By Robert Hornsby, School of Continuing Education, Aug 27 2009
Kristine A. Billmyer Appointed Dean of Columbia’s
School of Continuing Education
NEW YORK, August 27, 2009 — Columbia University President Lee C. Bollinger today announced the appointment of Kristine A. Billmyer as dean of the School of Continuing Education, effective November 1.
Billmyer comes to Columbia from the University of Pennsylvania, where she has served as executive director of the College of Liberal and Professional Studies and associate dean of the School of Arts and Sciences since 2005. She also held an adjunct associate professor role at Penn’s Graduate School of Education and previously served as executive director of Penn’s English Language Programs.
She succeeds Peter J. Awn, dean of Columbia’s School of General Studies, director of The Middle East Institute and professor of religion who has also been serving as acting dean of the School of Continuing Education.
“Kristine Billmyer’s proven track record as a teacher, scholar and administrator make her an excellent choice to lead our School of Continuing Education as the University enhances its ability to provide quality lifelong learning opportunities to a wide diversity of students,” said Bollinger. “I am confident she will make an outstanding dean.”
Billmyer has enjoyed a distinguished career as both a teacher and higher education administrator for more than two decades. A nationally recognized scholar in her field, she has published widely on cross-cultural variation in language use and the acquisition of sociolinguistic competence by second language learners.
At Penn, she crafted an enhanced vision of continuing education and repositioned its College of Liberal and Professional Studies to respond to the educational needs of emerging professions with programs that integrate knowledge across disciplinary boundaries. Billmyer established the college as a campus-wide partner supporting and encouraging innovation, effectively recruiting students of talent and high potential, and establishing programs that are sustainable at robust levels.
She expanded the college’s national and international programming, cultivating partnerships with international universities and organizations that lead to dual degree programs and multi-year grants to host critical language, academic, and culture programs at Penn and abroad. Through the innovative Learning Commons, Penn faculty are now delivering an array of online learning experiences to outstanding students from across the country and around the world.
“I look forward to building on the School of Continuing Education’s strong foundation and creating innovative, academically rigorous programs that align the intellectual strengths of Columbia’s faculties with the demands of a knowledge-based economy, emerging professions and new audiences,” said Billmyer.
Billmyer received a B.A. in psychology and Spanish literature from Vassar College, a Master of Education degree in English education from Temple University, and a Ph.D. in educational linguistics from Penn.
“Kristine Billmyer has rich administrative experience in managing and developing programs in continuing education at Penn,” said Nick Dirks, Columbia’s vice president for arts and sciences. “She also has a proven intellectual and academic commitment to making these programs serve wide cohorts of students at different stages of their educational careers while building directly on the distinctive strengths and opportunities of a great university. We are lucky to have recruited her to come to Columbia.”
About the School of Continuing Education
Columbia’s School of Continuing Education offers 12 applied professional master’s degrees, a post-baccalaureate studies program, arts and sciences courses, English language studies and high school programs. The school makes Columbia coursework and practical training available to more than 8,000 students with diverse needs and interests across the New York metropolitan area.
About Columbia University
A leading academic and research university, Columbia University continually seeks to advance the frontiers of knowledge and to foster a campus community deeply engaged in understanding and addressing the complex global issues of our time. Columbia’s extensive public service initiatives, cultural collaborations, and community partnerships help define the university’s underlying values and mission to educate students to be both leading scholars and informed, engaged citizens. Founded in 1754 as King’s College, Columbia University in the City of New York is the fifth oldest institution of higher learning in the United States.
Media contact: Robert Hornsby, 212-854-9752, r.hornsby@columbia.edu
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