Educating our educators

The world of academia is ever changing. That's why Lynn University's Donald E. and Helen L. Ross College of Education remains committed to educating future educators. Graduates from Lynn's education program have realized their potential through the university's personalized approach and have pursued successful careers as dynamically involved leaders in their communities.

Amanda Orndorff received her Doctor of Education in educational leadership from Lynn in 2017. Now a leadership executive at Apple, Orndorff uses skills she learned throughout her studies and works with higher education leadership to develop innovative practices to enhance university life. She looked at many local programs but found Lynn was a great fit because of the Dissertation in Practice that is required to complete the Ed.D. "Had I not gone to Lynn, I wouldn't have known this type of job existed. The university opened my eyes to so many opportunities," said Orndorff.

Melvin Bustamante said attending Lynn's educational program was "a breath of fresh air." After moving from Guatemala to the United States with no English skills at 15, Bustamante was delighted to meet Lynn professors who understood his background. He felt valued as a student—and was not just a number. "Enrolling at Lynn has been one of the best educational decisions I've made in my life," he said.

Now a principal at Everett Public Schools in Washington, Bustamante is happy to give back by being a leader who believes in all students.

Becky Youngman "found immense value in the cohort format of the educational leadership program at Lynn." Now curriculum manager for a career-related program at The International Baccalaureate Global Centre in the Netherlands, Youngman's role is to oversee core components of the program and collaborate with colleagues to shape the organization's direction. "Collaborating with others by participating in deep discussions about how to turn educational theory into effective practice are now everyday aspects of my current role," she said.

Lynn's Ed.D. program has conferred 154 students since it began in 2009, and the college's undergraduate and master's level education students are making an impact in local communities. Dr. Kathleen Weigel, dean of the College of Education, notes there is an extensive list of alumni who work in Palm Beach County as teachers and school administrators.

Weigel, a former Palm Beach County Schools principal, started at Lynn as an adjunct professor in 2003 and became dean in 2014. She quickly leveraged her more than 30 years of K-12 experience to apply cutting-edge learning techniques to help Lynn students succeed. "I'm able to find and recognize greatness in local leadership. I'm here to push students into the light and watch them shine," she said.

Lynn's College of Education offers undergraduate majors in early childhood education and elementary education K-6, as well as master's programs in exceptional student education and K-12 school administration.

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