Published on 4/8/2011 4:41:00 PM
In the midst of celebrating the School of Education’s 100th anniversary, the School recognized some of our outstanding alumni with the annual alumni awards ceremony. This year, the ceremony took place at the Centennial Celebration, a special gala celebrating the School's milestone, on Saturday, April 2.
Dr. Alan Lesgold, Dean and Professor, commented that one of the joys of academic life is seeing the accomplishments of those who study with us. “We measure our success by the extent to which those who study here at Pitt go on to do great things in their professional lives,” said Lesgold. “Some of those accomplishments are personal triumphs, overcoming of challenges and reaching goals that go beyond personal, family, or community expectations. For others, the accomplishments are broader. Overall, though, what a great university is about and what a great school of education is about is empowering people with know¬ledge and skill to make their own lives better and to make our world better.” The annual recognition of this year’s alumni, whose accomplishments bring pride to all of us in the School, is also a reminder to society of why great universities are an important social investment.
The 2011 Alumni Award recipients are listed below.
Alumni Award Recipients pose with Dean Lesgold at the Centennial Celebration gala. From L to R: Gregg S. Margolis, Michael P. Lucas, Jeffrey D. Derda, Christina Scanlon, Jennifer Engel, Kathleen M. Huebner, Alan Lesgold, Mark A. Miller, Carl Caspersen, and Walt A. Stoy.
2011 Distinguished Alumni Award - Dr. Kathleen M. Huebner
Dr. Huebner earned two degrees from the University of Pittsburgh - in 1971 she completed her MEd degree in Special Education and earned her Ph.D. in Psychology in Education in 1980.
Dr. Huebner is currently a Professor and Associate Dean for the College of Education and Rehabilitation at Salus University (formerly Graduate Studies in Vision Impairment, Institute for the Visually Impaired, Pennsylvania College of Optometry), Elkins Park, Pa.
She is a nationally and internationally recognized leader in the field of service to professionals who serve individuals who are blind or visually impaired. She also is the project director of the National Leadership Consortium in Sensory Disabilities, and chairperson for the North America and Caribbean Region of the International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment.
The Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes the distinguished service and contributions to the field of education by an alumnus or alumna of the School of Education and is our highest alumni award.
2011 Early Career Award-Dr. Michael P. Lucas
Dr. Lucas earned three degrees from the University of Pittsburgh: he completed his MEd degree in Reading Education in 2001; the Principal and Curriculum Supervisor certificate in 2004; and in 2008 he earned his Ed.D. degree in administrative and policy studies.
Currently, he is principal of Cornell Elementary School, which most recently received a 2010 National Blue Ribbon School award. He was presented with the prestigious Terrell H. Bell Award for outstanding school leadership.
Dr. Lucas has shown the ability to make a positive change in the level of student and teacher performance and has demonstrated the courage and commitment to be an outstanding leader. His commitment is evident in his dedication to and passion for improving the quality of education for all students in a challenging district such as Cornell.
This award recognizes the professional accomplishments and contributions to the field of education by an alumna or alumnus who graduated from the School of Education in the last 10 years.
2011 PreK-12 Educator Award-Jeffrey D. Derda & Mark A. Miller
Because of the important work they do in schools and classrooms, this year’s PreK-12 Educator Award was given to two individuals.
Jeffrey Derda earned his Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) with a focus on secondary-level science in 1998. He is the Teacher and Science Department Chair for Wake County Public School System in Raleigh, N.C. Mr. Derda has been an advocate of the school’s MAT program, encouraging students and colleagues to apply as well as writing recommendation letters for the program.
He was selected for the NASA Educator Astronaut Program in 2004 and received the Apex High School Teacher of the Year Award in 2005–06 and the Sigma Xi Science Research Society of North Carolina State University Outstanding Teacher Award in 2005.
Mark Miller earned his teacher certification in the Department of Instruction and Learning’s professional year program. He later earned his MEd and principal certification in school leadership through the Department of Administration and Policy Studies in 2003. In the summer of 2009, Miller began the pursuit of the Superintendent’s Letter of Eligibility in School Leadership.
Currently, Mr. Miller is the principal at Eisenhower Elementary School in the Upper St. Clair School District. He is recognized and loved for his collaborative approach to school leadership. He has presented and consulted on his sustainable learning community model at both state and national conventions. His continued study at Pitt is a testament to his loyalty to the University and is evidence of our School’s impact on his successful leadership style.
The PreK-12 Educator Award recognizes a PreK-12 educator for his/her outstanding accomplishments in the classroom, administration, support services, and/or extra-curricular activities and programs.
2011 Departmental Alumni Awards
The School's Departmental Alumni Awards recognize an alumnus or alumna for his/her outstanding professional work and contributions to the field of education that is within the primary focus of the department. This year, we recognize and acknowledge the important accomplishments of four alumni for outstanding work in their respective fields.
Department of Administrative and Policy Studies - Gregg S. Margolis, Ph.D.
Dr. Margolis earned three degrees from the University of Pittsburgh- he earned his BS degree from the School of Arts & Sciences in 1988; he completed a Master of Science degree from the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences in 1994, and in 2005 he earned his Ph.D. degree in Social and Comparative Analysis of Education from the School of Education.
Dr. Margolis was the recipient of the Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellowship from the Institute of Medicine in 2009-2010. He is presently the director of the Division of Health Systems Policy in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Department of Health and Physical Activity - Dr. Carl Caspersen
Dr. Caspersen holds four degrees from the University of Pittsburgh: he earned his BS in Psychology from the College of Arts and Sciences in 1974; received a Master of Arts in Health Physical and Recreation Education in 1976; continued to complete a second master’s degree in Public Health in Epidemiology in 1980; and in 1982 earned his Ph.D. in Health Physical and Recreation Education from the School of Education.
Dr. Caspersen is a distinguished scientist and scholar who is on the staff of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and has played a significant role in the study, understanding, and development of public health recommendations for physical activity over the past 20–30 years. He continues to maintain a very close affiliation with the faculty at the University of Pittsburgh.
Department of Instruction and Learning - Dr. Walt A. Stoy
Dr. Stoy has accomplished three degrees from the University of Pittsburgh. He received his BS degree in Health Related Professions in 1980; he completed his MS degree in Health Related Professions in 1983, and in 1991 he earned his Ph.D. in Instruction Design and Technology from the School of Education.
Dr. Stoy currently serves as Professor and Program Director of the Emergency Medicine Program for the University of Pittsburgh. He also serves as the Program Administrative Director for the Office of Education and International Emergency Medicine for the Center for Emergency Medicine of Western Pennsylvania, Inc.
Dr. Stoy’s achievements are a reflection of the quality of the education he received at the University of Pittsburgh and the School of Education. He has demonstrated outstanding professional performance echoing the excellence of his degrees.
Department of Psychology in Education - Jennifer Engel
Ms. Engel earned her Master of Science degree from the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Education in 2003. She is currently the director of Outcomes and Performance Management at the Sarah Heinz House in Pittsburgh. Ms. Engel also serves as coordinator of the Heinz House Center of Excellence, which is an after-school training and technical unit. In this capacity she works with Allegheny Partners for Out-of-School Time, a prestigious group composed of funders and program and educational leaders.
Ms. Engel has received several awards and honors that recognize her abilities and contributions to her field. She has made an outstanding impact to the public good by providing much-needed and effective services for young people and their schools, families, and communities.
2011 Falk School Outstanding Alumni Award - H. James Burgwyn
Dr. Burgwyn graduated from Falk School in 1950. He earned his B.A. degree in 1958 from Swarthmore College, his Master of Arts degree in 1963 from the University of Pennsylvania, and his Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh in 1968.
Dr. Burgwyn is Professor Emeritus of History at West Chester University of Pennsylvania in West Chester, PA. His first and only teaching position was with West Chester University of Pennsylvania. He retired in 1999 as a professor emeritus of history and has written five books on Italian foreign policy.
The School of Education is extremely proud of its affiliation and long history with the Falk School. For more than 75 years, the Falk School has been an exemplary learning environment for children in kindergarten through grade eight. The Falk School Outstanding Alumni Award recognizes the outstanding professional accomplishments of the Falk School’s alumni.
2011 Student Leadership Award - Ms. Christina Scanlon
Ms. Scanlon is a master’s degree student in the Department of Psychology in Education. She works as a teaching assistant in the Department of Psychology in Education, which is very rare for a master’s-level student to be selected for such a position. With her interest in teaching and her relevant professional and academic experiences she has filled the role exceptionally well.
In her academic work, she routinely extends herself far beyond what is expected of her. She has created an extensive narrated slide presentation and study guide for public educators to explain psychiatric disorders. She also has prepared a succinct and appealing brochure so that parents would be knowledgeable about their child’s psychiatric disorder. These resources are publicly available to schools.