Bridge V i r g i n i a
C o m m o n w e a l t h
The magazine of the VCU School of Education
U n i v e r s i t y
FALL 2011
Virtual Training The World’s First Simulator for Educators
In this issue: Reducing Disruptive Classroom Behavior • Education in Guatemala • Illiteracy in South Sudan
the
From the Interim Dean
Bridge
Vol. 6, No. 2 • Fall 2011 E di to r
Michael D. Frontiero (804) 827-2415, mdfronti@vcu.edu
It was a most eventful and unusual summer at the VCU School of Education. A moderate earthquake that originated just 40 miles away rumbled through Oliver Hall, dense smoke from a historic fire more than 100 miles away in the Great Dismal Swamp triggered many Code Orange days in Richmond, and a massive hurricane brought destruction and prolonged power outages to our surrounding community. These events serve as a reminder from Mother Nature of how important “community” is in maintaining and rebuilding relationships as well as infrastructure. The global community will benefit from groundbreaking research highlighted in the cover story of this issue of The Bridge. Drs. Dale Mann and Charol Shakeshaft in our Department of Educational Leadership are using a $5.2 million grant to develop the world’s first computer simulator for educators to revolutionize the way administrators are evaluated. When completed, it can be adapted for use in virtually every school system in the world. Dr. Kevin Sutherland in our Department of Special Education and Disability Policy is working on a $4 million grant with former VCU professor Maureen Conroy to reduce disruptive behavior in prekindergarten classrooms, which could benefit children and educators nationwide. Our efforts to build community abroad have taken our faculty members to Guatemala, where Drs. Donna Dockery in the Department of Counselor Education and Sharon Zumbrunn in the Department of Foundations of Education led missions to strengthen education in impoverished schools, and to the fledgling nation of South Sudan, where Dr. Mark Emblidge, executive director of the Literacy Institute at VCU, assisted efforts in universal literacy and building schools. Our work to reduce the nationwide epidemic of childhood obesity took several steps forward when faculty in our Department of Health and Human Performance helped five young people in VCU’s T.E.E.N.S program prepare for their first 10K. Each one crossed the finish line with a new sense of accomplishment. This fall, we welcomed 12 new faculty members whose expertise ranges from the impact of segregation and resegregation in schools to marketing of nonmainstream sports. We are pleased to have them as members of the School of Education family. In closing, I hope you will take some time to look through our Honor Roll of Donors on the final pages of this issue. These donors have made a meaningful difference in the lives of our students and in the work of our faculty. I am honored to serve as interim dean of a school that is collaborative, productive and part of the urban fabric. Thank you for your support and best wishes for a beautiful fall.
Michael D. Davis, Ph.D. Interim Dean, VCU School of Education
A r t D irec to r
Delano Design, Holly S. Delano (B.A. ’88) holly@hollydelanodesign.com P h oto grap h y
Michael Frontiero and Tom Kojcsich, VCU Creative Services O F F I C E O F TH E D E A N
Michael D. Davis, interim dean Diane J. Simon, associate dean for student affairs Henry T. Clark III, senior associate dean for academic affairs Edwin E. Blanks, special assistant to the dean and director of business services Magnus H. Johnsson, executive director of external relations and development A LU M N I C O U N C I L
OFFICERS: Michael C. Huffman (M.S. ’02), president; Deborah E. Marks (M.Ed. ’83, Ph.D. ’02), vice president; Susan Younce (M.S. ’91), treasurer; Jacqueline W. Wilson (B.S. ’77, M.Ed. ’83, Ph.D. ’96), officer at large MEMBERS: Mary H. Allen (B.S. ’80), Donna M. Dalton (M.Ed. ’00), Carol A. Dato (B.S. ’81), Lynda V. Gillespie (Ph.D. ‘01), Peter R. Glessman (Post-Master’s Cert. ’01), Stephanie L. Holt (B.S., ’74), Dale C. Kalkofen (M.A.E. ’76), Kathryn G. Kirk (M.Ed. ’80, Ph.D. ‘10), Ronald C. Payne (B.S. ’79), Carmen Y. Ward (M.Ed. ’01) EX-OFFICIO: Michael D. Davis, Magnus H. Johnsson (M.P.A. ‘10), Donna S. Sharits (B.G.S. ‘96) VCU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION REPRESENTATIVE: Gordon A. McDougall A DVA N C E M E N T C O U N C I L
MEMBERS: Robert E. Marchant (M.Ed. ’71), chair; Jo Lynne DeMary (M.Ed. ’72); Mark E. Emblidge; Michael D. Fraizer; Susan L. Genovese; Barbara L. Belcher; Stewart D. Roberson; Walter S. Robertson III EX-OFFICIO: Michael D. Davis, Magnus H. Johnsson The Bridge is published biannually for the alumni, friends and supporters of the VCU School of Education. Please send story ideas, comments and corrections to the editor at VCU School of Education, Oliver Hall, P.O. Box 842020, Richmond, Va., 23284-2020. VCU is an equal opportunity/affirmative action university.
Bridge Fall 2011
V i r g i n i a
C o m m o n w e a l t h
U n i v e r s i t y
The magazine of the VCU School of Education
CONTENTS 16. Overcoming Illiteracy in World’s Newest Nation Dr. Mark E. Emblidge is working with government and education leaders in South Sudan on universal literacy, education for girls and the building of schools.
18. Helping Obese Adolescents Cross the Finish Line
14. 2. Reducing Disruptive Classroom Behavior Researchers at VCU and the University of Florida have received a $4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to study how to reduce significant behavior problems in prekindergarten children that can disrupt the classroom learning environment.
14. Cover Story: World’s First Virtual Training School for Educators Technology used by the military to train soldiers on a virtual battlefield is being adapted by the VCU School of Education to prepare America’s next generation of school leaders more effectively and at less cost.
6. The Guatemalan Connection
Five participants in VCU’s T.E.E.N.S. program ran the race of their lives in April, completing the 2011 Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10K in Richmond, Va., with the help of faculty and students in the VCU School of Education.
22. Frosty Field Experience Alumna Eve O. Kendrick (M.T. ’06) spent this summer a long way from home. In a quest to further her field experience and, by extension, benefit her students, she received a grant to study Arctic graylings in Alaska.
DEPARTMENTS 02. Research 06. Faculty News 18. Student News 22. Alumni News 29. Philanthropy
VCU School of Education faculty lead missions to help impoverished schools in Guatemala and learn local educational practices.
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The VCU School of Education prepares students for meaningful careers in education and health-related fields, and promotes research that advances understanding of local, national and global challenges. To learn more, visit www.soe.vcu.edu.
This publication is available in alternate formats upon request. Contact the editor at (804) 827-2415 for more information.
On the cover: The world’s first computer simulator for educators puts prospective administrators in the challenging role of leading a virtual middle school
6.
and then assesses their performance with those real-world situations.
Research
It is part of a five-year, $34 million grant for the Virginia Initiative for Science Teaching and Achievement (VISTA), a partnership of 47 school districts, six universities and the Virginia Department of Education. University partners include VCU, the College of William and Mary, the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, James Madison University and George Mason University, which leads the partnership.
$4 Million Grant to Study Reducing Disruptive Classroom Behavior
VISTA organizers, teachers and students in VCU’s Oliver Hall after completing the VISTA Science Institute summer workshop.
Researchers at the VCU School of Education and the University of Florida have received a $4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to study how to reduce significant behavior problems in prekindergarten children that can disrupt the classroom learning environment.
Denise Covert (right), a teacher at Dupont Elementary School in Hopewell, helps students conduct experiments at the VCU Science Institute workshop.
VISTA Science Institute Helps Elementary Teachers Boost Student Achievement Elementary teachers from Hanover County, Hopewell and Bedford learned how to improve their skills and boost student achievement at a workshop sponsored by the VCU School of Education.
Kevin S. Sutherland, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Special Education and Disability Policy, and Maureen A. Conroy, Ph.D., a professor of special education and early childhood studies in the School of Special Education, School Psychology, and Early Childhood Studies at the University of Florida, are coprincipal investigators on the grant. They will examine the efficacy of their intervention program, BEST in CLASS, which has shown high promise in preliminary studies.
A four-week Elementary Science Institute offered professional development focused on improving science teaching skills. Teachers implemented lessons learned during a two-week camp for high-needs students from Richmond-area schools. The institute is part of a $5.1 million grant VCU received from the U.S. Department of Education to improve science teaching and student learning in high-need schools in central Virginia. The grant’s principal investigator is Department of Teaching and Learning Associate Professor Jacqueline T. McDonnough, Ph.D.
2 The Bridge • Fall 2011
The four-year investigation will involve 120 prekindergarten classrooms, most of them in Head Start programs, split between Richmond, Va., and North Central Florida. Each year, 90 children identified as high-risk for emotional and behavioral disorders will
take part in the intervention program. A second group of 90 high-risk children will serve as a comparison group in their business-as-usual classrooms. As many as one-fourth of children in Head Start classes exhibit significant behavior problems that place them at elevated risk for negative developmental outcomes, and most have never been in structured classroom situations prior to entering preschool. “Children who exhibit problem behavior in preschool are more likely to develop negative interaction patterns with teachers, and research suggests that these negative interactions continue into elementary school and beyond,” Dr. Sutherland said. “BEST in CLASS targets improving these interactions, resulting not only in improved child behavior in the short term, but also an improved classroom atmosphere in the long term.” Through 14 weeks of classroom-based coaching, Sutherland and Conroy will train teachers to implement effective instructional strategies for improving children’s behavioral competence. The BEST in CLASS model emphasizes both individual and classwide interventions to improve interactions between the teacher and students and enhance the overall classroom atmosphere for learning. Teachers discuss classroom rules and routines with students and praise specific desirable child behavior — for example, sitting and waiting their turn in a circle during a game or sharing time. Such strategies aren’t necessarily new, but teachers will be shown how to use them more precisely and intensely for given situations. The teacher works to prevent any problem behaviors during typical classroom activities. The intervention program also has a home-school component in which teachers send home a daily “behavior report card” stating, in a positive manner, how the child behaved or which corrective behaviors he or she learned that day.
Zumbrunn Receives VCU Presidential Award to Research Student Writing Perceptions and Success
factors that might influence student writing success from elementary school through high school. Writing is fundamental to student success in school. Through writing, students not only are able to demonstrate their knowledge, but also their ability to gather, remember and share what they learn. Writing also is an essential skill that many students will use in their post-school careers. According to the National Commission on Writing, the majority of large American companies consider writing ability when making hiring and promotion decisions. Significant concerns exist, however, about student writing in all grades. Results from the National Assessment of Education Progress consistently show that students are below grade-level proficiency. In 2007, only 24 percent of 12th-graders were at or above the proficient level in writing, and 18 percent could not write at the basic level.
Dr. Sharon Zumbrunn
“Research is needed to better understand the critical factors that nurture the growth and success of developing writers,” Dr. Zumbrunn said. The project will develop a psychometrically sound measure designed to assess elementary, middle and high school student writing perceptions, motivations, behaviors, products and perceived success. In collaboration with Chesterfield County Public Schools, the project will measure these constructs at two points to examine differences across the developmental span. Approximately 2,100 students from grades 3 through 12 will be invited to participate in the study. Dr. Zumbrunn was one of 23 faculty members to receive an award this year from the VCU Presidential Research Incentive Program, which supports faculty members engaged in new, emerging or continuing research.
Department of Foundations of Education Assistant Professor Sharon K. Zumbrunn, Ph.D., will use a nearly $50,000 award from VCU to examine several
VCU School of Education 3
Research
Science Teachers Learn Clinical Trials Process Middle and high school science teachers participated in a weeklong workshop at VCU to enhance their understanding of clinical research and concepts in central Virginia. The workshop was sponsored by VCU’s Project CRESST: Enhancing Clinical Research Education for Science Students and Teachers, a partnership among clinical and translational scientists, faculty in the schools of Education and Pharmacy, the VCU Center for Clinical and Translational Research, and middle and high school science teachers, students and parents.
Department of Counselor Education students Sally Lewis (from left), Leigh Ann Cronin, alumna Megan Tajlili (M.Ed., ’10), Jennifer Gerlach, Dr. Mary Hermann and student Jenna Stout at the American Counseling Association 2011 Conference and Exposition in New Orleans. Photo courtesy of Megan Tajlili.
Counselor Education Faculty, Students Attend National Conference Mary A. Hermann, J.D., Ph.D., associate professor and chair of the Department of Counselor Education, and Donna J. Dockery, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Counselor Education, presented a poster at the American Counseling Association 2011 Conference and Exposition in New Orleans. The title of their presentation was “Using the ASCA National Model to Enhance Understanding of Our Role as School Counselors.” Omega Lambda Iota, the VCU chapter of the Chi Sigma Iota Honor Society International, helped coordinate efforts for students to attend the conference. Dr. Hermann also presented at the conference with a team of experts in counselor ethical standards from New Orleans, Alexandria and Boston on “Ward vs. Wilbanks et al.: Can Counselors Use Religious Beliefs as the Basis for Refusing to See a Homosexual Client?”
4 The Bridge • Fall 2011
The partnership is funded through a grant from the National Institutes of Health and co-directed by associate professors Lisa M. Abrams, Ph.D., in the School of Education Department of Foundations of Education, and Patricia W. Slattum, PharmD, Ph.D., in the School of Pharmacy Department of Pharmacotherapy and Outcomes Science. Targeted to urban and rural schools that traditionally have been underserved, the project features inquirybased curricular tools for teachers to introduce students to the clinical research process, using research on childhood obesity, health and wellness as a model.
Dyslexia and Success Paul J. Gerber, Ph.D., Ruth Harris Professor of Dyslexia Studies in the departments of Special Education and Disability Policy and Foundations of Education, presented “A Model of Success for Adult Dyslexics” at the British Dyslexia Association 2011 Conference in Harrogate, England. His paper reported the findings of research into the factors that contribute to the success of adults with dyslexia, including “extraordinary individuals.”
Research Briefs Lisa M. Abrams, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Foundations of Education, Angela P. Wetzel, Ph.D., director of assessment, and James H. McMillan, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Foundations of Education, received the Classroom Assessment Special Interest Group Distinguished Paper Award for their work on “Teachers’ Formative Use of Benchmark Testing Data” at the 2011 American Education Research Association in New Orleans, La. Jarred Boyd and Lauren Simpkins, Exercise Science Club students in the Department of Health and Human Performance, received the VCU Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship 2011 Summer Fellowship program award. This award was provided to 15 of 50 students from around the university. During the summer, Boyd and Simpkins spent a significant amount of time (20-30 hours per week) conducting scientific research in the laboratory and collaborating with a faculty mentor on a project. Both received a $3,000 stipend. Boyd worked with Assistant Professor R. Lee Franco, Ph.D., and Simpkins with Associate Professor Ronald K. Evans, Ph.D. Christopher Harnish, doctoral student in the Department of Health and Human Performance’s Rehabilitation and Movement Science program, received the Michael L. Pollock Student Scholarship award from the American College of Sports Medicine. He presented his research project, “Metabolic Implications of High Intensity Training In Spinal Cord Injured (SCI) Persons,” at the ACSM annual meeting earlier this year. W. Monty Jones, M.Ed., director of technology, co-authored the editorial “Reimagining schools: The potential of virtual education,” which was published in the British Journal of Educational Technology (Volume 42, issue 3, pages 363-371, May 2011). It
summarizes a presentation and recommendations given to the director of the Office of Educational Technology at the U.S. Department of Education at the National Technology Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C., in 2010. Jones wrote the editorial with Michael Searson, a professor at the Kean University School for Global Education and Innovation, and Kari Wold, a doctoral student at the University of Virginia Curry School of Education. Susan Croasdaile, Ph.D., a program specialist for the Virginia Department of Education’s Training and Technical Assistance Center at VCU, and graduate students Rachel Angel, Erin Carr, Lucy Hudson and Carin Usrey wrote the chapter “Using Blogs to Apply Universal Design for Learning: A Case Study of a Research Methods Course” for the book “Teaching, Learning and the Net Generation: Concepts and Tools for Reaching Digital Learners,” by Sharmila Pixy-Ferris.
New Publication F O U N DAT I O N S
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Samuel M. Craver, Ph.D., professor emeritus, VCU School of Education Maike I. Philipsen, professor, Department of Foundations of Education, VCU School of Education “Foundations of Education” is organized around the major problems facing contemporary American education. It offers a thorough, scholarly treatment of these problems from historical, philosophical and sociological perspectives, bringing together relevant findings from those disciplines to analyze and illuminate a wide range of issues. Each chapter focuses on a core topic (including race, gender, equal opportunities, school governance) to give students a solid overview, providing intellectually sound material that offers real depth and challenges students to think creatively. Packed with exercises, discussion questions, international case studies for comparative purposes and supported by a fully up-to-date companion website, this is a text that responds to current developments, changes and trends in teacher education. “Foundations of Education” will prepare a new generation of educators for a globalized and technology-driven society that needs to be aware of its best educational traditions, its current problems and its future possibilities. VCU School of Education 5
Faculty News
(Above) VCU education student Jasmine Harrison works with a student on his project ideas. Three young students of Xeabaj Uno School. Photos courtesy of Sharon Zumbrunn.
Helping Impoverished Schools in Guatemala
Study Abroad: Literacy, Art and Social Justice in Guatemala Sharon K. Zumbrunn, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Foundations of Education, and Jan Johnston, an instructor in the School of the Arts’ Department of Art Education, led VCU students on a summer study abroad service-learning course (EDUS 651: Art and Transformation: Social Change Through Arts and Literacy) with a focus on literacy, art and social justice in the highlands of Guatemala. The course exposed art and education students to indigenous communities, their artistic traditions and contemporary Mayan educational practices. In addition to guest lectures, readings and discussions, students also planned and implemented elementary art and literacy lessons in rural Guatemalan villages. Upon returning, each student completed and showcased an independent arts-, service- or education-based research project inspired by his or her experience.
6 The Bridge • Fall 2011
Donna J. Dockery, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Counselor Education, traveled to Guatemala with Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School students for a service-learning project on developing a library in Tzununa, the poorest settlement on Lake Atitlan. School and community fundraising efforts resulted in donations of more than 200 books, more than $1,000, two computers and a Flip camera for the library project. Participants spent a week in Spanish immersion classes and then taught jewelry-making to women, made crafts with children and worked on English and Spanish skills with adolescents from the village. (Above) Kneeling at right, Dr. Donna Dockery practices Spanish and English lessons with children from Tzununa’s primary school after completing a craft project. Photo courtesy of Donna Dockery.
VCU, Richmond Schools Launch Innovative Teacher Residency Program Aspiring educators enrolled in the first cohort of VCU’s new Richmond Teacher Residency (RTR) program have begun their coursework and residencies with veteran teachers who will help them lead their own classrooms and boost achievement in high-need middle and high schools in Richmond. Earlier this year, nine Teacher Residents were selected from a pool of more than 124 applicants from 20 states and five countries. When they graduate from the cohort next year, they will be eligible to assume full-time teaching positions in Richmond Public Schools (RPS). Of the nine Teacher Residents, four are preparing to teach secondary English, three social studies, one math and one chemistry. The program is coordinated by the Center for Teacher Leadership at the VCU School of Education in partnership with Richmond Public Schools. It is part of the elite Urban Teacher Residency United Network, which is based in Chicago (see The Bridge, Fall 2010). RTR is funded by a five-year, $5.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education, which will provide the Teacher Residents with the tools they need to succeed in an urban school setting. The program offers a $19,000 stipend to defray living costs, a special program rate for tuition, reduced-cost housing, a yearlong residency, an extended mentorship, teacher leadership training and support for National Board certification in exchange for a three-year commitment to teach middle and high school math, science, English or social science/history in RPS. The RTR program differs from other traditional teacher preparation programs across the country due to its intensive school-based preparation in which Teacher Residents complete a yearlong classroom residency co-teaching with an experienced master teacher. Unique to RTR is the requirement that all Teacher Residents live in an urban apartment during their first year of the program as part of the program’s emphasis on creating a strong living and learning environment. At the end of their residency, participants will earn a Master of Teaching degree from VCU and a teaching license from the Commonwealth of Virginia.
RICHMOND For more information, visit www.richmond teacherresidency.info. If you have a smartphone, click the QR Code.
New School Leaders Lay Foundation for Success A program that provides early-career Richmond-area school leaders with the knowledge, skills and courage needed to be effective attracted a record number of participants this year.
Richmond Teacher Residency Director Therese Dozier (right) welcomes the first cohort of Teacher Residents at the project’s orientation day.
More than 55 principals, assistant principals and other school leadership team members enrolled in EduLead’s annual Leaders in Transition Summer Institute, a residential leadership institute designed as professional development for newly assigned principals and principals serving challenging and hard-to-staff schools as they plan for success for the coming school year. Participating principals leave the institute with a draft 90-day plan based on Michael Watkins’ book, “The First 90 Days.” The 90-day plan is intended to complement and support each principal’s division goals for the coming school year. EduLead is a partnership between the VCU School of Education’s Center for School Improvement, the University of Richmond’s Center for Leadership in Education, school divisions in Richmond and the counties of Henrico, Chesterfield and Hanover, and several corporate and foundation partners in the Richmond area. It offers a continuum of professional development opportunities, leadership training and support to school divisions throughout the Richmond region. For more information, visit http://edu-lead.org.
VCU School of Education 7
Faculty News
New Faculty Quentin R. Alexander, Ph.D. Assistant professor, Department of Counselor Education Dr. Quentin R. Alexander was a graduate teaching and research assistant for Virginia Tech University’s Graduate Office of Recruitment and Diversity Initiatives, where he conducted formal and informal research about college diversity and inclusion initiatives. He also did a doctoral internship in counselor education at the university’s Cook Counseling Center, where he assessed student clients for appropriate plans of treatment and conducted individual therapy sessions. He was a therapist for Guilford and Associates Psychological Group in Durham, N.C., providing multidimensional family therapy services for clients. He also was a special education teacher for Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools in North Carolina, where he worked with African-American elementary students with behavioral and emotional disabilities and specific learning disabilities. He received his Doctor of Philosophy degree in Counselor Education and Supervision from Virginia Tech. Chin-Chih Chen, Ph.D. Assistant professor, Department of Special Education and Disability Policy Dr. Chin-Chih Chen received her Doctor of Philosophy degree in Educational Psychology from the University of Minnesota. Her research focuses on the risk and protective factors related to educational well-being, evidencebased intervention practices, and service trajectories and developmental pathways for at-risk children and children with disabilities. Before joining the Department of Special Education and Disability Policy at VCU, Dr. Chen worked for the University of Pennsylvania as a research associate at the Penn Child Research Center. She conducted largescale longitudinal research to examine educational well-being of disadvantaged children using an
8 The Bridge • Fall 2011
integrated administrative data system. Dr. Chen also worked for the University of Minnesota as a research associate in the Chicago Longitudinal Study, one of the most extensive studies of early childhood intervention. She evaluated the effects of the program on reducing educational and health disparities for low-income children. Greg P. Greenhalgh, Ph.D. Assistant professor and director of Student Services and Outreach Center for Sport Leadership Dr. Greg P. Greenhalgh comes to VCU from the University of Louisville, where he was a lecturer and graduate assistant teaching courses in sport promotion, publicity and marketing. Dr. Greenhalgh also has an active research agenda, with his primary focus on the marketing of niche, or nonmainstream, sports. More specifically, he is interested in variables that might attract fans and sponsors and how niche sports may position themselves to be more sustainable in the future. Dr. Greenhalgh’s other research interests include the use of new social media and their effects on the dissemination of sports information. He received his Doctor of Philosophy degree in Educational Leadership and Organizational Development from the University of Louisville. Hilary E. Hughes-Decatur, Ph.D. Assistant professor, Department of Teaching and Learning Dr. Hilary E. Hughes-Decatur received her Doctor of Philosophy degree in Middle School Education from the University of Georgia. Previously, she was a seventh- and eighth-grade language arts teacher at Eagle County Charter Academy in Edwards, Colo., a district literacy coach and, for two years, was the director of the Young Writers Workshop at Burney-Harris Lyons Middle School in Athens, Ga. Her research interests include girls and body image. At VCU, she will be teaching courses in secondary curriculum and instruction.
W. Monty Jones, M.Ed. Director of Technology Assistant Professor, Department of Teaching and Learning W. Monty Jones received his Master of Education degree in Curriculum and Instruction from VCU and is now completing his Doctor of Philosophy degree in Instructional Technology at the University of Virginia. He is a former software developer and information technology consultant, and has spent time as a K-12 classroom teacher and instructional technology resource teacher. He was a research fellow at the Center for Technology and Teacher Education at the University of Virginia’s Curry School of Education. He was awarded an Outstanding Curriculum Award by The National Association of Gifted Children for his work as an instructional designer and software developer for Project Parallax in Charlottesville, Va. Katherine Cumings Mansfield, Ph.D. Assistant professor, Department of Educational Leadership Dr. Katherine Cumings Mansfield is a recent graduate of the Educational Policy and Planning Ph.D. program at the University of Texas at Austin, where she also earned a doctoral portfolio from the College of Liberal Arts in Women’s and Gender Studies. Mansfield has 20 years of teaching and leadership experience in preschool through postsecondary education and has earned certification in administration, English as a second language and gifted/talented. Her interdisciplinary scholarship focuses on the history and politics of education and the relationship of gender, race, religion and class on educational and vocational access and achievement. Mansfield currently serves as program chair for the American Educational Research Association’s Special Interest Group: Leadership for Social Justice. Her teaching interests and expertise include the socio-cultural contexts of education policy and practice, school law and education policy, qualitative research and policy analysis methods, and organization theory.
Austin M. Mulloy, Ph.D. Assistant professor, Department of Special Education and Disability Policy Dr. Austin M. Mulloy recently received his Doctor of Philosophy degree in Special Education from the University of Texas at Austin, where his coursework focused on autism, developmental disabilities and quantitative research methods. He has developed a keen interest in meta-analysis and systematic literature reviews and their role in the determination of evidence-based practices. His research interests include resolving problems related to the analysis and meta-analysis of single-subject research, and application of the best meta-analytic and systematic review methods to intervention research in special education. Prior to entering UT-Austin, he served as a high school teacher in diverse, urban settings. His expertise in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) primarily pertains to controversial therapies and biomedical interventions. In coursework, research activities and while a teacher, he developed skills related to the design and implementation of social, behavioral and academic interventions for children with ASD. Volkan Sevim, Ph.D. Assistant professor, Department of Teaching and Learning Dr. Volkan Sevim recently received his Doctor of Philosophy degree in Mathematics Education with an emphasis on urban education from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He was a visiting lecturer and teacher-in-residence in the school’s Department of Mathematics and Statistics, where he taught precalculus and calculus II for science and engineering undergraduate students as well as mathematics education content and pedagogy courses for prospective elementary school teachers. His research interests include the historical, philosophical and
VCU School of Education 9
Faculty News
pedagogical aspects of mathematical concepts in general and mathematical functions in particular. He also is interested in developing and carrying out an ongoing active research program that investigates students’ understanding and learning of various mathematical concepts. Marie F. Shoffner, Ph.D. Associate professor, Department of Counselor Education Dr. Marie F. Shoffner was a tenured associate professor of teaching and supervision at the University of Virginia and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She also was a counselor for Children, Youth and Family Services in Charlottesville, Va., and Louisa County Public Schools in Mineral, Va. Her research grants and awards include $400,000 from the National Science Foundation to prepare students for designing multiscale agile systems. She also was awarded nearly $500,000 to study the role of perceptions, supports and student engagement in predicting STEM-related interests in early-adolescent girls and minority youth. She has taught courses in career counseling and development, counseling diverse populations and counseling children. She received her Doctor of Philosophy degree in Counselor Education from the University of Virginia. Genevieve Siegel-Hawley, Ph.D.. Assistant professor, Department of Educational Leadership Dr. Genevieve Siegel-Hawley received her Doctor of Philosophy degree in Education from the UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies. Her research interests focus on examining the impact of segregation and resegregation in American schools, along with exploring viable policy options for a truly integrated society. Dr. Siegel-Hawley worked as a research assistant at the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights from 2000 to 2001,
10 The Bridge • Fall 2011
where she developed data on court-ordered school systems, in addition to compiling and processing data from 30 years of survey collection in the Elementary and Secondary School Civil Rights Compliance Report. She taught two years of high school history in Baltimore, Md., with Teach for America, and later returned to teach for an additional two years in her hometown of Richmond, Va. Dr. Siegel-Hawley is the recipient of the Virginia Education Association’s Fitz Turner Commission for Human Relations and Civil Rights Award for her efforts to ensure access and equity for students of color at a regional magnet high school in Virginia. She received her Master of Education degree in Education Policy and Management from Harvard University. Angela P. Wetzel, Ph.D. Director of Assessment Instructor, Department of Foundations of Education Dr. Angela P. Wetzel recently received her Doctor of Philosophy degree in Education from VCU. She has eight years of experience in education, including academic affairs, educational research and evaluation. As part of her role as director of curriculum for the VCU School of Medicine, she oversaw course evaluations and all testing for more than 800 medical students. In addition, she participated in the accreditation of the doctorate of medicine degree program. As a graduate assistant for the School of Medicine’s Office of Assessment and Evaluation Studies, she consulted with faculty on research and evaluation related to individual courses and overall curricular programming as well as student assessment and learning. She managed ongoing data collection from students using survey software and was responsible for secure data management, internal reporting and scholarship. She also worked as a graduate assistant in the VCU School of Education, collaborating on educational research through the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium.
Faculty Awards These awards celebrate the VCU School of Education’s greatest asset and resource – its people. Our school is highly regarded as a result of these and other talented faculty members who made a difference in the 20102011 academic year. C h arles
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Dr. Ronald Evans (right) accepts the award from Interim Dean Michael Davis at the School of Education’s Diploma Presentation Ceremony.
Dr. Dockery is the lead instructor for the Techniques for Counseling and Counseling Practicum courses. In this role, she creates and updates syllabi and mentors the other instructors who teach the course. She volunteered to partner with the Genetic Counseling Program at VCU Medical Center and welcomed its students into her techniques course. She incorporates research and integrates theory with best practice in her classes, fosters a welcoming and positive classroom environment that promotes learning, values, student engagement and honest feedback and evaluation.
(Above) Interim Dean Michael Davis (from left), Dr. Donna Dockery and Faculty Organization President Dr. Loraine Stewart.
One of her students said, “Dr. Dockery always shares the best ‘real-life’ examples of what it is like to work as a school counselor. I find myself really engaged in all that she has to say while learning (and laughing in the process).”
(Below) Interim Dean Michael Davis (from left), Dr. Martin Reardon and Faculty Organization President Dr. Loraine Stewart.
D is t inguis h ed Teac h ing
Ronald K. Evans, Ph.D., is the 20th recipient of this award, which honors Dr. Charles P. Ruch, a former VCU provost and dean of the School of Education. An associate professor of Exercise Science in the Department of Health and Human Performance, Dr. Evans has served with distinction as a teacher, scholar and adviser since coming to VCU in 2003. In nominating him for this award, one of his students wrote, “Dr. Evans is one of the most influential professors that I have met throughout my undergraduate career. He taught me Exercise Physiology, which is an extremely rigorous course … in a way that engaged the class and challenged us. He tirelessly encourages his students to achieve their best work and encourages them to reach their highest potential.” D is t inguis h ed
Teac h ing
A w ard
Donna J. Dockery, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the Department of Counselor Education. She joined the faculty in 2007 and has taught 30 sections of six courses. She developed the curricula for two courses: Multicultural Counseling in Educational Settings and Multicultural Service Learning in Educational Settings.
A ward
R. Martin Reardon, Ph.D., joined the faculty in 2005 as an assistant professor in the Department of Educational Leadership. In every class that Dr. Reardon teaches, he develops creative and student-centered activities that allow his students to engage in projectbased learning. This year, he introduced an innovative course on “instructional rounds” to his students in administration. This course is the result of three months of collaboration with public school administrators to plan and deliver the program. As a result, students in administration and supervision learned how to move through classrooms, make rounds much like students in medical schools and, as a group, discuss what they see and what it means. Dr. Reardon also teaches the most extensive problembased learning project of the department — the Ed.D. Capstone course for which he developed internal assessments of participation and team effectiveness and conceptualized formats for presentation of results of the projects in written, visual and oral forms.
VCU School of Education 11
Faculty News
Ou t s t anding S c h o lar
Interim Dean Michael Davis (from left), Dr. Whitney Newcomb and Faculty Organization President Dr. Loraine Stewart.
A ward
Whitney S. Newcomb, Ed.D., is an associate professor in the Department of Educational Leadership.
Department of Foundations of Education to organize an advisory group to discuss needed changes and improvement for this doctoral track.
She joined the faculty in 2007 and is a prolific scholar.
At the school level, he developed a five-course online certificate program to address the needs of adult educators across the country who work in adult literacy. The program is the result of a collaborative planning initiative with the Virginia Department of Correctional Education, The Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center in the School of Education, the Virginia Literacy Foundation and the READ Center.
Dr. Newcomb has published one book, four book chapters or monographs, 27 articles in international and national refereed journals — seven of which were published this year and four of which are in journals with acceptance rates of 11 percent or less. She produced 15 other scholarly publications and more than 50 presentations at national and international conferences. In addition, Dr. Newcomb has secured five grants. She received the Emerald Literati Network Award for Excellence for the Outstanding Special Issue of 2011 for her work editing the issue ”Globalization: expanding horizons in women’s leadership” published in the Journal of Educational Administration. She also received the American Educational Research Association’s Leadership for Social Justice Special Interest Group Social Justice Award for 2011 for work that represents exemplary commitment to teaching that promotes social justice, equity, diversity and inclusion in the field of educational administration. Ou t s t anding
S ervice
A ward
William R. Muth, Ph.D., is an associate professor of adult and adolescent literacy in the Department of Teaching and Learning. He joined the faculty in 2005. In addition to teaching and advising students, Dr. Muth provides considerable service to the school, university and community.
Interim Dean Michael Davis (from left), Dr. William Muth and Faculty Organization President Dr. Loraine Stewart.
12 The Bridge • Fall 2011
At the department level, he serves as the track coordinator and adviser for students in the Instructional Leadership track of the Ph.D. program. He reached out to faculty in his department and in the
On the local and national level, Dr. Muth has worked tirelessly in support of Hope House in Washington, D.C. Hope House is designed to make a difference in the lives of children of incarcerated fathers. Dr. Muth serves on its board of directors, and last summer he participated in its annual summer camp as he engaged in a research project.
Faculty Briefs Leila Christenbury, Ed.D., a Commonwealth Professor and interim chair of the Department of Teaching and Learning, was interviewed on Education Talk Radio about English teaching with the National Council of Teachers of English. Listen to the interview at http://www. blogtalkradio.com/edutalk/2011/06/08/ english-teaching-with-ncte. If you have a smartphone, scan the QR Code. William R. Muth, Ph.D., has been promoted to associate professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning. Loraine M. Stewart, Ed.D., an associate professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning, has been elected to the National Council for the Social Studies Board of Directors. Kevin S. Sutherland, Ph.D., has been promoted to full professor in the Department of Special Education and Disability Policy and has been named co-editor of Behavioral Disorders: The Journal of the Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders.
Retiring Faculty Honored for Contributions The VCU School of Education said farewell to three faculty members who ended decades of service to the school this year. At a reception held in the VCU Scott House, colleagues and friends celebrated the accomplishments of Department of Counselor Education Associate Professor Susan D. Leone, Ed.D., Department of Educational Leadership Assistant Professor Cheryl C. Magill, Ph.D., Department of Special Education and Disability Policy Professor and Partnership for People with Disabilities Executive Director Fred P. Orelove, Ph.D., School of Education Associate Director Vicki B. Wilson, Ed.D., and Center for School Improvement Director Jo Lynne S. DeMary, Ed.D.
over the past few decades. She’s always open to new suggestions and ideas for program growth and development, which is one of the main reasons I came here.” Department of Educational Leadership Chair Charol Shakeshaft, Ph.D., honored Dr. Magill for bringing something to the job that many academics do not. “She gets it done. She doesn’t say, ‘Let’s have a committee’; she doesn’t say, ‘Let’s talk about it next time’; she doesn’t say, ‘Let’s think about that’ and perhaps get back to you. She’s incredible for the amount of work she does with practitioners and leading the new Doctor of Education degree in Leadership program and making it a national model.”
Colleagues who knew them best reflected on their work and friendship.
Department of Special Education and Disability Policy Chair Evelyn Reed, Ph.D., honored Dr. Orelove. “Everything that he does is with his heart. His brain is superior and that is where those wonderful puns come from every five minutes. And he has been a great leader.”
Department of Counselor Education Chair Mary A. Hermann, J.D., Ph.D., called Dr. Leone a wonderful colleague, consultant and friend. “Several people attribute their being a counselor to the fact that they took a course with Suzee Leone. She’s recruited great students, has kept the program current even as the role of school counselor has changed dramatically
Dr. Orelove, who was with VCU for more than 30 years, expressed gratitude to his colleagues for their support. “There is no way any of us come prepared to do these jobs. And upon retiring, I’m finally beginning to know how much I still don’t know. Call it wisdom. I call it confession. But the stuff I do know, it’s because somebody let me practice on them.”
(Top right, clockwise) Dr. Fred Orelove and Interim Dean Michael Davis. ~ Dr. Cheryl Magill said, “It’s been a great ride.” ~ Dr. Susan Leone ~ Dr. Jo Lynne DeMary with Interim Dean Michael Davis. ~ Dr. Vicki Wilson (center) with Drs. Harold Wright and Ken Magill.
VCU School of Education 13
VCU Developing World’s
First Virtual Training School for Educators Technology used by the military to train soldiers on a virtual
battlefield is being adapted by
the VCU School of Education to prepare America’s next generation of school leaders more effectively and at less cost. Using a five-year, $5.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education, researchers with Project ALL (Authentic Learning for Leaders) are developing the world’s first computer simulator that will put prospective administrators in the challenging role of leading a virtual middle school and then will assess their performance with those real-world situations. Project ALL Director Charol Shakeshaft (left) and Project ALL Simulation Director Dale Mann.
“This simulation tool will allow us to assess those skills with the next generation of school leaders and make sure our future is secure.” –Dr. Yvonne Brandon
14 The Bridge • Fall 2011
Job candidates will work through a year in the life of a school principal and see hundreds of leadership-related events, opportunities, problems and possible solutions that are not always covered in textbooks or graduate lectures. Situations include dealing with demanding parents, completing personnel evaluations and enforcing curriculum decisions. As the user makes decisions, the simulation algorithm will calculate a profile of strengths and weaknesses. That profile will be sent back to the user and forwarded to the employer. “You see the problems faced by principals every day,” said Project ALL Simulation Director Dale Mann, Ph.D. “You make choices and you see the immediate and vivid consequences of those choices.” As the pattern of decisions emerges, it begins to affect the trajectory of the school. Bad choices lead to a cascade of unfortunate events, such as low student achievement or
a hostile faculty. Better choices lead to a more successful school, more trust from the central office and even a promotion. “The simulator highlights patterns, such as whether the prospective educator is more likely to respond to central office requests over building-level needs, whether he or she prefers direct instruction over technology, or if that person is more comfortable with personal communication than impersonal communication,” said Project ALL Director Charol Shakeshaft, Ph.D., professor and chair of the VCU School of Education Department of Educational Leadership. Web-enabled simulations have saved as much as 85 percent on training budgets because they can be used anywhere and at any time. “By using simulations, schools do not have to pay for the cost of substitutes, travel or lodging,” Dr. Mann said. “Instead of paying experts to repeat the same presentation over and over again, the simulation can be reused and revised at a fraction of the cost of conventional training.”
“You see the problems faced by principals every day. You make choices and you see the immediate and vivid consequences.” –Dr. Dale Mann VCU already is using the simulator as a teaching, learning and assessment tool in its Master of Teaching, Post Master’s and Doctor of Education in Leadership programs. “Like other urban districts, our principals are retiring and need to be replaced with high-quality leaders,” said Richmond Public Schools Superintendent Yvonne Brandon. “This simulation tool will allow us to assess those skills with the next generation of school leaders and make sure our future is secure.”
Watch a demonstration of the simulator at www.youtube.com/ watch?v=xMtjey0ia1A &feature=youtu.be. If you have a smartphone, scan the QR code.
Project ALL is a partnership between the VCU Department of Educational Leadership and Richmond Public Schools to pilot an innovative, field-based training program that will recruit, prepare and retain principals and assistant principals in Richmond schools.
The simulator also can be applied to professional development, employee assessment and graduate education.
VCU School of Education 15
Emblidge Aids
South Sudan Literacy Campaign In January 2010, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Education faculty member Mark E. Emblidge, Ph.D., received the proverbial phone call that changed his life. The call was from Gen. Scott Gration, who had recently been appointed by President Barack Obama as special envoy to Sudan, Africa. Gration and Dr. Emblidge had met earlier in their careers in Washington, D.C., while Emblidge was working for Sen. John Glenn and Gration was serving as a White House fellow. It had been more than 20 years since Gration and Emblidge had spoken. Gration asked if Emblidge would serve as his education adviser. Dr. Emblidge, who is the director of The Literacy Institute at VCU and a faculty member in the Department of Teaching and Learning, agreed to serve. “After 50 years of on-and-off civil war with North Sudan, South Sudan became an independent nation on July 9, 2011, and could well be the least-educated country in the world,” Dr. Emblidge said. For the past year, Dr. Emblidge has been working with government and education leaders in South Sudan on universal literacy, education for girls and the building of schools. He plans to return to South Sudan this fall to attend an education summit that will focus on the education strategic plan for the world’s newest nation.
16 The Bridge • Fall 2011
(Above) Dr. Mark Emblidge with the plane he and other U.S. officials used to travel around South Sudan. Dr. Mark Emblidge (center) addressed a gathering in Rumbek, South Sudan with Gen. Scott Gration (left), the former U.S. special envoy to Sudan. Photos courtesy of Mark Emblidge.
VCU VCUSchool SchoolofofEducation Education1717
Student News
(Top) T.E.E.N.S program participants celebrate after finishing the race. (Right) Exercise Science Club members hold up a sign and encourage the 10K participants. Photos courtesy of R. Lee Franco.
Health and Human Performance Faculty and Students Help Overweight Adolescents Finish 10K
For weeks leading up to the big day, participants trained in the T.E.E.N.S. gym to prepare to cover a distance farther than they had ever gone before. Sports Backers, recognized as one of the best sports commissions in the country, collaborated with the T.E.E.N.S. staff to generously assist in the registration process. Two nights prior to the race, Edmund O. Acevedo, Ph.D., a professor and chair of the Department of Health and Human Performance, provided a “Q&A” session for the race participants and their families.
By Dawn Mennen Five participants in VCU’s T.E.E.N.S. (Teaching, Education, Exercise, Nutrition, Support) program ran the race of their lives on April 2, completing the 2011 Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10K in Richmond, Va., with the help of faculty and students in the VCU School of Education. T.E.E.N.S. is a multidisciplinary weight management program for overweight adolescents in the Richmond area. Faculty and students from the Department of Health and Human Performance oversee and implement the exercise component of the program. Various goal-setting strategies are used to motivate participants to exercise, but the goal of finishing a 10K was one of their greatest undertakings.
Dr. Acevedo helped set the tone for the 10K by discussing his triumphs and struggles throughout his distinguished career of ultramarathon and marathon races. It was easy to see both excitement and nervousness in the participants’ eyes as they listened to stories of running 100 miles and of the determination required to cross any finish line. The five T.E.E.N.S. members waited anxiously the morning of the race with nearly 40,000 other participants, ready to conquer 6.2 miles on Richmond’s famous Monument Avenue. Along the course, members of the VCU Exercise Science Club, sporting painted faces and armed with noisemakers, waved signs, gave high-fives and shouted encouragement to the T.E.E.N.S. members. The club was awarded a cash prize for its enthusiasm and support during the event. Each T.E.E.N.S. participant completed the Saturday race with wide smiles as they were met by parents and supporters at the finish line. The following Monday afternoon, they returned to the T.E.E.N.S. gym, still a little sore from Saturday’s race but with smiles reflecting their pride in completing their first 10K.
18 The Bridge • Fall 2011
Career Counseling in Qatar When it came time for counselor education student Mary Denney to choose a placement for her 600-hour internship, she found that her background in fashion and retail merchandising would be useful in helping students at VCU’s fine arts campus in Doha, Qatar, who have limited access to career services. With the support of VCU-Qatar and Department of Counselor Education Associate Professor and Chair Mary A. Hermann, J.D., Ph.D., Denney spent the spring 2011 semester establishing a program at VCU-Qatar to help students and alumni develop their résumés and portfolios as well as determine their interests in graduate school.
her preferred major, Fashion Design. “I felt like I really made a difference by working with her, and this is a perfect example of why I chose to go into this profession,” Denney said. Dr. Hermann monitored Denney’s work via Skype and an in-person visit to Qatar. Denney successfully completed the internship and graduated in May with a Master of Education degree. She is pursuing work in career counseling in higher education.
Exercise Science Students Take Out the Trash Cleaning the streets around the VCU School of Education can be a dirty job, but someone has to do to. Fortunately, VCU and the surrounding neighborhood have the Department of Health and Human Performance’s Exercise Science Club as their personal cleanup crew.
Mary Denney during her internship at VCU-Qatar. Photo courtesy of Mary Denney.
“Denney’s background made her a good fit for this internship,” Dr. Hermann said. Denney holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Fashion and Retail Merchandising that she received from Virginia Tech in 2008. VCU-Qatar offers undergraduate programs in fashion design, graphic design, interior design, and painting and printmaking as well as a Master of Fine Arts degree in Design Studies.
The students are responsible for cleaning Harrison Street between Main and Cary streets near Oliver Hall as part of Richmond’s Adopt-A-Street program. Signs with the club’s name are posted nearby. To have the sign posted, the students participate in a total of four cleanups during the fall and spring semesters. They are responsible for cleaning the street twice a year.
(Above) Exercise Science Club students pose with their haul. Photo courtesy of R. Lee Franco. (Left) The Exercise Science Club’s sign is posted near the intersection of Harrison and Cary streets.
Why the switch? “I wanted to work with people and make a difference,” Denney said. She achieved that goal in Qatar. Her biggest success was providing individualized counseling to a struggling freshman Qatari student, who attended nine sessions with Denney. That semester, the student raised her GPA, passed courses she had previously failed and even got into
VCU School of Education 19
Student News
Service and Academic Excellence Awards Announced The Department of Health and Human Performance honors six undergraduate students each year: three for their participation in activities and service related to the department mission, and three for professional and academic excellence. The Student of the Year Awards are given by each of the three undergraduate student organizations within the department – Health and Physical Education, Community Health Education and Exercise Science – for participation and service to the undergraduate mission of the department. The Professional and Academic Excellence Awards are given by the faculty to one student in each of the three degree concentrations for professional and academic excellence. S t uden t
o f
t h e
Year
A ward :
Asmita Rayamajhi, Community Health Education Casey Bunce, Exercise Science John Scholla, Health and Physical Education P r o fessi o nal E xcellence
and
A cademic
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Maria Graziano, Community Health Education Heather Caslin, Exercise Science Leslie Meadows, Health and Physical Education
Student Education Group Wins Top Award The VCU School of Education chapter of the Student Virginia Education Association (SVEA) has won the SVEA’s 2011 “Ultimate” Chapter Standards Award for outstanding leadership and activities. The award is designed to recognize and award student leaders who have developed and maintained an effective program. Points are awarded based on a wide scope of activities, including campus participation, membership, student leadership
20 The Bridge • Fall 2011
development, community services, fundraising and special projects. As students complete these activities they record their activities in a scrapbook. The VCU SVEA won the award under the leadership of chapter president Brittany Jones and former Department of Teaching and Learning Instructor Tammy M. Milby, Ph.D. In April, the VCU chapter participated in the SVEA’s annual Outreach to Teach Project, in which SVEA members and education majors across the state team up in a school beautification project. This year, they went to Peabody Middle School in Petersburg, Va., to enhance teachers’ lounges, repaint hallways, create murals, retouch the gymnasium and improve landscaping. The purpose of the project is to increase pride among students at the beautified school.
Advice to Graduates: Disorientation Necessary in GPS World The VCU School of Education conferred diplomas in May to 294 graduates, many of whom had lived their lives within well-defined schedules, timelines and structures. Even their iPhones kept them “on the map” with GPS and other applications. Now, a major orienting force was about to disappear: schooling. But is being lost always a bad thing? At the Spring 2011 Diploma Presentation Ceremony, keynote speaker William R. Muth, Ph.D., told the class of 2011 that getting lost can be a good thing, even if it does not feel that way at the time. “Sometimes, disorientating is not only unavoidable, it’s necessary,” said Dr. Muth, an associate professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning. “Why? Maybe to better understand students who are disoriented in their classrooms. Or to get past that
(Above) The first graduates of the new Doctor of Education in Leadership degree program. (Left) Keynote speaker Dr. William Muth.
either-or thinking that we’re either on a map or we’re unworthy. Or, just as the cliché goes, to see the ordinary in new ways.”
Watch video highlights of the ceremony at www.youtube. com/watch?v=SLGXjeo5HSc &feature=channel_video_title. If you have a smartphone, scan the QR Code.
Maps, he said, are useful for judging ourselves and gauging others. But sometimes we need to be strangers and disorient ourselves from global positioning systems, curricula and well-intended loved ones who would map our lives for us. There are no rules for disorientation. But when we do get lost, as surely we must, Dr. Muth said we should strive to be patient and open, and remember that the most lasting meanings and purposes come slowly and often at great cost. “So, graduates, as you strut off the VCU map, I hope you savor this time and discover wellsprings that lift and lead you to wondrous places uncharted and, as yet, unimagined.”
VCU School of Education 21
Alumni News
temperatures. Her work was a part of a larger study determining the stream’s health.
Frosty Field Experience
VCU Alumna Receives Research Experience for Teachers Grant By Rachel Dozier Alumna Eve O. Kendrick (M.T. ’06) spent this summer a long way from home. After completing both her bachelor’s degree and two master’s degrees at VCU, Kendrick moved to Tuscaloosa, Ala., to continue her teaching career. But she was looking to further her field experience and, by extension, benefit her students. So Kendrick applied for and received a RET (Research Experience for Teachers) grant in Alaska. During her eight-week study, Kendrick spent nine to 10 hours a day in the field studying Arctic graylings, a species of freshwater fish in the salmon family, and calculating their growth rates based on the level of nutrients and
“It was an amazing experience,” Kendrick said. “The research was really fulfilling. It was really fun to get back into research. It rejuvenated my love of research and my interest in doing research with my own students in the classroom.” Kendrick is in her fifth year of teaching. After spending several years teaching high school in Hanover County, Va., she moved to Alabama. She currently teaches biology, marine science, environmental science and forensic science. And this fall she’ll have plenty of stories to tell her classes. See what Kendrick is doing now on her blog at http://blog.mbl.edu/ret/. If you have a smartphone, scan the QR code.
Fellows “LEEDs” County’s First Green Middle School Alumnus Brian P. Fellows (Ph.D. ’09) is leading the first middle school in Henrico County, Va., to earn Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, an internationally recognized green building certification system. Holman Middle School, which opened in 2010, was one of two schools in the county that were certified this year by the Green Building Certification Institute, with Holman receiving certification at the silver level and Glen Allen High School at the gold level. “We are honored to be the first LEED-certified middle school in the county,” said Dr. Fellows, Holman’s principal. “The certification was the perfect ending to a phenomenal inaugural year.” Holman features efficient mechanical equipment and high-performance lighting systems, which are estimated to reduce the facility’s energy use by 30 percent compared to a minimally code-compliant baseline design, as well as low-flow plumbing fixtures that reduce water use by approximately 40 percent compared to standard fixtures. The certification process required that the school incorporate the building’s environmentally friendly
22 The Bridge • Fall 2011
(Starting clockwise) A skylight in the school’s cafeteria reduces the amount of electricity needed for lighting this Holman Middle School large room. ~ Reflective paint was applied to the school’s roof to help with cooling. ~ Signage in the main hallways explains the school’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint. ~ Principal Brian Fellows demonstrates a learning kiosk in the school’s foyer, where visitors can see Holman’s water and energy usage in real time.
features into its academic content areas to help students understand the direction that environmental engineering is going. Science and math teachers worked together to develop curriculum that focused on recycling, water resources and management, and energy resources. One class put together an award-winning water resource unit in which students developed water conservation commercials. “The process of developing and implementing the LEED curriculum allows our teachers and students the chance to get outside and explore our environment,” Dr. Fellows said.
VCU School of Education 23
Alumni News
Dale C. Kalkofen – 2011 Alumni Star from the VCU School of Education By the time Dr. Dale C. Kalkofen joins the other Virginia Commonwealth University 2011 Alumni Stars at a reception in October, she will have traveled a great distance. Whether calculating the distance she drives from her sprawling country home in Powhatan or measuring her more than 30-year career that has taken her from Richmond to Boston, Memphis, Japan, China, Arlington and back to Richmond, Dr. Kalkofen has had a long journey indeed.
Dale Kalkofen received her Master of Education degree from the VCU School of Education. She received her Doctor of Education degree from the College of William and Mary and her Bachelor of Arts degree from Mary Washington College.
Dr. Kalkofen recently retired from her position as assistant superintendent for instruction with Chesterfield County Public Schools. Throughout her career, she has been responsible for school reform, innovation and the redesign of programs and schools. “I’ve found making the work fun and personally rewarding builds enthusiasm that sustains the work,” she said. “This combination of making work meaningful for the individual and reaching the goals of the organization produced great work.” “Great work” is a modest statement coming from a person whose long list of achievements and awards includes working on national school reform initiatives at the Annenberg Institute’s Task Force on Creating Smart School Districts, the National Advisory Task Force for Vocational Education through the U.S. Department of Education, the Institute for Educational Leadership, the Southern Regional Education Board and New American Schools. In 1993, Dr. Kalkofen, a Richmond native, left her position as principal of Mary Mumford Elementary School to work with Boston Public Schools. While in Boston, she had oversight of 80 schools. In 1996, Dr. Kalkofen joined Memphis City Schools where she served as the associate superintendent of school reform. The scope of her work both in Boston and Memphis was often on a national and even an international level, leading Dr. Kalkofen to travel to Japan and China to study their educational systems, and sending her on frequent trips to Washington, D.C. She returned to Virginia when she accepted the position of vice president for district services for New American Schools in Arlington. Dr. Kalkofen joined the Chesterfield County Public School System in 2001.
24 The Bridge • Fall 2011
Dr. Kalkofen enthusiastically credits her education at the VCU School of Education as a catalyst in her career. “Before I began my graduate work at VCU, I was an art teacher in Richmond City Public Schools,” she recalled. “I supervised student teachers from the art education department. At that time, there were three professors in the Art Education Department named Al: Al Shantz, Al Landis and Al Lewis. I had never considered working on a higher education degree until Al Lewis asked me, ‘Where did you get your master’s?’ I told him I didn’t have a master’s and he invited me to consider doing coursework in the Art Education Department. I began my coursework there and actually completed all the requirements for a master’s in art education when I decided to switch to the School of Education. Dr. Willie Bost worked with me to use my art education courses as electives and I completed all the requirements for the degree in curriculum and instruction and became certified in supervision in August of 1976.” That fall, Dr. Kalkofen was hired as the administrator and supervisor for arts and humanities for Richmond Public Schools, a position she held for the next 10 years. “Professors at the School of Education were wonderful, professional, interested in my day-to-day job responsibilities and enthusiastic about building connections between academics and teaching and learning,” she said. Over the course of her career, Dr. Kalkofen participated in numerous professional organizations, including the American Association of School Administrators, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, the Horace Mann League, the International Reading Association and Phi Delta Kappa. After she returned to the Richmond area, Dr. Kalkofen embraced her alma mater and remains an engaged alumna whose leadership skills are invaluable and whose passion for education and love for VCU are contagious. She is the immediate past president of the School of Education’s Alumni Council and presently serves on the board of the VCU Alumni Association. In retirement, Dr. Kalkofen spends time rekindling her artistic talents and recently has taken up portrait painting. She enjoys gardening and spending time at Shadow Lawn Farm, a property she and her late husband, Dr. Ulrich P. Kalkofen, purchased in 2002.
The VCU Alumni Stars program began in 1989 as a way to bring the university together to acknowledge alumni accomplishments and achievements. On Oct. 21, Dr. Dale C. Kalkofen will be recognized as the 2011 VCU School of Education Alumni Star during a universitywide reception at the Richmond Marriott. Attending the celebration will be friends, colleagues and several family members, including her daughters, Deb, Heidi and Ingrid, and her son, Hans. Hans Kalkofen, a senior at VCU, will graduate in May with a double major in philosophy and political science.
Elementary Principal Receives Surprise Award By Rachel Dozier As Harrowgate Elementary School’s kindergarten assembly was coming to a close, Principal Linda C. Wood noticed other students entering the back of the room. Next came more staff members. When members of her family entered the room, she started to suspect something was up. Since Wood, who had been Harrowgate’s principal for six years, was moving to another job in July, she thought the students might be throwing her a going-away party. Little did she know that she had won 2011’s National Distinguished Principal award for Virginia. “I’m still in awe of what has happened,” Wood said.
Wood, who received her Master of Education degree from the VCU School of Education in 1993, has worked in the administrations of a variety of local schools before her stint at Harrowgate. Her award was presented by the National Association of Elementary School Principals, and it was the 28th year the association has presented this award. Wood was nominated and selected by her fellow principals through a statewide poll conducted by the association. She will visit Washington, D.C., in the fall and meet with winners from other states. But Wood is no stranger to awards. In 2008, she won the Richmond Area Reading Council’s principal of the year award and received the Panasonic National School Change Award. Wood has taken her expertise to Chesterfield County’s central office, where she is the manager of instructional support. “It’s truly been a whirlwind these last few months,” she said.
Zyglocke Named Chesterfield Teacher of the Year By Tim Bullis Chesterfield County Public Schools Ann M. Zyglocke (B.S. ’87) is the 2012 Teacher of the Year for Chesterfield County Public Schools in Chesterfield, Va. With 24 years of experience, she teaches third-grade students in the Center Based Gifted Program at Winterpock Elementary School. Her award was announced during a surprise visit to Winterpock Elementary by school board members and Superintendent of Schools Marcus J. Newsome, who brought congratulations, roses, balloons and cake.
Virginia Association of Elementary School Principals President-Elect Deborah Frazier (from left), Executive Director James Baldwin, Harrowgate Elementary School Principal Linda Wood, Chesterfield County School Board member Marshall Trammell, Superintendent of Schools Marcus Newsome and Virginia Association of Elementary School Principals Capital Zone Director Tina Martin. Photo courtesy of Chesterfield County Public Schools.
“Mrs. Zyglocke is an amazing teacher and a wonderful colleague,” wrote Heavenly Husick, a fellow teacher at Winterpock Elementary. “A parent recently stated that [Ann Zyglocke] has ‘an undeniable knack for making even the most mundane subject matters interesting. Her excitement about teaching is so contagious that the children become completely infected with curiosity and
VCU School of Education 25
Alumni News
want my students to move on at the end of the year with the belief that learning is one of life’s great pleasures. My belief in learning through discovery and experimentation and curiosity is demonstrated daily in my classroom. It is a place of humor, excitement and sharing, but also one of discipline, where children respect the learning environment.”
Passion, Creativity, Eating Bugs Earn Davis “Super Teacher” Award By Jill Vaughan and John Hagerty Virginia Lottery
Ann Zyglocke (back row) with her students at Winterpock Elementary School. Photo courtesy of Chesterfield County Public Schools.
enthusiasm.’ She encourages her students to become scientists, explorers, engineers and humanitarians through her creative approach to teaching.”
There are teachers, and then there are “Super Teachers.” Summer D. Davis (M.T. ’01), fifth-grade teacher at Alberta Smith Elementary School, has been selected as one of eight educators statewide to receive the Virginia Lottery Super Teacher Award.
Annually, every Chesterfield County school selects a Teacher of the Year. Chesterfield County Public Schools then selects from those honorees an Elementary School Teacher of the Year, a Middle School Teacher of the Year and a High School Teacher of the Year, then chooses the countywide Teacher of the Year from those three honorees. Zyglocke was Chesterfield’s Elementary School Teacher of the Year. “Our teachers are superstars, and our school system and community are stronger because of their skill, creativity and commitment,” Dr. Newsome said. “Their accomplishments are one of the main reasons that Chesterfield County Public Schools is nationally recognized as a high-achieving school division.” Zyglocke earned a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from Virginia Commonwealth University. She has worked in Chesterfield County Public Schools her entire career: Crestwood Elementary, 1987-1997; Swift Creek Elementary, 1997-2004; Grange Hall Elementary, 2004-2008; and Winterpock Elementary since 2008. “My philosophy about teaching and about student learning is that knowledge is there to be discovered through activity and curiosity and a sense of wonder,” Zyglocke said. “More than anything, I
26 The Bridge • Fall 2011
Husband Ryan Davis (from left), Summer Davis, daughter Riley Davis, Paula Otto and Steve Wright of The Supply Room Companies. Photo courtesy of Virginia Lottery.
Davis received the award during a surprise presentation at the school in front of students, faculty and Chesterfield County Schools Superintendent Dr. Marcus J. Newsome. The award, sponsored by the Virginia Lottery, the Virginia PTA and Virginia-based The Supply Room Companies, consists of a cash prize of $2,000 and an additional $2,000 classroom credit from The Supply Room Companies.
The lottery organization received more than 1,300 Super Teacher nominations statewide. Davis’ colleague Kimberly Shults nominated her because of her “passion, creativity and overall involvement in her students’ education.” In her nomination essay, Shults wrote, “Mrs. Davis always comes up with new, creative ways for motivating her students to do well. When students get math problems correct, how many teachers do you know who shoot their students with a marshmallow shooter!? A small thing, but the kids love it! Students have been able to earn, through good grades, the ability to throw pies at their teacher, have pool noodle fights and see their teacher eat bugs! She has eaten dry-roasted crickets, chocolate-covered ants and mealworms, and cricket brownies! Not many teachers would go that far, but her students are so motivated to do these things and their grades show it.” The 2011 Virginia Lottery Super Teachers were selected by a panel of distinguished educators and community leaders, including Dr. Jo Lynne S. DeMary (M.Ed. ’72), former director of the VCU School of Education Center for School Improvement and former state superintendent of public instruction. “The Virginia Lottery is committed to helping public schools, and we’re delighted to recognize Summer Davis for her dedication to this important profession,” said Paula Otto, Virginia Lottery executive director.
Golf Tournament Raises $7,800 for Scholarships More than 20 teams of golfers and numerous volunteers attended the VCU School of Education’s fifth annual golf tournament in April and raised $7,800 to help students pay their tuition. Perfect weather graced the daylong event, which was held at The Crossings Golf Club in Glen Allen, Va. The annual tournament is organized by members of the School of Education’s Alumni Council. Funds raised from sponsors, players and friends underwrite several scholarships for School of Education students.
(Above) Patricia Stauffer and Assistant Professor Deborah Getty. (Left) School of Education Associates Director Michael Huffman (left) with Carl Carden, whose bid won him a basketball signed by members of the VCU men’s basketball team who played in the 2011 NCAA Final Four tournament.
Updates Shelly J. Armstrong (M.T. ’93) was a member of the library staff of Thomas Dale High School, which was named Library Program of the Year by the Virginia Educational Media Association. She is a ninth-grade campus librarian. This annual award recognizes a school library that is integrated into the school’s curriculum and central to the learning process. They will receive the award at the VEMA state conference Nov. 19. Photo courtesy of Chesterfield County Public Schools.
Tameshia V. Grimes (Ph.D. ’10) was selected to succeed Brent M. Thomas (Ph.D. ’01) as principal of Elizabeth Davis Middle School in Chesterfield County, Va. She had been principal of Providence Middle School. Connie J. Honsinger (M.Ed. ’03) was named 2011 Counselor of the Year by the Virginia School Counselor Association. “I am very proud and honored to represent elementary counselors in our state who work so hard to support student success.” Photo courtesy of Connie Honsinger.
VCU School of Education 27
Alumni News
Donna L. Ostrower (M.Ed. ’93) was named chief development officer and director of the Jewish Federation’s Jewish Philanthropy Center. Prior to her appointment, she was the executive director of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Greater Los Angeles Chapter. She also has served as the zone director for the Jewish National Fund, executive director for the American Jewish Committee of Houston and Miami and associate director of development with the Anti-Defamation League. In the course of her extensive career in Jewish communal work, she has traveled to England, France, Germany, Poland and Israel to monitor the condition of Jewish communities, combat anti-Semitism, advance Israel’s diplomatic standing and promote international human rights and interreligious and interethnic understanding. She is a charter member of the U.S. Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., and a life member of Hadassah. John R. Vacca (M.Ed. ’91) has been awarded tenure, promoted to associate professor and appointed director of graduate studies in early childhood special
education at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, Pa. Dr. Vacca received his Doctor of Philosophy degree in Special Education/Psychology from Pennsylvania State University and post-doctoral fellow from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
LaTonya E. Waller (M.T. ‘01/Post-Master’s Certificate ’06), the 2011 Virginia Teacher of the Year (see The Bridge, Spring 2011), met President Barack Obama at the White House as part of the Council of Chief State School Officers’ National Teacher of the Year Program.
Rams Across America WA-44
ND-1
MT-6
MN-25 MI-30
WI-27
SD-1
ID-11
OR-22
VT-10
ME-19
NH-17 WY-5
NY-180 IA-7
NE-9
NV-13
UT-9
CT-42 RI-13
KS-13
PA-169
OH-68
IN-29
IL-51 CO-56
MA-63
NJ-107 MD-273 DE-31
WV-41
MO-30 KY-31
VA-12403
CA-144 TN-97
OK-19 AZ-60
NC-548
AR-11
NM-15
SC-113 MS-13 TX-129
AL-30
GA-184
LA-18
FL-342
Alumni by County 1 to 10
AK-7
11 to 20
Ram Nation
RAM Nation VC U S c h o o l o f E d u c a t i o n
PR-2
HI-7
28 The Bridge • Fall 2011
School of Education VCU School of Education alumni live in all 50 states and Puerto Rico! Wherever you go, from Fairbanks VCU Alumni to San Juan, we are there.
21 to 50 51 to 100 101+
Alumni by State 1 to 30 31 to 60 61 to 200 201 to 1,000 1,001+
Philanthropy
Celebrating Our Donors Alumni and friends are truly transforming the VCU School of Education one gift at a time. During the past year, the school received more than $1.4 million in private gifts from nearly 800 donors. Overall, we saw the number of alumni donors increase by 20 percent over the previous year.
we can all make a difference, no matter the size of the gift. Please consider supporting the work of the school through a gift during the coming year. On behalf of the School of Education, we thank you and look forward to a continued partnership in philanthropy.
These gifts that range from $10 to $100,000 translate into a professorship, scholarships, fellowships, support for faculty research, educational projects and community partnerships. Donors enhance the outstanding work of our faculty and students and help expand our many school and community collaborations already in place. In the pages that follow, you will see our 2010-2011 Honor Roll of Donors.
If you would like more information on ways you can support the School of Education, please contact me at (804) 827-1362 or johnssonm@vcu.edu.
Magnus H. Johnsson Executive Director External Relations and Development
The collective impact of your giving demonstrates that
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School of Education Celebrates 50th Anniversary in 2013-14. While coursework in education had been offered for years, it wasn’t until the fall of 1964 that the School of Education was established as part of Richmond Professional Institute. By 1968, it became part of the newly formed Virginia Commonwealth University. In anticipation of anniversary events, we are requesting any historical photos, stories or other items of interest you wish to share for the celebration. For more details on how you can help, please contact Donna Stewart Sharits at (804) 828-4770 or dssharits@vcu.edu.
Bequest Giving You have the opportunity to play a vital role in the VCU School of Education’s future by establishing a bequest in your will or trust to support the school. Your bequest may be restricted for a specific purpose, such as a named endowed fund for a scholarship, fellowship or professorship, or left unrestricted to allow the school to direct the funds to its greatest needs. Estate gifts from retirement plans, wills, living trusts and insurance policies are only a few of the gift-
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planning options available. For more information, please contact Magnus Johnsson. You also can visit www.vcuf.org/waystogive/waystogive.html for easyto-print brochures on the types of gift plans available. You also can learn about the VCU Heritage Society, which recognizes donors who have included the university in their estate plans.
$50,000 Alumni Challenge Grant Goal Reached During the 2010-2011 academic year, the School of Education was presented with a unique opportunity: raise $50,000 in new and increased unrestricted support from alumni and have each dollar up to that total matched 50 cents on the dollar by an anonymous Richmond foundation. The goal was reached just before the June 30, 2011, deadline and overall helped increase the number of alumni donors by more than 150 from the previous year. “Reaching our challenge grant goal was a significant success for the School of Education. It is particularly important as unrestricted dollars have become so vital to meeting the needs of our students and faculty in the current economic environment. We are grateful to our alumni for helping us achieve this remarkable goal,” said Donna Stewart Sharits, director of annual giving and alumni engagement.
VCU School of Education 29
Philanthropy
How to Give to the VCU School of Education Gifts and pledges may be made by: Mail VCU School of Education Office of External Relations and Development P.O. Box 842020 Richmond, VA 23284 Phone Call (804) 828-4770 to speak with Donna Stewart Sharits Web www.support.vcu.edu/give/education Securities A gift of stock generally entitles a donor to a charitable deduction for the full current market value and avoidance of capital gains tax. Contact development staff for more details.
Unrestricted gifts through the School of Education Annual Fund are used to support the greatest needs of the school. In the past year, these dollars were used to support student scholarships, student travel to conferences, technology needs and more.
Donors Sow Seeds of Student Success
In her speech, Amin addressed Dr. Arnold and all of the donors when she said,“… We all wear different roles in our lives; I say wear because we have a choice of what to put on. The role you are wearing today, and have been wearing for a while now, is both beautiful and inspiring. The act of helping someone come into his or her garment of educational success is honorable. You, good donors, are honorable. Today you have sewn stitches into our graduation gowns, and because many of us are going to go into the field of education, you have, by default, put a stitch in the gown of each and every student or seeker of knowledge who is yet to come our way. For this, you are very appreciated, and we thank you.”
The VCU School of Education is proud of its students.
The Virginia Arnold Scholarship is awarded to a student who plans to become an elementary or middle school
They understand the value of a strong support system, particularly in providing much-needed financial resources to assist in the completion of their degree programs. They are intelligent, eager to learn and engaged in their academic studies. At the school’s annual Scholarship and Award Ceremony in April, Fajir Amin spoke on behalf of all the scholarship recipients about the meaning of the generosity of donors and how the scholarships will support their studies. Amin is a full-time graduate student in the Extended Teacher Preparation Program in early and elementary education. She received the Virginia Arnold Scholarship for the 2011-2012 academic year. “Today, we celebrate the act of making a difference in someone’s educational life,” Amin told an audience of donors, scholarship recipients, family, friends and faculty. “This scholarship couldn’t have come at a better time.” Amin’s internship is slated for the spring of 2012. She said the scholarship will allow her the opportunity to focus solely on her studies. She is eager to have her own classroom and dreams of returning to VCU to pursue a Doctor of Philosophy degree. Dr. Arnold’s generous scholarship makes Amin feel that much closer to making her dream a reality.
30 The Bridge • Fall 2011
teacher and who has at least a 3.0 GPA. Amin is a summa cum laude graduate of John Tyler Community College. She has served on the University Appeals Board and VCU’s 20/20 recalibration task force, is a community engagement liaison for the Student Government Association and a student representative to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, is a founding member of the Student Government Association Special Grants Committee and is a member of Phi Kappa Phi. “Since coming to VCU, Amin has maintained a high academic average and has consistently been on the dean’s list. But equally important, she has unselfishly given back to the community,” said School of Education Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Diane J. Simon, Ph.D.
2010-2011 Honor Roll of Donors B enefac to r Societ y $10,0 0 0 and up Virginia A. Arnold Thomas H. Beatty and Diane J. Simon Beatty Robert and Deborah Davis Louis and Ruth Harris ICF International Knowledgeworks Foundation The National Collegiate Athletic Association The David and Joyce Phillips Giving Fund Estate of Caroline A. Schaufus Union First Market Bank Sharon S. Van de Walle Virginia Literacy Foundation Two donors wish to remain anonymous Joh n S. Oeh ler Societ y $ 5,0 0 0 to $ 9, 9 9 9 The Community Foundation Hanns-Dieter and Kip Gruemer Joel Orelove Stuart Orelove Beverly J. Warren W. W. Whitlock Foundation Carolyn Estes Williams Oliver Hall So ciet y $ 2, 50 0 to $ 4, 9 9 9 Dale Christina Kalkofen D ean ’s C ircle $1,0 0 0 to $ 2, 4 9 9 Scott and Nancy Belleman Edwin and Cynthia Blanks Carl R. Carden Leila Christenbury Henry T. Clark III Council of Great City Schools Michael and Connie Davis Dominion Virginia Power Michael Gamel-McCormick Howard Ozmon Fund Ena Gross and Philip R. Olds Michael and Jennifer Huffman Magnus H. Johnsson and Karen E. Nelson Alan and Dardignac McLeod James and Janice McMillan Edward K. Morris John and Mary Sue Oehler Fred P. Orelove and Irene H. Carney Patricia B. Pearman Robert and Harriette Potter Walter and Susan Robertson Charol Shakeshaft VCU Alumni Association Weingart Family Fund Philip L. Worrell Harold S. Wright Jr. and Elam Jarrells Susan F. Younce One donor wishes to remain anonymous
Par tners $ 50 0 to $ 9 9 9 Richard and Cynthia Bagley Robert and Teresa Carter Jo Lynne S. DeMary William and Patricia Dewey Mark and Therese Dozier Educational Informatics, LLC Donna L. Gilles John and Rhonda Kregel Susan Dana Leone Greg and Samantha Marrs David and Lynn Myers O’Brien Associates, Inc. Evelyn Reed Stewart and Leslie Roberson John A. Rossi Donna Stewart Sharits Kevin S. Sutherland Jacqueline W. Wilson The W.M.Y. Fund B ridge Builders $ 2 50 to $ 4 9 9 Adult Detention Consultant, LLC Barbara-lyn Belcher Mary B. Bellone Lynne E. Bennett Brown Rose Fund Kevin and Ellen Bruny Granville Burruss and Donna S. Via Gail B. Camp Wade P. Chambers David and Martha Coffield Stephen and Jacqueline Cunningham Molly A. Dellinger-Wray John and Robin Webb Dicker James and Jill Dimitri Mark E. Emblidge Muriel R. Azria-Evans and Ronald K. Evans Howard G. Garner and Barbara Hulburt Stephanie L. Holt Roger and Win Loria M. Kenneth and Cheryl C. Magill Leonard F. Maiden Deborah Evans Marks Brian and Susan McKelvey G. Kenneth Morgan Patricia B. Morgan Irvin and Linda Seeman Patrick L. Stanfield Arden and Melanie Sterling Monica Uhl Xerox Corporation Tera T. Yoder and Sanford Hostetter
Educato r $10 0 to $ 24 9 Pasquale and Patricia Accardo Thomas and Lara Addison James and Bernice Allen Robert A. Almond James D. Ankeney Gena R. Archer Lillie H. Arnaout Patricia M. Asch Michael and Joan Bache Bank of America Philip Barry Jr. Michael M. Bartolf and Melanie D. Haimes-Bartolf Margaret H. Baumgardner Florence C. Bishop Joann N. Bodurtha and Thomas J. Smith Noel D. Boraski Nancy C. Boutchyard Cynthia J. Brown James and Gayle Bynum Carey Enterprises, Inc. Jane H. Carlson Christie Carr Clarice W. Christian Kathy Mays Coleman Tracey L. Coles Al Copolillo Marilyn J. Corker Kenneth and Nicki Cortright Gretchen Unterzuber Cosgrove Frederic and Elizabeth Cox Robert and Donna Dalton Carol A. Dato Michael and Denise Lynn Davis Alan and Patricia Buchanan Davis Thomas and Janet DeWitt Joan S. Dickson Donna J. Dockery Sue S. Donaldson D. Thomas Doub Isabel Jane Dowrick and Michael D. Whitlow Julie Durando Sharon F. Eak Ann O. Epps John and Jane Bowman Fain Anthony and Marguerite Faina Frank H. Farrington Germaine S. Fauntleroy Richard A. Fine and Sara Ferguson Brent L. Fletcher Arthur J. Frizzell Stephen and Brenda Gates William H. George Harry and Cynthia Gewanter Barbara E. Gibson Rachel A. Grace William B. Gresham Kenneth and Valerie Gross Verlan and Corinne Hall William K. Hammack Joanna N. Hamnett Tamalie Hancock
Mary T. Hartford Raymond S. Hawthorne James W. Hickman Jr. Lara M. Hill Norman and Lola West Hilliard Dorothy J. Hollahan Joyce F. Hurt David and Christine Jennings John Hancock Financial Services Warren and Teresa Jones William and Jacquelyn Joyner Stephen and Shelley Justa Vickie G. Kansler Keith and Della Kidd
Sue Murdock William R. Muth Northern Neck VFW Auxiliary 7167 Northrop Grumman Corporation L. Terry and Linda Oggel Theresa B. Okes Donald P Oswald Deborah D. Oswalt and Mark E. Rubin Joan M. Pellegrini Robert C. Pershing Philip Morris Co., Inc. Henry and Julia Pollard William B. Porch and Teresa A. Atkinson Anita H. Prince Ellen S. Pruett Betsy B. Pullen Jeffrey and Marilyn Rice David and Karen Richardson Richard and Sharon Robertson William S. Robinson Jr. Ruark Marinas, Inc. Sherry T. Sandkam Mary Anne M. Schmidt Hugo and Edith Seibel Roddy N. Shingleton Susan K. Spaulding Kristen H. Stahr
“I have fallen more in love with teaching than I ever believed I could. It has become my passion and I thank you for helping to finance my chosen profession.” –M.Ed. student Michael and Kimberly Kremer James J. Lendvay Jonathan and Claudette Lewis G. David and Margaret Scott James Magill Brian A. Maltby Joann C. Marshall Ann S. Martin Charles and Jan Martin William and Fredrica Martin Maryland Capital Advisors, Inc. Kaestner and Jacqueline McDonnough John and Anna McGinn James and Cynthia Messmer Anne H. Miller Jaclyn Miller T. Wayne and Barbara Mostiler Patrick and Shannon Kenney Murdock
Karen L. Stanley Lisa A. Stone Helen D. Tames Colleen A. Thoma Jean F. Thomas George and Judith Tinker Alice W. Tsou VCU Real Estate Foundation Thomas L. Walton Kay Watson Paul H. Wehman Rebecca E. Weybright Russell E. Whitaker Jr. Richard Whitt Steven and Jill Wiebe-King Reynolds and Sara Todd Williams Bruce and Janet Horsley Willis Janet W. Willis Vicki B. Wilson William and Martha Wingfield Allen G. Withers Jr. Mary Ann H. Wright
One donor wishes to remain anonymous
VCU School of Education 31
Philanthropy 2010 - 2011 Honor Roll of Donors, continued Suppo r t er Up to $ 9 9 Alcoa Foundation Nora Alder Damon Allen Mary H. Allen Gerald C. Alley James D. Alsop Sr. Christine K. Andersen James D. Ankeney Tricia P. Arnaldo Tim and Linda Arnette Kermit and Denise Ashby Eleanor B. Avery Beth W. Ayers Stephen Lawrence Bachmann Beth A. Bader Gloria T. Bailey Arlene A. Bandas Samuel and Marian Banks Constance M. Barney Ashlee L. Barnhill H. LeRoy Basham Wanda Rowe Bass Arlene A. Bates W. Murrie Bates Jr. Wilma K. Battle Betty Lou Beach Hugh A. Beard Jr. Willie and Glorious Bennett Jack and Colleen Berninger Jermaine D. Berry Renita L. Best Betty C. Billingsley Maxine L. Black Wren M. Blackwell Michael and Laura Bland Donald L. Blick Carolyn A. Bogan Pamela F. Bosselait Willie and Marsha Bost Ruth S. Bowling Jack M. Brandt Phillip W. Braswell Janine C. Braun Theresa H. Brents John and Susan Briggs Asbury and Ramona Britt Karen A. Britton Clifford and Elizabeth Broeniman Valerie A. Brooke Paul William Brooker Jr. Laurie R. Brown Linda J. Brown Patricia J. Brown Grace M. Brunner W. Edward and Nancy Buckner William T. Bullins Thomas and Cathleen Burke Susan Brandt Burkhart Kathleen A. Burleson Anne A. Burnett Craig A. Buschner Betty Jo L. Butler Katie C. Butler John and Elizabeth Butner Nina E. Buzby M. Ann Byrd Ronald and Joy Calkins John L. Callis
32 The Bridge • Fall 2011
Calvary United Methodist Women Diane M. Carey-Wallace Reid Penn and Marsha Carter Robert B. Carter Kathleen M. Cauley and James R. Wheeler Althea T. Chambliss Joyce C. Charity Michael C. Childress David and Christine Chilton Jennifer Smith Choi Audrey P. Church Julie Bradley Ciavarella Mary G. Cirillo El Nadal Clark Marcus A. Clarke Marjorie P. Clarke William Andrew Clarke Judith B. Clary Jesse Dibley Clay Julie E. Clay Katherine B. Coates Ed and Nell Coffman Joshua Paul Cole James and Virginia Colonna C. Dewey and Valerie Compton
Jose and Elizabeth Concepcion Kathryn M. Conway Linda P. Cooke Jenine L. Cotman Lori S. Couch Karen B. Covington Jimmy and Annie Mae Cowardin Amy A. Crafton Susanne Croasdaile W.E. and Ellen Cross Carol C. Cruickshanks William and Gale Cushing Beatrice C. Dalton James and Eleanor Darden Carolyn L. Davis Dorothy P. Dean Melinda P. Debrew Denise A. Defanti LaVerne J. Deusebio Denise F. Dietz Dale D. Dodson Phyllis K. Dominick Carter R. Doran Michael and Barbara Doran Norma S. Doss Candice L. Driggs Leigh Reynolds Dunavant Virginia W. Durrett
Michael Dussault William and Brenda Duttweiler Cathleen M. Duvall James S. Edmonson James and Mariett Eggleston Lauren G. Eib R. Wayne Ellis and Terry L. Smith James and Ann Embrey Cheryl J. Emory Sondra C. Epley Leonard and Kristy Oliver Eshmont Susan Esposti Michael and Teresa-Ann Estes Zalika H. Etienne Mark R. Faglioni Frances L. Farmer Marianne C. Feeney Erma Jo Fielden Marianne K. Finch Merilyn L. Finn Barbara A. Firesheets Christine A. Fitzgerald Gregory and Cecelia Florence Joan R. Fortschneider Robert and Diann Foster Vonita W. Foster Robert and Louise Fothergill Shirley L. Foutz Felicia L. Fox Lynwood and Julie Franklin Thomas and Susan Frazier Jane J. Freeman Sandra C. Fritton William and Virginia Dart Galli Easter E. Galloway Shirley R. Garlington Beverly J. Garner Sharon B. Garnett Lora L. Gayle Richard C. Gayle Norman J. Geller General Electric Foundation Roberta Anne Gentry Deborah H. Getty Linda A. Gill Willie H. Gillenwater Elizabeth A. Glascock A. Lawrence and Frances Goldman Norma R. Gore Kimberly B. Gorenflo Michelle Stuckey Grabow John and Carol Granger Catherine J. Gravitt Dana R. Gray H. Roger and Margaret Shibley Gray Gloria E. Green James M. Griffin Daniel and Carolyn Grinnan Donald and Margaret Gunter Barbara P. Guyer Carolyn Haase Paul and Patricia Hagan Jeanne D. Haley Bruce W. Hall Diane S. Hall Nancy E. Hamblin Eileen Hammar
Irma J. Hammond William and Vicki Hanner Brant and Rebeca Harper Robert M. Harper Peggy O. Harrelson and Clark S. Leonard Anjour B. Harris
Christopher and Laura Hamm Jones Gale W. Jones Oliver W. Jones Ronald and Mary Iva Jones Terri W. Jones Donna M. Jovanovich
Valerie F. Harris William and Nellie Harry Thelma H. Hart Pamela J. Harvey Stephen and Virginia Harvey Laura P. Hatton Frances T. Hayes Caroline S. Head Patricia B. Hedgmon Cherrie S. Henderson Gay S. Henderson Megan R. Hendrick Cheryl B. Henig Martha E. Hicks Steven M. Hicks Paul and Corinne Hill Susan R. Hill Marcita F. Hobson John and Vandivere Hodges George and Betty Hoffer Lindsay A. Holtz Henry I. Horwitz Sue Houdyshell Betty A. Howe Ann W. Hughes Anne Marie Hughes Rudolph and Marybeth Hull M. David and Dorothy Hunt Linda S. Hutchinson-Troyer William Andrew Hutt Jr. Barbara A. Ippolito-Hitchcock Cheryl P. Ives Deborah R. Jackson Joan Ruth Eckert Jackson Charles C. Jameson Mary Alice Witt Jamison Patricia C. Janes Richard and Robin Jeffrey James G. Jenkins Jimmie M. Jett Caudill L. Johns Glenn N. Johnson Jane R. Johnson Margaret W. Johnson Marja T. Johnsson
Cherie A. Justice Norman and Bonnie Katzenberg Jane T. Keller Hilda C. Kelly Gregory and Janet Flippen Kemp Victoria L. Kennedy John F. Kiefer Anne T. Kitchen Kerri Kochelek Chemisi Kogo Djuana D. Lamb Charlotte O. Land Alan and Mary Landis Pauline M. Lange Mary K. Larue Lois T. Lavery Nancy W. Lavier Ann A. Law Donna S. Leabough Kimberly L. Leggett and Jeffrey J. Kepcke James A. Lehman Lloyd and Leslie Lenhart Deborah A. Lenker Edward L. Leslie Allan M. Lewis Richard W. Lewis Donald and Dorothy Lewy Steven and Marci Linas Jacquelyn S. Lindsey Caroline A. Lingerfelt Donald and Judy Little Sterling K. Lloyd Susan U. Loan Toni R. Lockwood Christopher and Matilda Bradshaw Loftin Patrice A. Londoner Goforth Gail E. Honea George and Carole Long Michael and Nancy Lott Robert C. Lowerre Sherman C. Luxenburg Alice W. Lyons Robert and Linda MacCleave
Rachel R. Maddux Patricia L. Mahone Janet H. Makela Wayne K. Mallard Katherine Marchand-Beyer Sarah E. Markham Lois D. Martin Martha J. Martin Paul R. Martin Jr. Virginia S. Mason Shirley L. Massenburg Sarah Z. Massie Lawrence and Carla Mathews Christine P. Mattern Frederick N. Matthews Kimberly A. Matthews
John and Barbara Pagels Suzanne W. Palmedo Leland M. Park Kyla C. Patterson Patricia W. Patterson Wayne S. Paul Marilyn S. Pence Walter A. Pennino Jr. Ann M. Peters George and Page Peyser Maike Philipsen and Jon Wergin Larkin and Lou Ann Phillips Roland L. Pifer Ethan and Gwendolyn Pitts Joyce N. Pitts Maggie H. Plummer
“The past five years have been very difficult ones with a number of family struggles …This award will help tremendously.” –Post Graduate Certificate student Rebecca A. Mayfield Mary B. Mayo Stephanie B. Mayo Colleen T. McCabe Cathy O. McCanless Mary Jo McKesson Meurial W. McLain Ann H. McMillan and Randolph Hallman Suzanne McWilliams Kristina G. Medinger Elizabeth L. Meixner Karen C. Merriman Frances A. Meyer Mary Ann Michael Sandra P. Milford Gwendolyn G. Miller Tomeika B. Moody James and Elizabeth Moore W. Scott and Stephanie Moore Bernar A. Morgenstern Mary V. Morton Sandra B. Morton William L. Murray Jr. Jeffrey and Shelley Neal Rebecca C. Neas James A. Necci Vickie M. Neely Gail B. Newton Elaine M. Cairo Nowinski R. Terry and Phyllis Oates Johnsie R. Oddenino Judith M. O’Donnell Mary Anne B. Oettinger Evelyn L. Ohara Minnie S. Outlaw Nancy T. Owen Karen S. Owens Rhonda J. Page
William and Karen Poole Ronnie and Denise Price Chanel A. Pritchett Dana L. Pritchett O. Ralph and Mary Johnson Puccinelli Julia L. Putney-Brandt and W.G. Brandt Jessie M. Raines Charlotte M. Read Joal S. Read
Donna W. Reamy Diane B. Reed Frances B. Reid Kyle S. Remppies Eleanor H. Rennie W. Grant and Dale Revell Eric and Tina Rhoades Henry and Audrey Rhone Constance G. Rice Paul A. Rice Herbert and Lucy Richwine Deborah W. Roane
Vincent and Margaret Roane Regina R. Roberson-Fletcher James O. Roberts Susan B. Robertson Larinda A. Robinson Norman and Joan Robinson Virginia G. Robinson Susan Rogers Carmen and Caroline Romeo Sharon B. Roop Robert and Sharon Rose Maxine P. Ross McDaniel Rucker IV Janet H. Ruehle Jane C. Ruffa Beverly R. Ruppersberger Diana T. Sadler Michael A. Sandy Marilyn S. Saul Barbara M. Savage Joanne S. Savarese Edward and Janis Saylor Michelle M. Schmitt Angela S. Schwartz Ellen G. Seal Janice Seargent Lara S. Seavey Patricia F. Seger Kay T. Sellers Gordon and Ellen Shaffer Virginia A. Sharpe Lillian A. Shearin William H. Sheavly Patrick J. Shields Charles R. Shrader Robert R. Siegel Joe and Marjorie Simmons Norma V. Simpson Ronald and Judy Singleton Larry and Pamela Sinsabaugh Thomas and Betsy Smith Brenda G. Smith
Brian C. Smith Chandra H. Smith Harriet G. Smith Janet S. Smith Jeffrey R. Smith Sharon L. Smith Sondra C. Snidow Richard and Dana Souser Richard and Gloria Spain JoAnn R. Spiegel Patricia Ann Stauffer Pamela M. Stevenson
Marc and Cynthia Coleman Stockdon Harriet B. Stout Kathryn J. Streetman Leah P. Strulson Marilyn J. Sutterlin Jean M. Swann Sam and Tammy Swecker Robert L. Tabb James H. Talbott Julia M. Tatum Barbara I. Taxier Ernest and Mary Taylor McKinney and Jan Taylor R. Dean and Patricia E. Taylor Matthew J. Tessier Anne Baldwin Thomas Nicole J. Thomas-Jackson Carolyn O. Tiller Pamela A. Toliver Delbert and Mary Tomes Martha S. Travis David and Barbara Traylor Leonard and Julia Trester Carolyn E. Trimmer Susan S. Turkal Barbara E. Tuttle William H. Van Vleck John M. Vassar Christina Ericson Vernon Linda C. Wagner Misti R. Wajciechowski Lisa Rae Walker Patricia B. Walker Thomas and Roslyn Walker John and Michele Walter Andrew G. Walters Jr. Robert and Jane Ward Jacqueline B. Warren Blanche L. Washington Deborah Waters Frank and Karen Watkins Helen S. Watkins Eugene and Jane Page Watson Glenn and Mary Webster Claudia Guyton Wells Barbara S. Wenk Lauren T. Werner Linda M. Wettle Peggy R. White Paulette C. Whitehurst Mary W. Whitt Margaret W. Whitten Sandra L. Wilberger Michael and Maya Wilder Daphne Y. Williams Denise S. Williams Julia R. Williams Karen H. Williams Patricia G. Finch Willis Dorothy Winant Phyllis S. Winn Gerald and Elizabeth Witt Ann M. Witthoefft Phinehas and Helen Wood R. Allen and Patricia Wood Mary G. Woodhouse Jerald S. Woods Nancy A. Wretschko Bobbie P. Wright
Harold and Dona Wright Robert and Sandra Wynne Yaoying Xu Dana Yarbrough Tera Yoder Katherine Young Olinda F. Young Patricia L. Ziletti
One donor wishes to remain anonymous Tribut e Gif ts In Honor of Dr. Fred P. Orelove Harry L. Gewanter In Honor of John S. Oehler Jr. Leland M. Park
M emo rial G if ts In Memory of Stanley S. Baker Glenn N. Johnson Jean F. Thomas In Memory of John A. Crown VCU Real Estate Foundation In Memory of April Marie “Sweet” Hart Northern Neck VFW Auxiliary 7167 Robert and Harriette Potter In Memory of Matthew Francis Thoma Colleen A. Thoma In Memory of John A. Van de Walle Karen S. Watkins
Heritage Societ y This society recognizes donors who have made provisions for the School of Education through their estate plans or another giftplanning vehicle. John Cook Michael and Connie Davis Carolyn Eggleston Thomas Gehring Signe M. Langschultz Marilyn Leahy
Two donors wish to remain anonymous The Honor Roll of Donors was compiled as accurately as possible from university records and reflects gifts made from July 1, 2010, through June 30, 2011. If we have omitted your name or have listed your name incorrectly, we sincerely apologize. Please contact Donna Stewart Sharits at (804) 828-4770 or dssharits@ vcu.edu with any corrections. Thank you.
VCU School of Education 33
Bridge
Non-profit organization US postage paid richmond, va permit no. 869
The magazine of the VCU School of Education P O B ox 8 4 2 0 2 0
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R ichmond , V A 2 3 2 8 4 - 2 0 2 0
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