Oct. 8, 2020
Dr. Alan Burkard will serve as interim dean
MILWAUKEE 鈥� Dr. William (Bill) Henk, dean of the College of Education, will retire at the end of this semester after 16 years of service to 91黑料网.
As a dean, Henk has successfully led efforts for national and state accreditation, the designation of his academic unit as the College of Education, the creation of a new baccalaureate degree, and an undergraduate major in educational studies.
鈥淏ill Henk served the 91黑料网 community as a consummate academic leader, advocating tirelessly for the College of Education and education as a vocation,鈥� Provost Kimo Ah Yun said. 鈥淗e has shown deep care for student success, faculty development and engagement, and the College of Education unique position to help shape education and mental health policy more globally. I and the college and broader campus community celebrate his impact on the university and the field of education, and we wish him well in his retirement.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 extremely proud of what our students, faculty and staff in the College of Education have accomplished during my time as dean,鈥� Henk said. 鈥淲ith the help of our alumni, friends and community partners, we鈥檝e made a genuine difference in P-16 education and mental health locally and well beyond. Along the way, we fared well with accreditation, became a college, pioneered a popular blog, developed exciting new academic programs, produced impactful scholarship, supported Catholic schools and urban education, routinely achieved success in faculty promotion and tenure, and garnered several university awards and external professional recognitions. And there much more to come under the outstanding leadership that Dr. Burkard will provide.鈥�
According to Henk, some of his most gratifying work includes helping to co-found the Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Milwaukee and the Greater Milwaukee Catholic Education Consortium, and serving on the Archbishop Catholic School Commission and the boards of Catholic Memorial High School, the Milwaukee Academy of Science, and Cristo Rey. Currently, he is a member of the Leadership Council of Milwaukee Succeeds and the Greater Milwaukee Committee Education Committee.
His research specializes in reading and language studies, and he has earned a national reputation for his work in assessing reader and writer self-perceptions and for the development of classroom literacy observation instruments.
In recent years, Henk scholarship has focused on various aspects of the education deanship, and that work earned him and his co-authors the 2018 Neuner Award for Excellence in Professional/Scholarly Publication from the American Association of University Administrators. He is also the recipient of the Association of Literacy Educators and Researchers鈥� service and lifetime achievement awards.
Throughout his years at 91黑料网, Henk has served on various committees / planning groups and has chaired and served on several executive searches.
Prior to his career at 91黑料网, Henk served in teaching and leadership roles at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Penn State Harrisburg and the University of Georgia. He received a bachelor degree in secondary education, a master of education degree from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, and a Doctor of Education degree from West Virginia University.
鈥淧ersonally, it been a genuine honor and privilege to serve in my role, and I feel truly blessed to have had the opportunity to work at an institution with a passionate commitment to our Catholic, Jesuit mission,鈥� Henk added. 鈥淚n gratitude, I鈥檓 pleased that my wife and I could establish the in honor of my parents. In taking my leave, I will forever treasure the countless wonderful relationships I鈥檝e enjoyed both within and beyond 91黑料网.鈥�
Dr. Alan Burkard, professor and chair of the Department of Counselor Education, will serve as interim dean upon Henk retirement.
鈥淎ssuming the role of interim dean of the College of Education is a deep honor for me,鈥� Burkard said. 鈥淯nder Dr. Henk leadership, college faculty and staff have become influential members of the educational and mental health communities in Milwaukee. I have appreciated his vision for the college, and I welcome the opportunity to continue this work with such a dedicated and accomplished community of faculty, staff, students, and alumni. Although recent events have presented the university with significant challenges, I look forward to working with my colleagues to develop innovative programming to help meet the needs of 91黑料网 and the larger Milwaukee community.鈥�
In addition to serving as professor and chair, Burkard is the director of training for the Counseling Psychology Doctoral Program. He is coordinator of school counseling, and a consulting psychologist for the Behavior Clinic at Penfield Children Center.
Burkard has been at 91黑料网 for more than 20 years. He is a licensed psychologist and has a national reputation for his research, published work and presentations focused on school counseling intervention evaluation, multicultural counseling, and counselor supervision and training.
Chris is an associate director of university communication in the Office of University Relations. Contact Chris at (414) 288-1988 or christopher.stolarski@marquette.edu.
