July 1, 2020 – Florida Atlantic University has named Justin Perry, Ph.D., as the new dean of the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College. Perry will begin his new role starting today.
Perry brings with him broad experience in academic leadership, applied research, grant funding, development, PK-12 education, and mental health practice.
“The Wilkes Honors College is witnessing rapid, progressive changes, from the growth of its student body to new degree tracks and expanded research partnerships with Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience and Scripps Florida,” said Bret Danilowicz, Ph.D., provost and vice president for academic affairs at FAU. “Based on his administrative experiences and drive for success, Dr. Perry is the right leader to leverage this array of new opportunities for FAU students and faculty.”
Perry served as dean of the School of Education, Ewing Marion Kauffman/Missouri Endowed Chair, and professor of counseling and educational psychology at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Under his leadership at UMKC, the School of Education received a historic gift to support student scholarships, substantially grew its external research funding, and successfully received three national accreditations.
He previously served as chair and associate professor in the Department of Counseling, Administration, Supervision, and Adult Learning at Cleveland State University, while also serving as director of the Center for Urban Education. Perry earned his Ph.D. and M.A. from Boston College; and a B.A. from Tulane University.
“On the cusp of its 20th anniversary, I am thrilled to be joining this remarkable community at the Wilkes Honors College” said Perry. “The natural ingredients for innovation, engagement, and cutting-edge partnerships are simply extraordinary. I look forward to leading the college to even greater heights and being part of a very bright future at Florida Atlantic University — one that is dedicated to a world class, holistic, interdisciplinary liberal arts and sciences undergraduate education.”
The Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College at FAU is the nation’s only university-affiliated, free-standing honors college. Located in Jupiter on the John D. MacArthur Campus of FAU, this close-knit, residential, highly-selective liberal arts and sciences college offers a distinctive all-honors curriculum and is surrounded by world-renowned scientific research institutes, where undergraduates benefit from unparalleled access to research internships. In 2019, the college received the highest rating in a nationwide review of 50 public honors colleges.
About Florida Atlantic University:
Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University, with an annual economic impact of $6.3 billion, serves more than 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students at sites throughout its six-county service region in southeast Florida. FAU’s world-class teaching and research faculty serves students through 10 colleges: the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, the College of Business, the College for Design and Social Inquiry, the College of Education, the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the Graduate College, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. FAU is ranked as a High Research Activity institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The University is placing special focus on the rapid development of critical areas that form the basis of its strategic plan: Healthy aging, biotech, coastal and marine issues, neuroscience, regenerative medicine, informatics, lifespan and the environment. These areas provide opportunities for faculty and students to build upon FAU’s existing strengths in research and scholarship. For more information, visit fau.edu.
