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Outstanding Alumni and Friends of the College of Education Fourteen Honorees to be recognized at annual event (COLLEGE PARK, MD — SEPTEMER 2004) -- As part of the American Education Week this November, the College of Education and its Alumni Chapter Board of the Directors will host a dinner and ceremony to recognize fourteen distinguished alumni for their achievements in the field of education. The college’s annual ceremony, "Celebrating Education: A Tribute to Teaching and Learning," will take place from 5:30 to 9 p.m. on Nov. 18 at the University of Maryland Inn and Conference Center. The Alumni Awards will be presented by the president of the College of Education Alumni Chapter, Jean Mullan `68, along with Dean of the College, Edna Mora Szymanski, Ph.D. Brief biosketches of the honorees are below. Here are this year’s recipients:
The cost to attend is $25 per person. To RSVP, contact Leslie Brice, 301.405.0903 or send an email to: lbrice@wam.umd.edu. Deadline for reservations is Nov.12.-end- College of Education 2004-05 Alumni Awards Honorees’ Bio-Sketches
Phillipp O’Dell is the 2004 Alumni Teacher of the Year. Currently a mathematics teacher at Eleanor Roosevelt High School, he also serves as an adjunct professor at the Rockville campus of Montgomery College and has mentored several College of Education student teaching interns through the Professional Development School established at Roosevelt. Phillip is a certified trainer in Classroom Organization and Management, and is highly commended by several sources for his creative, inspiring attitude towards teaching and mentoring. Phillipp was awarded a bachelor’s degree in mathematics education from the University of Maryland, College of Education in 1996. He also earned an M.S. in curriculum and instruction from Western Maryland College in 1999. Phillipp’s excitement for teaching, his creativity, positive attitude, strong knowledge of the content, genuine concern for his students, and deep commitment to his profession all contribute to his leadership role as an outstanding teacher and professional.
Mary Batcher is being recognized by the College for her outstanding work within her profession. A well-respected statistician for over 15 years, Batcher began her career at the National Center for Education Statistics. Through the years her consistently high caliber of work and demonstrated leadership eventually led to her appointment as Chief of Statistical Support Staff for the Statistics of Income Division of the Internal Revenue Service, where she directed several studies that received Congressional and media scrutiny. Batcher now serves as the National Director of Statistics and Sampling for the Washington offices of the National Tax Quantitative Economics and Statistics Group of Ernst and Young, LLP. Quite active in her field, Mary is a member and Fellow of the American Statistical Association, and has also served as president of both the Washington Statistical Society and the Caucus for Women in Statistics. In addition to having published and presented several statistical papers, she was an associate editor for the Journal of the American Statistical Association and is currently an associate editor for the Journal of Data Science. Mary earned her B.A. in sociology from the College of Education in 1972. She also holds an M.A. and Ph.D. in statistics from the University of Maryland.
Ronald S. Honberg has been a skillful practitioner of advocacy law in the mental health arena for over 12 years. In his present capacity as National Director for Policy and Legal Affairs of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI), he oversees the organization’s federal advocacy agenda along with its new Child and Adolescent Action Center. Ronald also develops policy on a wide range of mental health disorder issues and often represents NAMI’s positions before Congress, the Executive Branch, and various print and broadcast media. Frequently solicited as a source of expertise, he has authored a number of publications in his field and has served on the editorial boards for Forensic Panel and the American Bar Association’s Mental and Physical Disability Law Reporter. Ronald is a former president of the Maryland Rehabilitation Counseling Association, and presently sits on the board of directors of St. Luke’s House–a psychiatric rehabilitation program serving over 400 clients in Montgomery County, Md. He received a master’s in education from the College of Education and has a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Maryland School of Law.
Minnie L. Reynolds began her teaching career in Okinawa, Japan in 1968, and has since been a part of the Charles County Public School system for over 30 years. Minnie has continually exhibited strong leadership in her various capacities within the system, which included service as Supervisor of Staff Development, Coordinator of Staff Development and Employee Services, and Coordinator of Human Relations. Reynolds was named as Director of Minority Achievement and Multicultural Education in 1996, and in this role was a key contributor to the development of a model program that brought Charles County both state and national attention for its successful efforts in closing the academic racial achievement gap. Among her many notable professional affiliations, she is a member of the Maryland Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development, and sits on the Executive Board for the Education Association of Charles County. Minnie has made a number of presentations on the arena of education and has received several awards in recognition of her outstanding service in the field. She earned an Ed.D. in education from the University of Maryland in 1999. Minnie also has an M.A. from Bowie State University and a B.A. from Fort Valley State University.
Alicia Ardila-Rey is being awarded the Outstanding New Professional in Education Award. As Research Associate for the American Association for the Colleges of Teacher Education, she coordinates the Association’s research and policy work on early childhood education and multicultural education. In addition, Alicia directs the Holmes Scholars Program for minority doctoral students in education and manages the Association’s Special Study Groups. Supplementing her excellent research record, she has published in many top journals and has presented her papers at numerous local, national, and international conferences. Her service to the profession is extensive, encompassing her co-founding of Bolivar’s Association of Early Childhood Educators in Colombia as well as her involvement in such national organizations as the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the National Association for Multicultural Education. Alicia, originally from Cartagena, Colombia, earned both her Ph.D. and M.Ed. in human development from the University of Maryland. She also has a B.A. in early childhood education from the Universidad de San Buenaventura in Colombia.
Terence J. G. Tracey is considered among the most productive and impactive scholars in the fields of counseling, psychology, counselor education, and career development. In 1995 he was cited by the Journal of Counseling Psychology as the second most published author in the area of psychotherapy research. Terence has published over 100 refereed empirical studies and book chapters on such topics as client-therapist interaction in psychotherapy and its relation to outcome, interpersonal models of personality and psychotherapy, the structure and development of vocational interests, and minority student academic success. In 1999 he joined the faculty of Arizona State University. In addition to being a professor in the Division of Psychology in Education, Terence has served as Training Director of the University’s Counseling Psychology and Counselor Education programs, as well as Interim Associate Dean for Personnel and Programs at the College of Education. Among his professional affiliations, he is a fellow of both the American Psychological Association and the American Psychological Society. Terence is also a member of the American Educational Research Association and is currently an associate editor of the Journal of Counseling Psychology–the flagship journal of this profession. Terence was conferred his Ph.D. in counseling from the College in 1981. He received an M.S. in education from the University of Kansas in 1977 and a B.A. in psychology from Cornell University in 1974.
Marita Danek is a nationally renowned scholar and teacher in rehabilitation, specializing in disability public policy, counselor competencies, women’s issues, persons with hearing loss, and counseling and support services for persons with disabilities. Recently retired from Gallaudet University, she co-founded their Counseling Lab in 1982 and for over 20 years served as director of their Rehabilitation Counseling Program and then their Community Counseling Program. Throughout the course of her career Marita has published over 40 book chapters, monographs and articles. In addition, she has secured over one million dollars in training and research grants from both internal and external funding sources. Marita has been honored with several awards, including the American Counseling Association’s Research in Counseling Award (with Dean Edna Szymanski) in 1993. She also received the Research in Counselor Education and Supervision Award in 1991 from the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision. Marita earned both her Ph.D. and M.Ed. in counseling from the University of Maryland, and holds a B.A. in education from Catholic University of America.
Janice F. Almasi has distinguished herself as an outstanding scholar in education with her work to enhance children’s comprehension and learning through discussion of literature with their peers. Her research has become quite well-known through the publication of her books and several articles in peer reviewed journals, as well as her numerous presentations and key note addresses at various regional, national, and international conferences. Janice’s career began as an elementary school teacher and reading specialist in Maryland, where she received the Governor’s Citation for Outstanding Elementary School Teaching in 1989. She then reversed roles, becoming a student to pursue advanced degrees. Maintaining her high standard of work, her dissertation was selected for the International Reading Association Outstanding Dissertation Award and the National Reading Conference Outstanding Student Research Award–the two premier dissertation awards in reading education. Janice then held a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh’s Learning Research and Development Center before moving on to a faculty position at the Department of Learning and Instruction, University of Buffalo, SUNY. In 2004 she became a faculty member at the University of Kentucky and is now the Carol Lee Robertson Endowed Professor of Literacy Education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. Janice earned both a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction in 1993, and an M.Ed. in reading education from the College of Education in 1989, University of Maryland. She was conferred a B.S. in elementary education from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.
Jacqueline Leonard has distinguished herself as an outstanding new scholar with her stellar performance record in the field of mathematics teacher education. An active writer and researcher, she has been published by a premier publisher and her articles have appeared in several peer-reviewed journals. Jacqueline’s high caliber of research has successfully secured both external and internal funding, including significant grants from the National Science Foundation. Currently a faculty member at Temple University, she was recently tenured as an associate professor of mathematics education. Jacqueline received a Ph.D. in education from the University of Maryland in 1997. In 1994 she was awarded an M.T.S. in theology from Southern Methodist University, and in 1991 earned an M.A.T. in mathematical sciences from the University of Texas, Dallas. Jacqueline also holds a B.A. in elementary education from the Saint Louis University.
Edna May Merson has demonstrated outstanding leadership for over 40 years as a school principal in Maryland, as well as an instructor at the University of Maryland. Widely respected by her peers, she has served as president of a number of sizeable organizations such as the National Association of Elementary School Principals, the Maryland Retired Teachers Association, and the Maryland Association of Elementary School Principals. In 1988 she was sent to the Far East by the U. S. Department of Education as a consultant to the American Independent Schools. Edna also held the position of President, and for 12 years as Administrator for the Council of Educational Administrative and Supervisory Organizations of Maryland–an umbrella organization that comprises all the major administrative and supervisory organizations and sponsors one of the largest annual professional conferences for Maryland’s education professionals. Edna completed both her Ed.D. and M.A. from the University of Maryland. She received her B.S. from Towson University.
Timothy C. Muzzio is being commended for his outstanding leadership in education. Currently the Director, Special Projects Division of the Rehabilitation Services Administration at the U. S. Department of Education, Timothy has been a leading advocate of his field for many years. His efforts have greatly contributed to shaping legislation for improving the quality of rehabilitation counselors within the state and federal VR system, and in turn the quality of life of individuals with disabilities. Timothy is widely published and has made several presentations regarding his work with rehabilitation and disability-related issues. His tireless efforts on behalf of the disabled have been gratefully acknowledged with numerous peer recognition and leadership awards, including vice presidential awards for service and leadership. Timothy was awarded a Ph.D. and M.A. in human development from the University of Maryland in 1975 and 1980 respectively. He also holds B.A. degrees in psychology and sociology from Pennsylvania State University.
Patricia J. Jamison is widely recognized as an innovative leader in the field of special education. With the exception of a two-year period as Supervisor of Special Education for the United States Department of Defense Dependent Schools in Europe and one year as the Coordinator of Field Placements for the Special Education Department of the University of Maryland, she has served as a distinguished professional within the Prince George’s County Public Schools system for the majority of her illustrious career. During this period Patricia has assumed a variety of roles ranging from teacher and pupil personnel worker, to liaison with the UMD, to Director of Special Education for the County. During her tenure as director, Patricia re-organized and streamlined the operations of the Special Education Department to align with the goals of the school system, computerized the IEP process, expanded the Medicaid Recovery effort, created a Special Education Parent Center, began programs for students with autism, and developed additional programs for inclusion of students at their neighborhood schools. Although she retired recently from the PGCPS, she has agreed to fill the Supervisor of Special Education vacancy for the Kent County Public Schools, where she will continue to provide the benefit of her expertise and outstanding leadership on behalf of students with disabilities and their families. Patricia holds both a Ph.D. and M.Ed. in special education from the University of Maryland. She received her B.S. in education from Youngstown State University in Ohio.
Jane West has been named the Alumni Entrepreneur of the Year. She is a co-founding principal in the firm Washington Partners, LLC, and is highly respected as an expert in special education and disability policy with over 30 years of experience. Jane has served in various capacities throughout her career including as a teacher, educational administrator, legislative assistant, and researcher. As staff director of the Subcommittee on Disability Policy in the US Senate during the early 1980s, she guided the reauthorization of several laws such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Vocational Rehabilitation Act, and the Developmental Disabilities Act. Jane also served from 1987-88 as senior policy analyst for the Presidential Commission on the HIV Epidemic. In addition to providing consulting services for several organizations in her arena, she has published a number of articles on education and disability policy, and has developed and taught related courses at the University of San Francisco as well as Johns Hopkins University. Jane is very active in her professional community. She chairs the Partnership Development Board of the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, co-chairs the Education Task Force of the Consortium of Citizens with Disabilities, and is a board member of the Mitsubishi Electric America Advisory Board and the Committee for Education Funding–a national coalition of over 100 organizations. A current member of the College of Education’s Alumni Board, Jane received her Ph.D. in special education/disability policy from the College in 1988. She earned an M.A. in special education from Columbia University in 1974 and a B.A. in English from University of California, Santa Barbara in 1972.
Charles and Mary Ann Beatty are being honored for their distinguished service to the College of Education. Charles ‘Chuck’ Beatty first joined the University of Maryland family in 1966 when he was appointed to the Department of Industrial Education. He progressed to become an associate professor and later served as acting chair of the department. Beatty also directed the Maryland Vocational Curriculum and Research Center as well as the Office of Laboratory Experience. In 1995 he was named associate dean for student affairs in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. Quite active university-wide, Chuck served on the President’s Commission for Ethnic Minority Issues, and for 10 years was chair of the university’s Commencement Committee. He held local and national leadership positions in the Phi Delta Kappa education honorary along with the technology honoraries of Iota Lambda Sigma and Epsilon Pi Tau. He was also involved in directing many programs and presentations for the Technology Education Association of Maryland, the Maryland Association of Special Needs Personnel, and the International Technology Education Association. Chuck is the recipient of several awards for service to community from such organizations as the Knights of Columbus, the Boy Scouts of America, and the Montgomery and Prince George’s County Schools. In 1998 he retired from full-time work, but remained involved in coordination of the College of Education’s graduation as well as a variety of projects in the Office of the Dean. Beatty was awarded a Ph.D. in industrial arts education from The Ohio State University, and held an M.A. from Michigan State University and a B.S. from Northern Michigan University. |
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