Robert Bedford has been named by NEIU for the position of Assistant Dean. This position is a new position that was created in the Dean of Students office to help better serve students. Bedford brings 20 years of higher education experience with him to the position.
His main responsibilities are revisiting how orientations are done on campus. “We will be looking at the different ways that we offer orientations. There will be a special orientation for transfer and adult learners; there’ll be an additional orientation for family in addition to the other 16 sessions of orientation that run throughout the summer,” said Assistant Dean Bedford.
The second part of his duties will be service learning. “Service learning allows an individual the opportunity to work with an agency and the ability to touch the lives of those supported by that agency and then the students have the opportunity to come back and do some classroom reflection,” said Assistant Dean Bedford. Some of the agencies that are available to work with are Big Brothers and Big Sisters, the Albany Park Community Center, Chicago Youth Center and Chicago Public Schools, to name a few.
Bedford started at the University of Wisconsin with a Bachelor Degree in Elementary Education. He then went on to complete a Master’s Degree in Counseling and in Higher Education Administration.
Bedford shared his philosophy on student development. In this philosophy are four key elements described as explore, experience, understand and connect. According to Bedford, “Explore your options as you zoom in on a major that will start you on a path to forecasting your future. Experience stellar academic instruction from some of the most gifted, critical thinking, research devoted, student-friendly faculty you will find anywhere. Understand that learning is a life long process and that both challenges and rewards come as a packaged deal, and connect with many individuals as you form relationships among other students, staff and faculty that are destined to last a life-time.”
“I have had so much joy when students come back and say I decided to take a jump into it and give it some energy and effort. If there is anything that brings me joy it is when students recognize what their potential is and they get out there and they do something,” said Bedford.