Amanda Haertling Thein named dean of University of Colorado Boulder School of Education

Friday, January 17, 2025

Amanda Haertling Thein, the University of Iowa's associate provost for graduate and professional education and dean of the Graduate College, has accepted the position of dean at the University of Colorado Boulder School of Education. She will begin the position on July 1.

Amanda Haertling Thein

The UI will conduct an internal search for Thein's replacement this spring. Thein will continue to serve as associate provost for graduate and professional education and dean of the Graduate College until her new appointment begins.

"Dean Thein's leadership has significantly advanced graduate and professional education at the University of Iowa, and her return to her alma mater is a wonderful opportunity for her," says Kevin Kregel, executive vice president and provost. "We are grateful for her dedication to enhancing the graduate student experience and for her many contributions to the university community."

Thein earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Bachelor of Science in journalism from the University of Colorado Boulder, a Master of Arts in curriculum and instruction from the University of Denver, and a PhD in English education from the University of Minnesota.

She joined Iowa in 2011 as an associate professor in the College of Education and served as the college's associate dean for faculty and academic affairs from 2016 to 2021. Before coming to Iowa, Thein was a faculty member at the University of Pittsburgh and a high school English teacher in Denver, Colorado.

Since her appointment as associate provost for graduate and professional education and dean of the Graduate College in 2021, Thein has led several initiatives to enhance student success and academic excellence for graduate and professional students. As a member of the university's Strategic Plan Action and Resource Committee, she guided the creation of an innovative peer-to-peer mentoring program to foster connections and belonging for graduate students; supported interdisciplinary graduate training programs to enable faculty and students to engage in research opportunities; and strategically adjusted fellowships to maximize support for graduate students.

Thein serves as a member of the Council of Graduate Schools Advisory Committee on Advocacy and Public Policy and as chair-elect of the Big Ten Academic Alliance Graduate Deans Group. She previously served as president of the Iowa Academy of Education from 2020-2022.