Georgia Southern University Digital Commons@Georgia Southern Southern Educator Education Publications 2011 Southern Educator Georgia Southern University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/southern-educator Part of the Higher Education Commons Recommended Citation Georgia Southern University, "Southern Educator" (2011). Southern Educator. 13. https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/southern-educator/13 This newsletter is brought to you for free and open access by the Education Publications at Digital Commons@Georgia Southern. It has been accepted for inclusion in Southern Educator by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons@Georgia Southern. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Southern Educator College of Education • Georgia Southern University Volume 22 , Issue 1 http://coe.georgiasouthern.edu Fall 2011 J. C. Hunter Memorial Scholarship Jack Miller Faculty Awards ver twenty scholarships are awarded annually to deserving College of Education students. These O scholarships were endowed through the generosity of (l-r) Dr. Dan Rea, Dr. Yasar alumni, their families, and supporters of the College. To bring Bodur, Dr. Tom Koballa, Dean, Dr. Brenda Marina, and Dr. attention to scholarships available to College of Education Elizabeth Edwards students, the stories behind these scholarships will become a regular feature of the Southern Educator. The story of J. C. Hunter and the scholarship named in his memory is featured in this issue. Mr. J. C. Hunter dedicated his life to public education. He graduated in 1941 from Georgia Teacher’s College, now known r. Yasar Bodur, associate professor in the Department of as Georgia Southern University. He was a teacher for thirteen Teaching and Learning received the Jack Miller Educator of years, a principal for eight years and the Ben Hill County D the Year Award which is aimed to recognize and reward a Superintendent of Schools from 1949 until his retirement in 1976. As Superintendent, Mr. faculty member for exceptional overall achievement based on Hunter led the transformation of the conditions of the Ben Hill County schools from demonstrated excellence in the areas of teaching, service, and deplorable and outdated to modern and self-sufficient. Mr. Hunter became synonymous scholarship. Dr. Bodur recognizes, encourages, and honors his juniors, with Ben Hill County Schools and when he was eulogized after his death in July, 2000, for peers, and seniors who have made an accomplishment in teaching, his contributions to Ben Hill County Schools, his love of working with children and his service, or research/scholarly activities. Dr. Bodur’s sincere demeanor selfless dedication to touching and improving the lives of others. serves to encourage junior faculty members to respect and challenge This Scholarship was endowed by his family and others to memorialize him and to institutional traditions and strive their best to be innovative in and continue his influence in the field of education. The J. C. Hunter committed to excellence in service, teaching and research and/or creative Memorial Scholarship is awarded annually to a College of scholarly activities. Education major that has a 3.0 grade point average or better. Dr. Brenda Marina, assistant professor in the Department of This year’s recipient is Ms. Michelle Graham, a senior from Leadership, Technology, and Human Development. Dr. Marina is the Buford, GA. recipient of the Jack Miller Award for Scholarship & Creative Activity If you are interested in contributing to the J. C. Hunter which is to recognize and reward a faculty member for exceptional Memorial Scholarship or other scholarships available to College overall achievement in scholarship and creative activities. Dr. Marina’s of Education students or wish to endow a new scholarship, work on race, gender, class, politics of higher education policy, equity, please contact Ms. Dawn Oliver ([email protected]). and diversity contributes to the advancement of the field of educational leadership and higher education administration and engenders positive social and educational change in schools, neighborhoods, and Georgia Power New Teaching communities in the local, regional, national, and international contexts. Assistant Grants Dr. Dan Rea, professor in the Department of Curriculum, Foundations, and Reading, received the Jack Miller Award for Service PAID hree recent Georgia Southern University College of which is to recognize and reward a faculty member for exceptional NONPROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PERMIT 286 NO. ORGANIZATION STATESBORO, STATESBORO, GA Education graduates are beginning their careers as overall achievement in service. Dr. Rea has demonstrated an amazing T teachers, and their outstanding collegiate work will record of excellence in service at the department, college, university, benefit future students in more ways than one. state, regional, national, and international levels. Dr. Rea has been The graduates have been awarded Georgia Power New playing a leading role and has made invaluable contributions to the Teacher Assistance Grants. The grants provide each new advancement of cultural engagement and trans-cultural activities across teacher with $1,000 to spend on supplies for their classroom. and beyond the campus through his service. One of Dr. Rea’s most This year’s winners from Georgia Southern University noteworthy excellence in service is his unfaltering commitment to are: Brian Burrus, who earned an M.A.T. in Secondary excellence in co-chairing the National Youth-At-Risk Conference for the 8013 - Science Education and is teaching at Jenkins County High past 15 years. School in Millen, GA. Dr. Elizabeth Edwards, associate professor in the Department of Kevin Faircloth, who earned a B.S.Ed. in Middle Grades Curriculum, Foundations, and Reading, received the Jack Miller Award Education and is teaching 4th grade at Reidsville Elementary for Teaching which is to recognize and reward a faculty member for School in Reidsville, GA. exceptional overall achievement in teaching. To meet the pressing needs Kia Whitfield, who earned a B.S.Ed. in Middle Grades of the students in the College of Education, Dr. Edwards taught different College of Education College University Southern Georgia 8013 Box P.O. 30460 GA Statesboro, SOUTHERN EDUCATOR SOUTHERN Education and is teaching at Kennedy Road Middle School in courses at different levels in different formats (e.g., face-to-face and fully Griffin, GA. online courses). Dr. Edwards challenges her students with compassion The 2011 Nominees not listed above were: Lissa Garner, and integrity and maintains high standards and expectations for all. She Cali Jones, Haley Lawson, Jennifer Miller, Jason Powell, strives to be knowledgeable and innovative in using technology in Michael Stephenson, Theodore Ward. teaching while maintaining integrity of on-line learning. Page 2 • Fall 2011 Southern Educator College of Education Looking Inward and Looking Forward N E W S F L A S H t has been a little more than a year since I assumed the position as Dean of the College of I Education, and I must say it’s been an exciting Deborah Thomas – Moves to Associate Dean of first year. I’m no longer being called the “New Dean” by our students, faculty and staff, and I’ve Undergraduate Teacher Education learned the names of all the campus buildings and who to call within the College and across the campus when I have questions or encounter problems. My ffective July 1, Deborah Thomas was appointed first year as Dean has also been punctuated by many Associate Dean for Undergraduate Teacher points of pride for the College of Education. Education. Prior to this appointment, Dr. Thomas New faculty members were hired in each of the College’s three E served for three years as the Interim Associate Dean for Dean’s Corner Dean’s departments. These hires brought with them great ideas to enhance our Graduate Education, Research, Sponsored Programs and courses and programs, as well as exciting new lines of research. Among Development. She has worked at Georgia Southern for twenty our new hires is a person holding one of two research-intensive years, with seventeen of those as a faculty member in the professorships that reside in the College. The College’s counseling program is now accredited by the Council for Department of Teaching and Learning and Program Accreditation for Counseling and Related Programs (CACREP). The Coordinator for the Middle Grades program. She holds a process of seeking accreditation was an arduous one for the program Ph.D. in elementary education from Florida State University faculty, but clearly demonstrates the program’s commitment to meet the and her research has focused on middle school organization highest academic standards. In addition, the College’s school psychology and curriculum and teacher education. program is awaiting word on the approval of its application for national certification by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). A new Graduate Academic Services Center is open in the College to provide for the needs of prospective and current graduate students. In a Dr. Tracy Linderholm – New Associate Dean of number of ways, the Center parallels the services provided to undergraduate students by the College’s Student Success Center. The staff of both centers Graduate Education and Research strives to help students navigate the challenges associated with program admission, retention, progression, and graduation. r. Tracy Linderholm