Partnerships & Community

Robinson Eminent Scholar Lecture Series

The College of Education and Human Services hosts “Robinson Eminent Scholar Lecture Series 2005-2006.”  This lecture series is funded from the Robinson Eminent Scholar Chair Endowment. The Andrew A. Robinson Eminent Scholar Chair in Educational Policy and Economic Development was initiated by a generous gift from the Honorable Fred Schultz in 1986. The endowed chair was named in honor of the late Dr. Andrew Robinson, former interim president and education dean here at UNF. The eminent scholar funds promote scholarship and educational practice focused on the relationship between educational policy and economic well-being and the integral role of education as an investment in human capital.

 Lecture themes focus on issues that are important or that have elicited controversy among educational critics and the sociopolitical landscape. These themes included: No Child Left Behind Act 2001, Assessment in an Era of Accountability, Education and the Advancement of Human Capital, Vouchers, Charters, Teacher Quality, and Teacher Performance.

 Keynote Guests—Dr. William Sanders (Sept., 2005), Robert Reich (Nov. 2005), Rod Paige (Jan. 2006), Dr. Terry Moe (March 06), Rick Wormeli (Sept. 2006).

 Upcoming Events:

RICK WORMELI Tuesday September 19, 2006 7:00 p.m. in the University Center WHAT COULD WE DO IF WE WERE BRAVE? This lecture is free and open to the public, but does require a ticket.

Rick Wormeli is one of the first national board certified teachers in America. He brings innovation, energy, validity and high standards to both his presentations, and his instructional practice, which includes more than 20 years teaching math, science, English, health and history. Wormeli’s work has been reported in numerous national media outlets, including ABC’s “Good Morning America,” National Geographic, Good Housekeeping magazine, and The Washington Post.

He is the author of the award-winning book, “Meet Me in the Middle: Becoming an Accomplished Middle Level Teacher,” as well as “Day One and Beyond: Practical Matters for New Middle Level Teachers” and “Summarization in any Subject.” Currently, Wormeli is working on his first young adult fiction novel and new education book on differentiated grading and assessment.

Rick Wormeli has wide and varied experience as an education professional. Wormeli has worked as a middle grades teacher, human growth and development teacher, staff development educator, and as a mentor teacher. Rick is a Nationally Board Certified Middle School teacher from Herndon, Virginia. Among Rick's many awards is the Disney/McDonald's Corporation's 1996 Outstanding English Teacher of the Nation Award. He is also an educational consultant to National Public Radio, USA Today, and the Smithsonian Institute. He is also a columnist for the National Middle School Association’s Middle Ground magazine. He has also presented at the White House. In describing himself, Wormeli notes, "I'm a practitioner on the front lines who uses the perspectives and strategies I promote. If we want to help students learn well, we must immerse them in rich, diverse and stimulating environments."

If you have a disability and require an accommodation for this occasion, please contact the College of Education and Human Services at (904) 620-2520 five days before the event to enable us to provide you a reasonable accommodation for the event.

 For more information, please contact Sarah Dufresne at 904-620-2117 or sdufresn@unf.edu

Previous Lecturers:

MARCH 6, 2006 (7:00 P.M., UNIVERSITY CENTER). The College of Education and Human Services at UNF hosts the Robinson Eminent Scholar Lecture Series— “Leaving No One Behind” featuring Dr. Terry Moe, William Bennett Munro professor of political science at Stanford University, chair of Stanford’s Political Science Department, and a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution.  Dr. Moe will lecture on the politics of education and the reform of the public education system, with special attention to issues related to school choice, vouchers, school accountability, and teacher quality. In 2005, Moe received the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation Prize for Excellence in Education. The event is free and open to the public but tickets are required. For general audience tickets visit www.unf.edu and click on the Lecture Series button.