Park University Announces New Leaders for Departments of Education and Health, and Management
Park University Welcomes New Deans for College of Education and Health Professions and College of Management
Park University has announced the appointment of two new deans for its colleges, effective from August 1, 2023, and August 14, 2023, respectively.
Gayle Copeland, Ph.D., has been appointed as the dean for the College of Education and Health Professions. Dr. Copeland brings extensive experience in education, having spent most of her career in higher education. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree in educational policy and leadership from the University of Kansas, a Master of Arts degree in history from the same institution, a Master of Arts degree in education administration and supervision from California State University, Fresno (also known as Fresno State University), and a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Geneva College.
Before joining Park University, Dr. Copeland served as provost and senior vice president of academic affairs at Fresno Pacific University since 2018. She also has teaching experience at the University of Kansas, Lawrence; Baylor University, Waco, Texas; and Alliant International University, San Diego. Prior to that, she spent five years at Simpson University in Redding, Calif., where she was the provost.
In her new role, Dr. Copeland will oversee the curricular, personnel, budgetary, and administrative affairs of the College of Education and Health Professions. The College includes the School of Education and the School of Behavioral and Health Sciences, as well as the Center for Interdisciplinary Networking, Training, Education and Research. The College of Education and Health Professions also houses the Park University School of Nursing and the Park University School of Counseling.
Yang Sun, Ph.D., has been appointed as the dean for the College of Management, effective from August 14, 2023. Dr. Sun comes to Park University from California Northstate University in Elk Grove, where he served as associate dean for academic affairs and professor of healthcare administration since 2020.
Prior to CNU, Dr. Sun spent 13 years as a faculty member at California State University, Sacramento, including the last five years as director of the Master of Business Administration for Executives program. He earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in industrial engineering from Arizona State University, Tempe, a Master of Science degree in industrial engineering from the same institution, and a Bachelor of Engineering degree in automotive engineering from Tsinghua University, Beijing.
The College of Management includes the Robert W. Plaster School of Business. In his new role, Dr. Sun will oversee the curricular, personnel, budgetary, and administrative affairs of the College of Management.
Park University's 2023-24 academic year begins on Monday, Aug. 14. The University looks forward to the contributions that Dr. Copeland and Dr. Sun will bring to their respective colleges and the University as a whole.
In her new role at Park University, Dr. Copeland, the dean of the College of Education and Health Professions, will focus on online education and learning, aiming to enhance educational experiences for students in fields like education, health, nursing, and counseling. Meanwhile, Dr. Sun, the newly appointed dean of the College of Management, will oversee the College's academic and administrative affairs, with a particular focus on continuing the development and refinement of online education and learning opportunities within the Robert W. Plaster School of Business.
