Dr. Susan Dougherty starts 3-12 months phrase as department chair
Dr. Susan Dougherty, an associate professor in Rider University’s Department of Instructor Education, has been named to a 3-yr term as chair of the office. She succeeds Dr. Sharon McKool, the preceding chair who retired in August.
“I am very enthusiastic to perform with Susan,” says Dr. Jason Barr, dean of the Higher education of Training and Human Products and services. “She provides several years of knowledge as a trainer, trainer educator and educational chief to her new role as chair. I seem ahead to working with her on numerous new initiatives as we enter a tough time for lecturers and instructor preparation packages across the country.”
Dougherty is embarking on her new position for the duration of a pivotal period of time for the training method in the United States, and this is reflected in her targets for the Division of Instructor Education and learning.
“Our department faculty are so committed to our college students and to ensuring that we graduate hugely experienced, passionate and compassionate educators,” she says. “Given the latest trainer lack, just one objective I have is to enhance the amount of exceptional Rider educators that we send out into P-12 educational facilities every single 12 months.”
As chair, Dougherty will enjoy a key purpose in shaping the overall course of the office and will have a hand in virtually each facet of the department’s functions, as properly as serving as a liaison to the relaxation of the College.
“I very considerably take pleasure in that my colleagues considered that I would be a great alternative to guide our section,” she says. “I see it as a massive obligation and a big honor.”
Dougherty, who has been a college member at Rider given that 2015, specializes in literacy instruction. She started her career as an elementary college instructor and experienced her sights established on earning a master’s diploma in math prior to her encounters in the classroom led her to swap gears.
“I constantly experienced a few students who ended up genuinely having difficulties with studying and I felt like I didn’t have ample understanding to assistance them,” she recollects. “So I jumped into a master’s degree plan in looking at education and learning and just kept going from there.”
She went on to receive her doctorate in training in literacy and language from Boston College, and has held teaching positions there and at Rutgers College prior to coming to Rider. She also labored for 4 a long time as a consultant for Between the Lions, an early literacy application that was broadcast on PBS.
As chair, Dougherty is also targeted on filling several school positions that are open since of new retirements, as nicely as supporting faculty investigation and scholarship.
“We will will need to make guaranteed those positions are loaded to finest support our pupils and the progressively advanced requires of educating P-12,” she states. “I would also like to see much more support and prospects for division school to engage in investigation and scholarship, which we occasionally sacrifice to dedicate time and energy to our students.”
Dougherty provides that she hopes to carry on McKool’s legacy and establish on her accomplishments.
“It is possible to succeed Sharon, but not at all doable to substitute her,” she suggests. “Sharon’s presents for management and mentoring ended up remarkable. I acquired a good deal from operating with Sharon throughout my yrs at Rider. You can bet I will frequently imagine ‘What would Sharon do?’”
As she receives set to choose on this problem, Dougherty is appreciative of these who assisted her get there and the impact they’ve had on her job. Just one mentor in distinct stands out.
“My doctoral adviser and dissertation chair at Boston College, Dr. Lee Indrisano, was a long-time section chair,” she claims. “As I action into this job, I can’t assist but replicate on her case in point. I believe she’d be pretty happy to know what I will be undertaking for the upcoming three decades.”
