Queens University of Charlotte Adds School of Education

	Dean Darrel Miller

Charlotte, N.C. 2008 – Queens University of Charlotte today announced that its Board of Trustees approved the creation of a School of Education at its Myers Park campus. Scheduled to open in May 2008, Queens’ School of Education will join the University’s other primary units – the College of Arts and Sciences, McColl School of Business, Hayworth College for Adult and Evening Programs and Presbyterian School of Nursing.

Dr. Darrel Miller has been named dean of the new School of Education. He currently serves as dean of the University’s Hayworth College for Adult and Evening Programs, a position he has held since 1995. Dr. Miller will transition to his new role at the end of the 2007/2008 academic year.

“I am excited to serve as the inaugural dean of the University’s new School of Education,” said Dr. Miller. “Queens has a strong, historical foundation in the field of education. It is because of this tradition and the growing demand for teachers in the workforce, that Queens has decided to broaden and strengthen its existing education programs, moving its Division of Education within Hayworth College to a separate School of Education.”

Queens’ School of Education will offer students an array of undergraduate, graduate and licensure programs, including a bachelor of arts in elementary education (K-6), master of arts in teaching (K-6), master of education in literacy (K-12) and licensure in secondary education (9-12).

The School’s most notable undergraduate elements will be the North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program, dedicated to recruiting talented high school graduates into the teaching profession and helping them develop the leadership qualities needed to succeed in the profession. The program’s scholarships will be offered as loans from the state, with the full amount – $26,000 – forgiven after the student has completed four years of teaching in North Carolina public schools, allowing Queens to expand its partnership with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS).

“We look forward to strengthening our relationship with Queens,” said Dr. Peter Gorman, superintendent of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. “The University’s move to establish an independent School of Education demonstrates its ongoing commitment to bettering the community. We look forward to working with Queens to develop graduates who will be an asset to our educational system.”

The University’s new Public Education Research Institute will also be housed in its new School. Designed to focus attention on the key issues affecting school districts both locally and beyond, the Institute will support research for the School’s graduate students, facilitate community education issues and reinforce Queens as an educational resource for the community.

“We are excited about what the School of Education can do to positively impact K-12 education,” said Dr. Pamela Davies, president of Queens. “Queens is committed to being an educational resource and community asset and believe that this new school will contribute greatly to enhancing the educational experience that is afforded the children of our region and state.”

Queens University of Charlotte is a private, co-ed, Presbyterian-affiliated comprehensive university, with a commitment to both liberal arts and professional studies. Located in the heart of historic Charlotte, Queens serves approximately 2,200 undergraduate and graduate students through its College of Arts and Sciences, McColl School of Business, Hayworth College for Adult and Evening Programs and Presbyterian School of Nursing.