Mary L. Gendernalik-Cooper has been selected as dean of the College of Education at the University of Mary Washington. As the chief academic officer for the college, she is the inaugural dean of the newly created college of education, which unites two discrete education programs that have been serving different populations of students on the Fredericksburg and Stafford campuses. She will assume the new post on August 1.
Gendernalik-Cooper will report directly to the provost and will oversee matters regarding faculty, the curriculum, academic programs and academic support for the College of Education. The college has 21 full-time faculty and additional adjunct faculty.
“Mary brings a wealth of experience and a national reputation of excellence to the university and is the right person to lead us forward as we start up the new College of Education. I look forward to her joining the academic affairs team,” said UMW Provost Jay Harper.
Gendernalik-Cooper comes to UMW from Sonoma State University where she has served since 2005 in various capacities, most recently as the dean of the school of education. Prior to Sonoma State, she was dean of the school of education at Georgia Southwestern State University. She also has held positions at San Diego State University, Augusta State University, Mary Baldwin College, Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Academy for the Profession of Teaching, University of North Carolina at Wilmington and Wayne State University.
Gendernalik-Cooper received her doctorate and master’s degrees from Wayne State University in educational policy studies and teaching respectively, and her bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary social science from Michigan State University.
In her new position, she will provide leadership and strategic direction for academic programs and curricula for programs on both the Fredericksburg and Stafford campuses.
The programs on the Fredericksburg campus offer undergraduate and graduate courses designed to prepare the liberal arts student for teacher licensure in 16 different areas. A Master of Science in Elementary Education is offered in a 5-year undergraduate/graduate degree program for students preparing to teach at the elementary level. Licensure programs are offered at the baccalaureate level for students preparing to teach in middle or high school, and in various K-12 licensure areas.
The Stafford campus offers a Master of Education for individuals pursuing teacher licensure and for practicing teachers seeking added teaching endorsement or professional development. In addition, graduate and post-baccalaureate certificates are available in seven areas of study for added teaching endorsement or professional advancement. The programs are designed to be broad in scope and flexible enough to meet the needs of adult learners, with courses offered in the evenings, on weekends and in blended and online formats.