Wright State Dean Taking Giant Steps for Education

     Bonnie Mathies has had quite an educational journey from an undergraduate and graduate student, public school teacher, doctoral candidate, college professor, and university administrator. Although her initial pursuit was in engineering, “I found that women studying engineering in the 60s were not well received. I changed my major to science education and found this program to better fit my interests and ambitions,” she said.

   During her decade of teaching in both Ohio’s Oberlin and Toledo City Schools, Bonnie discovered that education was a natural fit. She increasingly became fascinated with new uses of instructional technologies that began to emerge in the mid-1960s. “Somehow technologies were especially successful with my students and I was eager to find out why,” Bonnie said. Eventually she discovered that the engagement of her students with the technology and their ability to produce and create was empowering, challenging and productive.

     Her entry into educational administration was even more of a surprise. She said,  “I loved the classroom and could never see myself as an administrator. Later I found that as an administrator, I could cover wider ground and impact a larger number of students and faculty.” Increasingly she found challenges and complexities to be her calling cards, throughout her teaching and administrative responsibilities with Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio Campus.

     Mathies has had very rewarding leadership accomplishments. She facilitated the development of a Library Media Specialist degree and license as one of two accredited programs at Kent State University and Wright State University. In addition, she has also served as the President of the Ohio Educational Library Media Association. “My biggest challenge has been to be supportive of people dealing with technological developments in a comfortable way,” she expressed.

     The world has changed so much and teaching and learning is significantly impacted by new technologies. New challenges are on her agenda as the Associate Dean at the Wright State University/Lake Campus in Celina, Ohio. “Educators and students need to play and experiment with these technologies in a safe environment in order to develop a willingness to use them in teaching and learning situations. I see my role as facilitating these experiences,” she said.

     To contact Dean Mathies and to give her your support, to continue her giant step paths in raising the educational bars; don’t hesitate to email her at:  bonnie.mathies@wright.edu to let her know in the words of Aristotle, “The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet.”