Past Deans of the College of Education
In the more than 90 year history of the college, there have only been five individuals who have served as dean of the college.
 The college's newest dean, Frances Kochan, is the first woamn to hold this position.
Zebulon Judd
From 1915-1955, Zebulon Judd served as the leader of the teacher preparatory program at Auburn University. During his long term, the education program grew from a small department to a recognized School of Education where baccalaureate degrees could be awarded. His time also saw the first master's degree and doctorate in education to be awarded.
Dr. Truman M. Pierce
In 1955, Dr. Truman M. Pierce took over leadership of the School of Education. Pierce began his career as a social science teacher in a Georgia high school. His own education began in a one-teacher, seven-grade school in Equality, Ala. Dean Pierce received a bachelor of philosophy degree from Piedmont College, a church-related liberal arts college in Demorest, Ga., his master's from the
 University of Alabama and his doctorate from Columbia University.
Pierce was a public school teacher and administrator, dean at Troy State University and professor of education and director of the Southern States Cooperative Program in Educational Administration at George Peabody College for Teachers before coming to Auburn.
Pierce retired from Auburn after 20 years of service in order to devote his full attention to a program which he considered to be the "most promising development in education" since he had entered the field. His devotion to Auburn's program for improving teacher education inspired his decision to step down as dean and return to the classroom as a full-time professor.
Dr. Jack E. Blackburn
Dr. Jack E. Blackburn succeeded Pierce as dean in 1975. Blackburn, a native of Alabama, spent his childhood and public school years in Panama City, Fla. Prior to coming to Auburn, he served as a professor of education and chair of the Division of Curriculum & Instruction at the
 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Dean Blackburn received his bachelor's degree from Florida State University, a master's from George Peabody College for Teachers and a doctorate in curriculum and instruction from New York University. Blackburn taught at the junior high school level in public schools in both Florida and Illinois.
In his roles in higher education, Blackburn focused his research on individualized instruction, the junior high school curriculum and the process of curriculum construction.
During Dean Blackburn's tenure, the School of Education officially became the College of Education.
Dr. Richard Kunkel
In 1990, Dr. Richard Kunkel, who was then serving as the executive director of the National Council for the
 Accrediation of Teacher Education (NCATE), accepted the position of dean of the college.
Dean Kunkel received his bachelor's degree from Northeast Missouri State University, a master's from the University of Missouri and his doctorate from St. Louis University.
Prior to his work with Auburn and NCATE, Kunkel served as dean at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas and chair of the Department of Education at St. Louis University. He also served as a public school teacher and assistant high school principal.
Kunkel left Auburn University in 2001 to become the dean of the College of Education at Florida State University.
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