John B. “Jack” Gormley, EdD will join the UCSF School of Dentistry as the inaugural Assistant Dean for Learner Success and Belonging, starting November first.
Jack has worked in education and student development for over 15 years. He has held positions at Marymount University in Arlington, VA, George Washington University in Washington, DC and Manhattan College in Riverdale, NY. He was also Dean of Students and Title IX Coordinator at Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology in New York City. Most recently, he was Dean of Student Services at Massachusetts General Hospital – Institute of Health Professions, where he was also the ADA/504 coordinator and the Title IX Coordinator.
As assistant Dean for Learner Success and Belonging at UCSF Dentistry, Jack will take a holistic approach with learners to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Jack will seek out and implement admission strategies to ensure the recruitment of talented and diverse learners.
“At first glance, my role seems like three separate jobs. But I see it as a three-legged stool: admissions, belonging, student success. You need all these things for the school and the students to be successful.”
When asked what might be on the top of his list upon starting in his new role, Jack said, “I am most eager to meet more students in the School of Dentistry and start to understand their priorities. With so much conflict abroad and discord across the United States, I'm curious how our students are feeling about these concerns.”
While his new job is going to take up most his time, Jack is ready to take advantage of all that the Bay Area has to offer.
“I'm looking forward to hiking in the many parks near the Bay Area. I’m especially interested in driving down to Big Sur. I've heard so much about that area from friends who grew up in California. I'm also eager to volunteer with Frameline or another LGBTQIA+ film festival, which is something I enjoyed doing in Washington, DC.”
Jack’s many years of advocating for students will be a tremendous asset. We look forward to all the great things he will accomplish as part of the UCSF Dentistry team.