Directory

Biography

 

---

D. Antonio "Dean" Cantù, Ph.D., is dean of the College of Health, Education, and Human Sciences at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. Dr. Cantù received his Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction from Southern Illinois University; Ed.S. in community college education, M.A. in history, and B.S. in social science education from Arkansas State University; and A.S. in social science from Highland Community College in Freeport, Illinois, where he was named a Distinguished Alumni.He has also attended educational leadership institutes at the College of William and Mary and Yale University. Dr. Cantù has over 30 years of experience in professional education from high school through the university level. Prior to his current appointment at UAFS, he served as associate dean and director of the Department of Education, Counseling, and Leadership at Bradley University where he was the recipient of the Francis C. Mergen Memorial Award for Public Serviceand Charles M. Putnam Award for Excellence in Teaching.He has also served as dean of education at Indiana University Kokomo; professor of history and director of social studies education as well as editor of the International Journal of Social Education at Ball State University; and Social Studies Department chair and teacher at Ste. Genevieve (Missouri) High School. Prior to beginning his teaching career, Dr. Cantù also served as a military intelligence officer in the U.S. Army at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, and Fort Knox, Kentucky.

Dr. Cantù is the author of numerous research articles, book chapters, and books on history/social studies education and technology integration. He has also served as a curriculum writer for various national organizations including The History Channel, The Wall Street Journal Classroom Edition, and PBS Frontline. In addition, he has been quoted in articles published in EdScoop, EdSurge, HuffPost, Univision, and U.S. News & World Report. Dr. Cantù has been interviewed by Illinois Public Radio, Texas Public Radio, Peoria Public Radio, MarketScale, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, BUTV, and local CBS, FOX,and PBS television news affiliates. Dr. Cantù’s articles have appeared in such publications as District Administration, EdPost, Peoria Magazine, and The Conversation. He is the author of several books and curriculum monographs, including: "Early Education in Arkansas Delta," "Take Five Minutes: Reflective and Critical Thinking American History Class Openers," "History/Social Studies Education in the Digital and Standards-Based Classroom," "Technology Applications for the Digital Classroom," "History Education 101: The Past, Present, and Future of Teacher Preparation," and "Teaching History in the Digital Classroom." Finally, Dr. Cantù presented two TEDxTalks, the first of which, “Memento Mori: The Personification of Death,” was presented at the University of Tulsa. His most recent TEDxTalk, “Why are We Obsessed with the Image of Death?", was presented at the University of Illinois Springfield. Dr. Cantù was also interviewed by The Bradley Scout regarding his TEDxTalks.