By Lian Bunny
Co-Photo Editor
When Lisa Buenaventura applied to be dean of St. Bonaventure’s School of Education, she said her family thought she was kidding.
“I know when people looked at my name, they must have thought, ‘That can’t be possible,’” Buenaventura said.
Not only does the new dean’s last name have the same meaning as the university, but she said her values do as well.
“I’m drawn to the mission of the institution and the Franciscan values, because those speak to me,” she said. “The way I approach students and people within my work is based on my values and ethics of care, compassion and commitment to social justice.”
She will begin work as the dean June 1.
Buenaventura has over 30 years of experience, including K-12, higher education, school administration and school psychology and counseling. She comes to Olean from Boston, Massachusetts, where she was special assistant to the provost for special projects at the University of Massachusetts-Boston.
She received a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in educational psychology from the University of Washington. Later, she got her doctorate in educational leadership from Seattle University.
Nancy Casey, currently interim dean of the School of Education, said Buenaventura has a wealth of experience and will be a strong, effective leader.
“She will rely on the faculty to continue to do the excellent work they have always done and she will advocate for our students, both undergraduate and graduate,” Casey said. “We are lucky to have her join us.”
Buenaventura said she has four general goals so far.
First, she said she wants to enter the Bonaventure community, get to know people and really understand the needs of the faculty, staff and university. For her, she said this includes developing relationships with the university’s community partners.
“I’m very much someone who believes that you really need to connect in deep ways with the community, provide service and also understand the culture,” Buenaventura said. “So that would be a second goal.”
She said her third goal is to understand what diversity means at Bonaventure, including students, faculty and how diversity is integrated into teaching and learning.
“It is important to me to be able to bring what I know personally in terms of diversity and what I’ve experienced to look at ways in which I can work with others, so that we can continue to strengthen the climate and culture at St. Bonaventure and that students are prepared once they leave to deal with a very diverse world,” she said. “Because it’s diverse in so many ways.”
Finally, Buenaventura said she wants to spend time with faculty and students, listen, get to know everyone and to build on the school’s existing strengths.
Before working at the University of Massachusetts-Boston, Buenaventura worked as a faculty member for the Office of the Chancellor and School of Behavioral Sciences and Education at Penn State-Harrisburg. While there, she focused on assessment, accreditation, research and grants, teaching and program development.
Casey said she hopes Buenaventura will move the programs to the next level.
“I hope that she will continue to support the excellent programs we have but also push us to explore new ideas and new programs that will strengthen and enhance the School of Education.”
bunnyla13@bonaventure.edu
