A Trio of New Deans at American Universities

Rhonda M. Rabbitt is the new dean of the School of Education at Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. She was assistant dean and director of graduate programs in education at Viterbo University in LaCrosse, Wisconsin.

Dr. Rabbitt is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, where she double majored in Spanish and business administration. She earned a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and a doctorate in educational leadership from Fielding Graduate University in Santa Barbara, California.

Ruth Tarantine was appointed dean of nursing at Colorado Technical University in Colorado Springs. She was director of healthcare for Academic Partnerships, where she designed nursing programs for public universities. She is the former chair of graduate nursing programs at South University in Atlanta.

Dr. Tarantine is a graduate of Carlow University in Pittsburgh. She holds a master’s degree in nursing education from the University of Pittsburgh and a doctor of nursing practice degree from Chatham University in Pittsburgh.

Jan Murphy was named interim dean of the College of Applied Science and Technology at Illinois State University. She joined the faculty at the university in 1986 as an assistant professor of food and nutrition. Dr. Murphy is expected to serve as interim dean for two years.

Dr. Murphy holds a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree in human nutrition, and a Ph.D. in nutrition research, all from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.