Gary J. Dean Ph.D.

Gary Dean currently is Professor and Chairperson of the Department of Adult and Community Education at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and also serves as Program Coordinator for the Master of Arts in Adult and Community Education.

 

Dean was born and raised in Akron, Ohio. After completing his undergraduate degree at Miami University of Ohio (1972), Dean served as a Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Counselor in the U.S. Army (1972-1974). In this capacity he provided drug and alcohol education programs and counseling services to military personnel while stationed in Germany.

 

Upon discharge from the Army, Dean worked for the Ohio Bureau of Employment Services (1975-1982). While with the Employment Service, Dean worked as an employment specialist, career counselor, and a counselor trainer. As a trainer he helped to develop and implement a comprehensive training program for career counselors for the Ohio Bureau of Employment Services. It was this last position that lead Dean to graduate studies in adult education at Ohio State University.

 

While at Ohio State completing his master's and doctoral degrees (1982-1987), Dean worked as an academic advisor for adult, non-traditional students and as a research associate for the National Center for Research in Vocational Education. As an academic advisor, Dean provided career and academic advising services for adult students at Ohio State. In addition, he conducted numerous workshops on topics such as career search and selection, major selection, study skills, and decision making for students. As a research associate, Dean worked on various projects including developing psychometric training for the Department of Defense Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Test Battery testing and counseling personnel.

 

Dean completed his doctoral studies in 1987. His dissertation was Factors Affecting Participation of Displaced Workers in Adult Education and Training Programs. Dean began employment at Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1987 as a graduate faculty member in the Department of Adult and Community Education. He has served as department chairperson of the Department of Counseling, Adult Education, and Student Affairs from 1991-1996 and as chairperson of the Department of Adult and Community Education from 1996-2001 and 2006 to the present.

 

In his career Dean has authored or co-authored four books, and over 60 articles. In addition, he has given over 30 national and international presentations and over 40 state and regional presentations. He has also served as co-editor of the PAACE Journal of Lifelong Learning since its inception in 1991. Dean has received numerous honors and awards over the years, including Induction into the International Adult and Continuing Education Hall of Fame in 2012.

 

 

 

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