Minneapolis, MN, May 6, 2013 \u2014 Dunwoody College of Technology President Rich Wagner assumed his role as president of the American Technical Education Association (ATEA), at its annual meeting held in late March in Chattanooga, Tenn. ATEA is a national professional organization that serves faculty, administrators, educational services vendors, and companies that hire graduates from technical programs.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is an honor to lead this great organization during Dunwoody\u2019s centennial year,\u201d President Wagner said. \u201cLike Dunwoody, the ATEA has long been an advocate for the importance of technical education to the U.S. economy. I will use my ATEA presidency to continue to make the case for the value of applied learning to improve lives, businesses and communities.<\/p>\n
\u201cI also have a message for my fellow higher education administrators and faculty members: we can no longer afford as a nation to overlook the importance of an applied education or a liberal arts education or a STEM education. Individual students will vary in how much of each area they want or need, but they need a solid foundation in and exposure to all three, especially in K-12. The modern workforce requires that technicians, salespersons and managers all have practical, hands-on skills, critical thinking skills and the ability to communicate well with others.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dunwoody College will also host the ATEA annual conference in March of 2014.<\/p>\n
Dr. Wagner is the ninth president of Dunwoody and has served in that position since July 2009. A resident of Waconia, he holds a Ph.D. in Educational Policy and Administration from the University of Minnesota.<\/p>\n
Prior to being named president, Dr. Wagner was the Provost and Chief Academic Officer of Dunwoody College. He started his academic career teaching in the College\u2019s electrical program. Prior to entering higher education, Dr. Wagner served 10 years in the United States Navy, including four years as an electrician\/technical supervisor on a nuclear submarine before becoming a Navy instructor.<\/p>\n
ATEA was chartered in Delmar, NY, in 1960. The mission of the American Technical Education Association, which is housed at Dunwoody College, is to serve as the premier provider of professional development for postsecondary technical educators. It holds both a national conference and regional conferences.<\/p>\n