Dr. Kimberly Rynearson
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2020
STEPHENVILLE, Texas — Dr. Kimberly Rynearson, Dean of the College of Education at Tarleton State University, has been named an Impact Academy fellow, joining a cohort of national leaders committed to strengthening educator preparation.
She will participate in the yearlong fellowship, a venture of Deans for Impact, a national nonprofit organization that aims to improve student learning by changing the way the country prepares educators.
“I’m honored to be part of a network of deans who share my desire to improve educator preparation, especially as we navigate the unprecedented challenges presented by COVID-19,” Rynearson said. “It is imperative that the next generation of educational leaders fosters individual and organizational learning to ensure that all children have access to content-rich instruction whether in person or online.”
Rynearson is one of 17 educators selected for the fellowship’s fifth cohort following a rigorous nomination and application process.
“We believe that transformative leadership is the cornerstone of an educator-preparation program that embraces an improvement mentality and prioritizes candidate learning above all else,” said Benjamin Riley, Founder and Executive Director of Deans for Impact. “We’re thrilled to welcome 17 such leaders into the Impact Academy fellowship, and we are excited to support these leaders as they embark on efforts to improve their own educator-preparation programs and the field more broadly.”
This year’s Impact Academy fellowship combines monthly virtual sessions with regular learning modules and ongoing leadership coaching from Deans for Impact members. Fellows strengthen their ability to engage faculty, staff and K-12 school partners in a shared vision for change, grounded in a deep scientific understanding about how students learn.
Tarleton, founding member of The Texas A&M University System, provides a student-focused, value-driven education marked by academic innovation and a dedication to transform today’s scholars into tomorrow’s leaders. It offers degree programs to more than 13,000 students at Stephenville, Fort Worth, Waco, Midlothian, RELLIS Academic Alliance in Bryan, and online, emphasizing real-world learning experiences that address societal needs while maintaining its core values of tradition, integrity, civility, excellence, leadership and service.
A founding member of The Texas A&M System, Tarleton State University is breaking records — in enrollment, research, scholarship, athletics, philanthropy and engagement — while transforming the lives of approximately 18,000 students in Stephenville, Fort Worth, Waco, Bryan and online. For 125 years, Tarleton State has been committed to accessible higher education opportunities for all while helping students grow academically, socially and professionally through programs that emphasize real world learning and address regional, state and national needs.