Point Park will formally announce the introduction of its School of Education Wednesday, Sept. 5, according to multiple sources within the university.

The Chair of the School of Education, Darlene Marnich, described some of the benefits of transforming the education department into a School of Education in an interview on Aug. 27.

“I think one of the big benefits is going to be the ease at which people now see us,” Marnich said. “When they look, there’s a Conservatory [of Performing Arts], there’s a School of Business, there’s a School of Communications, Arts and Sciences and there’s a School of Education.”

Marnich described the School of Education as a transformation for what was known as the Department of Education, which is now made up of more than 500 students.

She explained that by changing the Department of Education into a School, it would become more visible to prospective students. Whereas it was once delegated to a department within the School of Arts and Sciences, it is now differentiated as its own separate entity.

“It certainly will not cost the school more money to fund a School of Education than the Education Department because we haven’t added more administrative costs to the structure,” Marnich said.

She expressed interest in forming partnerships between the School of Education and several other organizations and foundations to form new programs for students.

“We’re hoping to do a student teaching abroad program experience starting maybe as early as this spring, but we’re not sure if we can finalize it by this spring,” she said.

Ronald Dufalla, a professor at Point Park for over a decade, said formal discussions for recognizing the School of Education began last spring, though the department had been expanding its programs for several years.

“I think we were anticipating this would occur,” Dufalla said.

Dufalla praised Marnich for the foresight she showed in the department’s potential.

“We’re fortunate enough to have a department chair who is visionary, who looks to the future,” Dufalla said.

A presentation by Marnich showed that education had “a ton of students and a ton of programs” compared to other schools, according to School of Education professor Elisabeth Ehrlich. Once it became clear that student numbers in the department were on par with the other schools in the university, it was certain for administration that it was time to elevate the status of the department’s name to be even with those schools.

Both Ehrlich and Dufalla said they hoped that the change would help to maintain and sustain enrollments within Education.

In an email statement to The Globe, Dean of Students Keith Paylo said, “I am excited about the growth and recognition of a top quality school of education. Point Park University has been producing generations of educators not only in our region but nationally.”

The United Student Government is expected to introduce a referendum to install a student senator to the School of Education in the coming weeks.