Anne Heinz was just a freshman at Southern Illinois University when she taught her first non-credit class 鈥� macram茅. The class was part of the campus鈥� 鈥淔ree School.鈥� Much to Heinz鈥檚 delight, a packed room showed up eager to learn during what would become her early encounter with continuing education.
鈥淚t all started with macram茅,鈥� Heinz said. 鈥淭hat was how I was exposed to adult education and continuing education. I liked being in an environment where people were motivated to learn.鈥�
Heinz went on to earn master鈥檚 and doctoral degrees in education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she focused on continuing professional studies and completed her dissertation on public universities鈥� collaborative relationships outside of their campuses.
Her education and early career laid the foundation for her work as Dean of Continuing Education and Vice Provost for Summer Session and Outreach and Engagement at the 暗网禁区, where she has also held a faculty appointment in the School of Education. As she prepares to retire after 26 years at CU-Boulder 鈥� including 19 years as dean 鈥� her contributions are woven throughout the fabric of the Division of Continuing Education and the university.听
鈥淚鈥檓 very proud of the fact that we have strengthened the linkage between Continuing Education and the work of the campus,鈥� Heinz said. 鈥淨uality continuing education programs leverage what we are trying to achieve as a university and advance the role and mission of the campus.鈥�
Complementing campus initiatives is a thread running throughout Heinz鈥檚 work. Her leadership has been instrumental in establishing and rejuvenating programs.
Heinz spearheaded efforts to enhance curriculum and incentives for faculty to teach Summer Session courses. With the support of the Assistant Dean for Summer Session and campus leadership, summer has become fertile ground for innovation, including increased online offerings, three-week terms in May and August, and the Faculty-in-Residence Summer Term program (FIRST), which enriches course offerings and collaboration between CU-Boulder faculty and visiting scholars.
Similarly, Heinz鈥檚 leadership advanced CU-Boulder鈥檚 outreach and engagement initiatives. As dean, she was charged with oversight of the outreach awards program, which provides annual funding for faculty projects that extend research, teaching, and creative work. Heinz enhanced the awards process by establishing a peer-review process and faculty committee, formalizing project criteria, and increasing annual funding. Since 1999, more than 650 faculty projects have been supported with funds from the Offices of the Chancellor and Provost and the Division of Continuing Education.
In 2009, Chancellor Phil DiStefano appointed Heinz as the university鈥檚 first Associate Vice Chancellor for Outreach and Engagement 鈥� later Vice Provost 鈥� on the heels of the university鈥檚 strategic plan, Flagship 2030.
鈥淎nne was the perfect person to lead this initiative given her academic role as Dean of Continuing Education and the respect and trust that she carries with the faculty on campus,鈥� DiStefano said.
That respect and trust can be seen throughout her relationships with faculty, staff, and students. Heinz said she never intended to be dean, because she enjoyed working with students one-on-one. As dean, she extended that focus on students and she invited a student to accompany her at commencement each year. Many of these students have not followed a traditional academic path. Under Heinz鈥檚 guidance, Continuing Education鈥檚 online and evening credit courses have grown tremendously and helped students reach their goals and complete their degrees.
鈥淚 have always believed that by providing a menu of choices we allow for the fact that people come to us with varying needs,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e should have a mixed portfolio of offerings that is not too narrowly focused. That way we serve a diverse group of students and community members.鈥�
In her own words, 鈥渢hose macram茅 days are long gone.鈥� Her legacy, however, is uniquely tied to advancing the university鈥檚 mission, and her impact on people will continue long after her retirement on June 30.
鈥淚 take great pleasure in thinking about how these programs have grown,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 know that our programs and our people are in a strong, thriving space.鈥�
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Story courtesy of Continuing Education