Dr. Parker C. Fawson, dean of Utah Valley University’s School of Education, has accepted the Emma Eccles Jones Endowed Chair in Early Education at Utah State University, and will also serve as the University’s director of the Center for the School of the Future.

Fawson will continue to collaborate with the Utah State Office of Education, school districts, colleges of education across the state, and the Utah System of Higher Education. Dr. Vessela Ilieva, assistant dean of engagement at UVU’s School of Education, will serve as interim dean until a successor is selected.

“UVU has been heavily committed to improving teacher preparation within the state, and I plan to continue that collaborative effort in my new assignment,” Fawson said. “This will allow us to continue to build strong inter-institutional collaborations that will guide important educational outcomes in the state.”

Fawson joined UVU’s School of Education in 2013. Prior to UVU, he was the department chair and associate dean at the University of Kentucky and assistant dean at Utah State University. He engages regularly with teachers of at-risk readers in high poverty settings including schools in urban and rural environments. He is a sought-after speaker, an author, participates in many education-related associations, and is active in local and national education policy discussions.

 

About the UVU School of Education

The School of Education at Utah Valley University prepares professionals who are classroom ready and able to assist in supporting community needs. This preparation includes extensive, evidence-based learning in effective pedagogy in pre-school, elementary, secondary, and special education settings. Our graduates are highly sought after as they develop expertise in teaching their students about STEM, the Arts, literacy, social science, and other content disciplines in ways that are respectful of student variability and difference and are inclusive of each student’s learning needs.  SOE graduates become world-class teachers who know how to make a difference for each learner. Since we are one of the largest producers of teachers in the state of Utah, that impact is felt around the state and region. Additionally, the award-winning Cole Nellesen Autism Facility which houses the Melisa Nellesen Autism Center, with the autism studies minor, is a game changer and allows UVU and the School of Education to have a direct impact on support services for families and individuals experiencing the challenges and opportunities of autism.

About Utah Valley University

At 37,282 students and growing, Utah Valley University is the largest public university in the state of Utah and one of a few in the nation offering a dual-mission model that combines the rigor and richness of a first-rate teaching university with the openness and vocational programs of a community college. UVU’s unique model, which focuses on student success, engaged learning, rigorous academic programs and faculty-mentored research, is transforming higher education by making it more affordable and accessible to students of all backgrounds.