As the third largest college on campus, the College of Education Health and Human Sciences is preparing hundreds of teachers, athletic trainers, health professionals and more for the workforce each year. This semester there is a new face at the head of the college, Brooke Blevins.
Before coming to the University of Idaho, Blevins started her career as a high school teacher in Texas and after a few years pursued her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Texas. She then became a professor at Baylor University for 11 years, after which she served as associate chair, then becoming the Endowed Chair of Education for 3 years.
Her experience both as a high school teacher and in higher education gives Blevins a strong sense of the importance of education and training good teachers.
“I think education is essential to all the things we do in the state,” Blevins said. Without great educators we wouldn’t have scientists, doctors and other professionals, we need great educators.”
Since starting the job three months ago, Blevins has spent much of her time listening, learning and meeting with EHHS faculty in order to fully understand what makes the college unique and how she can best serve.
“Some of my goals are to get to know the stories of our college and to be able to share those stories both internally and externally,” Blevins said. “Why is the University of Idaho College of Education, Health and Human Sciences awesome, and what’s the work that we’re doing that’s making an impact?”
She explained that one of her main roles is to be a champion for the college, making sure the good work of EHHS is known and fighting for the success of the college. Blevins wants to encourage and support everyone that is a part of EHHS to be the best they can be. Cultivating an experience where students, faculty and staff all feel empowered to go out and change the world.
“Another goal is to help our faculty, staff and students live healthy and thriving lives both personally and professionally,” Blevins said. “Supporting how they are going out into the world, as their whole selves and in doing the work that they feel passionate about, the work that’s making a difference.”
As someone whose career has been centered in education, coming to EHHS at UI has been a learning curve since the college encompasses so much more than just the education program. Blevins has spent time focusing efforts on the Health and Human Sciences side of the college, meeting with faculty, spending time in labs and asking lots of questions.
“What attracted me to the job is that there was an area that I felt was really important in the world, an area I knew less about, but certainly one that was doing great work and was incredibly impactful for the state of Idaho and beyond.” Blevins said.
In regards to the entire college, Blevins wants to make changes concerning financial support and retention of students, but explained that the practicum experiences that are core to undergrad programs will not be going anywhere.
“I am particularly interested in how we help our students leave college debt free, if not completely debt free, almost debt free,” Blevins said. “I would really love to develop a broader scholarship base that helps us to support our students so that they can walk into the world as educators knowing they’re not going to make a ton of money or as health care providers or as outdoor educators or in Recreation, Sport and Tourism Management, knowing that they’re not saddled with tremendous debt.”
In addition to working on easing the financial burden of EHHS students, Blevins also wants to focus on retaining student enrollment in the college through increased access to mental health, undergraduate research opportunities and higher engagement.
“Our college has recently spent a lot of time thinking about how we can spend more time and more energy focusing on retaining our students, retention is a multi-pronged approach.” Blevins said.
Blevins has a vision for an EHHS that prepares professionals to make a difference in their communities and in Idaho as a whole. A college that produces leaders in their fields who have a lasting impact that extends far beyond UI.
“I want our students to know that we understand that they are the future of this world. And we’re going to do our best to help them be prepared for that, so that they can go off and be Vandals in the world and make a difference.” Blevins said.
Grace Giger can be reached at [email protected].