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New education dean appointed

May 18, 2007
New education dean appointed

PLU named John Yohan Lee a professor of education and the newly appointed dean of the university’s recently reconfigured School of Education and Movement Studies. He begins work on June 1.

Lee comes to PLU from Long Island University in Brooklyn, New York, where he was the associate dean for academic programs, budget, research and student services. During his two years there, Lee directed the development, approval and implementation of academic programs, and designed and piloted new courses and practicum experiences as the school moved toward performance-based programs.

Lee finds PLU “a rare university with many incredibly talented and accomplished professionals and students dedicated to working with historically underserved communities in improving educational, health and other human needs.”

Lee is especially excited about the merger of the School of Education and School of Physical Education into the new School of Education and Movement Studies. The newly reconfigured unit will have two departments: the Department of Instructional Development and Leadership, and the Department of Movement Studies and Wellness Education.

According to Lee, the merger is an opportunity for so many of the talented faculty, staff and students to work collaboratively across varied disciplines to tackle life’s challenges.

Lee has extensive experience forging complex partnerships to solve some of life’s persistent challenges, such as improving student learning and achievement as well as providing children with extra-curricular and physical fitness opportunities in the most underserved communities. He looks forward to working across departments, both within and outside the new school, to develop programs that provide PLU students with state-of-the-art professional and global education while serving the larger community.

Prior to working at Long Island University, Lee spent 10 years at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, six as founder and director of the Urban Teacher Education Program. The program recruited and prepared career-changers for teaching in some of Maryland’s lowest-performing schools.

The program achieved considerable success and recognition for improving student achievement and for its innovative educator preparation program. It received numerous awards including the Christa McAuliffe Award for Exemplary Teacher Education Program by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities and the Richard Wisniewski Award for Contribution to Theory and Practice in Teacher Education from the Society of Professors in Education.

Lee received his bachelor’s degree in psychology and philosophy in 1987 as well as his doctorate in educational psychology in 1994 from the University of Illinois, Chicago.

PLU’s School of Education, now the Department of Instructional Development and Leadership within the School of Education and Movement Studies, has been one of the university’s most well known programs. It provides education at both the bachelor’s- and master’s-degree level. The department is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.

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