Northwestern Oklahoma State University will have new leadership in the Division of Education as Dr. Jennifer Oswald will assume the role as its new chair beginning July 1.
Oswald replaces Dr. Christee Jenlink, associate dean of education, who is retiring.
“Dr. Oswald will do an outstanding job for us as the new chair for the Division of Education,” said Dr. Bo Hannaford, executive vice president and incoming president. “She has great experience and has a great team of faculty members who will guide our teacher candidates toward their future goals.
“She had an opportunity to participate in our new administrative internship program, and I believe this was a good learning experience for her preparation for this role. She works well with our faculty and staff and will bring some new ideas to the table to best serve our students. I look forward to working with her for years to come.”
Dr. James Bell, associate vice president for academics and dean of faculty, also said he’s confident in Oswald’s abilities to lead the program.
“I had the opportunity to work closely with Dr. Oswald when she was selected for the first NWOSU Administrative Practicum in the 2020-2021 academic year,” Bell said. “During her time as an administrative intern, she demonstrated her ability to analyze complex issues, synthesize information from a variety of sources, and establish practical processes to address those issues. She is a creative and insightful thinker. These attributes will serve her well as a division chair.
“More importantly, Dr. Oswald has the interpersonal skills and good instincts that are required to serve as a leader. She is highly regarded by her colleagues and by the campus community more generally. I look forward to continuing to work with her in her new role as division chair.”
Oswald, who serves the university as an associate professor of education, joined the Northwestern faculty in the fall of 2012. She teaches Children’s Literature, Emergent Literacy, Diagnosis, Ed Tech and graduate reading specialist classes. She is the sponsor and co-founder of the Teachers Closet and sponsor of the student organization, NWOSU Forge. She also founded and serves as the director of the NWOSU Literacy Center and serves on the Academic Affairs Appeals Committee, the Teacher Education Committee and the Faculty Senate.
“Dr. Oswald is an excellent choice in which to place the leadership responsibility in the Division of Education,” Jenlink said. “She has the skills to respond to the rapidly changing needs of today’s schools while upholding the tradition of excellence expected of NWOSU.”
Oswald said the Division of Education has a great team in place to grow the graduate and undergraduate programs. She is looking forward to the challenge of working with the division to find solutions to meet the needs of Northwestern students and stakeholders while maintaining the integrity and rigor of the program to ensure Northwestern graduates are well-trained educators ready for the demands of the classroom.
“I am excited to continue the work of preparing qualified teachers that are so badly needed in our public schools,” Oswald said. “The people are what I love about my job. We are blessed with the best people here at Northwestern. I love seeing my students become successful teachers and watching them grow throughout their career and life milestones!”
The Division of Education under the School of Education offers a Bachelor of Arts Education degree, a Bachelor of Science Education degree and a Master of Education degree.
For more information about the department, visit https://www.www.nwosu.edu/school-of-professional-studies/education or contact Oswald at (580) 327-8451 or jdoswald@nwosu.edu.
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CONTACT FOR RELEASE:
Erin Davis, University Relations Specialist
eedavis@nwosu.edu, 580-327-8480