Dr. Diana Garland, founding dean of Baylor’s school of social work, died Monday after a battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 65.

Garland joined the Baylor social work faculty in 1997, and through her leadership, the School of Social Work was created in 2005, and she was named as inaugural dean.

In April, the Board of Regents renamed the school of social work in her honor to recognize her service and dedication to students.

“The Baylor School of Social Work as it exists today has been so indelibly marked and shaped by Diana Garland’s powerful leadership over the past 15 years,” said Dr. David Pooler, associate dean for baccalaureate studies in the School of Social Work, to the Lariat on April 28. “It is the perfect way to acknowledge her contributions.”

Garland stepped down as dean for health reasons on June 1 and took a research sabbatical this fall. Dr. Jon Singletary was named interim dean of the school.

“Dr. Garland has defined our school and strengthened our capacity to do research,” Singletary told the Lariat on April 16 when she stepped down. “Under her leadership, we have grown by leaps and bounds in terms of student size and endowment.”

She is survived by her husband Dr. David Garland, professor of Christian Scriptures at Baylor.