Tomorrow, Loyola University will celebrate the dedication of its new School of Education. Peter C. Murrell, Jr., Ph.D., dean of the School of Education, joined Loyola in the summer of 2008, and has been preparing to launch the school since his arrival.
The school aims to educate leaders to tackle challenges and issues of urban education.
"The new School of Education at Loyola University Maryland will be the only one in Maryland with a dedicated focus on the advancement of achievement and development of city children and youth that is based on an analytical framework of identity, race, social capital and culture," Murrell said.
Several years ago, Loyola faculty and leaders had begun to discuss the idea of establishing a school of education. Eventually, discussion began among the leaders of Loyola College to develop a school of education. Fr. Linnane, his vice presidents, and the Board of Trustees decided to develop a plan for the School of Education and hire a founding dean.
By 2006, a plan for development of the school was established and distributed to candidates for the position of founding dean. During 2007 and 2008, applications were reviewed and candidates were interviewed and narrowed down until Murrell was selected as founding dean in the spring of 2008. By July, he was serving in the position and preparing for the launch of the school.
Murrell said, "My principal priority as founding dean of the School of Education is to elevate academic and scholastic excellence. I have been addressing the question of what we will be doing to enliven, deepen and enrich the level of inquiry and research." This development will be an ongoing initiative over the next three years.
With the new School of Education, many advancements and changes have been made to Loyola's education program.
"We have hired new faculty with an expertise in urban education and a desire to merge theory with practice in urban schools.
Already there is considerable energy among faculty and students to move forward to improve urban schools," said Mickey Fenzel, interim associate dean of education.
A new Center for Innovation in Urban Education has also been developed, co-chaired by two of the School of Education's faculty, to emphasize the theme of improving urban education and education for all children.
"The new Center for Innovation in Urban Education is dedicated to putting Loyola on the map as a leader in advancing instructional research practices, school leadership and policy development in urban schools in the United States and around the globe," Murrell said.
In the next few years, more large changes will continue to take place. According to Fenzel, "The School is hoping to offer a Ph.D. program that will advance the scholarship of the School and educate the educational leaders and other professionals who want to become involved in deep inquiry into educational issues and make a difference in education as leaders of schools, think tanks and university programs."
On top of that drastic change, more programs and initiatives are expected to be offered to advance the mission of Loyola University, including a program to partner with community organizations along York Road. Also, in the long run, it is a hope that there will be a significant impact among the education of urban children.
"Possibilities exist in furthering our involvement in STEM education: science, technology, engineering, mathematics. This will improve education and build the capacity of communities," Fenzel said.
For students, courses in the School of Education will challenge them to think more critically about the current issues in the school systems. Murrell stated that students will be given an "education that prepares the next generation of young people for the challenges of our time and theirs."
"The quality of the education in the school is quite high currently, and Loyola enjoys a strong reputation for offering academically rigorous educational programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. We expect that this quality will continue to improve as the school commits itself to working on improving the education of all children in Baltimore and the surrounding areas and becoming more involved in ground-breaking scholarship in educational innovation," Fenzel said.
Faculty will also continue to become more involved in scholarship that examines these educational issues, which will be brought into the classroom and used as benefit to the students.
"The next generation of teachers and educational leaders must be prepared to envision and enact a new kind of education for public and civic life," said Murell.
Over time, it is expected that this new change of the School of Education will bring Loyola University into further involvement and partnership with surrounding communities, with hopes that other departments on campus will become involved in these pursuits.
"As interim associate dean, I am very excited to be a part of the School of Education. I see the excitement on the faces of my colleagues and look froward to the continued development of new programs of research and education that will appeal to more educators in the Baltimore area," Fenzel said.
The official launch for the School of Education will takes place at 6:45 p.m. tomorrow in McGuire Hall. An introduction will be given by Fr. Linnane, followed by Nancy S. Grasmick, Maryland state superintendent of schools, who will offer opening remarks.
The keynote address will be delivered by Peter Murrel, founding dean of the School of Education. Before the ceremony, an informational open house will take place at 5 p.m. in the McGuire Atrium.
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