Industry veterans join Lynn University's College of Education

BOCA RATON, Fla., Dec. 4, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Lynn University has made two strategic hires for the Donald E. and Helen L. Ross College of Education. James W. Guthrie, an expert with nearly 50 years of higher education and government consulting experience, joins as the university's first presidential scholar. Nancy Kline, who has more than 30 years of experience, has been appointed an assistant professor of education.

"Lynn's leaders encourage innovation, and I am confident Dr. Kline and Dr. Guthrie will contribute greatly to the efforts we are undertaking to transform higher education," says Kathleen Weigel, who joined Lynn as dean of the college in August. "Dr. Kline brings significant experience as both an educator and an educational consultant, which will advance the ways we prepare tomorrow's educators to address new challenges in the education system. Dr. Guthrie will lead the next Lynn Ed.D. cohort, which begins in January, and contribute to a number of other campus initiatives."

In the semester since Weigel's appointment, the College of Education has seen a revitalization of undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs. Course curricula now cover broader topics to ensure students are marketable as future educators. Lynn also is evaluating the opportunity to establish new degrees in collaboration with other Lynn colleges—in executive or global leadership, for example.

"I am excited by Lynn's instructional platform and believe we are on the brink of something really big," says Guthrie. "Lynn is unlike any other school or institution. We are applying modern technology to human learning in ways that have not been done before. I am looking forward to helping bring all these pieces together and to making Lynn known as the place to study if you want to become a successful educational practitioner or leader."

In addition to advising the College of Education's strategic plan, Guthrie also will work closely with the Office of the President to advance Lynn's 2020 strategic plan and a number of other university initiatives.

With the addition of Kline, the College of Education also is adopting new ways of delivering its curriculum, including taking a "vertical" approach—where professors teach at the undergraduate, master's and doctorate levels—and introducing a five-day mandatory speaker series to teach students about the brain in the classroom, among other relevant educational topics.

"Over the last decade, I helped learning organizations navigate changes in pre-K through grade 12 schools," says Kline. "I believe Lynn's master's and doctoral programs are incubators for solving educational problems in practice. It is motivating to work alongside faculty who worked in schools and districts, understand the opportunities and challenges, and who continue to make a difference in our profession."

With Kline's help, Weigel's team also is exploring how to bridge the gap between motivated high school students and higher education and to potentially expand undergraduate course requirements to include early childhood education. Other enhancements could include certifying Lynn's exceptional student education master's program and establishing online modules that individuals throughout the community can take to achieve recertification.

"Lynn students are accountable for achieving goals that professors have set for them," says Weigel. "This single culture, which professors like Dr. Kline and Dr. Guthrie are helping establish, will position the Ross College of Education to continue growing ahead of and—more importantly—innovating the education system, ensuring our students are at the top of their game when they walk at commencement and enter the community as educators."

More about Guthrie
Guthrie previously served as the first-appointed senior fellow and director of education policy studies at the George W. Bush Institute; Nevada's superintendent of public instruction; and director of the Peabody Center for Education Policy at Peabody College of Vanderbilt University. From 1999 through 2009, he served as chair of Peabody College's Department of Leadership, Policy and Organizations, the nation's highest ranked university educational administration department. He instructed both undergraduate and graduate courses, and conducted research on education policy and finance. He has also consulted for domestic and international education systems on strategic planning and finance design and served as an expert witness in many cases. Guthrie was a professor at University of California, Berkeley for 27 years and has authored more than 20 books and 200 scholarly articles.

More about Kline
Kline previously served as an educational advocacy trainer and child advocacy coordinator with the Florida Guardian ad Litem Program. From 2012–2013, Kline served as an educational consultant for K-12 Florida schools and private technical colleges statewide. Her more than 25 years of public education furthermore includes responsibilities as a board member and superintendent of schools, for Martin County, and an executive director, director, teacher leader and teacher in Martin, Palm Beach, Indian River and Okeechobee counties. She also has more than six years in the nonprofit sector, serving children and families. A proud Lynn alumna, Kline also has achieved several trainings, certifications and honors. She continues to serve as a state board member of the Children's Home Society, which helps her keep in touch with the statewide needs of Florida's youth and advocate for policies that support the health, safety and well-being of all children.

About Lynn University
Lynn University is an independent, innovative college based in Boca Raton, Florida. With more than 2,500 students from 90 countries and nearly all 50 states, the school is consistently ranked among the top five most international schools by U.S. News and World Report's Best Colleges. Lynn's NCAA Division II Fighting Knights have won 22 national titles, its Conservatory of Music features a world-renowned faculty of performers, and its nationally recognized Institute for Achievement and Learning empowers students with learning differences to become independent learners. The school's Dialogues of Learning curriculum, award-winning iPad program and international student base help Lynn graduates gain the intellectual flexibility and global experience to fulfill their potential in an ever-changing world. For more information, visit lynn.edu.

Contact:  
Stephanie Brown
Lynn University
Director, Marketing and Communication
561-237-7784
[email protected]

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