Although Oddmund Myhre has only been recently appointed to the position of Dean of the College of Education, Kinesiology and Social Work at California State University, Stanislaus, the new title does not strike him as unfamiliar.
Having served as the Interim Dean of the College of Education, Kinesiology and Social Work for the past three years, Myhre hopes to not only maintain the hard work he has demonstrated in the past as the newly appointed dean, but to also increase his efforts even further to move the region to the next level academically.
“I am humbled by the support and I certainly feel honored, but I also feel that there is a level of responsibility,” said Myhre. “I pray and hope I can fulfill all expectations.”
Myhre continued to express his gratitude towards his new title, explaining that the University is in a very good place as it continues to work with communities, school districts and community colleges in order to improve the overall educational level of the region.
“I hope we can solidify and continue working very closely with the community and partners in the community,” said Myhre. “It is a process that is never done and it needs to become a part of how we do education in this region.”
One primary goal that Myhre hopes to achieve as the newly appointed dean is the creation of what he refers to as an “institutional habit of collaborating” with university partners.
“We need to make sure that we are closely connected to the people, agencies and school districts that we serve in order to make sure our graduates are well qualified to meet the needs of this region and that they are ready to do what they are supposed to do,” said Myhre.
“We really need to make sure there is a close alignment between community needs and what we are providing at the university,” continued Myhre.
Additionally, Myhre aspires to continue providing high quality programs that help students meet the needs of the region as he has seen his faculty accomplish over the past three years.
“We need to ensure that whatever we are doing is going to make sure our students are well prepared and ready to meet the demands that they will be facing once they leave the institution,” said Myhre.
Provost and vice president for academic affairs James T. Strong defined Myhre as having demonstrated effective leadership skills, as well as an unmistakable commitment to the university in a number of ways, especially through building lasting partnerships with community leaders.
Prior to holding his position as Interim Dean, Myhre was a professor in the Department of Advanced Studies in Education. He came to CSU Stanislaus from Western Washington University, where he served as Co-Director of the Applied Research and Development Center.
He holds a Ph.D. in Educational Technology/Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Washington and an M.A. in Educational Administration and Policy Studies from California State University, Sacramento.
