December 18, 2024

EagleEye

A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff

Virginia Education Specialist Named UMW Educator-in-Residence

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Robert Fugate ‘02, an assessment specialist for the Virginia Department of Education, has been named the University of Mary Washington’s Educator-in-Residence. He will present the keynote lecture at the College of Education’s Graduate Research Symposium on Saturday, April 25.   Robert Fugate ‘02 The symposium will be held from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the North Building of UMW’s Stafford campus. Following Fugate’s 12:45 p.m. remarks, recognition and celebration of the 2014-2015 College of Education graduates will take place at 1:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Fugate’s talk will focus on his role as an LEP and how his experience at UMW, where he received a post-baccalaureate certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language in 2003, influenced his career. As an assessment specialist in limited English proficiency (LEP), Fugate manages the statewide administration of the English language proficiency assessment testing program and provides technical assistance regarding LEP students’ participation in the Standards of Learning assessments. Fugate played an integral role in representing the Virginia Department of Education as part of the World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) Consortium by serving on the WIDA Executive Committee. Fugate currently serves on the Steering Committee for the new online ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 test and as chairperson of a subcommittee for developing the score report for the new ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 test. Before he accepted the position as the LEP assessment specialist in 2007, Fugate received a master’s degree in writing from Bowling Green State University. Fugate also taught middle school in the gifted and talented education program in Berkeley County, W.Va., and English as a second language to elementary school students in Chesterfield County, Va. For more information about the symposium and keynote address, contact the College of Education at (540) 654-1034.

Educator-in-Residence Talks Leadership with Graduates

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Martha Abbott ’72 believes that teachers are leaders who make an impact in the world. “[Leaders] take people to a place where they couldn’t have gone without them…and that’s exactly what teachers do,” said Abbott, executive director for the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. She spoke at the fourth annual Educator-in-Residence event at the University of Mary Washington on Saturday, April 26. Martha Abbott '72, the 2014 Educator-in-Residence, shows attendees the beanie she wore as a student at UMW. Abbott earned her B.A. in Spanish with a minor in Latin from the University of Mary Washington and spent 32 years in education before joining the nonprofit sector. She also holds a master’s degree in Spanish linguistics from Georgetown University and was honored as a Distinguished Alumnus in 2004 by UMW. She gave graduates advice on impacting student’s lives and how to find success in a teaching career. “You need to have the fundamental attitude that all kids can learn,” said Abbott. “They have to feel that you think that they can learn.” She also urged graduates to be open to new and innovative ways to teach in the classroom and to stay out of the teacher’s lounge. “Teacher impact: it’s what we do,” said Abbott. “When someone asks, ‘what do you do?’ You can say, ‘I make a difference: I teach.’” Laura Gomez (left) received the Barbara Bishop Mann (right) Award. Olivia Costello received the Outstanding Master of Education Student Award. The daylong event at the Stafford campus also featured graduate presentations that included such topics as using virtual zoo webcams to teach science, employing cameras to teach English language learners and utilizing visual arts to bolster story recall and comprehension. The day ended with a number of College of Education awards. Students Anne Roberts and Merilee Grubb received the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Virginia Scholars Awards; Laura Gomez received the Barbara Bishop Mann Award; and Olivia Costello received the Outstanding Master of Education Student Award.

Barbara Bishop Mann ’66 to Serve as Educator-in-Residence, 5/1

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Barbara Bishop Mann ’66 will share her insights from more than three decades as an educator and activist during the University of Mary Washington’s third annual College of Education Educator-in-Residence event on Wednesday, May 1. The lecture will begin at 6 p.m. at the North Building of UMW’s Stafford campus. Prior to the lecture, graduating students from the College of Education will present their research projects from 1 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. Mann’s lecture will be followed by recognition of the College of Education graduates at 6:30 p.m. and a reception at 7 p.m. The lecture, presentations and reception are free and open to the public. Mann retired from Chesterfield County Public Schools in 2003, after 35 years as an elementary school teacher. She served on the Virginia Education Association (VEA) Board of Directors for 12 years and as president of the Chesterfield Education Association (CEA). Mann remains active in the VEA Retired Council, the CEA Board of Directors and the local chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International. An active member of the UMW alumni community, Mann has served on the UMW Alumni Association Board and its Executive Committee. She is a member of the College of Education’s first Advisory Board and is a supporter of UMW education students through two endowed scholarship funds. Mann received a bachelor’s in history from Mary Washington and a master’s in elementary education from Old Dominion University. For a full schedule of student presentations, visit http://education.umw.edu/wp-content/blogs.dir/81/files/2013/04/Grad_Pres_Sched.pdf.