Welcome to the Fort Lewis College School of Education.
It is an honor to serve as Dean of a School with a strong commitment to students, experiential learning, community engagement, and preparing graduates to make a meaningful difference in the world.
Our School brings together the distinctive strengths of Teacher Education and Adventure Education. While each has its own programs, traditions, and areas of expertise, we share a purpose and a community. My vision for the School is grounded in a simple idea: One School, One Community.
That vision means celebrating the strengths of every program while creating more opportunities to learn from one another, collaborate across disciplines, deepen our partnerships, and place students at the center of our work. Across the School of Education, our students learn through meaningful experiences—in classrooms, schools, communities, and outdoor environments—and develop the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to lead and serve in an increasingly complex world.
I bring more than 25 years of experience in education as a special educator, faculty member, scholar, department chair, and academic leader. Throughout that journey, I have come to believe that strong educational communities are built through relationships, humanity, dignity, respect, and a genuine commitment to listening and learning from one another.
As Dean, my role is not simply to lead programs, but to help create the conditions in which our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and partners can thrive. We will build upon the School’s many existing strengths while continuing to imagine new possibilities for student success, innovation, collaboration, and service to Southwest Colorado and beyond.
Whether you are a prospective student, current Skyhawk, family member, alumnus, educator, community partner, or visitor, I invite you to explore the School of Education and discover the people, programs, and experiences that make this community distinctive.
We are One School. One Community. And together, we are moving from strength to strength.
Welcome to the School of Education.
Dr. Tiece M. Ruffin
Dean, School of Education