He replaces Garry Brewer, who left the deanship of UC Berkeley Extension in July 2001 to return to Yale University.

Sherwood, 55, currently associate dean in the Division of Continuing Studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, has more than 30 years of faculty and administrative experience at five higher education institutions. A historian by training, Sherwood started his career at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1980 as assistant professor, then moved to the administrative side in 1989. Before becoming associate dean, Sherwood headed the division's distance education department and rose to national prominence speaking and writing about technology in education.

From 1997 through 2000, he served as the principal investigator for a $21 million U.S. Department of Education grant to place a complete, accredited high school diploma sequence on the World Wide Web.

"We know that today, life-long learning has become a crucial component to an individual's education. UC Berkeley Extension has been a leader in the field, and with James E. Sherwood at the helm, we look forward to experienced leadership and insightful innovation," said Berdahl.

Sherwood has been active for more than 10 years in national continuing education associations and currently serves on the board of directors of the University Continuing Education Association (UCEA), the country's preeminent continuing education professional association.

"It used to be you'd go to college and have what you needed to last a lifetime," said Sherwood on the role of continuing education in today's society. "Those days are gone. You can't take the knowledge you gained at 18 or 20 and use it the rest of your life."

Sherwood is particularly looking forward to building a strong connection between UC Berkeley Extension and the campus's professors and researchers.

"UC Berkeley professors have so much to contribute within their field and in society. A connection with Extension can offer UC Berkeley professors access to people working in the field," said Sherwood.

"We're delighted that Jim will be bringing his energy, enthusiasm and expertise to UC Berkeley Extension," says Mary Beth Almeda, extension's assistant dean for online and distance learning, who has worked with Sherwood at UCEA for more than 10 years. "Extension will benefit greatly from Jim's national leadership in continuing education."

Born and raised outside Albany, New York, Sherwood holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in history from Pennsylvania State University and a B.S. from Canisius College. He and his wife, Nanci, a registered nurse, plan to relocate to the Bay Area this summer.