Alumnus named College of Education dean at Winona State

Daniel Kirk (PhD '08), an alumnus of the College of Education's department of language and literacy education, was recently named dean of Winona State University's College of Education in Minnesota.

Kirk, who received his doctoral degree in language and literacy education, previously served as dean and professor of education at American University of Ras al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as well as associate dean and professor at the National Defense College in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

"I'm very excited to be joining the Winona State College of Education," Kirk told the Winona Daily News. "I was impressed by the historical legacy of WSU in the preparation of highly qualified teachers and the opportunities that exist for the College of Education to build upon the transformational work of Dean Portman, positioning the college to become a national leader in educator preparation."

An expert on educational policy formation in international settings, Kirk is often consulted on national teacher preparation policy and practice with a focus on the Persian Gulf states.