Fordham University is pleased to announce that José Luis Alvarado, Ph.D., will assume the position of dean of the Graduate School of Education, effective July 1, 2021. Alvarado is a distinguished educational leader who brings a wealth of experience to the role, having served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Cal State Los Angeles, the founding dean of the College of Education at California State University Monterey Bay, and associate dean of the College of Education at San Diego State University. In addition to his many credentials, José Luis Alvarado, Ph.D., was chosen for his well-established commitment to justice and equity, which aligns closely with the mission of Fordham.
“Fordham is delighted to welcome an academic leader of Dr. Alvarado’s caliber, and we look forward to his tenure at the helm of the Graduate School of Education,” states Dennis C. Jacobs, Ph.D., Provost and Senior Vice President, Academic Affairs. “He has broad and deep administrative experience, from developing and communicating strategy to generating philanthropic support to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. His drive for excellence is rooted in his own life experience—he was a 10-year-old English learner himself, an immigrant son of impoverished parents who worked as farm laborers. As a first-generation college graduate, he is exceptionally devoted to the cause of educational access and opportunity.”
“I am honored to be able to step into a leadership role at such a highly esteemed university as Fordham, with its unmatched reputation and programs,” said José Luis Alvarado, Ph.D. “The values of a Jesuit education are perfectly aligned with those to which I have dedicated my entire career: equity and social justice, human rights, and using education as a vehicle to support underserved communities.”
Alvarado is an administrative leader who describes his leadership style as a combination of collaborative leadership and shared governance where the faculty will have input, and in leading by example, a servant leader. He is looking forward to collaborating with the faculty to establish a collective understanding of the direction and goals for the school and building pathways to more interdisciplinary work within the school and across the university. He seeks to become actively engaged in program development and delivery, and positively impact student outcomes.
“Vision setting and goal setting about the school’s direction need to have a collective understanding among the administration and faculty,” maintains Alvarado. “One area of emphasis is the need for interdisciplinary work or cross-pollination of disciplines. For example, students specializing in special education need to interact with students in school psychology and general education. This is what they will be doing in the real-world setting.”
Fordham’s Graduate School of Education, located at 113 W. 60th Street, New York, NY 10023, offers more than 40 master’s, doctoral, and certificate programs in nearly three dozen fields of study. Faculty within the school are renowned teachers/scholars in educational leadership, counseling and counseling psychology, school psychology, and teacher education. As dean, José Luis Alvarado, Ph.D., will serve as the chief academic officer of the Graduate School of Education and bear responsibility for setting and implementing its vision.
To contact the Graduate School of Education, please call (212) 636-6406 or email gsedeans@fordham.edu.
