Dan Colman

Bio

Dan Colman is the Dean of Continuing Studies & Summer Session Programs, overseeing a unit of five programs that make Stanford courses accessible to approximately 24,000 students worldwide. The unit houses the following programs:

—Stanford Continuing Studies is an open enrollment program that offers adult learners affordable courses in the liberal arts & sciences, creative writing, and business and technology. The program presents 550 on-campus and online courses each year.

—Stanford Summer Session is the university’s fourth academic quarter. Enabling students to take 8-week Stanford courses and receive Stanford credit, the program serves matriculated Stanford students as well as visiting undergraduates, graduate students, and advanced high school students.

—Stanford Online High School is an independent, diploma-granting school for grades 7–12, where dedicated instructors help academically advanced students worldwide pursue their passions in live, online seminars.

—Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies serves middle school and high school students, allowing them to attend academically enriching programs that cover advanced subjects–ones rarely taught in local schools. Programs take place online and on campus, with residential programs offered during the summer.

—Stanford Distinguished Careers Institute (DCI) inspires accomplished individuals to thrive in the next chapter of their lives by providing opportunities to discover, connect, and contribute through engagement within Stanford’s diverse academic community.

Before his current position, Dan was the Director & Associate Dean of Continuing Studies from 2006-2019. In this role, he introduced online courses to the curriculum and helped Continuing Studies evolve from a local Bay Area program to one serving learners across the United States and the globe. Notably, Continuing Studies became Zoom’s first customer in 2012 and used the platform to enhance the interactivity and engagement of its online courses.

From 2001–2005, Dan served in leadership roles at the Alliance for Lifelong Learning, an early e-learning venture backed by Stanford, Oxford, and Yale. The consortium developed some of the first online courses offered by these universities, gearing them toward alumni and lifelong learners worldwide. He also worked at About.com, a leading information website during the dot-com era, where he developed expertise in digital media and online publishing.

Dan received a Ph.D. in History from Stanford. In his dissertation, he focused on the French Revolution and how moderate politicians attempted to use education and Enlightenment philosophy to stabilize the French Republic after the Terror.

Academic Appointments

• Dean-Admin, Academic Council, Continuing Studies and Summer Session