Education Edge 2015-16

The Hybrid EdD Creating a better doctorate for change agent educators

behind the cover Whether at small town schools or flagship universities, the best education leaders know how to inspire students, motivate peers and push boundaries. That’s why UM's Hybrid EdD program makes advanced study accessible to working educators. We discussed this concept at length when planning the cover for this year’s edition of Education Edge. It never ceases to amaze us how new EdD students seek us out from all walks of life. At the heart of our program is a cohort model that allows everyone to grow, share and gain a new and diverse perspective on how to solve educational problems. This cover celebrates our outstanding group of more than 100 new doctoral students. We hope you enjoy reading about the other great things happening at the SOE!

e dge education

Dean David Rock, EdD

Copy Editor Benita Whitehorn

Associate Dean Amy Wells Dolan, PhD

Assistant Editor Elizabeth McCormick

Development Officer Billy Crews

Editorial Assistant Olivia Dear

Editor Andrew M. Abernathy

Photographers Kevin Bain Thomas Graning Robert Jordan

Art Director John McCustion

Contact Education Edge editor Andrew Abernathy at amaberna@olemiss.edu

Cover design by John McCustion

Be a Rebel

Teach IMAGINE • INNOVATE • INSPIRE

Daniel Hart (MA 16) Mississippi Teacher Corps

education.olemiss.edu @OleMissEdSchool

from the dean Dear Friends, More than two years ago, faculty members at the UM School of Education set out to rethink, reshape and reintroduce today’s education workforce to professionally focused education doctorates or Ed.D. degrees. Since then, I am proud to say that we’ve launched three new Ed.D. programs, accepted more than 100 high-caliber professionals and championed our “hybrid” approach to doctoral studies in higher education, educational leadership and secondary mathematics education. Today, applications and enrollment are surging in these programs.

The truth is that as the education profession changes, we must also change the way we train teachers, leaders and higher education personnel. As a member of the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate, we’ve learned what works for universities across the nation. We’ve also listened to our graduate students and learned how we can remove barriers that once blocked outstanding professionals from a doctoral education worthy of a flagship university. More importantly, we’ve designed programs that will produce measurable, real-world impact even before our students graduate.

Our “hybrid” approach combines multiple learning formats and is designed with working professionals in mind.

These programs are rigorous but also provide opportunity for professionals to be problem solvers and change agents in education Please enjoy this year’s issue of Education Edge and learn more about our new Ed.D. programs inside. Be sure to also read about the other exciting things happening in education at UM. Sincerely, David Rock, Ed.D. Dean, UM School of Education

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news 2016 impact award winners

Hart, Calhoun, Mullen and Smith recognized for teaching Four recent graduates from the SOE were awarded 2016 Griffin Family IMPACT in Education Awards in recognition of excellence in the classroom. The recipients include Mississippi Teacher Corps member Daniel Hart (MA 16), Patches Calhoun (MEd 09, EdS 16), Jamie Mullen (BAEd 16) and Mindi Smith (BAEd 16). After being recognized at the SOE’s annual awards ceremony on May 13, each received a $1,000 award. Award winners were nominated by their peers and were selected by SOE faculty. The IMPACT award was made possible by a 2013 donation from longtime UM benefactors Ed and Jan Trehern (BAEd 77), who created the award program in honor of Jan’s parents, Ralph and Jerry Griffin.

pre-k graduate center established

Center to support pre-K stakeholders in state The SOE established the Graduate Center for the Study of Early Learning last fall to support the growth of quality early childhood education programs in Mississippi. The new center provides valuable research findings and promotes collaborative leadership among pre-K stakeholders. Financed by the Phil Hardin Foundation in Meridian, the center is a continuation of UM’s prioritization of advancing early childhood education in the state. Cathy Grace (EdD 79) and Melody Musgrove serve as the center’s co-directors.

top rankings

Calhoun

Mullen education edge

UM among top 25 online graduate degrees in education U.S. News & World Report ranked UM among the nation’s top 25 institutions for online graduate degrees in education last spring, rising 10 spots from the 2015 rankings. The SOE now offers four graduate degrees and multiple graduate certificates completely online. The SOE began offering online degrees in 2010 and has since attracted online students from more than 15 states.

Hart

UM Online Programs

▶▶ M.Ed. in Elementary Education ▶▶ M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education ▶▶ M.A. in Higher Education ▶▶ Ed.S. in Play Therapy* ▶▶ Certificate in Program Evaluation ▶▶ Certificate in Emotional Behavior Disorders** ▶▶ Certificate in Gifted Education** * Designed for licensed mental health clinicians ** May also be applied or completed as part of a graduate degree in special education

Smith 2

the university of mississippi school of education annual report

cmse refunded!

Hearin Foundation continues support for critical center UM’s Center for Mathematics and Science Education received $1.6 million in funding from the Robert M. Hearin Support Foundation of Jackson last fall to support the improvement of statewide STEM education over the next three years. The grant marks the third time Hearin has renewed funding for CMSE, which celebrated 10 years of service last December. The center provides professional development for more than 1,000 Mississippi STEM educators each year as well as hands-on STEM education and outreach programs for thousands of K-12 students, leaving a direct impact on more than 66 percent of public school districts in the state.

Ongoing projects for the CMSE include the annual FTC Robotics competition and the Trebuchet Competition for Mississippi middle and high school students.

cmse launches c4 project

STEM education center receives $1.2 million startup grant to support math teachers This spring, the Mississippi Department of Education awarded the UM Center for Mathematics and Science Education a $1.2 million grant to fund the Creating Continuity and Connections across Content Project. The initiative, dubbed the “C4 Project,” seeks to enhance K-8 mathematics education and teacher performance. C4 focuses on establishing big-picture understanding of objectives and formative assessment training for teachers. This summer marked C4’s first two-week institute for select math teachers, and an annual conference is also in the works. C4’s grant funding comes from the partnerships between MDE and the U.S. Department of Education.

hall of fame

Five alumni honored for service Five UM alumni were inducted into the SOE Hall of Fame on May 13. Suzie Mills Adcock (BAEd 77), Jahnae H. Barnett (MBEd 76, PhD 72), Charles Robert Depro (MEd 70), Cathy Stewart (BAEd 78, MEd 81, EdD 95) and Cecil C. Brown Jr. (BA 66) make up the second SOE Hall of Fame class. Collectively, the group has 178 years of commitment to education. The honorees were selected by the SOE’s alumni board of directors after being nominated by peers and colleagues.

Robert Depro (left), Suzie Adcock, Cathy Stewart, Jahnae Barnett and Cecil Brown Jr.

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remembering dot henderson

taylor medalists

Community members plan memorial endowment LOU community members hope to establish a memorial endowment to honor Dorothy “Dot” Henderson, the University of Mississippi’s first African-American faculty member in education. Henderson, who passed away in December, served as an education instructor at the SOE from 1978 to 1998. Henderson was member in many local and state organizations, including the Mississippi Early Childhood Association and Head Start. The Henderson fund will benefit future SOE students.

SOE graduates receive UM’s highest academic honor Six SOE graduates received the Taylor Medal, UM’s highest academic award, in 2016. The recipients include Yasmin Ali (BAEd 16) of Southaven, Lauren Carson (BAEd 16) of Independence, Lauren Calvert Gabbard (BAEd 16) of Canton, Amber McFarland (BAEd 16) of Houston, Mary Ogden (BAEd 16) of Bellevue, Washington, and Summer Sharplin (BAEd 16) of Ripley. Taylor Medals recognize no more than 0.45 percent of undergraduates, regardless of campus, who have earned at least a 3.90 gradepoint average. Dr. William A. Taylor of Booneville established the UM award in 1904 in memory of his son, an honored 1871 alumnus of the university.

ole miss bot battle!

CMSE hosts statewide robotics tournament The Center for Mathematics and Science Education hosted the fourth annual Mississippi FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) Robotics Tournament for middle and high school students in February.

The tournament provides students with the opportunity to pilot robots of their own design while applying STEM skills in competition. Fifteen UM students served as volunteers at the FTC Challenge and 22 out of 37 teams across the state competed at the event. From there, four teams moved on to compete in the South Super Regional FTC and one Mississippi team made it to the FTC World Championship.

mtc alumni honored Calhoun

Carson

Gabbard

McFarland

Ogden

Sharplin

Husband and wife receive inaugural scholarship Derek (MA 12, EdS 14) and Kelly (MA 12) King are the inaugural recipients of the Andrew P. Mullins Jr. MTC Alumni Scholarship. The endowed scholarship is available to Mississippi Teacher Corps alumni who have at least three years of teaching experience in K-12 education and wish to pursue an advanced degree at UM. Kelly, the instructional coach for North Panola High School, and Derek, the assistant principal at North Panola Middle School, both played key roles in North Panola’s drastic graduation rate turnaround in recent years. After their graduate studies, the Kings hope to continue pursuing opportunities in education.

metp in british columbia

Study abroad offers international perspective on teaching Last June, 13 undergraduate fellows in the Mississippi Excellence in Teaching Program traveled to British Columbia to study education topics at the University of British Columbia and to collaborate with hosting schools. In BC, METP students focused on the relationships between different classroom subjects and big-picture skills. With one of the most valuable scholarships in the nation, METP has attracted four cohorts at UM. The new group hails from 13 states and has an average ACT score of 29.7.

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METP fellows Lydia Hall (left), Anna Claire Kelly, Ben Logan and Abby Null on the UBC campus

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book to examine wwii service of longtime soe professor Naval Institute Press to publish book inspired by Rocky Boyer’s wartime diaries Rocky Boyer’s War, a forthcoming World War II history, promises to cast new light on a well-remembered figure from SOE history.

Roscoe A. Boyer, aka “Rocky,” taught educational psychology at UM from 1955 until 1989. Few UM students knew that Professor Boyer was once Lt. Boyer and had served in a fighter-bomber squadron in the Pacific theater.

Boyer rarely talked about the war, but he wrote about it in a wartime diary that he kept in 1943 and 1944, during a journey from Laurel Army Air Base to New Guinea and the Philippines.

Diaries were forbidden to servicemen, but Rocky faithfully recorded casualties, accidents, shenanigans and snafus. He knew characters worthy of Catch-22, including combat flyers who played contract bridge, officers who played politics, quartermasters and chaplains who stood up to colonels. His story covers 2,000 miles of front-line airfields, two battles and a scandal.

Boyer’s diary is at the heart of the book to be published next spring. The text is written Roscoe A. Boyer, 1943

by Allen Boyer, Rocky’s son, a lawyer, writer and book reviewer for The New York Times.

Rocky Boyer’s War will be published in spring 2017 by the Naval Institute Press (Annapolis, Maryland). It will be available in hardback and as an e-book.

UM student Nicole Johnson is one of many Jumpstart volunteers statewide.

one giant leap for jumpstart

Pre-K program plans expansion Jumpstart plans to expand by partnering with other Mississippi universities under SOE leadership. A national organization that helps children prepare for kindergarten by developing literacy skills, Jumpstart is coordinated through UM’s Center for Excellence in Literacy Instruction (CELI). Since Mississippi does not offer universal pre-K, there is a huge need for support across the state. For years, UM housed the state’s only Jumpstart chapter until partnering with the Mississippi University for Women last year. A new Jumpstart expansion at the University of Southern Mississippi is also beginning thanks to CELI staff.

“We’re excited to continue Jumpstart in the state as we work to prepare Mississippi’s youngest learners for kindergarten,” said Olivia Morgan, Jumpstart program manager for CELI.

UM’s 2016 Principal Corps recruits kicked off their orientation in June with a trip to the Rebel Challenge Course.

principal corps admits eighth cohort

SOE senior Emily Reynolds (center) works with students on ACT preparation at Coffeeville High School.

Innovative program fosters change leadership in schools Seventeen educators from across the state make up the eighth cohort of the Principal Corps, UM’s elite program for aspiring school leaders. The rigorous 13-month program prepares Mississippi teachers for P-12 leadership and awards its graduates with a master’s or specialist degree in educational leadership from UM. The Principal Corps combines graduate course work with two fulltime internships at Mississippi school districts. All graduates make a five-year commitment to stay in Mississippi after graduating and receive a $10,000 bonus upon signing a contract and beginning work. Following the program’s 2016 orientation, the cohort set aside some time for team-building exercises at UM’s Rebel Challenge Course.

team 36

SOE undergrads aid high school students with ACT prep Nine UM students volunteered their time and talents in 2016 to help launch Team 36, a nonprofit dedicated to providing ACT test preparation for rural schools.

During the fall and spring, SOE volunteers partnered with schools in Coffeeville, Sardis and Water Valley and offered high school students intensive ACT workshops aimed at helping students improve their current test scores.

Established with support from the CREATE Foundation in Tupelo, Team 36 had a positive impact on more than 100 students this year.

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ways to make a difference With Your Gift to the SOE Dear Friends,

In 2016, we raised the most philanthropic support in the history of the Ole Miss School of Education. And yet, we are among the lowest ranked units in terms of dollars raised at UM. We intend to build on our recent success and change our position in 2017 with your support.

We are building momentum that will impact thousands of lives through education, the most important profession in our country. At the end of the last fiscal year, we had received $812,393 in actual dollars and new pledge commitments from 325 donors. We received two $250,000 commitments and hundreds of other gifts ranging from $25 to $25,000.

Here are five ways you can invest in education and help the SOE become the most impactful education school in the nation. to our Annual Fund – Join Gail Jones (M.Ed. 1. Contribute 75) from Stone Mountain, Georgia. She and her husband

Randy made a $2,500 annual fund contribution in 2016.

She is just one of 287 Annual Fund donors who are making a difference. Last year, we raised $49,920. This year, our goal is to exceed $100,000 from 500 donors to fund scholarships, student awards and program innovations.

The 1903 Society – This newly re-organized and 2. Join re-named society celebrates the year our SOE was

established. Our goal is to achieve our first $1 million endowment from 100 members who will make a $10,000 contribution (payable over two years). Beth Cleveland (B.A.Ed. 87) and her husband John joined this past year.

Help us raise at least $200,000 per year over the next three years. The 1903 Society funds our Academic Enhancement Endowment to support strategic SOE priorities. All donors will be permanently recognized in Guyton Hall with a metal etched picture on our wall display.

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a Scholarship – Billie Ruth Moore (B.A. 54, M.Ed. 3. Start 55), who grew up in Tupelo and now lives in Birmingham,

completely funded a $25,000 endowment with a $10,000 gift this past year. Her pledged commitment was paid over several years. Her scholarship will be given in memory of her parents, who put her through Ole Miss though they had not gone to college themselves. From now on, one SOE student will always receive a $1,250 scholarship in the name of Ralph and Elizabeth Armstrong.

a Designated Gift – What is important or mean4. Make ingful in your life? You can designate your gift to honor

someone who shares your passion. The Trehern Family Foundation of Ocean Springs funded the Griffin Family Impact Awards, which gives four $1,000 awards each year to Ole Miss education students who display excellence in the classroom. Jan Trehern (B.A.Ed. 77) and her husband Ed, honored Jan’s parents with this designated gift.

a Legacy Gift Through Your Will or Insurance Pol5. Leave icy – You can make a commitment now and fund it from your assets later. A Deferred/Planned Gift is a great way to make a significant and lasting impact. Pam (PhD 00) and Jerome Smith (B.A. 48 MA 51) have degrees from the SOE, spanning from 1948 to 2000. Their $10,000 life insurance gift was just another way for them to give back to UM. You will become a member of the Ole Miss 1848 Society through planned gifts.

What impact did the School of Education make on you as a student? Think of the difference you can make through supporting the SOE today!

Respectfully, Billy Crews Development Officer, UM School of Education

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e d u c a t i o n

TIME MACHINE Remembering MTC’s first cohort 1989-90

by Olivia Dear

The Mississippi Teacher Corps has a history of excellence. Established in 1989 by Andrew P. Mullins and Amy Gutman, MTC was originally modeled on the ideas of the Peace Corps, in which recent college graduates from across the nation would come and teach in high-poverty schools in Mississippi. MTC’s first cohort included 24 students who began their journey in 1990 and came from states as far as Washington and Maryland. Most cohort members were placed at schools in northern Mississippi and the Delta. At the time, MTC was a one-year program and did not have a degree-granting curriculum.

Much has changed since the first cohort stepped foot on UM’s campus. A few years after its launch, MTC became fully funded by the Mississippi Legislature. Additionally, a two-year commitment and a Master of Arts degree in curriculum and instruction were added to the program.

Andrew P. Mullins addresses MTC’s first recruits at the School of Education.

Today, the 2016 cohort consists of 25 new teachers, who hail from universities as far as Oregon and New Mexico. Most have been placed in schools in northern Mississippi. MTC now offers a bonus to its graduates who continue teaching in Mississippi schools for a third year, an incentive to continue fostering change. The program also runs the MTC Summer School in Holly Springs as a training facility for its new recruits. MTC’s legacy continues to grow. More than 600 teachers have come through the program, making a positive impact in critical-needs schools across Mississippi.

Olivia Dear is a UM undergraduate and editorial assistant for Education Edge.

Mississippi novelist Barry Hannah (white shirt) meets with MTC’s first cohort at Square Books.

MTC’s charter cohort began teacher education classes in 1989.

MTC recruits hold class at the School of Education circa 1989.

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cutting edge undergraduate DARBY STARKS

Elementary education President, Teachers of Tomorrow Hometown: Flowood, Mississippi Teachers of Tomorrow

TOT is an opportunity to connect with people in the same field. We learn a lot from each other, and we work on professional development at meetings. I think this experience helps shape how I will be as a teacher by learning from other people and learning from guest speakers at our meetings.

Personal strengths

I think my biggest strength is that I have struggled as a student in the past. I know what that feels like. I know the importance of catering to that student and working to pull the best out of that student. I know I’ve had teachers who have done that for me and teachers who haven’t. Having that firsthand experience gives me a leg up when working with students who struggle.

Why she teaches

I like the service. I like that every day is different and that I have the opportunity to change or influence. I like that I can provide emotional support for students, but I’m also there for academics.

Her role model

I look up to all teachers but most specifically my mom. She’s been an educator for as long as I can remember, and she really embodies what it means to be a great teacher. She loves her job, and she does it to the fullest. She’s the first one at the school in the morning and the last one to leave. If I can be half the educator that my mom is, then I’ll be a good one.

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cutting edge graduate student DANIELLE WATSON

M.A. in higher education President, Black Graduate and Professional Student Association Inspire2Lead founder Hometown: Madison, Alabama Student affairs

One of the core values in student affairs is keeping students first, and that’s really my philosophy, making sure that we’re keeping students first at all times because that’s what we’re here for. I want to make sure that we’re keeping them at the forefront of decision making for the university.

A career with passion

In higher education, you get to remain young because you’re always around students.

Everybody that I’ve been around in this field is youthful because of this. I love being able to work with students and see them grow. I love seeing students’ growth between when they first get here and when they graduate.

Inspire2Lead

The program is about reaching out to young girls and inspiring them to be leaders, even when it’s not cool to be a leader. A lot of young girls don’t have leadership role models and don’t know what a leader is, or why it’s important to be one. My goal through Inspire2Lead is to help young girls grow and become leaders in their cities.

Thinking ahead

I want to work in athletics as a learning specialist or an academic counselor. I just really have a passion for athletes. My ultimate goal is to become an athletics director at the college level.

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cutting edge faculty

RYAN NIEMEYER

PhD 08 Director, Mississippi Excellence in Teaching Program (METP) Interim chair of leadership and counselor education Associate professor, educational leadership Coordinator, recruitment and outreach 2016 Outstanding Service Award Hometown: Lumberton, Mississippi Four jobs

Having so many roles can be extremely timeconsuming. If you’re juggling multiple things, the key is to have really good, competent people working with you. I have great people who work with me, so I can delegate tasks.

It’s a team effort, really. It’s not just me.

METP leadership

My work with METP has substantiated my belief that the way to improve education in Mississippi is through quality teaching and leadership. To have quality teaching, you have to start with a quality person. METP draws the best. What we’re trying to do is give them the macro view of all the forces and factors affecting education. I would love to produce teachers who could come in and see the big picture. My belief is that teachers are truly the first line of leadership.

Proudest moment

A really proud moment for me is coming up next spring — the first class of METP will walk across the graduation stage. A lot of people didn’t think we could move the needle with METP, and now we’re inducting a cohort of 30 kids this year. I’m pretty proud of that.

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cutting edge staff

OLIVIA MORGAN

BAEd 12, MEd 13 Literacy teacher and Jumpstart program manager, Center for Excellence in Literacy Instruction Hometown: San Antonio, Texas Jumpstart management

Growing up, all I wanted to do was teach young children. With Jumpstart, I don’t always get to work with children, but I work with college students who do. So this is something I never had in mind. But through this work, my reach is even bigger than I could have imagined.

So, instead of working with one class, I’m able to work with college students who work with multiple classes of children, and they’re able to do that good work and change lives.

Teaching philosophy

My teaching philosophy means making sure that all children feel welcome and feel that they’re in a safe environment to learn. I really believe that when children feel safe and loved and happy, they learn better. So I try to do whatever I can to teach children the skills they need, but also provide a safe and comfortable environment to learn and grow.

On teaching well

A quality teacher is compassionate and caring but also knowledgeable and willing to work.

Teaching isn’t a job where you can just let things happen. You have to be prepared and really be ready to work.

Advice for students

Don’t try to plan too much, but also work hard. What ends up happening in class can be better than your original plans. Don’t be upset if things don’t go the way that you thought they would in the beginning. What’s to come can be even better. the university of mississippi school of education annual report

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cutting edge alumna

EFIA MENTUHOTEP

MEd 12 Dean of STEM, Freedom Preparatory Academy, Memphis, Tennessee Hometown: Quitman, Mississippi Teaching philosophy

You’ll hear, “All children can learn,” but if we say that’s true and we agree, we also have to recognize that they don’t all learn the same.

Think back to kindergarten when you had a list of things you needed to accomplish. You had to write your name, you had to tie your shoes — all of these things were on the star chart. So when you completed a task, you got a star. Your teacher didn’t say, “It’s one week into school and you didn’t tie your shoes, so you’re going to fail.”

Road to Ole Miss

The Center for Mathematics and Science Education (CMSE) made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. I was teaching at the same high school that I graduated from in Quitman, and I was going through a quarter-life crisis. At some point, a co-worker told me about this great professional development program, so we went. At the conference, the CMSE’s Dr. Alice Steimle, talked about scholarship and fellowship opportunities. It’s an offer you can’t refuse — to earn your advanced degree for free and do something that you love.

Personal strengths

I have a sense of humor. You have to have a sense of humor in this profession; if not, you’ll go crazy because children are children.

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the university of mississippi school of education annual report

cutting edge alumnus BEN STEPP

MEd 16 Counselor Education Grad Hometown: Fairbanks, Alaska A soldier, a cop, a counselor

I spent 15 years in the military. Many of those years were in leadership positions in an infantry platoon. It was my responsibility to take care of my soldiers. Sometimes I had to be a parent figure and sometimes I had to be a counselor to the men. You never know what will come your way when you’re dealing with a multicultural group of guys from every walk of life.

I also spent seven years as a police officer at Ole Miss. I went on countless calls for individuals in crisis. Every day was different, and I spent a lot of time with the counselors on campus who were called to these crisis calls.

My experience is so much more than just my military and police service. Traveling the world, talking to different people from so many different places, and two combat tours have helped me learn how to have empathy for people.

His service dog

Arleigh is a 3-year-old Labrador retriever mix. She was saved from a kill shelter in Pennsylvania by K9s for Warriors. K9s did all the training with her to get her certified. She was selected for me through their process of matching warriors with PTSD with dogs. I spent three weeks at K9s for Warriors in Ponte Vedra, Florida, to receive training with Arleigh.

A canine in class

At first, going to class with Arleigh was a little unsettling because she and I hadn’t bonded completely. It was a process, and it took a couple of months for her to pick up on when I was getting stressed. But as soon as we figured each other out, it was smooth sailing. the university of mississippi school of education annual report

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YEARS and still

TEACHING After five decades, Missouri teacher Bob Depro’s classroom influence is still growing

by Liz McCormick McCormick is a graduate student in integrated marketing communications at UM

Bob Depro (M.Ed. 70) has taught American history for more than half a century, and he’s still teaching. The Missouri teacher’s accomplished career at both Sikeston Senior High School, where he taught from 1966 through 2000, and Southeast Missouri State University, is filled with accolades and honors — including being named the Missouri Teacher of the Year and a National Teacher of the Year finalist in 1988.

But, ask Depro what he is most proud of in his life’s work, and he will tell you that it’s the impact he’s made on more than 10,000 students thus far.

Today, he is a member of the SOE Hall of Fame and still teaches at Southeast Missouri State’s Sikeston campus in a dual-enrollment program that allows high school seniors to receive college credits.

The alumnus is also the SOE’s largest individual benefactor in the school’s 113-year history. Last fall, Depro committed $250,000 to establish the Bob Depro Education Excellence Scholarship Endowment for Social Studies Majors.

The lifelong teacher created the fund in hopes of providing future social studies teachers with the financial support to pursue a master’s degree at Ole Miss.

Education Edge assistant editor Liz McCormick sat down with Depro last May (before his Hall of Fame induction ceremony) to discuss his five-decadeslong experience in teaching.

Q You began teaching in 1966. How has your teaching changed? oday, there’s a lot more technology. Who could imagine in 1966, all of the A Tcomputers, smart boards and all the tools you use for teaching in the classroom today? I also find that students are more informed — as far as their worldview — in part because of the increased access to information. But you have to remember they’re still kids, and they still have to be guided; it’s just that the guidance comes in a little different way today.

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are your plans now that you have completed 50Q How have your students changed and improved?

Q What plus years in the classroom? has made students more aware overall, with A Toneechnology exception: their writing skills. They’re used to comput- A As long as I physically feel like teaching and as long as I ers and cutting and pasting. The idea of sitting down and feel like I’m doing a good job, I’m going to continue. And, composing with their own words is something students find very difficult, and I make them do that. It can be very painful for them at first because they’re not used to that.

Q

You received your master’s degree from Ole Miss in 1970.

How did you decide to pursue your graduate degree here, after graduating from Southeast Missouri State?

A

When I was an undergraduate, one of my professors said, “If you’re going to pursue an advanced degree, go somewhere else. People will think it’s worth more because you don’t know the teachers and you have to start all over again.” So, I came down to Ole Miss for a visit. I fell in love with Oxford and the university — it’s just a gorgeous place.

was your experience at Ole Miss like as a part-time Q What graduate student?

A

At the beginning of the summer, I would teach until Friday, get in the car and come here on Sunday. When I finished the second summer session, I’d get in the car, go home and start teaching again. Thank God I was young — I don’t think I could do that today.

is a pipeline of students from Sikeston, Missouri, Q There who attend Ole Miss. How and why have you encouraged students to come here?

I think they feel more comfortable here. Sikeston is not a A large town; the whole school town is only about 22,000

people. At the University of Missouri, 75 percent of their students come from Kansas City and St. Louis; it’s a big metropolitan-type environment. Here in Oxford, it’s small town. Kids can come from small communities like theirs.

Oxford’s a very friendly, gracious place. And, I don’t have to push very hard — I just encourage them to come down and take a look. All you have to do is get them on campus!

I think you know when it’s time to quit. I’ve had colleagues tell me that, and I firmly believe it.

dollars is a huge gift, and it’s the largest Q Agiftquarter-million we’ve had from an individual donor. What does it mean to you to be the first person to have made such a donation?

work with a lot of young teachers, and I ask them, “Why A Idon’t you go and get an advanced degree?” And they all

say the same thing, “We can’t afford it.” So through this donation, even if it only helps one student a semester, I’m helping young people in my field to earn a master’s degree.

Q What do you want recipients of your scholarship to know? want them to know that if they want to stay in the profesA Ision, there’s more than just becoming a principal or a counselor. They can stay in the classroom and become a great teacher. That’s where the action is, it’s where the rubber hits the road. It’s people and student contact that’s important.

Q Do you have any advice for SOE students?

Learn as much as you can, and never turn down an opA portunity to increase your knowledge. I’ve gone all over

the country taking programs and increasing my knowledge. It’s not just textbook material; it’s what you can do to enliven and enrich the textbooks that’s important.

received several professional honors throughout Q You’ve your career. What are you most proud of? most proud of when a student comes back and says, A “II’mremember what you taught me, and I’m so appreciative of what you did for me.” That’s what’s important. Awards mean nothing, really. It’s the kids who later in life begin to appreciate what they’ve learned and hopefully become better citizens who matter the most.

Q What is your favorite lesson to teach?

Do you keep in touch with former students?

Q That’s hard to say, but I enjoy the Civil War, the Kennedy A Administration, the Kennedy assassination. … I’m a child A All of them, yes. of the war in Vietnam, so I really enjoy teaching about Vietnam and its impact. I enjoy talking about FDR, how Q What are your hobbies and interests outside of education? he transformed the economy during the Great Depression and why that was necessary. Most of the kids I have today A I announce all of our high school football, basketball, come from privileged families, so government intervenwrestling and baseball games. That’s my way of staying tion and government help is a dirty word. But they have to realize what the Depression was like and why he had to do what he did. So, I try to make them aware of the changes that were necessary.

the university of mississippi school of education annual report

in contact with students at Sikeston High. I sing in my church choir, I’m an avid reader and I enjoy traveling. I stay very active. I’m 71, but I still feel like I’m 30, even if my body tells me differently at times.

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education edge

The ‘HYBRID’ Ed.D.

by Andrew M. Abernathy

UM integrates mixed learning formats and problem-solving dissertations to launch professional doctorates

f

or decades, a debate has brewed among higher education professionals about the primary purpose for — and difference between — the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees. Often the distinction has come down to a handful of research courses, foreign language proficiency or just the institutional preference in degree title.

But at the University of Mississippi School of Education (SOE), faculty has made strides to clarify UM’s position in this arena in the last two years. With UM’s launch of three new Ed.D. programs since 2014, the SOE now prepares a growing number of education professionals to conduct applied research with measurable, real-world impact and a focus on professional practice.

“For years, we offered the same Ph.D. for all of our graduate students, and the program was designed to prepare you for a faculty position at a college or university,” said Amy Wells Dolan, SOE associate dean and a key figure in the growth of UM’s Ed.D. programs. “But, the truth is, most of our doctoral students have sought us out for advancement in their current career paths, and the Ph.D. did not

At a Glance

Look at UM’s Ed.D. current cohorts Higher Education Cohort 1

best serve this population. So, a practitioner-focused Ed.D. is how we are responding to this need to benefit educational institutions across the state.”

Today, the SOE’s new Ed.D. programs are specifically designed for fulltime professionals and use a “hybrid” approach, requiring a combination of weekend classes and online learning and require three years of continuous study.

UM’s hybrid Ed.D. is cohort-based, rigorously paced, result-focused and designed for individuals who have the potential to be, or are already acting as, change agents in educational institutions across Mississippi and beyond.

Major Growth In many ways, the SOE’s take on the Ed.D. is not unlike other professional doctorates that have become more popular in recent years such as the Doctor of Nursing Practice or the Doctor of Health Administration, which provide a terminal degree for licensed, health care professionals.

But, what’s most notable about the SOE’s new doctoral programs has been the surge in applications and enrollment. For the first time, more than 100 Ed.D. students are enrolled at UM. With Ed.D. programs in K-12 educational leadership, higher education and secondary mathematics education, the SOE is recording exponential growth in its admissions stats.

For instance: In the SOE’s Department of Leadership and Counselor Education, which administers the educational leadership and higher education programs, the number of doctoral applications surged from 48 in 2014 to 85 in 2015 (a 77 percent jump) following the initial announcement of the new Ed.D. programs. From 2015 to 2016, that same metric saw 41 percent growth, rising to 120 applications. Additionally, the Department of Teacher Education will induct its first cohort of eight to 10 secondary mathematics education Ed.D. students this fall.

Ed.D.

43 students 11 institutions represented

Cohort 2

27 students 7 institutions represented

Higher Education Cohort 1

43 students 11 institutions represented

Higher Education Cohort 1

Cohort 2

27 students 7 institutions represented

43 students 11 institutions represented

Cohort 2

27 students 7 institutions represented

Overall, this influx of Ed.D. students represents a 6.5 percent increase in all SOE graduate applications.

This is a significant milestone for the SOE as it continues rethinking, diversifying and transforming its graduate programs to better prepare today’s education workforce.

“I am extremely excited about this dynamic restructuring by our faculty for professionals in the field of education,” said David Rock, SOE dean. “If we want to have the best-trained teachers, K-12 leaders and higher education professionals, then we have to rethink how we train professionals to meet the needs of these changing professions.”

CPED Connection Designing and launching practitioner-focused doctorates has been years in the making at UM. As a member of the Carnegie Project for the Education Doctorate (CPED), a consortium of more than 80 colleges and universities dedicated to redefining and improving the role of the education doctorate, the SOE has explored the creation of new Ed.D. programs since 2011.

Through CPED, the SOE faculty has studied the most effective models for professional doctoral training in education. As a CPED-affiliated program, UM’s Ed.D. programs are centered on the principles of equity, ethics and social justice, and the search for solutions to complicated problems in the practice of education.

With these principles in mind, the launch of UM’s first Ed.D. program in higher education in 2014 revealed a substantial amount of demand. The first higher education cohort ac-

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cepted 46 highly qualified applicants and has retained 42 to date.

“We were so impressed with not only the number of applications we received right out of the gate, but also the quality and the variety of people who were interested in the program,” said John Holleman, SOE director of graduate studies. “We have several individuals who already hold doctorates and teach in fields like physical therapy. There are student affairs professionals, athletics professionals, MBAs, IT specialists and financial affairs people. So it really covers several domains and allows students to study the field from a variety of perspectives.”

Breaking Down Barriers In years past, the traditional Ph.D. route — which the SOE still offers — presented several problems for education professionals. For instance, the SOE’s Ph.D. classes are offered primarily on weeknights and the program is designed with full-time students in mind. For part-time students pursuing a Ph.D. in education, the entire process can take anywhere from four to seven years.

This was the dilemma that faced Kim Barnes (MA 07), executive coordinator to the chancellor at UM. Barnes, who has worked at UM for more than 20 years and has earned both a bachelor’s degree in family and consumer sciences and a master’s degree in higher education while working full time, hopes to use her doctoral experience to identify ways to improve higher education for nontraditional students, a challenge she herself has tackled in her own experiences. education edge

“I was excited because the program has full-time employees in mind,” Barnes said. “We know before each semester when and where our Saturday classes will be scheduled, and we can better plan for them. The program requires a firm commitment and sacrifices to complete. However, I believe the end result will be worth it.”

For education professionals in other communities across the state, the nature of the program makes doctoral study possible and pragmatic. For Krystal Berry, a training and professional development specialist for the Mississippi Community College Board in Jackson, the higher education Ed.D. appealed to the veteran educator for multiple reasons.

“For me, a big reason (for pursuing the Ed.D.) is the University of Mississippi’s excellent reputation,” said Berry, who already holds an MBA and an education specialist degree from Arkansas State University. “That, and the decision to make the program a hybrid of online and face-to-face learning. Without that flexibility, this would have never happened for me.”

Before taking her current role in the community college system, Berry held teaching positions at Arkansas State and at Helsinki Metropolia University in, Helsinki, Finland. She said she hopes her doctoral studies will allow her to focus on inclusive education in the community college system. The mother of an autistic child with ADHD, her current research explores how to help instructors and administrators more effectively teach students with similar challenges.

“For me, a big reason (for pursuing the Ed.D.) is the decision to make the program a hybrid of online and face-to-face learning. Without that flexibility, this would have never happened for me.”

— Krystal Berry

training and professional development specialist, Mississippi Community College Board

What ‘Hybrid’ Means At the heart of UM’s Ed.D. design is accessibility so that education professionals can overcome hurdles standing between themselves and a terminal degree. The “hybrid” curriculum, which combines multiple approaches to teaching and learning, helps tear down those hurdles.

How it works: All three programs combine elements of face-to-face and online course work. However, each program tailors this approach, depending on program needs.

For example, in the K-12 educational leadership Ed.D. program, which inducted its first cohort of 16 school leaders from across north and central Mississippi last fall, the hybrid approach means offering a few courses 100 percent online while also creating a face-to-face weekend classroom that moves locations throughout the semester.

By working with cohort members to secure classroom locations within their school districts, the doctoral students now have the opportunity to not just learn with each other but also see and appreciate their peers’ work environments firsthand. The program is currently rotating classes every third weekend in three locations.

In the higher education Ed.D. program, there are no purely online courses. Instead, each course integrates online elements into it, allowing students to meet face to face once a month for daylong seminars and communicate the rest of the time online and on their time. On class days, students meet on Saturday mornings at 8 a.m. and do not leave until after 8 p.m.

Currently, two higher education cohorts with 70 students combined from across Mississippi and neighboring states are in progress. To accommodate this group, class locations rotate between Oxford and Jackson, where the group holds classes at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

Such flexibility was a major at-

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traction to Robin Davis, the academic fieldwork coordinator and an associate professor in UMMC’s occupational therapy program.

“The need for credentials in my field is changing, so I needed an upgrade,” said Davis, who hopes to develop a new service-learning project for her program as part of her dissertation.

“I have an extensive background in health care, so I thought that expanding my training into education would help me more in my faculty position.”

An experienced educator and clinician, Davis has long held a faculty role, but her position has never required a doctorate. As her program makes a move from a professional master’s degree toward a professional doctorate, she will be able to play more of a leadership role in her evolving department with an Ed.D. In the secondary mathematics education Ed.D. program, the hybrid approach will also combine online and traditional course work, but the Department of Teacher Education is taking a more targeted strategy in admissions.

In an effort to make a measurable impact on individual school districts in the state, the program is accepting cohort members exclusively from one school district at a time. The first cohort starting this fall will work with teachers from the Rankin County School District and hold classes in multiple locations.

“When we set out to do this, we wanted to design a program that could implement a culture change within an entire school and district in terms of how mathematics is taught,” said Allan Bellman, UM associate professor of mathematics education.

the university of mississippi school of education annual report

The DiP is integrated into the Ed.D. curriculum early on to ensure the graduate students are on track to finish in three years. This means solidifying a dissertation topic and beginning research in the first year of study.

Jay Cossey (EdS 12), principal of Pope School in the South Panola School District, is using his dissertation research to improve mathematics skills among third-, fourth- and fifth-graders. His study will require his teachers to divide students into various small groups to address deficiencies, and each group will work with multiple teachers to allow for students to respond to different teaching styles.

The study will require buy-in from his faculty, and as a result, he’s exposed the teachers to the latest pedagogical research in math instruction.

“The dissertation in practice allows you to live out your research and integrate it into your profession,” said Cossey, who has led the school of 540 students since March. “What we’re doing here is very practical, and at this point, my teachers believe in it — they’ve read the research. For me, I don’t think leadership is telling people how a situation is going to be. I think you have to help them discover solutions to problems. That’s what the Ed.D. promotes.”

Dissertation in Practice UM’s approach to the Ed.D. doesn’t preclude research. In fact, it prioritizes it from an applied, real-world perspective.

While, the traditional Ph.D. dissertation encourages an extensive examination of a research question, often from a theoretical perspective, the Dissertation in Practice (DiP) for a UM Ed.D. requires that doctoral students directly address and propose a solution to a current problem at an educational institution.

Throughout the DiP process, the Ed.D. students must explore a problem, develop an action plan, apply the plan and evaluate their execution in their dissertation. The research should have a tangible and measurable effect. The process should encourage graduates to be more research based in their everyday actions.

“The format encourages students to examine and apply the current research on best practices,” said Doug Davis, UM’s interim director of doctoral programs in education leadership. “We want our Ed.D. students to always compare their practice to what the research says. For many students, much of their formal education has been an abstraction. So establishing a culture where what we do in class is directly linked to their profession is our challenge.”

Ed.D. Application Boom Hybrid approach brings new interest 120 100 80

120

60

85

40 20 0

48 2014

(41% growth)

(77% growth)

2015

Andrew M. Abernathy is a UM communications specialist and the editor of Education Edge.

2016

*Represents a 6.5 percent increase in all SOE graduate applications

the university of mississippi school of education annual report

Looking Onward In the coming years, the SOE will continue to develop its Hybrid Ed.D. programs and explore areas where doctoral study has the greatest potential for impact. The first Ed.D. graduates in higher education and educational leadership are expected to finish in 2017.

The first math education graduates are expected to finish in 2020.

As the program evolves, so will the opportunities for professionals entering the program. Within the next few years, SOE leadership hopes to establish a scholarship fund to encourage more school administrators to enroll in an Ed.D. program with tuition support.

However, one element that will remain will be the focus on supporting today’s change agent professionals — people like Jennifer Wilson, a mathematics teacher and curriculum specialist at the Rankin County School District in UM’s first Ed.D. cohort in mathematics education this fall.

The award-winning, national board-certified teacher is entering her 24th year in the classroom and has an international reputation for writing curricula and professional development programs for Texas Instruments.

She hopes to use her doctoral education to learn more about how new technology can improve assessment and student learning across grade levels and how she can work to integrate new solutions into the faculty culture in her school and district.

“This program provides an opportunity for collaborative learning and collaborative research, which directly affects our students,” Wilson said. “We build a community of student learners in our classrooms each year here. It’s also important to build a community of teacher learners at the same time.”

19

education edge

out and about SOE Annual Awards Reception, May 2016

The SOE’s Annual Awards Reception, Friday, May 13 was bigger and better than ever! Thanks to all the students, faculty, alumni and donors who attended the event!

Tamar Karakozova, Nino Jakhai and Samuel Goins

Alli and Donna Rhodes

SOE Assistant Professor Denver Fowler, Interim Chair of Leadership and Counselor Education Ryan Niemeyer and Tyrone Hall

Tom and Nancy Cheatham with Tyler James

(left to to right) Amira, Malak, Salwa and Ziad Ali with Fatemah Asmar education edge

20

the university of mississippi school of education annual report

Lindsey Bensch, Suzanne Magee, Lauren Gabbard and Joey Gabbard

Bill and Carla Roberts

Debbie Hall and Mike Stewart the university of mississippi school of education annual report

Daniel and Cecily Pompa 21

education edge

SOE Associate Professor Allan Bellman, Director of Graduate Studies John Holleman, Communications Specialist Andrew M. Abernathy and Associate Professor Michael Mott

KP Maye, T’Erica Hudson and Christopher Feazell

SOE Associate Professor Denise A. Soares and Barry Soares

education edge

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SOE Hall of Fame Inductee Suzie Adcock and William Mills

the university of mississippi school of education annual report

2015 Hall of Fame Inductee Jerome Smith (far left) with 2016 Inductees Bob Depro, Suzie Adcock, Cathy Stewart, Jahnae Barnett, Cecil C. Brown, Jr. and SOE Dean David Rock

SOE Associate Professor Burhanettin Keskin and Anna Keskin

SOE Class Marshal Yasmin Ali and Ab Asmar

the university of mississippi school of education annual report

SOE Assistant Professors Joshua Magruder and Amanda Winburn

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education edge

donors WE APPRECIATE OUR

FISCAL YEAR 2016

DEFERRED/ PLANNED GIFTS

LIFETIME INVESTORS $10,000 to $250,000 Charles Robert Depro Jerome and Pam Smith

ENDOWMENT GIFTS

LIFETIME INVESTORS $6,000 to $400,000 William and Elizabeth Armstrong Scholarship Kathryn Webster Barnett Scholarship Charles Barrett Memorial Scholarship Joseph W. Blackston Memorial Scholarship Nancy Brown Mississippi Teacher Corps Awards Rose Califf Scholarship Dilley Family Willie Price Lab School Peggy Emerson Scholarship Fletcher-Veazey Science Education Award Sylvia Sarphie Foran Scholarship Griffin Family Impact Awards Julia R. Grimes Council Scholarship Hathorn Family Scholarship Elizabeth and Wallace Hope Scholarship Burl and Clara Hunt Scholarship Wayne Johnson Early Childhood Award Ray and Marguerite King Memorial Scholarship Thomas and Alice Lamar Memorial Scholarship Archie McDonnell Teacher Corps Awards Mississippi Teacher Corps Fund Jean M. Moore Teaching/ Research/Service Mali McGraw Moore Memorial Scholarship Andrew P. Mullins Teacher Corps Scholarship Ike and Elaine Mullins Awards Ronnie and Melody Musgrove Scholarship education edge

North Miss. Ed. Consortium Leadership Scholarship North Miss. Ed. Consortium Undergrad Scholarship Nan and Cecil Oliphant Secondary English Award Owens Family Resource Center Hugh S. Potts Sr. Memorial Scholarship Dr. R.H. Price Memorial Scholarship Lynda Ramey Scholarship School of Education Academic Enhancement School of Education Scholarship Jean M. Shaw Mathematics Scholarship Glynne and Ann Simpson Scholarship Joan Gilbert Smith Special Education Scholarship Lindsey O. Todd Higher Education Scholarship Theopolis P. Vinson Memorial Scholarship

FOUNDATION/ CORPORATE GRANTS

$66,000 to $1.3 million Bower Foundation Phil Hardin Foundation Robert M. Hearin Foundation Jumpstart for Young Children Inc.

MAJOR GIFTS

$5,000 to $40,000 Donna and James L. Barksdale Jahnae and Eddie Barnett Shawn and David Brevard Beth and John Cleveland, with ExxonMobil Match Madison Charitable Foundation Billie Ruth Moore Marye and Paul H. Moore Sr. Melody and Ronnie Musgrove North Mississippi Education Consortium Pam and Jerome Smith Tallahatchie River Foundation Trehern Charitable Foundation

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ANNUAL GIFTS

ADVOCATE

$1,000 to $4,999 Sandra Carlton R. Byron Ellis Jr. Julie and Michael Hearne Rosemary Oliphant-Ingham Laura Jolly Gail and Randy Jones Jr. Jerilou and Walt Moore III Jean M. Shaw Ginny and Bill Street Linda and Turner Tyson II

STEWARD $500 to $999 Eugene Anderson Allan Bellman Catherine and Billy Crews June Crews Collett Cross Douglas Davis Carol and William Dunn Joyce Jenkins Sheila and Neil Jurinski Sue and Edmund Keiser Jr. Lenora Lott Fannye and Oscar Love Jr. Mildred and John Norris Michelle and David Rock Sidney Rowland Susan and David Shaw Mollie Smith Jackie Vinson Martha and Donald Weaver Whitney and Neville Webb Cecil Weeks Lori Wolff

PARTNER $250 to $499 Suzie and Jeff Adcock Barbara Armstrong David Atkins Brenda Windham-Bolen Janet Bowman Sara and Thomas Burke Martha and Brent Chumbler Susan and Robert Cowden Summer DeProw Amy Wells Dolan Marilyn and Deryl Edwards

Mimi and Ketih Eide Ann and Gene Henson Joe James Diane and Ken Lowry Dana Markham Jean McCarthy Susan and Ben McClelland Cindy and John Misita Ann and Stephen Monroe Virginia Jane Moore Sandra Morris Katie and David Naron Donna and Robert Patterson Lynell Payne Victoria and Barry Pekich Melanie Philpot Richard Prine Nichelle Robinson Teri and George Rounsaville Janet and Gary Scott James Silkensen Denise Soares Kristen and Joe Sumrall Elizabeth and Andrew Tyer Rheta West

ASSOCIATE $100 to $249 Lindsey and Andrew Abernathy Gregory Adkins Mary and James Ashmore Marie and Robert Barnard Adrienne Barnes Deanna and John Beam Jr. Carrine Bishop Joan Bossung Cheryl Brown Anette and James Bryson Karen Burke Terri and Tom Burnham Qiang Cheng Debbie Chessin and Seth Dabney Regina Childers Donald Clark Jr. Olivia Clifford Josephine Davis Gail Dossett Nancy and Philip Douglas Suzanne Dugger Donald Durden Marguerite Ford Ellen Foster and Robert Dalton

the university of mississippi school of education annual report

Jan and Eric Freimark Lane Gauthier Floristene Gladney Molly Goldwasser Cheryl Harlin Patty and David Harner Renee Hill-Cunningham Nell and Thomas Hodge Vickie and John Holleman Hsien-Yuan Hsu Internal Medicine Associates of Oxford Brent Jackson Clementine Jackson Joyce Jurik Margaret and Roy Kinney Kelly and William Lack Ann Landrum Michelle Lane Patty and William Lewis Jr. Mary and Claude Malone Jr. Zella McDonald Sue McFadden Margaret McGuire John Meeks K.B. Melear Lillie and Jesse Merriweather David Miller Geraldine Morris Mineasa Nesbit Jean and James Nichols Ryan Niemeyer Alicia O’Brien Charlotte Orr June Parham Larry Patterson James Payne Andrea and Raymond Payne Nan Pemberton Susan Pepper Gaye Pitts Pontotoc Civitan Club Rebecca Cole and Michael Porter Sharon Prescott Retired Education Personnel of Mississippi Judith and E.D. Reynolds Jr. Diane Riemann Robert Ringer Mary and Isaac Sanford Jr. Richard Schneider Blake Schrouf Glenda Segars Sharon Shilling Mae Smith Elizabeth Spence Gail Stables Cytha Stottlemyer Michael Sturman Joe Sweeney Anteeatta Swims Leontyne Thompson Patti and James Thrash Roy Thurston

Lorraine and James Tramel Jr. Karen Vincent Sondra and Michael Waldrop Connie Walton Charles Warren Jordan Watts Dianna and Mark Webb Renee and Nick Webb Thelma and Arzell Wilson Cuihua and Yang Zhang

FRIEND $25 to $99 Blake Adams Janice Adams Carol Ann and John Alderman Jr. Joel Amidon Ashley Armstrong Pamela Barbera Darrell Barnes Ann and Robert Beebe Victoria Bell Murray Benson Megan Black* Cheryl and Melvin Booker Oneice Boothe Amanda Bowen Debra Brewer Margaret Briley Maxine Brock Heather and Jeremy Bumgarner Sybil Canon Wanda Carter Perry Cartlidge Ellen and William Charles Kim Chrestman* Larry Christman Holly Coffey* Kelli Coleman* Sheila Cooper Anne-Murray and Lant Cotton Janet and Bert Cupit Svjetlana Curcic Ginger Daniels Roy Daughdrill Betty Davis Diana Delcambre Elizabeth Dickson Angela Doyle Jack Eady Gretchen Eisenhart Elizabeth and John England Pamela Estes LeMarcus Farmer Leslie Farr Frank Fernandez Jr. Rebecca Finch Kathleen and Donald Fisher Susan Fitts Luther Fletcher IV J.B. Flowers Jr. Lynn Fogleman Denver Fowler Dorothy Freeman

Phillis George* Linda and Richard Glaze Richard Goodwin Catherine and Charles Grace Angelia Gurne* Dale Hair Carolyn and Jerry Hall Sheri Harts Carrie Hawkins Victoria Helwig Ashley and Michael Herr II Mary Herrington Carol Hopkins* Rosemary and Oliver Hopkins Jr. Virginia Houpt* Rita and C.E. Howard Sheila Howard-Baker Annie Glenn Howell Sarah Howell Charlie Huffstatler Eulanda and Cedrick Jackson Sarah Jacobs* Anita and Carl James Julie James Gwendolyn Jenkins Michael Joiner Lisa Karmacharya Shirley and Donald Keith Sandra Kelley Judy Kellum Alex Kerwin* Burhanettin Keskin Patricia King Tammy and Scott Kirkland Inda Kleinschmidt Elizabeth and William Kuykendall Kim Lawrence Brandi Hephner and David LaBanc Ann Lee Susan and Cooper Lewis Heather Linville JoAnne and Larry Mardis Dorothy Martin Mary and Walter Mathews Lucinda V. Mayfield Sarah and Michael McLellan Mary and Joseph Menendez Karl Mill Kay Morrow Michael Mott Lisa and Andrew Mullins Jr. Josephine Njoku Frank Nucaro Mark Ortwein Bobby Painter Jr. William Parchman Mary Ann Parker* Kathleen and Eugene Patterson Margaret Patton Mandy Perryman Beverly Pierce Sara Platt* Jimmy Ponds Clay Pounds*

Sharone Powell Cecil Puckett Mary Queyja Deborah Raji Carson Reed Carolyn and Jimmy Reeves Don Robbins Ernestine and Charles Rosenbaum Angela and Joey Rutherford Linda and Paul Sabin Michael Sammons Irvin Sanders Laura Sanders Susan Scott* Deana Shappley Patricia and Marcus Showalter Jennifer Simmons Jessica Simpson* Tabitha Smith Corlis Snow Ann and John Stasi Alice Steimle* Linda and Eugene Sullivan Molly Tanner Linda and James Taylor Jr. Yalaunda Taylor Willa Terry Jill and James Thomas Jr. Lisa and Bobby Towery Jr. Daniel Turnell Barbara Tutless Beverly Urbanek Betty Vance Maura Wakefield Kathryn Walker Kristian Walker Michelle Wallace* Richard Watters Bridgette Webb* Walton Webster Sarah Wheeler Kelvin Willingham Emaline Wilson Amanda and Jonathon Winburn Barry Woods Marguerite and Billy Woolfolk Stephanie and Anthony Youngblood

NOTES

• Italics indicates donor is a member of the School of Education faculty or staff.

• An asterisk indicates a donation was made in honor of a faculty or staff member.

• There are 382 donors, pledge commitments and endowment gifts listed.

• Pledges, annual endowment proceeds, grants and gifts total approximately $4,286,598.

• All gifts and pledges recognized are for the fiscal year July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2016.

Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 66 Oxford, MS 38655

Guyton Hall P.O. Box 1848 University, MS 38677-1848

Join the 1903 Society Today BUILD A LASTING ENDOWMENT

The newly established 1903 Society will achieve the School of Education’s first $1 million endowment.

A lifetime membership with special recognition requires a $10,000 investment (payable over two years).

Our endowment will provide $40,000-$50,000 annually to fund top-priority initiatives.

Annual membership requires a yearly $1,000 donation.

To learn more, contact Development Officer Billy Crews at wlcrews@olemiss.edu or 662-915-2836 or visit education.olemiss.edu

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