GSEHD alumnus Dr. Ed Bengtson (Education Specialist, Educational Leadership and Administration) was appointed Associate Dean in the Graduate School and International Education at the University of Arkansas. In this role, Dr. Bengtson will work to develop and promote graduate education on campus, advocate for graduate students, support graduate student success initiatives and monitor compliance with graduate and university policies, among other duties. He will also supervise the Office of Graduate and International Admissions, Testing Services and the interdisciplinary graduate degree programs.
Per the University of Arkansas's announcement, Bengtson has served as head of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction since 2019 after nine years as a faculty member in the educational leadership program. He has earned a plethora of awards in his time at the U of A, including the 2021 GSIE Outstanding Mentor Award and five annual awards from the Department of Curriculum and Instruction — the STAR Faculty Award, two Outstanding Advising Awards and additional awards for Outstanding Service and Research. In 2016, he was named to the state's Leadership 2020 Task Force charged with the redesign of educational leadership preparation programs in Arkansas.
We congratulate Dr. Bengtson on his new leadership position!