In August 2024, the Darden College of Education and Professional Studies (DCEPS) launched an ambitious strategic planning process. Now, after more than a year of thoughtful collaboration and engagement, we are proud to share our new five-year strategic plan. This plan is more than just a document – it is a dynamic roadmap that charts a path toward lasting success.
This initiative was shaped by the collective dedication of our faculty, staff, students, and partners, who came together to share their thoughts, ideas, and goals to help us to become the best version of ourselves. This strategic plan embodies that spirit of progress and growth and outlines clear priorities to guide us into the future.
Message From the Dean
Dear Darden College Community,
It is with great excitement that I share with you this strategic plan, the culmination of a year’s worth of thoughtful work, collaboration, and reflection. I am immensely proud of all who have contributed to this process and grateful for the guidance of the steering committee. Your dedication and commitment to the future of our college have made this possible.
More now than ever, we are navigating a time of rapid change, and while it can be difficult to move through uncertainty, I have the utmost confidence in our ability to continue thriving. Over the last few years, we have proven our resiliency in the face of changes and challenges, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and internal restructuring. These experiences have made us stronger, and I believe they will continue to shape our college in the years to come. Our mission to deliver the highest level of rigorous education and professional preparation to our students remains as strong as ever, and we are well-positioned to continue fulfilling it.
Our college is experiencing an exciting time as we build upon our national reputation as a leader in preparing students to be educators, industry professionals, and service experts. As we look ahead, we will amplify our efforts to provide our students with transformative experiences—from industry-aligned curricula to comprehensive student support throughout their academic journey. We are committed to ensuring that students receive the highest level of support when they consider our college for their degree.
In addition, we know that the strength of our research complements the strength of our teaching. As we continue to build on our research productivity and equip our faculty and students to meet the expectations of an R1 institution, we will continue to support and empower our community to pursue impactful, meaningful research.
Our commitment to rethinking and strengthening our partnerships is also a key part of this plan. Throughout this process, we’ve heard from many internal and external stakeholders about the multiplier effect that our partnerships have. These relationships are integral to the success of our students, the strength of our research, and the impact we have on our communities. We will continue to build and strengthen these partnerships, ensuring that we are creating opportunities for applied learning and community-embedded research.
Finally, none of this work would be possible without the people who are at the heart of our college—our faculty, staff, and students. We are committed to addressing and reducing barriers within the college to empower our people to do their best work. Strengthening connections between all members of our community will help us work more effectively and cohesively toward our shared goals.
I am deeply grateful to all who have come together to help us envision this future, a future we all care so much about. While there may still be uncertainty on our horizon, our community will remain united, adapt, and navigate any challenges that come our way. Together, we will build on the incredible work we’ve done and the strong foundation we’ve established.
With gratitude,
Dr. Tammi Dice,
Dean, Darden College of Education & Professional Studies
Strategic Plan Overview
Mission
The Darden College of Education and Professional Studies creates an environment for transformative education rooted in deep community impact and drives impactful and innovative research that addresses emerging societal needs.
Vision
We empower our college community to push boundaries in research, education, and community engagement, creating systemic impact locally and beyond.
Our strategic plan is organized around four key priority areas – for each area, a key goal has been established, providing a focus for progress, accompanied by key strategies and actions required to drive success and ensure that each goal is achieved.
We are committed to maintaining a high level of support for all students, ensuring they are prepared to succeed academically and professionally. Our focus on student success will include enhancing recruitment efforts, providing comprehensive advising, growing financial accessibility, and fostering excellence in all educational experiences.
DCEPS will continue to lead in research productivity. We will broaden our definition of who engages in research, integrate students into research experiences, and foster interdisciplinary collaboration across departments and institutions. We aim to create a culture of scholarly excellence that empowers faculty and students to address significant societal challenges through research.
Our partnerships with industries, educational institutions, and community organizations are critical in expanding the impact of our work. By deepening relationships with our external stakeholders, we will create more avenues to provide students with valuable real-world experiences, enhance our research impact, and expand opportunities for collaboration. Alumni engagement will also play a key role in strengthening our community and connecting our work to broader professional networks.
We will ensure our internal structures support faculty and staff in doing their best work. Creating clear, standardized policies, enhancing internal communication, and reducing administrative burdens will foster a positive, productive, and inclusive work environment. These efforts will help us attract and retain top talent and position DCEPS for long-term success.
We are committed to maintaining a high level of support for all students, ensuring they are prepared to succeed academically and professionally. Our focus on student success will include enhancing recruitment efforts, providing comprehensive advising, growing financial accessibility, and fostering excellence in all educational experiences.
DCEPS will continue to lead in research productivity. We will broaden our definition of who engages in research, integrate students into research experiences, and foster interdisciplinary collaboration across departments and institutions. We aim to create a culture of scholarly excellence that empowers faculty and students to address significant societal challenges through research.
Our partnerships with industries, educational institutions, and community organizations are critical in expanding the impact of our work. By deepening relationships with our external stakeholders, we will create more avenues to provide students with valuable real-world experiences, enhance our research impact, and expand opportunities for collaboration. Alumni engagement will also play a key role in strengthening our community and connecting our work to broader professional networks.
We will ensure our internal structures support faculty and staff in doing their best work. Creating clear, standardized policies, enhancing internal communication, and reducing administrative burdens will foster a positive, productive, and inclusive work environment. These efforts will help us attract and retain top talent and position DCEPS for long-term success.
The Strategic Planning Process
Over the 2024-2025 academic year, the 51ԹPro Darden College of Education and Professional Studies embarked on a year-long process to develop our strategic plan. This process was led by a steering committee composed of faculty, staff, and leadership from across the college, who brought diverse expertise and perspectives to ensure that the plan reflects the interests, opportunities, and goals of our entire college community.
Throughout the year, faculty, staff, students, alumni, and donors were provided opportunities to contribute their voices and perspectives through interviews, surveys, listening sessions, and focus groups. In total, over 830 points of input were gathered from these distinct groups. This process culminated in a strategic planning workshop with the steering committee and college leadership. The draft strategic plan was then circulated to the college community for feedback prior to being finalized.
We are deeply grateful to the committee members, as well as to each member of our college community who participated in this process. Your contributions have been invaluable in shaping the vision and direction for DCEPS’s future.
- Dr. Petros Katsioloudis, Committee Chair, Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs & Research, Dean’s Office
- Dr. David Ayers, Associate Professor of Higher Education, Education Leadership & Workforce Development
- Dr. Michelle Bartlett, Assistant Professor of Community College Leadership, Educational Leadership & Workforce Development
- Dr. Robert “Bob” Case, Associate Professor of Sport Management, Human Movement Studies & Special Education
- Dr. Jamie Colwell, Department Chair and Professor of Literacy, Teaching & Learning
- Dr. Kendra Hall, Emergency Lecturer and recent graduate, Educational Psychology & Program Evaluation, STEM Education & Professional Studies
- Ms. Jennessa Libby-Reynolds, Interim Director for the Office of Clinical Experiences
- Dr. Jeffrey Moe, Associate Professor of Counseling, Counseling & Human Services
- Dr. Kelly Rippard, Senior Lecturer, Teaching & Learning
- Dr. Brittany G. Suggs, Lecturer and Clinical Coordinator, Counseling & Human Services