Penny Bishop Named BU Wheelock Dean
Penny Bishop assumes the role of dean of BU Wheelock on August 1. Photo by Cydney Scott
Penny Bishop Named BU Wheelock Dean
After a national search, Boston University has named Penny Bishop the new dean of Wheelock College of Education & Human Development. Bishop, who will also hold a faculty appointment as professor of teaching and learning, will assume the role on August 1.
“Dr. Bishop’s strong track record of strategic leadership, her impressive scholarly work, and her reputation as a gifted teacher and community builder are an ideal fit for the needs of Wheelock College of Education & Human Development,” wrote Provost Gloria Waters in a memo to the BU community.
With more than 25 years of academic experience, Bishop joins BU from the University of Maine, where she was the dean of the College of Education and Human Development, and a professor within the college’s School of Teaching and Learning. Prior to that, Bishop served as a professor and associate dean at the University of Vermont’s College of Education and Social Services.
Noted for her scholarship and practice in middle and secondary education, Bishop has written seven books, as well as numerous book chapters and peer-reviewed articles, about education reform and responsive learning environments for young adolescents. Additionally, she is the coeditor of the Middle Grades Review, codirector of the Middle Grades Collaborative, and the former executive advisor to the Middle Grades Education Special Interest Group of the American Educational Research Association.
Bishop has also been recognized for her commitment to equity and inclusion in her leadership. At the University of Maine, for instance, she diversified new faculty and staff hires, intentionally recruited students from historically marginalized groups, and partnered with state Tribal communities to require a course in Teaching Wabanaki Studies for teacher candidates.
Bishop holds a doctorate in educational leadership and policy studies and a master’s in curriculum and instruction, both from the University of Vermont, and a bachelor’s degree in English from Norwich University.
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