John Singletary
Baylor University professor and administrator Jon Singletary has been named dean of the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work, filling a vacancy created by the death of the school’s founding dean and namesake from pancreatic cancer last September.
Baylor’s interim provost, Todd Still, said a committee conducted a national search before unanimously recommending Singletary, currently interim dean of the social work school and former director of the Baylor Center for Family and Community Ministries.
“A gifted teacher, insightful researcher and skilled administrator, he will lead the School of Social Work in ways that will both honor and extend the noble and notable legacy of Dr. Diana R. Garland,” Still said.
A Baylor graduate, Singletary went on to earn the master of divinity degree from Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond in 1993 and a master’s in social work and Ph.D. from Virginia Commonwealth University.
He has taught at Baylor since 2005 and currently holds the Diana R. Garland Endowed Chair in Child and Family Studies.
“It is an honor to continue the legacy of our founding dean, namesake, and my mentor, Diana Garland, while also partnering with our faculty in a new way as we prepare social workers to care for others in a hurting world,” Singletary said. “We will continue to be known for our commitment to the ethical integration of faith and social work practice, and are already looking at new ways to incorporate the same sense of calling in our research efforts.
His appointment is effective June 1.
Previous story:
Diana Garland, social work educator and bridge builder, dies