Olivet Nazarene University recently announced the appointment of Lance Kilpatrick as dean of the School of Education, effective 1 July. He is responsible for overseeing the school’s undergraduate academic programs, as well as the work of its faculty members.
 
“Dr. Kilpatrick is literally a God-send for Olivet,” said Carol Summers, vice president for Academic Affairs. “He brings a blend of expertise in the fields of education, instructional technology, and curriculum and instruction that provides a panoramic view of the relevant educational topics. A soft-spoken, natural-born leader, he communicates a progressive vision for Olivet’s School of Education. Most importantly, he is the missional fit we look for in Olivet’s academic leaders.”
 
Kilpatrick began his first assignment in higher education in 2011 when he joined Olivet’s full-time faculty. In addition to his responsibilities as dean, he is the edTPA coordinator and the Partnership for Educator Preparation (PEP) director. He also teaches Seminar I (introduction to teaching) and Middle School Methods.
 
He holds a B.A. (Elementary Education) from Olivet, an M.A. (Education of Instructional Technology) from San Jose State University, and an Ed.D. (Curriculum and Instruction) from Liberty University. He is the author of “The Experiences of University Faculty Expected to Implement edTPA Within a Teacher Preparation Program,” his doctoral dissertation.
 
“God brought me to Olivet,” Kilpatrick said. “Everything in my life and career has been preparing me for this new leadership position as a dean at Olivet. I took a step of faith when I came to Olivet. Because I was seeking, God opened the doors.”
 
He came to Olivet in 2011 from San Jose, California, where he taught middle school (grades 6 to 8) at Valley Christian Junior High and coached high school football, basketball, and volleyball at Valley Christian High School. He received the Teacher of the Year Award in 2007 and in 2009 and the Leadership Award in 2010. He also served as a youth pastor at Cambrian Park Church of the Nazarene.
 
Currently, he leads the Upward youth basketball program in Manteno, Illinois. The program has more than quadrupled in size since he began it in 2012, now serving more than 300 children.
 
He credits his predecessors, James Upchurch and Robert Hull, as great leaders and important mentors for him. As he looks ahead to his tenure, he has set his overarching goal as encouraging people who want to be teachers and helping them become professionals who take God into the classroom. 
 
On the horizon for Olivet’s School of Education are:

• The child development major now in the School of Education, effective at the start of the 2018–2019 academic year, and offering a Level 5 Gateway credential
• Launch of the Exceptional Students Tutoring Lab with teacher candidates assisting local K–12 students
• Active chapter of the Council for Exceptional Children
• Strengthen relationships with area schools and teachers 

“God called me into the teaching profession so I would have opportunities to influence children in a classroom or on a team,” Kilpatrick said. “Now my calling is exponential. I can prepare many educators to go out and influence many children for the next 20 to 30 years.”

-- Olivet Nazarene University