Gould Named Inaugural Dean of USMs College of Education and Human Sciences

The University of Southern Mississippi has named Trenton Gould as dean of the University's College of Education and Human Sciences, effective April 1.

Gould has served as interim dean of the new College of Education and Human Sciences since July 2018, when the college debuted as part of the University's ongoing academic reorganization plan. He is the inaugural dean of the college.

Gould was appointed interim dean of the former College of Health in January 2017. Later that year, his role expanded to include the former College of Education and Psychology. In a year, he led both colleges through a reorganization phase that would transform two colleges that operated independently and in different locations into one college.

In that time, Gould also hired a new director for the School of Education and worked with the school's leadership team to strengthen the University's partnerships with local K-12 schools.

“Dean Gould has demonstrated solid and steady leadership during the transition of the two colleges to the College of Education and Human Sciences,” said Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Steven Moser. “He continues to grow as an institutional leader and his innovative and compelling vision for the future of the college makes Dean Gould an obvious choice as we position Education and Human Sciences for greater impact to our state in the education and well-being of our citizens.”

Gould joined USM in August 2003 as an assistant professor with the School of Kinesiology, formerly the School of Human Performance and Recreation. He assumed various roles within the school, including interim director and assistant director for graduate studies.

“I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to serve as founding dean for the College of Education and Human Sciences at The University of Southern Mississippi,” Gould said. “It is an honor to work alongside such a distinguished group of student-centered faculty, staff, and school directors. I look forward to working with our University community over the next several months as we develop our vision for our college and the strategic goals that will guide our path towards that vision.”  

Gould, a native of Warren, Ohio, earned his bachelor's degree from Bowling Green State University in 1998, and his master's degree and his doctorate from Ohio University in 2000 and 2003, respectively. He is also co-director of the Applied Biomechanics Research Laboratory, located inside the University's Accelerator space at The Garden.