Rider selects Dr. Jeannine Dingus-Eason as dean of College of Education and Human Services

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Rider University welcomes Dr. Jeannine Dingus-Eason as dean of its College of Education and Human Services. She began on July 22. 

Dingus-Eason most recently served as the dean of the Feinstein School of Education and Human Development at Rhode Island College. During her tenure, she created a vision for school-wide improvements, which included a successful accreditation renewal, implementation of a new assessment system, expansion of partnerships with K-12 districts and community organizations, and development of new degree programs and certification pathways.

"I am excited to join the Rider University community and to have the opportunity to enhance the College’s outstanding academic reputation,” says Dingus-Eason. “I look forward to collaborating with faculty, staff and students alike to broaden our regional impact through partnerships, clinical placements and developing new program pathways to address critical educator pipeline issues."

As a first-generation college graduate, Dingus-Eason places immense value on higher education access for Black and Latino students. She is especially committed to expanding the ranks of K-12 teachers of color. As a leader in teacher education policy and advocacy at both the state and national levels, she has supported reforms and initiatives aimed at diversifying the teacher pipeline. 

“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Dingus-Eason to the Rider community,” says Dr. DonnaJean Fredeen, provost and senior vice president of academic and student affairs. “She is an accomplished leader with a keen vision for supporting and mentoring today’s educators. I also want to thank Dr. Christina Hamme Peterson, who served as interim dean, for her unwavering dedication and commitment to the work of Academic Affairs at Rider University.”

An accomplished academic, Dingus-Eason has published dozens of scholarly works and presented at numerous national and international conferences. Most recently, she authored the book A Thousand Worries: Black Women Mothering Autistic Sons. It examines how 14 Black mothers — including Dingus-Eason — support and advocate for their autistic sons. Some of her other research interests include Black educational issues, Black teachers in contemporary and historical contexts, and the recruitment and retention of teachers of color. 

Dingus-Eason earned her bachelor’s in English and master’s in secondary English education from the University of Rochester and her doctorate from the University of Washington. She is a former English teacher in the Rochester City School District.