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DSU Faculty Member Honored as Distinguished Alumna

Deb Gearhart, assistant professor and Director of E-Education Services at Dakota State University was honored by her high school recently as a distinguished alumna. Gearhart graduated from Tyrone Area High School in Tyrone, Pennsylvania. Tyrone, called the Gateway to the Alleghenies, is a picturesque town in central Pennsylvania.

The Tyrone Area School District honored Gearhart this year as part of their Distinguished Alumni Recognition Weekend. She was recognized along with 3 other Tyrone Area High School alumni.

Coming to DSU in 1996, Gearhart was the founding director of the E-Education program at the university. Under her leadership the program has experienced an 853 percent enrollment increase. The program offers an associate and a bachelor’s degree in Health Information Management, a master’s degree in Information Systems, and a high school fast track program, along with numerous other courses in the undergraduate programs.

Gearhart received her bachelor’s degree at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, an M.P.A. in Public Administration and a M. Ed. in Adult Education at Penn State University. She received her Ph.D in Education from Capella University.

Deb and her husband Jerry live in Madison.