Biography
Dr. Dooley is a professor of Exceptional Student Education in the School of Teacher Education at the UCF College of Community Innovation and Education. She is the academic program director for the Ph.D. Teaching Learning and Development Track. She has served in executive leadership positions at West Virginia University and the University of Central Florida. She was the first woman and African American to be named provost and vice president for academic affairs at the University of Central Florida (UCF). Before that role, Dooley served as Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning and Dean of the College of Undergraduate Studies at UCF. While at WVU, she served as a faculty member, department chair (teacher education, special education, curriculum, and instruction), associate provost for Undergraduate Academic Affairs, interim dean, College of Education and Human Performance, and Founding Dean of the WVU University College.
In 2019, Dooley was recognized as one of the Florida Women on the Move, Onyx Magazine. She is a distinguished Alum, an inductee into the West Virginia University College of Education and Human Resources Hall of Fame, and an Inductee into the West Virginia All Black Schools Sports and Academic Hall of Fame in 2009. She is also a 2015 honoree of the West Virginia Human Rights Commission: Advancing Civil Rights through Advocacy (Office of the Governor) and a 2009 recipient of the Marion County Humanities Award for Music and Creativity
In partnership with colleagues, she has secured over 3 million dollars in grant and foundation dollars to support student success (undergraduate students) and university-community partnerships designed to provide underserved youth with academic enrichment opportunities securing a path to post-secondary education. Dr. Dooley co-founded the West Virginia University Health Sciences Technology Academy (HSTA), a university-community partnership designed to enhance underserved youth's academic preparedness for college entry.
Dr. Dooley serves as a mentor to students and faculty and have chaired numerous doctoral student dissertations. Her research interests include academic achievement, equity-mindedness, student success, and implementing teaching strategies that produce equitable learning outcomes for all students.
Dr. Dooley is an alumna of Alderson Broaddus University and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in education. and West Virginia University earning her master's in Special Education and her doctorate in Education, with a minor in Higher Education Administration. She holds teacher certifications in Elementary education and Exceptional Student Education (Learning Disabilities K-12 and Moderate Disabilities K-12).
Doctorate of Education: Special Education Teacher Education; Minor: Educational Administration
West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV
- Exceptional Student Education; Special Education Teacher Education
- Educational Leadership
- Curriculum and Instruction
Research
- Higher Education in the 21st Century (Research, Policies, Inclusive Excellence, Organizational Structures, Best Practices and Solutions)
- Student Success and Access: Role of Technology and Collaborative Solutions; Academic Alignment for Student Success