Home
A Message from Dean Colleen S. Kennedy
A Message from Dean Colleen S. Kennedy
Welcome to the USF College of Education’s 50th Anniversary website. I am very proud to share with you the history of how the College of Education has evolved over the past 50 years to become a premier research and teaching institution with faculty committed to Collaboration, Academic Excellence, Research and Ethical Practice. We are fortunate that the College has attracted an outstanding faculty and students, who determined that the USF College of Education was the institution where they could pursue their careers and assist students in achieving their highest academic potential.
The USF College of Education has made great strides since our inception in 1956.
- In 50 years, we have graduated over 50,000 educators.
- We are the seventh largest public College of Education in the United States.
- We have received full continued accreditation from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) with all standards met.
- We rank 48th among all graduate schools of education according to U.S.News and World Report, in the top 20% in the nation!
- Over the past three years, our faculty has averaged over $28 million in external grants and contracts in support of their research and professional service efforts.
- We are innovators in technology. The laptop initiative prepares pre-service teachers to seamlessly integrate technology into the curriculum. Our teachers are preparing K-12 students to be active, engaged learners, with skills to succeed in our global society.
- Apple chose USF to participate in its iTunes U program that provides students, faculty, and the public easy access to high-quality digital educational content anytime, anywhere.
These achievements would not have been possible without the invaluable and countless contributions of the faculty, administrators, and staff of the College of Education. Over the past 50 years, they have tirelessly devoted themselves to enhancing the quality of our programs, our research initiatives, and the academic lives of our students.
On this website, you will find the narratives of the oral histories of the College of Education. Numerous current and former faculty and staff members volunteered their time and willingly shared their memories to make this project a reality. I would like to express my deepest appreciation to Dr. Lou Bowers, the lead writer, researcher, and chair, whose leadership was invaluable during this enormous undertaking. I would also like to thank the members of the 50-Year History writing and history review team members: Dr. James Barnard, Dr. Les Tuttle, and Dr. Dick Puglisi, who have provided information and reviews for this project. Other retired faculty, current faculty, and staff members who have made significant contributions include: Dr. Margaret Crickenberger, Dr. Bill Blank, Dr. Ed Steiner, Dr. Ann Cranston-Gingras, Dr. Surrendra Singh, Dr. Don Orlosky, Dr. Ann Barron, Dr. Daphne Thomas, Dr. Diane Briscoe, Dr. Roger Brindley, Dr. Mari Fernandez, Dr. JoEllen Carlson, Dr. Ed Nesman, Dr. Herbert Exum, Dr. Diane Briscoe, Dr. Jud Newcombe, Bob Davis, and Scott Seifreit. Also, many of the photographs that appear in this project were provided by Dr. Joan Kaywell, Dr. Victor Hernandez-Gantes, and Sandy Walker. Also, I would like to thank Karen Simms, Michael Hart, and Monet Williams for their assistance in transcribing the oral history interviews.
I also want to thank Stephanie Williams for all she did to edit, revise, and format the final text, oral history interviews, and captions.
Special recognition is also due to Dr. Mark Greenberg of the USF Library Special Collections Center for making available the information gathered for the USF 50-Year History, as well as to Andy Huse, of the Florida Studies Center, for his advice and assistance in videotaping the 25 oral histories provided by the College of Education faculty.
This website would not have been possible without the efforts of Dr. Roy Winkelman and James Seaman of the Florida Center for Instructional Technology (FCIT) for their technological expertise in implementing the design of the College of Education 50-Year History website and the production of 2,000 CDs. Recognition is also given to Fadi Akhtar and Sara Jenkins for the assistance they provided in editing the project as well.
I would like to thank the past and current faculty members who generously agreed to oral history interviews with Dr. Bowers to share recollections of their experiences at the College of Education. Those faculty members include: Dr. Jane Applegate, Dr. Jean Battle, Dr. James Barnard, Dr. William Blank, Dr. Lou Bowers, Dr. Frank Breit, Dr. Ann Cranston-Gingras, Dr. Margaret Crickenberger, Dr. Michael Curtis, Dr. James Dickinson, Dr. Frank Freshour, Mr. Robert Grindey, Dr. Constance Hines, Dr. William Katzenmeyer, Dr. Jeff Kromrey, Dr. August Mauser, Dr. Don Orlosky, Dr. James Paul, Dr. Phil Pfost, Dr. Steve Permuth, Dr. Dick Puglisi, Dr. Surrendra Singh, Dr. Ed Steiner, Dr. Les Tuttle, and Dr. Jane Young. Their eagerness to share their collective experiences made this “USF College of Education 50-Year History” much richer.
The College of Education has achieved so much in its short 50-year history. Those who came before us laid a strong foundation to ensure the continued success of the College. As we continue the traditions, dedication and effort that brought us where we are today, we look back with fond appreciation to those who gave this great College its start.
Sincerely,
Colleen S. Kennedy, Ph. D.
Professor and Dean