Dean Dillashaw is about to become professor Dillashaw. After 15 years as the Dean of the School of Education, Gerald Dillashaw is stepping down.

The committee looking for his replacement is already hard at work. There are 11 people on the committee, including junior Emily Byrd, Elon graduate and current Graham high school teacher John Pickett, former chair of the education department, Deborah Long and chair Dean Steven House.

For the next four to six weeks the committee will build the candidate pool, and then interview eight to 10 of those candidates in early December.

Three to four finalists will interview again in mid-January and early February. At that point, the entire Elon community will be invited to participate in the review process.

Deborah Long, who is currently a faculty administrative fellow and an assistant to the president, stresses the importance of the upcoming hire. “This dean will take us to the next level,” she said.

The committee is looking for several things in a potential replacement, including superior leadership, the ability to articulate and support a vision for educational innovation and a commitment to experiential learning.

Dillashaw began his professional academic career as a high school chemistry teacher in Spartanburg, S.C. His interest in teaching was sparked and he earned a doctorate in science education at the University of Georgia.

He took his first collegiate teaching position at Bethany College and moved from there to Bradley University. Dillashaw began his stint at Bradley as a professor, but when the department chair retired, the associate dean offered him the open position and his administrative career began.

After working at Bradley for 10 years, he longed for a return to the southeast. When the dean’s position opened at Elon, he applied for it and was hired.

His accomplishments since the beginning of his term have been frequent.

“There have been so many highlights,” Dillashaw said.

Two of the biggest accomplishments were the institution of the special education program and the graduate physical therapy program.

His contributions also include active community work. He is on the board of directors for Elon Homes for Children, Alamance Citizens for Education and is a member of the Elon Community Church.

“It’s a citizen’s responsibility to serve the community they’re in,” he said.

His interest in the well-being of Alamance County schools stems from his conviction that “the community benefits from the betterment of the public school system.”

Dillashaw acknowledges that while he is staying at Elon, the move is a prelude to retirement.

As far as the position change goes, he said he will miss being involved in the decision-making process.

After stepping down as dean, he will take a yearlong sabbatical to prepare to teach again.

He and his wife will move to the mountains of North Carolina upon his retirement. But his final stint as a teacher comes first.

“I am excited to be putting on an academic hat full-time again,” he said.

Reporter: Joseph Accordino - 10/03/07