Bridger named LSUS College of Education dean 08/13/02

Dr. Gale Bridger, whose formal affiliation with LSUS began in 1975, was named dean of the College of Education, effective Aug. 1. The appointment marks the second time in eight years she has been asked to serve as dean of the college.

Bridger replaced Dr. Charles D. Manges who resigned from the position for personal and family reasons. Dr. Stuart E. Mills, provost and vice chancellor, reassigned Manges as a professor in the Department of Education.

“I look forward to renewing my connections with the local and state education community,” Bridger said, “and to facilitating the work of the busy faculty in the College of Education’s three diverse departments.”

Bridger came to LSUS in 1975 as an assistant professor of education and director of laboratory experiences. She has also served as coordinator of graduate studies in education, director of institutional research and planning, assistant vice chancellor for academic affairs and associate vice chancellor for academic affairs. She retired in January 1992, but returned 31 months later to serve as interim dean of the College of Education for the 1994-95 academic year.

Since serving as interim dean, she has regularly taught both graduate and undergraduate classes in the Department of Education and is teaching this fall.

Bridger serves on the finance committee at First United Methodist Church of Shreveport and as chair of the resident services committee of the Live Oak Retirement Community board.

Before joining the LSUS faculty, she was an English teacher and administrative coordinator at Captain Shreve High School.

She received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Louisiana Polytechnic Institute (now Louisiana Tech University) and earned a Doctor of Education from the University of Mississippi in 1974.

Bridger is in the process of funding the Wesson-Bridger Professorship in Teaching Education in the LSUS College of Education. The professorship will honor her parents, the late Corrie B. and George D. Wesson, and her mother-in-law, the late Nettie Jones Bridger.