Miriam Simmons - Board Member

New Member

Miriam Simmons is the Assistant Dean for Professional Development and Engagement in the Graduate School at UW-Madison. She has more than 30 years of experience in Higher Education Administration having worked at Iowa State University and UW-Madison.  As assistant dean, she oversees the Office of Professional Development and Engagement which coordinates, develops, communicates, and promotes learning opportunities to foster the academic, professional and life skills of the graduate education community. The Office exercise’s a leadership role for the campus in the professional development of graduate students; conducts the Wisconsin Idea Seminar, a professional development opportunity for faculty and academic staff that immerses participants in the educational, industrial, social, and political realities of Wisconsin; provides training for responsible research and regulation; and provides marketing and strategic communication expertise for Graduate School administration.

Before joining the Graduate School in 2000, Miriam held several positions in the Office of Outreach Development including Interim Director. Prior to returning to the UW-Madison in 1993, she managed a conference services unit at Iowa State University.

Active in professional and community organizations, Miriam has served on the regional and national boards of the University Professional and Continuing Education Association, Wisconsin Association of Adult and Continuing Education, Altrusa International of Madison, the Urban League of Greater Madison, the Junior League of Madison, and the League of Women Voters of Dane County and Wisconsin. She has been active in academic staff governance having served as Chair of the Compensation and Economic Committee and as a district representative to the Academic Staff Assembly,

Miriam received her bachelor’s degree from the UW- Lacrosse, her master’s degree in Continuing and Vocational Education from the UW-Madison, and her PhD. in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis also from the UW-Madison. Her dissertation, “Examining Boyer’s Scholarship of Engagement: A Case Study of a Faculty Development Program.” focused on the influence of the Wisconsin Idea Seminar on faculty members’ perception of the institutional mission and their scholarship.