Distinguished Education Alumni Award

Mr. Eliel Gonzalez, Teacher, East Longmeadow High School

• 89’ BS, Mathematics, Purdue University
• 90’ MEd, Secondary Mathematics, University of Massachusetts

Eliel Gonzalez has served as a mathematics educator in the East Longmeadow (Massachusetts) Public Schools for over three decades. His primary duties include teaching AP Calculus, Honors Calculus, Pre-Calculus. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics from Purdue University (1989) and a Master in Education (1990) from the University of Massachusetts. He has been a Math Counts and/or HS Math League every year of his career. In addition to his full-time teaching, Gonzalez has served the College Board as K-12 Professional Development Project Manager in Mathematics, AP Annual Conference Steering Committee Member, and National Leader. As an endorsed College Board consultant, Gonzalez has conducted numerous AP Calculus, Pre-AP Math and SAT workshops and summer institutes in the United States and abroad, as well as trained new math consultants. When not working in the math education field, Gonzalez enjoys traveling, going to beach, spending quality time with his friends, dining out, and following Purdue sports.

Dr. Judi Hendrix, Executive Director, Wabash Valley Education Center

• 86’ BA, Elementary Education, Purdue University
• 91’ MS, Educational Psychology, Purdue University
• 93’ MS, Certificate in School Administration, Butler University
• 00’ Ph.D., Educational Leadership, Indiana State University

“Education has been my life! I have truly loved attending school and leading a school. As a matter of fact, I have had 52 spring breaks, 52 beginnings of a new school year, and participated in or attended 46 Christmas Programs. My journey has been remarkable! I had the honor to graduate from Western Boone Schools in Thorntown, Indiana and then give back to this great district as the Superintendent. I earned my BA in Elementary Education in 1986 and MS in Educational Psychology in 1991, both from Purdue University. I then earned a graduate certificate in School Administration from Butler University in 1993, and a PhD in Educational Leadership from Indiana State University. I have been blessed to spend my career serving students and educators. I began my career as a kindergarten teacher in Crawfordsville, Indiana. I then ‘came home’ to Western Boone Schools where I was a gifted and talented teacher for elementary students, an assistant principal, the Director of Curriculum, Assistant Superintendent and then I served as the Superintendent. I then followed my passion for presenting workshops and serve in my current role as the Executive Director of Wabash Valley Education Center in West Lafayette, Indiana. I have been blessed in my educational journey from Purdue University!”

Dr. Jennifer McCormick, CEO, Fierce Up! Leadership

• 93′ BA, Elementary Education, Purdue University
• 99′ MA, Special Education, Ball State University
• 04′ Licensure in Educational Leadership and Administration, Ball State University
• 08′ Licensure as School Superintendent, Indiana State University
• 08′ Ed.S., Educational Leadership, Indiana State University
• 11′ PhD, Educational Leadership, Indiana State University

Dr. Jennifer McCormick has over 25 years of experience in education as a former teacher, principal, superintendent, and State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Jennifer led as the superintendent of Yorktown Community Schools for seven years prior to serving as Indiana’s 44th State Superintendent of Public Instruction. After her four year term, she went on to be named the Sr. VP of Equitable Education Solutions- Analytics, Chairman of the Board for Gibraltar Design, and is the CEO of Fierce Up! Leadership, which provide her further opportunity to partner with schools. She has served on numerous boards throughout her professional tenure and currently is on the Board of Directors for the Indiana Coalition for Public Education and Valley Oaks Health. Dr. McCormick also continues to proudly provide a voice for student, educators, and communities through multiple speaking engagements. Jennifer is married to Trent, a public school administrator and is a proud military mother of Cael. Her message is simple: Kids First. Always.

Jennifer grew up on a farm in rural Henry County and is the proud daughter of a two very hard working parents. Both were dedicated to community service and were fierce believers in public service and education. After a great K-12 experience in New Castle Community Schools, Jennifer earned her undergraduate degree from Purdue. She then proudly started her career serving over two decades as a teacher, principal, assistant superintendent and superintendent. In the spirit of service to kids, Jennifer decided to run for state-wide office and was elected as Indiana’s 44th and last elected State Superintendent of Public Instruction. After her four year term, she went on to be named the Sr. VP of Equitable Education Solutions- Analytics and is the CEO of Fierce Up! Leadership.

Dr. Leah Wasburn-Moses, Professor, Educational Psychology, Miami University

• 97’ BA, Political Science, Purdue University
• 97’ BA, Special Education, Purdue University
• 99’ MSED, Special Education, Purdue University
• 05’ Ph.D., Special Education, Michigan State University

Leah Wasburn-Moses is a professor of Educational Psychology at Miami University. Formerly a teacher at Jefferson High School in Lafayette, Indiana, Wasburn-Moses earned bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and Special Education in 1997 and an MSED in Special Education in 1999, all from Purdue University, and a PhD in Special Education from Michigan State University in 2005. Wasburn-Moses is Founder and Director of Campus Mentors, a national award-winning one-room alternative school for at-risk youth that provides hundreds of field placements for future teachers. She is currently working on expanding her Campus Mentors model to additional university communities. Wasburn-Moses is the author of multiple books and articles on innovation in teacher education, including a recent book on Student Teaching, published in 2020 by Lexington. She is also a foster parent and plans to open a group home for foster youth in the future.

Pamela R. Clinkenbeard (PhD ’84, MS ’80) Pamela R. Clinkenbeard is a professor of educational foundations and the co-director of Challenging Advanced Learners programs at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater where she teaches courses in educational psychology, educational research and the psychology and education of gifted and talented students. In addition to her degrees from Purdue University, she also holds a bachelor’s degree from DePauw University. Her research interests include the development of student motivation, psychology and education of gifted students, neuroscience of early childhood giftedness and policy research on diversity and economics in gifted education. She is also a member of our Gifted Education Research and Resource Institute advisory board.
Before coming to Morgantown, Campbell was the associate vice president for academic technologies at Purdue University. His research focused on the use of academic analytics to identify students at risk of failing their courses. His group was awarded the 2016 Technology Pioneer Award from the Education Advisory Board. He founded the Signals project, which gives instructors real-time feedback and lets them intervene with struggling students as early as the second week of class. Signals was featured on NBC Nightly News and in the Chronicle of Higher Education and won numerous awards.

James T. McDonald, III (PhD ’02) James McDonald III, a former elementary and middle school teacher, is a professor of science education and director of the Central Michigan GEMS Education Center at Central Michigan University (CMU). In addition to his Purdue degree, he also holds degrees from Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, California State University-East Bay and Saint Olaf College. He has been honored with the Michigan Science Teachers Association College Science Teacher of the Year and as one of the Top 25 Education Professors in Michigan, both in 2013, and the Distinguished Faculty Service Award from CMU in 2018. McDonald is the former chair of the CMU Academic Senate, former president-elect for the Council for Elementary Science International and past president for the Michigan Science Education Leadership Association. He’s currently the Michigan representative for the NASA Solar System Ambassador, NASA Jet Propulsion laboratory and a member of our Dean’s Advocacy Council.

Martha Nyikos (PhD ’87) Martha Nyikos is an associate professor of literacy, culture and language education and director of world languages and second language education programs at Indiana University. She has been the principal investigator on multiple STARTALK grants from the National Security Agency in addition to numerous other cross-disciplinary and dual language research grants. Nyikos’ teaching excellence has been twice recognized with the Indiana University Trustees Teaching Award and was a nominee once again in 2018. She regularly provides professional development workshops on dual language teaching and issues in language acquisition in the U.S. and abroad.

John Campbell (PhD ’07, MS ’91, BA ’89) John Campbell is vice provost at West Virginia University, where he is responsible for operational units including enrollment management, financial aid, information technology, online learning and student accounts. He began his career at West Virginia University as the associate provost and chief information officer—assuming system-wide leadership of the growing technology infrastructure. He provided oversight to a system-wide restructuring of the central information technology resources used by the nearly 10,000 faculty and staff on campus.
Before coming to Morgantown, Campbell was the associate vice president for academic technologies at Purdue University. His research focused on the use of academic analytics to identify students at risk of failing their courses. His group was awarded the 2016 Technology Pioneer Award from the Education Advisory Board. He founded the Signals project, which gives instructors real-time feedback and lets them intervene with struggling students as early as the second week of class. Signals was featured on NBC Nightly News and in the Chronicle of Higher Education and won numerous awards.

Patricia Albjerg Graham (MS ’57, BS ’55) Patricia Albjerg Graham, Charles Warren Professor of the History of Education emerita at Harvard University, is a leading historian of American education. Her career in teaching, administration and scholarship spans more than four decades.
She began her career as a classroom teacher and high-school guidance counselor. She has held positions as a lecturer and professor at Indiana University, a visiting professor at Northern Michigan University and a professor of history and education at Columbia University. In 1977 she was appointed by the President of the United States as the director of the National Institute of Education, then the federal government’s educational research agency, where she served until 1979. She made history at Harvard by being appointed as the first female to be named dean of a whole faculty—the Harvard Graduate School of Education faculty. Additionally, she was president of the Spencer Foundation, chair of the board of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and vice-chair of the board of Central European University.

Sheila Klinker (MS ’70, BS ’61) Sheila Klinker is an Indiana state representative for Indiana House District 27 where she has served since 1982. Prior to being elected, she was an elementary school teacher in the Lafayette School Corporation for more than two decades and was the outreach liaison for the Purdue University’s College of Education.
She has worked tirelessly towards advocating for the rights of children and families, as well as individuals who are mentally ill or developmentally challenged. As a leader on the House Ways and Means Committee, Klinker is a tenacious advocate for funding home and community based services for people with mental illness. She has pushed legislation to all levels of education, prenatal substance abuse initiatives, First Steps, guardianship issues, veterans’ issues, protection and advocacy issues, as well as most recently authoring legislation to create Lifelong Learning Accounts (LiLAs) for low-income working adults pursuing education or job training.

Sarah Powley (MS ’85) Sarah Powley serves as an instructional coach for secondary teachers of all disciplines in the Tippecanoe School Corporation in Lafayette, Indiana. For 27 years prior to that, she was an English teacher at McCutcheon High School in Lafayette and Chair for High School Language Arts in the Tippecanoe School Corporation. She has also taught English in middle schools in Wisconsin and Connecticut and in the Tippecanoe School Corporation.
Powley is the recipient of numerous teaching awards, among them the Milken National Educator Award, the US/NIS Teaching Excellence Award, two Eli Lilly Teacher Creativity Fellowships, the Purdue Education Department’s Crystal Apple Award, and the Irena Sendler Award for Holocaust Education. Recently, she was named a “Woman of Distinction” by the YWCA of Lafayette. Mrs. Powley maintains a blog, In an American Classroom, in which she reflects on the experiences of educators and describes best practices in secondary classrooms. She is a member of the National Council of Teachers of English, Phi Delta Kappa, and the National Education Association and its local and state affiliates.

Gilman Whiting (PhD ’04) Gilman Whiting is an associate professor and director of graduate studies for African American and diaspora studies, He directs the Scholar Identity Institute and the Black male initiative at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn. His areas of research include educational disparity; special and gifted education; sociology of race, sports, and American culture; research methods, and fatherhood initiatives.
Whiting has authored more than 60 scholarly articles in journals such as the Roeper Review, Journal for Secondary Gifted Education, and The International Journal of Sport and Society as well as numerous book chapters. In 2006 Whiting re-conceptualized his dissertation on young Black and Brown fathers and created the Scholar Identity Model™, a psycho-social model to assist whole communities to rethink ways to combat academic apathy. He is the founding chair of the Achievement Gap Institute at the George W. Peabody College of Education at Vanderbilt. Additionally, Whiting consults with dozens of school districts and programs nationally and internationally.
Powley is the recipient of numerous teaching awards, among them the Milken National Educator Award, the US/NIS Teaching Excellence Award, two Eli Lilly Teacher Creativity Fellowships, the Purdue Education Department’s Crystal Apple Award, and the Irena Sendler Award for Holocaust Education. Recently, she was named a “Woman of Distinction” by the YWCA of Lafayette. Mrs. Powley maintains a blog, In an American Classroom, in which she reflects on the experiences of educators and describes best practices in secondary classrooms. She is a member of the National Council of Teachers of English, Phi Delta Kappa, and the National Education Association and its local and state affiliates.

Dorothy Lawshe Dorothy Lawshe spent nearly 50 years in education, half of that as a tireless advocate for gifted children. Her work helped thousands of high-ability youth in Indiana and Michigan, especially those from underserved populations. As a graduate student at Purdue, Dorothy helped develop student enrichment programs. Marcia Gentry, director of Purdue’s Gifted Education Research and Resource Institute, said, “Her work at Purdue under John Feldhusen laid a foundation for her service to the field for years to come. She was the founding director of Michigan State University’s Office of Gifted and Talented Education (GATE). Dorothy’s efforts on behalf of gifted children are far-reaching. She has always advocated for developing talents among children from underserved populations.” An endowed fund at MSU named for Dorothy continues her mission to provide children from disadvantaged backgrounds with access to talent development programs.

Marsha Link Marsha Link is an innovative, dynamic change agent who believes in the empowerment of lifelong learning. She is the founder and principal of Link Consulting Group, specializing in executive coaching, leadership development and organizational effectiveness. Her work has focused on the professional development and advancement of women in the healthcare industry, specifically in ophthalmology. Marsha is currently president of Ophthalmic Women Leaders (OWL), a non-profit group committed to the belief that diverse leadership results in better outcomes. She is the former chair of the board of trustees of Manchester University, where she is now an honorary trustee. Professor Emeritus Richard Nelson said, “Marsha shows exceptional capability in understanding and using best practices in counseling, as well as responding to the unique needs of her clients. She has adapted those practices in ways that suit her personality.”

Sidney Moon Sidney Moon is professor I am emerita of gifted, creative and talented studies in Purdue University’s College of Education. During her 30-year career in the college, she served as associate dean for learning and engagement and as director of the Gifted Education Research and Resource Institute (GER²I). Sidney is a prolific scholar whose work continues to benefit gifted persons around the world today. In 2013, the National Association for Gifted Children recognized Sidney’s achievements and dedication with the Distinguished Service Award. Jan Hansen, president and CEO of Educate Tanzania, said, “Sidney is a one-of-a-kind thought leader in gifted education whose important work has helped ensure that gifted students are seen and that their needs are addressed in compelling and meaningful ways. Her deliberate and unceasing loyalty and commitment to the field is easy to spot and difficult to match.”

Daniel L. Stufflebeam Daniel L. Stufflebeam is an icon whose work has played a major role in shaping educational evaluation. A thought leader in the assessment field, Dan retired from Western Michigan University as a distinguished university professor and McKee Professor of Education. He founded the Evaluation Center at The Ohio State University in 1965 and relocated it to WMU in 1973. His Context, Input, Process and Product (CIPP) Evaluation Model was one of the first models used for program evaluation and is still in use today. He directed the development of more than 100 standardized achievement tests, including the GED. Richard Frisbie, director of strategic assessment in the college, said, “Dan offered a framework and context for how to view a values-based world with a balance of objectivity and compassion. When the first question becomes, ‘What’s important?,’ the rest of any disciplined inquiry approach falls into place.”

Albert Kwing-Wong Siu (PhD’79 Counseling Psychology) Albert Siu is Vice President and General Manager of the PAREXEL Academy, a unit of Human Resources that manages the Learning and Leadership Development function for PAREXEL—a global clinical research and regulatory consulting and outsourcing company. Previous positions include Vice President for Learning and Development at Boston Scientific, President of Gilead Learning, and Chief Learning Officer for AT&T where he executed a Memorandum of Understanding agreement between China’s State Planning Commission and AT&T to enable the process of transforming China’s state owned telecommunication enterprises into various market-based, customer-focused corporations. He also served 16 years with Hewlett-Packard, including eight years in China and Hong Kong. Siu has served on the board of directors at Thrivent Financial for 14 years, and currently serves on the Board of Directors at Wittenberg University.

Deborah S Teuscher (MS’94 – Science Education) Deborah Teuscher’s education philosophy can be summed up in three words: “Making Science Matter.” She is an award-winning science educator who recently retired from the Metropolitan School District of Pike Township in Indianapolis after teaching earth space science, integrated chemistry and physics, physical science, biology and directing activities of the school district’s planetarium. In 1993, Teuscher received a Lilly Endowment Teacher Creativity Grant for a two-week geologic study tour of Iceland. The portfolio of teaching units developed from that experience led to a Golden Apple Award in 1995. In addition to teaching, she participated in a year-long “teacher in residence” experience as a Master Practitioner at Butler University. Teuscher has been awarded the 2007 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF) on behalf of the White House.

Carol A. Loehr (BA’65 – Elementary and Special Education) Carol Loehr helped establish the special education program in the Whiting Primary School in northwest Indiana and later worked as a classroom volunteer for special needs children. Her work as an educator found a new purpose following the suicide of her son, Keith, in 1999. Unable to find the information and support that she and her family needed, Loehr became an advocate for those who have experienced loss through suicide. Loehr built and maintains a website (www.TheGiftofKeith.org) to provide information about suicide prevention and awareness and hosts “Cyber Friends,” an e-mail support group for suicide survivors. She authored “My Uncle Keith Died”—a children’s book to help families explain mental illness and suicide to children. Because teachers and school counselors should be aware of the warning signs of depression and at-risk behaviors, Carol and her husband Dick Loehr created a scholarship in the College of Education—The Keith Loehr Memorial Scholarship that provides funding for graduate students in school counseling who have an interest in suicide prevention in primary and secondary schools.

Jan Hansen (PhD’88 –Educational Psychology) Jan Hansen is President/CEO of Educate Tanzania, a Minnesota-based nonprofit, dedicated to building Karagwe University College in Tanzania. While a doctoral student at Purdue, she helped Prof. John Feldhusen expand the Gifted Education Research and Resource Institute (GER²I). As a research fellow and visiting professor, she helped Professor Miraca U.M. Gross at the University of New South Wales initiate and grow GER²I’s sister center in Australia. After leaving Purdue, Hansen co-founded the Center for Pre-Collegiate Engineering Education at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota. While serving as an advisor in Tanzania in 2008, she learned about plans for a university and wanted to help. In 2010, she resigned her tenured position from the University of St. Thomas to devote herself to building Karagwe University College in Tanzania. Since then Hansen has led efforts to bring education, water and health to the ‘neediest part of the world.’ Hansen has received numerous awards for her work and has published over 50 articles and 2 books. She serves on editorial and advisory boards and has led educational initiatives in the United States, Japan, Australia, Puerto Rico, and Africa.

David Fenell (Edu PhD ’79) David Fenell is professor of counselor education at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, and was the interim dean of the College of Education. He teaches a range of courses including counseling theories and techniques, group counseling theory and techniques, and marriage and family therapy. His introductory textbook, Counseling Families: An Introduction to Marriage and Family Therapy, has been adopted by academic institutions nationwide. He is a Colonel (retired) in the U.S. Army Medical Service Corps Reserve, and was mobilized immediately after the attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Fenell deployed to both Afghanistan and Iraq, where he delivered psychological support to military personnel. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for each combat tour. In addition to his Ph.D. in counselor education from Purdue University, Fenell also earned a master’s degree in education from the University of Southern California and a bachelor’s degree in physiology from Oklahoma State University.

Jane Foley (CLA BA ’73, CLA MS ’77, Edu PhD ’92) Jane Foley oversees the nationwide selection of exemplary K-12 educators for the Milken Educator Awards as senior vice president at the Milken Family Foundation. She also serves on the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching Advisory Council, is a senior advisor for the Lowell Milken Center, and directs the Milken Scholars program, an initiative that helps outstanding young men and women achieve their academic and professional goals. She was a senior advisor to William Bennett, former U.S. Secretary of Education, for four years. Before joining the Milken Foundation, Foley worked for 24 years as a public school educator. Under her leadership as principal, Flint Lake Elementary School in Indiana attained state and national recognition in the areas of school restructuring, professional development, technology integration and student achievement. Her honors include the International Society of Educational Planning Outstanding Dissertation Award, and in 1994, she was honored as a Milken National Educator for the State of Indiana.

Penny Britton Kolloff (Edu PhD ’83) Penny Britton Kolloff began her teaching career in a kindergarten classroom in Detroit. She taught elementary and middle school children in public, private and laboratory schools, and was a tenured faculty member at Eastern Kentucky University, Ball State University and Illinois State University, where she retired in 2006. As a doctoral student, Kolloff partnered with John Feldhusen to develop a program for gifted learners, and she was the first assistant director of the Gifted Education Research and Resource Institute at Purdue. She later participated in the creation of the Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics and Humanities. Among her honors are the Early Leader and the Outstanding Research Paper awards from National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), a Mensa Education and Research Award for Excellence, and the Distinguished Service award from the Illinois Association for Gifted Children (IAGC). Kolloff serves on advisory boards at Purdue and Northwestern universities and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. She has held leadership positions for the NAGC and state associations in Michigan, Indiana and Illinois, and is a former president of IAGC. In addition to her Ph.D. from Purdue University, she earned her master’s from Eastern Kentucky University, and her bachelor’s degree from Kalamazoo College.

Jack Miller (Edu PhD ’74) Jack Miller is the president of Central Connecticut State University. Prior to coming to Connecticut in 2005, he served as chancellor at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, and also as dean of the College of Education at Florida State University. Miller’s national awards include the 2005 Excellence in Diversity award from the Brothers of the Academy for his commitment to access, retention and graduation of underrepresented students in higher education. In 2003, he was recognized as CEO of the year by the National Academic Advisory Association. His annual study of America’s Most Literate Cities has been published worldwide, reaching an audience of more than 100 million annually. His scholarship includes presenting 56 refereed papers, publishing 43 articles, and authoring 10 book chapters and four books. In addition to his doctorate degree in education from Purdue University, he also earned a master’s degree in education from Northern Illinois University, and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Ohio University.

Kathryn Scantlebury (Edu PhD ’90) Kathryn (Kate) Scantlebury is the director of secondary education for the College of Arts and Sciences and a professor of chemistry in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Delaware. She is responsible for coordinating all secondary education programs, and she oversees the program’s professional development, National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education reporting, and externally funded grants. Scantlebury is a member of many professional organizations, including the National Science Teachers Association and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, for which she was named a fellow in 2009. She has presented numerous talks on topics of gender issues in science, mathematics, technology and assessment, and is a visiting research scholar at the Center for Gender Research at Uppsala University in Uppsala, Sweden. In 2008, she was named Outstanding Science Teacher Educator of the Year by the Association for Science Teacher Education. In addition to her Ph.D. in science education from Purdue University, she also earned a master’s in science education from Curtin University of Technology, and an honors degree in chemistry and a Diploma of Education from Flinders University of South Australia.

Jane Zimmer Daniels (MS ’73, PhD ’88) Jane Zimmer Daniels works for the Henry Luce Foundation as the director for Clare Booth Luce and Higher Education Programs. Called the “mother of women in engineering programs,” she is a leader in assisting women entering careers in science and engineering. For 20 years Jane was the director of Purdue’s Women in Engineering Program (WiEP) and advisor for the Society of Women Engineers. She has been a visiting scientist at the National Science Foundation’s Program for Gender Equity in Science, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology and is one of the three founding members of the national organization Women in Engineering ProActive Network (WEPAN). Jane is a current member of Purdue’s Engineering Advisory Council. Beth Holloway, director of Purdue’s Women in Engineering Program, says “Purdue is a national leader in the graduation of women engineers because of the programs that Jane developed while she was on campus. Jane worked tirelessly to improve the climate for women at Purdue, both in the College of Engineering and at the University level, while at the same time, continuing the programs that provided support and encouragement to female engineering students.”

Edwyna Hord (MS ’74 – Calumet, EDS ’93) Edwyna Hord is the principal of William Merritt Chase Alternative School in the Gary Indiana Community School Corporation. Strongly devoted to her students and community, she has worked in education for over 40 years. Prior to joining Chase Alternative, Edwyna was executive director of educational improvement for the Gary Community School Corporation, principal at Bailly Junior High School, assistant principal at West Side High School, principal at Emerson School for the Visual and Performing Arts, and acting principal at Theodore Roosevelt High School, all of the Gary Community School Corporation. In addition, Edwyna shares her educational expertise as an adjunct professor at Indiana Wesleyan University in their Masters of Education program. Edwyna is a former member of the College of Education’s Advisory Committee. “Edwyna’s commitment and dedication to making higher education available to non-traditional students from Northwest Indiana is inspirational,” says Phoebe Bailey, director of education programs for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. “She has an uncanny ability to connect with students and motivate them to learn. There are countless students in Northwest Indiana, Purdue and beyond who are better people thanks to Edwyna.”

Mike Koldyke (BS ’54) Mike Koldyke formed Frontenac Co., a venture capital and investment company in Chicago, and retired as an active member of the firm in 1993. He is committed to improving public education and promoting excellence in teaching in Chicago and throughout Illinois. He is founder and chair emeritus of the Golden Apple Foundation which recognizes and provides continuing support to outstanding teachers in Illinois. Mike has chaired the Chicago School Finance Authority and was instrumental in starting the Leadership Academy and Urban Network for Chicago (LAUNCH) program to prepare new principals in Chicago. He is founder and chairman of the Academy for Urban School Leadership, a program developed to train exceptionally talented prospective teachers. He also helped launch Chicago’s first contract schools, including the renowned Dodge Academy. In 1997 Mike was recognized by Purdue as an Old Master. Dominic Belmonte, president and CEO of the Golden Apple Foundation, says Mike is “a tireless, consistent and passionate advocate for change in education” and that his efforts will have a permanent and positive effect on teaching and the regard for teachers in Chicago.

Teresa Roche (BA ’79, MS ’81, PhD ’00) Teresa Roche is the vice president and chief learning officer at Agilent Technologies. She is the lead architect and portfolio manager of the company’s learning and leadership development solutions. Prior to joining Agilent, she was an executive for Hewlett-Packard and the Grass Valley Group and chaired the American Electronics Association’s National Human Resources Committee. In 2005 Purdue recognized Teresa as an Old Master. She has volunteered on the College of Education’s Gifted Education Research and Resource Institute (GER²I) advisory board and is currently a member of the college’s Dean’s Advisory Council. Teresa lives in Fort Collins, CO with her husband David and daughter Kate where they are involved in a number of community organizations. Betty Nelson, dean emeritus of students at Purdue, says “The fact that Teresa Roche serves as VP and chief learning officer at Agilent Technologies only vaguely hints at the intensity with which she lives and works every day, wherever in the world she may be. Her life is about connecting with others, capturing each moment, giving it purpose, seeing talents that can flourish with coaching.”

Mary Kay Sommers (PhD ’90) Mary Kay Sommers is the principal at Shepardson Elementary in the Poudre School District in Fort Collins, Colorado. She served as the president of the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) during the 2007-2008 school year. While president of the NAESP, Mary Kay worked with educational and political leaders from around the world, including former First Lady Laura Bush. She visited schools throughout the country, and testified before Congress on acts regarding education. Before moving to Colorado, Mary Kay was an elementary school teacher and principal in Indiana, including West Lafayette. She is a member of the inaugural School Leadership Academy Board and is active in the Colorado Association of Elementary School Principals. Jane Van Scoyoc, retired director of children’s ministries at First United Methodist Church, West Lafayette, says, ?Mary Kay has devoted her professional life to educating and nurturing children, to training and supporting teachers, and to improving the educational system nationwide? and that her lifelong dedication and outstanding skills in teaching and administrating make her well deserving of this award.

Phillip Wankat of West Lafayette, Ind. — Award of Distinction He received his master’s degree in education from Purdue in 1982. Wankat, Clifton L. Lovell Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering and Engineering Education and director of engineering education undergraduate degree programs, joined the Purdue faculty in 1970. He has supervised more than 40 master’s and doctoral students and is a key faculty member in the newly created department of engineering education at Purdue. Wankat is a member of the Indiana Project Lead the Way leadership team, which aims to create partnerships with schools to prepare students for success in science, engineering and engineering technology.

Barbara Downing of Wilmington, N.C. — Career Achievement Award Downing received a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and special education from Purdue in 1967. In 1981 she founded Tot Spot, LLC, where she serves as both director and teacher. Tot Spot, located in Wilmington, is a team of 21 caregivers, some of whom work full-time, part-time and on a substitute basis. Before founding Tot Spot, she served as a child-care advisory board member for Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington, was founder and director of Christ United Methodist Preschool in Shreveport, La., and was classroom teacher at Miami Elementary School in Lafayette, Ind.

Carol Lambdin of Dayton, Ohio — Mentor Award Lambdin received a bachelor’s degree in education from Purdue in 1967. She teaches first grade for Mad River Local Schools in Dayton. For the past 15 years, she has served as a mentor for the Mad River Local Schools’ Entry Year program, through which she has guided more than 40 teachers during their first year of teaching.

Dana Fairchild of Chicago — Young Educator Award Mackey received a master’s degree in education from Purdue in 1998. She works as a school counselor in Chicago Public Schools. Since joining the school system in 2000, she has developed a schoolwide, comprehensive guidance program, led faculty in-services and helped bring her school into compliance with national standards. Mackey also serves as a program director for Cabrini Connections in Chicago, bringing agencies, volunteers and fundraising events together in support of a tutoring and mentoring program for at-risk children.

Also honored at the ceremony was Maribeth Cassidy Schmitt, who received her bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees from Purdue in 1972, 1983 and 1987, respectively. Schmitt was awarded the Jean Adamson Stanley Faculty Chair in Literacy, established by Susan and Ronald Dollens in honor of Susan’s mother, Jean Adamson. Schmitt is a clinical professor of literacy and language education, assistant head of curriculum and instruction, and director of the Purdue Literacy Network Project. She is one of only 55 international trainers of teacher leaders for the Reading Recovery program. In 2003 the Indiana General Assembly passed a resolution honoring Schmitt for her contributions to literacy learning and instructional leadership in Indiana. She is a former editor of an international journal on early literacy and the lead author of a recently published book titled, “Changing Futures: The Influence of Reading Recovery in the United States.”