Kathleen Burke, the former dean of the Trinity University School of Professional Studies, will assume the deanship of GW’s College of Professional Studies on Oct. 20, officials announced last week.

Burke will replace CPS’s founding dean, Roger Whitaker, who stepped down on Aug. 1 after serving for seven years. The growing school, which offers a wide range of specialized degrees, is geared toward adults already in the workforce.

Burke is a higher education consultant for IBM and previously served as the founding dean of the Georgia South University Division of Continuing Education and Public Service.

“The college today enjoys much success due to the superb initiatives of departing dean Roger Whitaker and its faculty and staff,” Burke said in a news release. “We will build upon this momentum with new programs and services for the region’s workforce.”

The search process began in January when Whitaker announced his departure. Jeffrey Lang, a strategic management professor, headed the CPS dean search committee.

Donald Lehman, executive vice president of academic affairs, said that he looks forward to Burke’s deanship.

“I think that Kathleen Burke is going to be an outstanding leader of CPS,” Lehman said, “primarily because of the extensive experience that she has in the broad, general area of professional education and also in her demonstrated leadership experience form her previous positions.”

Student Association Sen. Michelle Tanney (CPS), chair of the SA student life committee, said she anticipates Burke will help further improve the status of CPS, which includes the Graduate School of Political Management.

“I think that Dean Burke has an exceptional record in espousing the virtues of higher education,” Tanney said. “She comes to CPS at a time where the school is on the verge of growing and excelling in the wake of the terrific work of our former dean.”

Burke received an undergraduate degree from Loyola College and two master’s degrees from Oxford University and the University of Maryland.