Indiana State University Newsroom

Indiana State is continuing its efforts to improve student success in classrooms across the state by welcoming its fourth and final cohort of the Woodrow Wilson MBA Fellowship in Education Leadership.

The MBA in Education Leadership is a unique program designed in partnership with ISU's Scott College of Business and the Bayh College of Education's department of educational leadership along with support and leadership from the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation. The goal of the MBA program is to recruit and prepare a new generation of educational leaders who have the knowledge, skills and tools to significantly improve learning in Indiana's schools.

"The collaboration of our faculty in business and education with the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Program has been a very exciting and productive partnership," said Jack Maynard, program director and interim dean of the Scott College of Business. "This program has attracted future educational leaders who are committed to making Indiana's public schools the best in the country. We are excited to welcome this final cohort of fellows."

Blending clinical practice in schools with innovative business school coursework, the MBA in Education Leadership is designed to ensure graduates have the knowledge and skills not only to guide schools and districts in a changing education environment, but also close achievement gaps between America's lowest- and highest-performing schools and between the country's top-performing schools and those around the world.

The fellowship is designed to prepare leaders who will create school cultures to drive innovation, expand the use of analytics and evidence-based practices, raise student performance to international levels, and improve the quality of school systems and teaching over time.

Fellows are selected based on, among other things, key competencies of effective leaders. Each receives a fellowship stipend that covers tuition and materials for the MBA program, along with executive coaching. In exchange, fellows commit to serve in leadership roles in identified districts/schools for at least three years.

The Indiana State cohort is as follows:

• Tarrell Berry is a school improvement specialist with the Indiana Department of Education. Prior to joining the State Department, he was a social studies teacher at Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis. Berry earned his bachelor's and master's degrees at Earlham College. He has also served as an adjunct faculty member at IUPUI's teacher education program.

• Gina Courtois is social emotional learning coordinator for the Warsaw Community Schools. Prior to assuming this role in 2008, she was an elementary teacher in several Warsaw elementary schools. She has also served as a volleyball coach in the district and has done mission work in Haiti. Courtois has bachelor's degrees from Livet Nazarene University and Indiana Wesleyan University and a master's degree from Butler University.

• Austin Cole Dietrich is the assistant director of charter schools and special programs for the Indiana Department of Education. He has served as English learning and migrant education coordinator for the state department. He has also served as the English learning director and K-8 Spanish Teacher at Paramount School of Excellence. He has a bachelor's degree from Indiana University and a master's degree from Marian University. He also spent a year studying in Spain.

• Patrick Herrel is the director of the office of enrollment and options for the Indianapolis Public Schools. He has also served in leadership positions with the Accelerate Great Schools organization in Cincinnati, Indianapolis based Mind Trust, and Teach for America. Herrel has his bachelor's degree from the College of William and Mary.

• Kari J. Richardson is business education teacher from Hamilton Southeastern High School. She had previous teacher experience at Noblesville High School and Riverside Junior High School. She has served as DECA advisor for several years. Richardson earned her bachelor's degree from Ball State University.

• Rose Tomishima is the elementary literacy and English-language arts specialist for the Indiana Department of Education. Prior to assuming this role, she was a kindergarten teacher for the Center Grove Community School Corporation. She has a bachelor's degree from Indiana University.

• Ashley Wilcoxen is dean of students at Eminence Community Schools. Prior to assuming this role, she was a health and physical education teacher in the Eminence Community Schools. She has a bachelor's degree from Franklin College.

• Jeffrey M. Wittman currently serves as the state education foster care and school social work specialist for the Indiana Department of Education. Prior to assuming this role, he had more than 25 years of experience in a variety of roles focused on serving at-risk youth and their families. He has a bachelor's degree from Wittenberg University and graduate work at Edinboro University.

Go to woodrow.org/fellowships/ww-ed-mba/indiana to learn more about the foundation's work in school leadership preparation in Indiana. Go to indstate.edu/mbaed to learn more about Indiana State's MBA in Education Leadership program or contact Jack Maynard, program director, at jack.maynard@indstate.edu.

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Media contact: Jack Maynard, program director and interim dean of the Scott College of Business, Indiana State University, jack.maynard@indstate.edu or