Westmont Magazine New Dean Will Assess Student Learning

Tatiana Nazarenko, former dean of instruction and assessment liaison at Centralia College (Wash.), is Westmont’s new dean of curriculum and educational effectiveness. Nazarenko’s predecessor, Professor Ray Rosentrater, will return to full-time teaching in the mathematics department.

“Dr. Nazarenko is a marvelous addition to our academic administrative team,” says Interim Provost Rick Pointer. “With her rich international experience and perspective, she will provide crucial leadership for our efforts to understand better where we are effective and where we can be more effective in our educational endeavors.”

Nazarenko, who has studied in five countries and has more than 20 years of college-level teaching and administrative experience, will work with the development and assessment of curriculum in all academic areas.

“I was impressed by Westmont’s rigorous liberal arts program as well as the credentials of Westmont’s faculty and their dedication to students’ learning and spiritual development within the evangelical tradition,” she says. “I hope to help develop an efficient and effective system of assessing student learning so we can enhance our educational practices.

“I was also attracted by Westmont’s global aspect of student learning. Having considerable experience in this area, I am convinced that educational institutions should offer as many pathways as possible for global engagement and reach the greatest number of students. I appreciate Westmont’s accomplishment in this area and am enthused by the college’s global learning initiatives for the future.”

Nazarenko has held faculty positions at the University of Manitoba (Canada) and National University of Kyiv (Ukraine). She is also experienced in interdisciplinary research, global education and curriculum development.

She earned a doctorate in comparative literature from the University of Alberta (Canada) and a doctorate in English philology from the National University of Kyiv. She holds masters’ degrees in educational leadership from the University of Washington and in English studies and education from the National University of Kyiv.