College Welcomes Eight New Faculty

Cynthia Carver (left) (Ph.D., Michigan State University), will be studying the issues that surround new teachers and their support and development as guided by principals and mentors. An assistant professor of teacher education, she and her husband enjoy attending their two daughters’ events, or spending time in the garden or kitchen.

Janine Certo (right) (Ph.D., Virginia Commonwealth University), is an assistant professor of language and literacy in the department of teacher education, and her research focuses on improving writing and comprehension skills in elementary students. She spends much of her free time biking, cooking, painting, writing poetry or with her husband and dogs.

Amelia Wenk Gotwals (left) (Ph.D., University of Michigan), is an assistant professor of teacher education specializing in science education. Her research focuses on the influences of inquiry-based science. When she is not working on her new house and garden with her husband David, she enjoys swimming, reading and following the Islanders and the Red Wings.

Anne-Lise Halvorsen (right) (Ph.D., University of Michigan), assistant professor of teacher education specializing in social studies education, is currently researching the history of elementary social studies. An avid Tigers and Red Wings fan, she enjoys running, snowboarding and spending time with her partner, Chip, and two dogs.

Harold Johnson (left) (Ed.D., University of Cincinnati), is a professor of special education with a focus on preparing teachers to work with deaf or hard of hearing students. His research focuses on the potential impact of Web-based resources, and has resulted in the Deaf Education Web site, www.deafed.net.

Guofang Li (right) (Ph.D., University of Saskatchewan), an associate professor of literacy education, hopes to establish collaborative relationships with local schools to learn about their English as a Second Language (ESL) programs. She enjoys movies, jogging, tennis and reading, and is looking forward to exploring the East Lansing area and making new friends.

Natalie Olinghouse (left) (Ph.D., Vanderbilt University), an assistant professor of teacher education, is interested in researching the relationship between reading and writing development. She enjoys being outside, and more specifically, hiking, backpacking, biking and playing soccer.

Mike Steele (right) (Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh), an assistant professor of teacher education specializing in mathematics, is interested in teacher knowledge and teacher learning. He has also played French horn with several community and professional orchestras, and enjoys ice hockey, hiking and spending time with his wife and cats.

 

IN Memoriam

Michael Pressley, Ph.D.
1951–2006

On May 23, 2006, the College of Education lost one of its most esteemed faculty members, Michael Pressley, from complications due to his fourth cancer.

A winner of MSU’s Distinguished Faculty Award, Pressley’s legacy in the academic world is replete with evidence from his research, writing, mentorship of graduate and undergraduate students, contributions to state and national education policy, and service to the profession in the areas of literacy and educational psychology.

Pressley was one of the most cited scholars in the field of social science and education. He belonged to the distinguished few who were among the 1 percent cited in research literature. He was the only MSU social science scholar with this distinction.

Pressley was well-known for his work on balanced literacy instruction, reading strategies for comprehension and text analysis. He was renowned for his senior authorship of the k–6 basal literacy program, Open Court, now known as McGraw-Hill/SRA Open Court, a series that has had a direct impact on millions of children.

Pressley was honored with several prestigious career awards, including induction into the Reading Hall of Fame; the Oscar Causey Award from the National Research Conference for outstanding contributions to reading research; Sylvia Scribner Award from Division C of the American Education Research Association for outstanding contribution to the diagnoses and remediation of children at risk for failure to learn to read or write; the E. L. Thorndike Award for Distinguished Psychological Contributions to Education from the American Psychological Association; the University Distinguished Professor Award from Michigan State University; and in 2006, recognition as one of the top 100 University of Minnesota Distinguished Alumni from the College of Education and Human Development.

Since coming to Michigan State University five years ago, Pressley served the university and the state of Michigan in many significant capacities, including co-chairing Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s committee on English language arts standards for Michigan. He received funding to establish the Literacy Achievement Research Center at MSU; directed the doctoral program in Teacher Education, Curriculum and Policy; and directed the doctoral research committees of many graduate students.

During his career, Pressley published more than 350 articles and book chapters, and authored or edited more than 25 books on literacy, psychology and education. Pressley’s contributions to individuals, programs, universities and the education profession are numerous. His intellect, compassion, leadership and unselfishness strengthened our college. Pressley made a difference, and we are forever enriched as a result of his role in the College of Education, the state of Michigan and the nation.

Willa Norris, Ph.D.
1911–2006

Willa Norris of East Lansing, Mich., a Michigan State University Professor Emeritus and winner of a Crystal Apple award, passed away at the age of 95 on July 22, 2006.
Norris began her work with Michigan State University in 1952 in the department of counseling and personnel services. She wrote several books on counseling during this time. She retired in 1974, and received Michigan State University’s Crystal Apple Award for her work as an educator in 1999.

Born July 14, 1911, in Nebraska, Norris earned her bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Nebraska in 1934. Then she earned a master’s in guidance and counseling in 1943 from Columbia University, and in 1953, a Ph.D. in education from George Washington University.

Walter F. Johnson, Ph.D.
1914–2006

Walter F. Johnson of East Lansing, Mich., a recipient of Michigan State University’s Distinguished Faculty Award, passed away July 18, 2006, at the age of 91.
Johnson was a faculty member at MSU from 1948 to 1981, shortly after he served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He worked in the College of Education as director of faculty development, department chairman of higher education administration and director of graduate student affairs. He was an advisor to more than 170 doctoral and 350 master’s degree candidates in his time at MSU.

He was a member of the boards of trustees for Davenport University, Sienna Heights College and Owosso College, and his passion for international education led him to visit more than 40 countries, often as a lecturer or consultant for a university.
Johnson is survived by his sons William and Richard, and daughter Mary Katherine, as well as several grandchildren and one great-grandson.
 

Faculty & Staff Honors

Amey to Head Educational Administration Department
Fostering growth and change in the department of educational administration is the new chairperson’s top priority.

Marilyn Amey officially began her new position as chairperson of the department of educational administration on Aug. 16, replacing Professor Phillip Cusick. Amey says she plans to address emerging challenges in educational administration and policy.

“We have issues facing the department, facing k–12 administration, and the changes in high school requirements,” Amey said, “and what that means for preparing principals and superintendents, including the urban piece of that.

“What I really hope to be able to do is to support that growth and change,” Amey said. “Sometimes that will mean helping get resources, sometimes that will mean helping bridge connections with other units on-campus or off-campus, sometimes that will mean figuring out how to reposition staff so people can do what they need to do. Whatever it is, I’m hoping that I can help the faculty to do what they want to do.”

Amey said her transition has been easy, due to her previous work with predecessor Cusick when she was a professor of higher, adult and lifelong education in the department.

“He’s been fantastic,” she said of Cusick.

Amey is a native of Rochester, N.Y., where she “had wonderful public schooling.” She received her Ph.D. from Pennsylvania State University, and is currently involved with a partnership project between public schools and community colleges in Michigan, and with a study of teachers in college student personnel programs.

“This is a really great department,” Amey said. “There’s terrific faculty in it, and we’re very lucky in that respect.”



Markle Honored by MEMSPA

Barbara Markle, assistant dean of k–12 Outreach and professor of educational administration, received the Michigan Elementary and Middle School Principals Association’s (memspa) 2006 Educational Leadership Award at the group’s banquet in Detroit, Sept. 21. The award is given annually to a person who makes major contributions to education and has statewide influence.

Markle, a former teacher, principal, counselor, central office administrator and deputy superintendent at the Michigan Department of Education, was honored by mempsa for her role as a motivator who connects people of diverse backgrounds for not only building knowledge and relationships, but for reform and change.

“Barbara is not an arm-twister, but she has a way of opening doors and persuading,” said Joanne Welihan of mempsa, who presented the award. “She brings people together . . . and she does this through her intellect, her passion, her energy, enthusiasm and charm.”

William Joyce, Canadian Studies Centre, Receive Award

The MSU Canadian Studies Centre and Detroit Newspapers in Education (NIE) program were awarded first place for the 24-page supplement to the Detroit Free Press they co-published, “Canada and the United States: One Border, Many Challenges,” by the Newspaper Association of America Foundation.

The supplement, which was distributed to 100,000 students in 2005, received first place in the Newspapers in Education Original Curriculum category for newspapers with a daily circulation of more than 200,000 copies. Competitors for the award included the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times.

Instructional materials that accompanied the supplement were coordinated with the Michigan’s social studies standards. It focused on current issues in Canadian–U.S. relations as well as historical events shared by the two nations.

The award was presented to Joyce, a professor of teacher education and deputy director of Canadian Studies at MSU, and Jeanette Stump, of Detroit Newspapers in Education in association with the Detroit Free Press and the Detroit News, at the annual Young Reader Conference in St. Louis in July.

Joyce said that the award “provides encouraging evidence that the media are beginning to take Canada and its relations with the U.S. seriously and could enhance the position of Canadian studies in our school programs.”

Nell Duke, Literacy Achievement Research Center, Produce Video

A DVD created by MSU literacy experts has been distributed to 20,000 licensed child care providers, and will educate child care staff on how to nurture learning and early literacy in children 1 to 5 years old.

The video and corresponding booklet, created by the Promoting Emergent Literacy in Licensed Care Project, are the result of a new Michigan policy that requires 30 minutes of literacy development activities a day in all licensed child care centers.

“One of the challenges was to help child care providers understand ways to foster emergent literacy development—for 30 minutes and beyond,” said Nell Duke, director of the project, associate director of the Literacy Achievement Research Center, and Michigan State University College of Education associate professor. “How do you introduce books to infants, toddlers and pre-schoolers?”

Duke and a team of researchers developed the DVD’s content through research and scientific study. “First steps were to identify age-appropriate literacy activities and ways to include them in daily activity,” Duke said. “We then used that research base as a foundation for the video. We also showed the video to teachers and early childhood experts during various stages of project development and used their feedback in making adjustments.”

The DVD, which is about one hour and 45 minutes long, is narrated by Duke, and includes commentary from Gov. Jennifer Granholm, literacy and childhood experts, and child care providers.


Anderson Named Top Campus Supervisor
Her staff called her “the best boss on campus,” and MSU agreed.

Sharon Anderson, a manager in the College of Education’s department of counseling, educational psychology and special education (CEPSE), received the 6th annual Supervisor Recognition Award from the Family Resource Center at MSU’s human resources office. The award is given for the top supervisor campus-wide. Anderson was lauded by MSU for her impact on her colleagues’ morale and productivity, and her exemplary loyalty to her department and the university.

Born in Yorkshire, England, Anderson, a mother of three, lived most of her life in the Lansing area. She has worked at MSU for 20 years, with 16 of those at the College of Education.

She was nominated for the award in May and results were announced Oct. 16.
Anderson says the honor came as a total surprise, “so much so, that I was literally speechless. Anyone who knows me, knows that doesn’t happen very often.”
Anderson says she remains committed to the college after working on campus for two decades. She praises her administrators, faculty and staff. “There isn’t a better place on campus to work,” she says.

College Kudos

Faculty members Marilyn Amey, Crystal Branta, Punya Mishra and Jay Featherstone received the college’s Excellence in Teaching Award.

Jack Schwille and Robert Floden, professors of teacher education, were honored by the American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (aacte). Schwille won the award for Best Practice for Global and International Teacher Education, while Floden received the Margaret B. Lindsey Award for Distinguished Research in Education. Floden is also the co-author of a new book from New York: Teacher’s College Press called Meaningful Learning Using Technology: What Educators Need to Know and Do.

Mary Juzwik, an assistant professor of teacher education, received the Promising Researcher Award from the National Council of Teachers of English.

Joe Codde, a professor of educational technology, was named in June to the Inter-national Society for Technology in Education’s international education committee for 2006–08.

Sandra Crespo, an assistant professor of teacher education, won the National Science Foundation’s Early Career Award.

David Arsen and David Plank, professors of educational policy, along with Courtney Bell, a 2004 doctoral graduate, earned the Association of Education Service Agency’s E. Robert Stephens Award for outstanding research related to education service agencies.

Gail Dummer, professor of kinesiology, received the Rick Knas Lifetime Achievement Award from the Athletes with Disabilities Hall of Fame. Dummer also was selected as an assistant swimming coach for the U.S. team that will compete in the 2007 World Special Olympics games in Shanghai, China.

Anne Schneller, an outreach specialist in the college, received the MSU Award for Outstanding Service to Study Abroad during the university’s International Awards ceremony. She was honored for her work creating the “Pre-Internship Teaching in South Africa” program, offering pre-service teachers international internship opportunities.

University Distinguished Professor William Schmidt was one of only three scholars granted membership this year to the National Academy of Education.

Kinesiology Professor James Pivarnik was named vice president of the American College of Sports Medicine Board of Trustees.

Mark Reckase, a professor of measurement and qualitative methods, was appointed editor of Applied Psychological Measurement; vice president, AERA Division D.

University Distinguished Professor Jere Brophy and Professor Jan Alleman are co-authors of a new book, Children’s Thinking about Cultural Universals (Mahwah, N.J.: Eribaum, 2005). The book is the 2006 recipient of the National Council for the Social Studies Annual Award for best research contribution of the year.

Assistant Professor Avner Segall, Associate Professor Elizabeth Heilman and Professor Ermeritus Celo Cherryholmes are authors of a new book, Social Studies—The Next Generation: Researching in the Postmodern (New York: Peter Lang).

The college’s Education Policy Center, headed by Professors Sharif Shakrani and William Schmidt, received the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators Education Fellows Award at a ceremony held in Traverse City in June.
 

Back to Contents | Our Faculty : 1, 2, 3, 4 |