Fordham University has appointed Virginia Roach, Ed.D., as dean of the Graduate School of Education, following a national search. Roach comes to Fordham from the Bank Street College of Education in New York City, where she has been dean of its Graduate School of Education since 2011. Her appointment at Fordham will begin in the 2015-2016 academic year.
“Fordham’s Graduate School of Education is an important resource for New York City schools and teachers—one that extends Fordham’s influence well beyond the campus gates,” said Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of the University. “Therefore, I am very pleased to welcome a dean of Virginia Roach’s stature and experience to Fordham. We expect great things from her, and from GSE under her leadership.”
A scholar who has written extensively on emerging issues in educational reform, particularly special education and leadership development, Roach successfully lead Bank Street to its initial National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) accreditation, oversaw the expansion of online and professional development programming there, and created partnerships and programs with institutions in the United States and abroad. She also emphasized new approaches for developing teachers and leaders to serve effectively in diverse educational settings.
She was an associate professor of education at George Washington University from 2004 to 2011, where she chaired the Department of Educational Leadership, taught master’s and doctoral-level courses, and directed more than 30 dissertations in the field.
“Virginia Roach is an innovative educator, an award-winning researcher, and an accomplished academic leader of vision and integrity,” said Stephen Freedman, Ph.D., provost of the University. “I cannot imagine someone more superbly qualified to lead Fordham’s Graduate School of Education.”
Roach earned her Ed.D. at Teachers College, Columbia University, in educational administration, a M.A.S. in public administration from The Johns Hopkins University with a focus on public policy analysis and administrative and organizational theory, and a B.A. from Michigan State University in special and elementary education.
In 2013, she was lauded with the William J. Davis Research Award for Outstanding Scholarship from the University Council for Educational Administration; her professional contributions include service as editor of Educational Planning from 2009 to 2011 and membership on the boards of the International Society of Educational Planning and the United Nations International School.
“I am thrilled to be joining Fordham in the coming year as the new dean of the Graduate School of Education,” Virginia Roach said. “Fordham’s focus on social justice in education in New York – and the world – is what makes the university so unique. As a lifelong educator, I am very excited to be joining a faculty so dedicated to integrating practice with research.”
Freedman also acknowledged the distinguished service of outgoing dean James Hennessy, Ph.D., who will return to the GSE faculty in 2015.
“His many contributions as a nationally recognized scholar, educator, and academic leader have enhanced GSE’s prominence and profile of excellence in higher education,” Freedman said.
