Nationally Recognized Early Childhood Education Leader Rosemarie Allen, Ed.D. Named Dean of MSU Denver School of Education
Rosemarie Allen, Ed.D., a professor of Early Childhood Education at Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU Denver), has been named the next dean of the School of Education.
Allen will assume her new role on July 1, succeeding Elizabeth Hinde, Ph.D., the school’s founding dean, who is retiring in August after 40 years in education. The transition period will allow Allen to work alongside Hinde, who has led the School of Education since 2014.
A university search committee selected Allen following a national search, praising her leadership, extensive experience in education and unwavering commitment to student success.
“Dr. Allen’s work reflects a profound understanding of the structures that shape educational opportunity,” says Provost Matt Makley, Ph.D. “She is both a strategic thinker and an action-oriented leader, capable of translating bold vision into impactful, sustainable practice.”
Makley noted that Allen has been nationally recognized for her work to ensure access to high-quality early childhood programs that are developmentally and culturally aware. She has dedicated her career to improving educational outcomes for all learners, especially those from historically underserved communities.
A Career Dedicated to Educational Opportunity
Allen’s research focuses on addressing the disproportionate rates at which children of color are expelled and suspended from early childhood programs and advancing culturally responsive teaching practices. Her own experiences being suspended multiple times as a young student, when she was described by teachers as “disruptive,” inspired her life’s work.
In 2023, she received the prestigious T. Berry Brazelton Friend of Children Award, joining a list of previous honorees that includes former first ladies Hillary Rodham Clinton, Laura Bush and Rosalynn Carter, as well as Dolly Parton, Morgan Freeman and Fred Rogers.
Named a Global Leader for Early Childhood in 2009, Allen represents the United States at international World Forums, sharing expertise and learning from peers worldwide. She is also president and CEO of the Institute for Racial Equity and Excellence, which works with the U.S. Department of Education, 48 state Departments of Education, and the Public Broadcasting Service to ensure equity in educational practices.
A faculty member at MSU Denver since 2004, Allen has extensive experience at the intersection of policy, practice and community. She previously served as director of the Division of Child Care at the Colorado Department of Human Services, where she oversaw child care programs, redesigned the state’s quality rating and improvement system, and helped create Colorado’s early learning guidelines.
Allen holds a bachelor’s degree from California State University, Long Beach; a master’s degree in Education from Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts; and a doctorate in Equity and Leadership in Education from the University of Colorado Denver.
Leading MSU Denver’s Next Chapter
Makley expressed confidence that Allen will carry forward Hinde’s legacy as a strong leader who advocates for practical, forward-thinking solutions to Colorado’s most pressing educational challenges.
“Dr. Allen brings a rare combination of academic rigor and real-world classroom experience,” Makley says. “She has demonstrated ability to lead within state systems, engage institutional partners and advance meaningful change across diverse educational settings.”
Allen and her husband, Don, established the Dr. Rosemarie Allen Family Endowment in 2021, providing an annual $5,000 scholarship for a student of color studying Early Childhood Education or Elementary Education at MSU Denver. She is one of the first current faculty members in the School of Education to endow a scholarship.
