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Michael Dantley named new dean of College of Education, Health and Society

Photo by Jennifer Mills

By Marisa Phillips, For The Miami Student

After devoting 25 years of teaching to Miami University, Michael Dantley will be returning June 15 as the dean for the College of Education, Heath and Society (EHS).

Dantley has many goals to enhance and improve EHS, and a strong vision to heighten the society around Miami by becoming a leader in issues of diversity.

Dantley envisions, "using the components (departments) of the College of Education, Health and Society to impact the everyday lives of boys and girls in society."

He said he would like to broaden the work of EHS by partnering with the schools and the community surrounding Oxford, to positively impact the lives in society through education.

"The one thing that is exciting to me is the part of our name that is 'society,'" Dantley said. "It's exciting to me … because it says that the work we are trying to do in the college has an impact that is much broader than our fields, much broader than the academy, but it really is going to impact the lives of the human beings."

Dentley said, as he continues to pursue his career in education, his excitement and ideas will bring a new, positive aspect to the College of Education, Health and Society, as well as to the future of Miami.

For almost as long as he remembers, Dantley said education has been of the upmost importance to him.

"Since I was a child, I always wanted to go into education," Dantley said. "I think it was in second grade. I know it's strange, but I knew I just wanted to be a teacher. Education has been a part of my life forever."

Dantley holds a B.A. in history and education from the University of Pennsylvania, a M.Ed. in educational leadership from Miami University and an Ed.D. from the University of Cincinnati.

While pursuing his B.A. in history at the University of Pennsylvania, Dantley, along with other male students, petitioned the College of Arts and Science to allow males to obtain a degree in education, as this was only a major allowed for females at the time. Through this petition, Dantley and his peers got the school to accept males into the education major. This was the first time males were permitted into the program.

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Shortly after graduating, Dantley started teaching English and history/social studies at the middle school and high school levels. He continued to pursue becoming a professor when he moved to the collegiate level in 1986.

Dantley accepted the position as an assistant professor at Miami University in 1986. In addition, Dantley also served as the associate dean for the College of Education, Health and Society from 2006-08, as well as the associate provost and associate vice president for academic affairs from 2008-11.

In 2013 Dantley was named the dean of the School of Education at Loyola University. After devoting about two years to Loyola, he now looks to spend the coming years to Miami University.