Willimantic, CT — Jacob Easley II will join Eastern Connecticut State University on June 27 when he assumes his new job as the Dean of Education and Professional Studies. Easley will be leaving the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown, where he served as chair of the Education Division since 2011.
What does the new dean like about Eastern? “What stood out was the campus commitment to the University’s values, including a commitment to the local community. I was also impressed with your commitment to sustainability.”
Easley received his PhD in Educational Leadership, Curriculum and Supervision from Pennsylvania State University, his MA in Applied Linguistics from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and his BA in Spanish from Morehouse College.
“I see the School of Education and Professional Studies as being the University’s finger on the pulse of the academic needs of the state and the workforce needs of the business community,” said Easley during a phone interview prior to his arrival on campus.
Over the course of the past 20 years, Easley has served a variety in a variety of positions in higher education, holding such positions as professor, teacher and supervisor. Easley has also served on various boards and committees, conducted research, published writings and presented extensively across the United States and abroad.
Some of Easley’s research interests include education policy and politics; contextualized leadership; schools as organizations; understanding the factors that affect urban schools and shape the formal processes of schooling; and 21st Century intercultural and international perspectives in educational leadership.
When discussing projects he has in mind for his new role at Eastern, Easley said, “In collaboration with the Center for Community Engagement, something we might consider is creating summer institutes for students at the K-12 level that teach kids how the higher education system works. I am also interested in strengthening partnerships with business and industry, as well as enhancing quality internships and providing opportunities for gaining international business perspectives.”
Easley is the author of “The Audacity to Teach!: The Impact of Leadership, School Reform, and the Urban Context on Educational Innovations.” His research has also been published in the Journal of Urban Learning, Teaching, and Research; The Educational Forum; Race Ethnicity and Education; The Professional Educator; and Educational Studies.