Message from the Associate Dean

Contact Us

Office

Miller Hall 250 (MH 250)

Mailing Address

Woodring College of Education
Western Washington University
MS 9088
516 High Street
Bellingham, WA 98225-9088

Welcome to the Woodring College of Education at Western Washington University. My name is Bruce Larson, and this year I am starting as the college’s Dean. I have been a professor in our Department of Secondary Education, and the Associate Dean prior to stepping in as the Dean. We are proud of our nationally-recognized programs, and our long history of excellence - over 120-years. We are committed to giving every student that walks through our halls – whether in person or remotely – a quality education. This academic year will be challenging in many ways and will see a lot of change. Our faculty, staff, and students have stretched in ways we could not have imagined in response to the current climate. Despite this, we will find new, relevant, and dynamic ways to connect with every student in our programs to help them excel in their - now virtual - classes, volunteer work, internships, and student-teaching.

We promise an education that is research-based, justice-minded, innovative, and inclusive. Our students are provided the opportunity and resources to achieve their full potential and prepare them for professional careers in diverse and dynamic environments. We want all students to have abundant opportunities to pose questions, learn from errors, solve problems, think critically, and work with others in a culturally responsive manner. 

Together, we are working to identify and remove implicit biases, oppressive practices, and inequities from our college and improve our institutional practices to promote social justice. Woodring College’s Vision, Mission, and Strategic Plan each declare that we will continuously improve our curriculum, identify and dismantle structural inequities and racism in our policies and daily workings of the college, and promote anti-racist teaching and learning. 

We believe in strong partnerships with schools, other colleges and universities, and community organizations, at the regional, national, and international levels. These connections contribute significantly to ensuring our programs’ relevancy in meeting the needs and challenges of the institutions that will employ our future graduates.

The Woodring College of Education offers initial teacher preparation in Early Childhood, Elementary, Secondary, and Special Education. At the graduate level, we offer programs in Adult and Higher Education, Language and Literacy, Rehabilitation Counseling, and Education Leadership and Administration. The College also offers a Bachelor’s in Human Services, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a minor in Education for Social Justice, and beginning in September of 2021 a Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership. 

Please explore our website and feel free to reach out directly to me, and the program faculty or staff; we are here to support your efforts toward a successful educational experience that we hope will be impactful. We look forward to having you join the Woodring community.

Updated Fall 2020

Dr. Larson, Dean
Dr. Bruce Larson
Woodring College of Education Dean