Jon Pedersen has been named dean of the College of Education for the University of South Carolina. He will join the university on July 1.

Dr. Pedersen has previous administrative experience as the Associate Dean for Research and Director of Science Education  in the College of Education and Human Sciences at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He is also a past president of the Association for Science Teacher Education (ASTE).

His childhood grealty influenced his decision to become a high school chemistry teacher and then a college administrator. Dr. Pedersen grew up in rural Nebraska, attending a one-room school with other children through the eighth grade. After high school, he received a bachelor's in agriculture-animal nutrition and then a master's in education.

Dr. Pedersen experienced the challenges and obstacles children in underserved and rural areas face on a daily basis, and is prepared to use that knowledge to develop educators who effectively teach and prepare the children of South Carolina for a bright future.