College of Education Dean C. Kent McGuire will leave Temple for Atlanta this week.
C. Kent McGuire, the current dean of the College of Education, is leaving the university Nov. 8, according to an announcement by Richard M. Englert, the interim senior vice president and provost of the university.
Earlier this month, Englert announced McGuire’s decision to leave the College of Education and said the dean will be pursuing a new career opportunity. McGuire will serve as the president and chief executive officer of the Southern Education Foundation, a foundation “rooted in more than a century of support for educational equality and excellence,” Englert said in his announcement.
In his new position, McGuire said he will direct a team of 15 to 20 people, assisting them in the expansion of the foundation’s grant-giving programs and research-based policy briefs, both of which serve to improve the quality of education in the South.
“These goals are a particularly good fit for [McGuire], who has demonstrated strong leadership skills and a deep commitment to both equality and excellence in education throughout his tenure at our College of Education,” Englert said in his announcement.
McGuire, who has been at Temple for seven years, said the career shift will include a move to Atlanta.
“We have worked well together as colleagues and friends, so I was naturally sorry to hear that he was leaving,” professor and associate dean of the College of Education James Byrnes said. “However, he devoted nearly seven years of his life to Temple, and that is more than many deans.”
Byrnes said he remembers McGuire as being “affable, intelligent and compassionate.” Byrnes worked with McGuire as a special assistant to the dean since 2004 and as the associate dean since 2005.
He describes McGuire’s style as being, “very collaborative.”
“His style is to utilize the talents of individuals to create an effective team. He always thinks outside the box,” Byrnes said. “Although he will be missed, his new position is ideally suited to maximize his many talents.”
“[McGuire] has made extraordinary contributions to Temple. He has hired outstanding faculty members … worked closely with the U.S. Department of Education and worked with the School District of Philadelphia to improve city schools and teacher preparation,” Englert said.
Although McGuire is excited for his new position, he said that he will miss standing for Temple on various policy boards and reform organizations, as well as interacting with leaders in Philadelphia and Harrisburg on behalf of the university.
“Frankly, I will miss the students,” McGuire said. “I have so enjoyed getting to know people in all walks of life in this university.”
“I won’t miss the late nights in my office when I finally get to do e-mails,” he added.
The College of Education will consider applicants from across the country for McGuire’s replacement, Englert said. The school is establishing a search advisory committee that will be in charge of finding the best candidates.
Englert said the college’s goal is to have a new dean in place by Fall 2011.
Carl O’Donnell can be reached at carl.odonnell@temple.edu.
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