education and Human Development, bringing together faculty, staff, coaches, and students from education, athletics, and nursing programs. The Founding Dean will chart a vision for the reimagined college that combines teaching, research, exploration, and student success. The transition period for the new college will span the 2025-26 academic year and beyond.

The college focuses on adding new programs and faculty in allied health fields and offers professional preparation programs that integrate academic study, clinical training, creative research, service-learning, and community-engaged outreach to develop leaders whose work improves education delivery, health, and well-being.

The Founding Dean will advance and build new degree programs, foster excellence in teaching, research, and service, raise the college’s visibility, increase financial resources, and serve as the chief spokesperson and advocate for the college both within and outside the university. The Dean will effectively manage the college’s budget and promote an environment of growth, collaboration, and shared governance.

Specific responsibilities include:

• developing, articulating, and executing a shared vision for the college and providing leadership and direction to the faculty, staff, and students;
• exhibiting decision-making rooted in transparency, collaboration, and empowerment;
• leading the faculty and staff in the development of new academic programs including an MS in Counseling and an MS in Nursing with tracks toward nurse educators and family practitioners;
• overseeing faculty professional development funding and the promotion and tenure process;
• promoting high-quality undergraduate and graduate academic experiences;
• leading fundraising initiatives and enhancing the financial infrastructure of the college to support faculty initiatives, staff development, and student success;
• advocating for and supporting the work and mission of a multidisciplinary faculty;
• championing and supporting the work of staff to ensure they are valued and…