Dr. Ceola Ross Baber has been appointed dean of the School of Education at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, effective July 1. Dr. Baber has been a professional educator for over 30 years. She began her career as a high school social studies and English teacher in northern California, after completing an M.A. degree at Stanford University. She subsequently taught at the middle school and community college levels in California and Alabama before pursuing her doctorate at Purdue University.

Dr. Baber has held faculty and administrative positions at Tuskegee University in Alabama, Purdue University in Indiana, and UNC-Greensboro. Dr. Baber served as associate dean for Teacher Education and School Relationships in the UNCG School of Education from 1999-2004, with curricular and accreditation oversight for 37 professional education programs within the School of Education, College of Arts and Sciences, Bryan Business School, School of Human Environmental Sciences, and School of Human and Health Performance. As associate dean, she led UNCG’s teacher education in achieving state and national recognition. Dr. Baber serves on the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education Board of Examiners. She also has served on many committees and advisory boards within the North Carolina State Department of Instruction.

Dr. Baber has made numerous presentations at the state, regional and national levels and is the author of many scholarly publications related to urban and equity education. She has been principal investigator or project administrator for several grants. These projects have been collaborative efforts aimed at the continuing professional development of middle and high school teachers in the Piedmont Triad region.