Elizabeth HindeThe University created a School of Education, restructuring and refining its former Teacher Education Department to better prepare future teachers to meet the changing needs of students across the state.

The formation of the new school was one of the recommended outcomes from a $1.88 million Title III federal grant MSU Denver received in 2010. One of the grant’s key priorities was to improve academic success and institutional management through focused teacher-education advising and academic restructuring.

The other recommendation from the grant was to hire a new dean. Elizabeth Hinde, Ph.D., was brought on as founding dean in September 2014, and she immediately began to work with faculty and staff to initiate cutting-edge curricula that anticipated national and state policy changes.

“I became a teacher to make a positive difference in the lives of students, and that continues to be my anchor today,” said Hinde, shortly after taking her post. “With MSU Denver’s strong reputation for teacher preparation, I saw the potential to be able to do some remarkable things in how we shape and deliver education, with an institution that really values the role of teachers.”

MSU Denver has trained teachers since 1968. The new school has built on decades of tradition, continuing all the degree and licensure programs previously offered by the College of Professional Studies, but also aiming to enhance teachers’ educational effectiveness within multicultural, bilingual and historically underserved populations.