IU alumnus Lemuel Watson is returning to the University as the dean of the School of Education.
Watson earned his doctoral degree in higher education and policy at IU, his master's degree at Ball State University and his bachelor's degree in management at the University of South Carolina.
Before becoming the dean of IU's School of Education, Watson was a professor and director at the Center for Innovation in Higher Education at South Carolina. He's a widely published Fulbright Scholar and internationally known as an expert in higher education and policy.
"We are poised to deliver creative solutions to today's and tomorrow's challenges related to education, healthy communities and individuals' well-being," he said in an IU press release. "I know that I am coming to a world-class University and school with remarkable faculty and alumni. I am ready to build upon the great foundation that has been laid before us as we move forward."
Watson has a history as a dean at various universities, most recently at the College of Education at South Carolina.
Watson will begin his appointment Aug. 1. Provost and Executive Vice President Lauren Robel said in the release she was thrilled to welcome Watson to the University and said he will be vital in the school moving forward after its restructuring.
"Dr. Watson is an excellent choice to lead the next chapter in the history of our excellent School of Education," Robel said in the release. "He has an international and national reputation in education policy, and is an active and thoughtful participant in the policy debates about the role of education in our society."
