Highlights For:
Class Notes -- Fall 2008
| 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | Obituaries |
1920s
Harriet Mowry Anderson Ed'29 turned 101 years old in June.
1930s
Beatrice Malmed Rosenbaum Ed’36 is “94 years old, in good health, still active and happy,” writes her daughter Carol M. Rosenbaum G’66. “With two children and one grandchild (at Oberlin), she can’t needlepoint anymore, but is still an artist, still reading newspapers and books every day. She is never bored. She did a lot of volunteer work for children, the blind, and breast cancer.”
Adriena P. Linehan GED '53, a former nursing instructor at the University of Pennsylvania, passed away on February 12, 2009 at the age of 93. In 2005, Mrs. Linehan was among the first 15 women honored as Women Pioneers by the Penn Graduate School of Education. She was among five without doctorates. Mrs. Linehan is survived by her son, Jon P. Lenahan C '70; a daughter, Katherine Martinelli; two grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; and three step-great-grandchildren.
Elizabeth Martin Ed'50 writes, "I retired in July 1984 after a long and wonderful life in nursing education, administration, and research." Elizabeth celebrated her 90th birthday in 2008.
Joyce Sloan Anderson Ed'51 GrEd'52 is a freelance writer and former professor of sociology and chair of the Social Sciences Division at Atlantic Community College in New Jersey. Her articles on American lifestyle and culture have appeared in The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and other national publications. Since 2000, she has been working on her "third career," writing books. She is author of Courage in High Heels, the life stories of eight memorable women who have overcome formidable obstacles in life "with amazing resilience and spirit." Her published novels are Flaw in the Tapestry, If Winter Comes, and The Mermaids Singing. She can be reached at JSAwrite@aol.com.
Caro Wray Smith GEd'59 has retired from the Tredyffrin-Easttown School District. She lives in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, with her husband, J. Willison Smith. She was a member of Penn's chapter of Pi Lambda Theta.
Connie Snader Freid Ed'61 <conniefreid@aol.com> was one of two artists featured recently in Face to Face: Two Approaches at Iona College in New Rochelle, New York. She will have a solo exhibit at the Rye Free Reading Room in Rye from May 13 to June 27.
Phillis Young Murray GEd'61 is a literacy teacher in the New York public schools and the founding president of One Love Tennis, Inc., which provides free tennis instruction to the young people of White Plains, New York. In March, she was honored by the Association of Black Educators in New York for exemplary teaching and community service.
Richard S. Den GEd'62 writes, "I'm preparing the English version of my book The Theological Philosophy of Yi-Jing (2005) for publication.
Paul G. Humber C’64 GEd’65 and Prudence String Humber Nu’66 [who sent in this note], rejoice with [our] daughter over their new grandchild. Ruth Humber Brittain C’95 “gave birth to Daniel Ross Brittain on May 30, 2007. The baby was over 10 lbs., this being her fourth delivery. Ruth and her husband, Jeff, care for five children in their Philadelphia home. Her twin brother, Paul D. Humber C’95, is married with three children.”
Barbara P. Barnett GEd’71 is head of modern languages at the Agnes Irwin School in Rosemont, Pa. She was recently decorated by the government of France for her scholarly work on France and World War II. She wrote Visages de la Shoah (Faces of the Holocaust) and directed the award-winning film of the same name.
Dr. Cyril Evans GEd '61 Gr '73 passed away on November 23,2008 at the age of 88. Dr. Evans was a classroom teacher in a secondary school since 1957 and employed in the Freehold Regional H.S. district since 1958. Recipient of at least 6 National Science Foundation grants to matriculate at various institutions of higher learning, he was awarded the Distinguished Chemistry Teacher's Citation by the Chemical Industry Council of NJ. He was a member of the superintendent's advisory council, the American Chemical Society, National Science Teacher's Association, Board of Education, NEA and NJEA. He is survived by his daughter, Deborah Evans of Newark, NJ.
Dr. Ronald D. Klein C'69 GEd'70 has had his new book, The Other Empire: Literary Views of Japan from the Philippines, Singapore, and Malaysia, published by the University of the Philippines Press. "It is a review of more than 160 fictional works, revealing Japanese characters as seen by writers in that area during the Japanese Occupation, from 1941 to 1945." He is a professor at Hiroshima Jogakuin University.
Leticia C. de la Rosa GEd '74 has retired after 33 years of teaching in college. She is has eight children, seven of whom live in the US. The other lives in Manila, Philippines. She and her husband, Col. Marcelino de la Rosa, just celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary. Her husband is a retired Philippine Army officer. Leticia now lives with her youngest daughter in Glendale, California. She shuttles between Glendale and Manila every now and then to visit her folks in the Philippines.
Joan Zimmerman Azarva GEd'74, having witnessed a disproportionately high rate of failure among college students with learning disabilities, has authored a new course, Conquer College with LD, for Special Education students in high school and their parents. Joan often sees students with disabilities enter college academically ill-prepared and naive regarding strategies that lead to success. They unwittingly make poor decisions, leading to a downward spiral that further erodes their self-esteem. Conquer College takes a proactive approach; it covers everything from what to do now to avoid developmental courses in college, to finding the right fit, to learning navigational strategies that bode well for college success. This course was taught for the first time in spring of 2008 to excellent reviews. Due to the rapidly growing population of Special Education students with college aspirations, Joan offers the course every fall and spring; the current class, which meets on ten consecutive Saturday mornings at Gwynedd Mercy College, began September 20. Course materials are available for those unable to attend. For more information, contact Joan at TransitionSuccess@gmail.com.
Cynthia A. Stead GEd'74 and her husband, William G. Stead CE'69 GCE'70 G'81, have returned to Manhattan after a 25-year absence, including assignments in Boston, San Francisco, Athens, Istanbul, New Delhi, and Israel. Bill has joined the MTA as a senior vice president and is the project executive for the East Side Access Project to bring the LIRR under the East River from Queens to a new eight-track station underneath the century-old Grand Central Terminal and 140 feet below Park Avenue.
Jeff Grabell GEd'75 published Reteaching Math – Algebra Readiness with Scholastic in August, 2008. The book was co-authored with Bob Krech. Jeff currently lives in West Windsor, NJ.
David L. Hyman C'75 GEd'76, managing partner of the Philadelphia law firm Kleinbard, Bell & Brecker LLP, in March received the 2008 Judge Learned Hand Award from the American Jewish Committee of Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey. He is vice chair of the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation. He is a founding board member of Congregation Kol Ami in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania.
Dan Lipowitz, GEd'76, recently co-authored the book Advanced Placement Macbeth with James Conley, a fellow teacher and co-worker. This text is written as a literary and historical analytical guide for upcoming and veteran teachers. After 32 years, Daniel G. Lipowitz continues to teach seniors, juniors, and sophomores honors and academic English, Creative Writing, and Film as Art and Literature at Unionville High School in Kennett Square, PA. A graduate of Pennsylvania State University and the University of Pennsylvania, he has directed 35 plays, including the "Scottish play."
Dr. Irving Pressley McPhail, GrEd'76, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, National Action Council for Minorities in Education, Inc. (NACME), has been awarded a planning grant from the Lumina Foundation for Education to organize a National Roundtable: From Developmental Mathematics to Engineering Careers. The project links the curriculum and instructional reform work of the national Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count (AtD) initiative in developmental education and learning support with the 35-year track record of NACME in supporting the national effort to increase the representation of African American, Latino and Native American women and men in STEM education and the workforce. Specifically, the project seeks to transform teaching and learning in developmental mathematics in selected AtD community colleges by contextualizing engineering concepts, project-based learning, and engineering awareness modules. The results of the roundtable will provide the framework for major funding proposals designed to pilot the contextualized curriculum in five regional sites where NACME has established partnerships with AtD community colleges and university schools of engineering. For more information on NACME and AtD, visit www.nacme.org or www.acheivingthedream.org.
Nanci Goldman Packman CW’76 GEd’76 married Steven A. Bergstein C’75 on Aug. 17. She turned him down for a date, while they were undergraduates; then they “found each other 25 years later, and the rest is history.” She is the granddaughter of the late Nathaniel Goldman W’11 L’14 and the daughter of the late Raphael Topkis Goldman W’42, as well as Biena Milestone Goldman Ed’47 GEd’48, a happy participant in the wedding. The wedding party also included Steve’s daughter and son-in-law, Rachel Bergstein C’01 and Joshua Wilkenfeld C’01. Other attendees included J. Henry Goldman W’43, Rose Goldman Levenson CW’47, Arnold Ginsburg C’38 L’41, Bebe Ginsburg Engelsberg CW’46, Dr. Ronald Milestone G’67 M’71, Judy Bronstein Milestone G’68, Dr. Shelley Milestone CW’74, Dr. Jon Levenson C’79, Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg C’83 GEd’83, Dr. Brad Taicher C’99, Rachel Lewis Taicher C’99, Joshua Dembowitz C’13, Arlene Mogul Ed’53, Scott Bieber C’76, Lori Singley Scherr CGS’81, Kathryn Deans Schaub L’82, Harry Schaub C’50, Sandor Engel C’68, Irene Bolts CW’74, and David Bolts W’76. Nanci and Steve live in Allentown and Bala Cynwyd, Pa. He is a lawyer in private practice and she, a former high-school guidance counselor, is a professional organizer.
Laura-Lee Macht Bearss GEd'78 is the chairperson of the Mathematics Department of Neshaminy High School in Langhorne, Pennsylvania.
Myrna Skobel Agris Gr'79 has been with Smith Barney in Houston, Texas, for almost ten years as a financial advisor and financial planning specialist.
Gwen T. Samuels GEd'79 is traveling to South Korea as a participant in the Korean Studies Workshop for American Educators this summer. The group began their visit on July 9 in Seoul with a formal reception attended by representatives from the Korea Foundation and officials from Yonsei University. In the following days, the American educators will attend lectures and visit sites to learn about Korean history, economics, and culture. The educators will also students and teachers at Goyang Foreign Language High School, where they will learn about the Korean educational system. In addition to their time in Seoul, they will also travel to Gyeongju, the historical capital of Korea. The Korean Studies Workshop for American Educators is designed to enhance mutual understanding between the people of Korea and the United States by inviting U.S. educators to visit Korea and to share the knowledge gained in the classroom and community.
Gwen, who will join the Newark Public Schools in September, is one of 100 participants selected from nearly 400 applications through a competitive review process. In 2006, she traveled to Japan as the recipient of a Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund Teacher Program Fellowship.
Fran Korenman Yoshida C'78 GEd'79 and her husband, Takayoshi Yoshida, live in New York with their 16-year-old son, Eric, who attends the United Nations International School. Fran, who was formerly an adjunct professor of English as a Second Language at New York University, is now a full-time ESL teacher at Eric's school, working with students and faculty from all over the world.
Adrienne Jacoby GrEd’84 is the executive director of Philadelphia Reads, a non-profit agency that supports children’s literacy in Philadelphia for the youngest and neediest school-aged students. Philadelphia Reads sponsors a number of programs, among them: the Free Children’s Book Bank, which has given away more than 1.5 million books to teachers for classroom libraries; the Power Partner program, which matches 42 first- or second-grade classrooms annually with law firms, corporations, courts, and other non-profits for weekly mentoring and tutoring; a reading coach program that trains and places volunteers in schools for one-to-one tutoring; Read Across Philadelphia (America) Day; Philadelphia Reading Olympics, in which teams of students in grades 4-8 compete about books they’ve read; Summer READS, a national award winning literacy, science and arts enrichment program held at 27 inner city summer camp sites in Philadelphia; and Parent Literacy Workshops for parents and caregivers in schools and community-based organizations aimed at enhancing literacy environments at home. Adrienne writes, "I hope other communities would be inspired to do this type of work. Whenever anyone asks me what I do, I always tell them—'Only Good Deeds.' I never thought that after I retired as a school principal, I would be doing such fulfilling and important work again for the children of Philadelphia." For more information on the program, go to www.phila.gov/philareads.
Wendy Kaufman GEd’85 is the founder and CEO of Balancing Life’s Issues, Inc. (BLI), a national executive training company that gives employees the tools they to balance family, work, and personal life. Founded in 2001, BLI grew 40 percent last year, with 400 trainers in 48 states. Among her clients are IBM, Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, and The New York Times, Inc. for over 19 years. To keep balance in her own life, Wendy lives in Westchester, New York, with her husband, three children, two stepchildren, two dogs and two cats.
Steve Nabinger C’86 GEd’86 writes, "I’m a teacher-librarian (otherwise known as a library media specialist) at C. S. Driver Middle School (fourth-through-eighth-grade), west of Syracuse, N.Y. I’ve just begun a three-year term as chair of the library-media department [of the district]. I’m also an adjunct professor of information studies at Syracuse University. Not only do I have the best job in the world, where I get to work with books and computers and children; when the day is done I get to come home to an amazing family. My wife, Tina, is also a teacher-librarian. In fact, we met in our first day of library school at Syracuse. We have two daughters: Sabrina (11) swims for the DeWitt Dolphins swim team, plays violin, and recently completed an 18-month, pilot fitness program; Juliet (nine) also swims for the Dolphins, plays viola, and recently starred as Kelsie in a [local] production of Disney’s High School Musical. I invite my old friends and colleagues to drop me a line at snabinger@mcs.cnyric.org."
Tamar Chansky Gr’88 released her third book, Freeing Your Child from Negative Thinking: Powerful, Practical Strategies to Build a Lifetime of Resilience, Flexibility and Happiness in 2008. Tamar works at the Children’s Center for OCD and Anxiety in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania.
Brian S. Friedlander Gr'88 hosted a business and education conference on the use of visual mind mapping and its application in the workplace in October. Called "IQ Visual Mapping: A Systematic Framework for Business and Academic Success," it was the first conference of its kind in the United States. Writes Brian, "I brought some of the top thought leaders in the field together to share their ideas and practices." For more information, contact Brian.
Cheri Micheau Gr’90. See Hilary Bonta GEd’98.
Marsha Evans GEd‘90, is the teacher for the At Risk Youth Class at William Penn High School in New Castle, Delaware. Her class has been honored as one of only six Superstars in Education Winners this year. Superstars in Education is a statewide awards program seeks to promote and share programs and best practices in education that show measurable results and raise student achievement.
Carol Slater Smolenski C'90 GEd'91, and her husband, Paul Smolenski EAS'90, live in southern New Hampshire just north of Boston, with their three children, ages seven, 10, and 12. In January, Carol was awarded the rank of certified director by Sweet Adelines International, a worldwide organization devoted to women's barbershop music. She is assistant director of the Merrimack Valley Chorus in Massachusetts, which recently placed second in the mid-size chorus division and fifth overall in the 2008 regional competition. Her quartet, SoundScape, was recognized as the highest-scoring novice quartet in the 2008 contest. Paul has been promoted to director of quality and regulatory affairs, cardiac-care division, at Philips Medical Systems in North Andover, Mass.
Tim Johnson GEd’92, now a teacher at Cheltenham High School just outside Philadelphia, recently received the 2008 Yale Teaching Award. Former student Jenny Goff, now a first-year student at Yale, nominated him as a teacher she found especially influential. Teaching is a second career for Tim, who was formerly a bank manager. Now, he has been teaching high school math at Cheltenham for nearly 15 years. He resides in West Philadelphia with his wife, Carol, an art therapist, and their two children. Tim’s award was highlighted in the October 22, 2008 edition of the Montgomery Times-Chronicle.
Dr. Carladenise Armbrister Edwards C’92 GEd’93 is in her second year as chief of staff for Georgia’s Department of Community Health. She, her husband, Herman Edwards, and their two children, William (five) and Zora (three) live in Atlanta.
Barbara Caruso Gr'94 is director of Health and Wellness at Montgomery County Community College. She has written a movie script about her graduate school experience with AIDS (early) education at Penn. Anyone interested in making a movie about Penn should contact her at drcaruso@hotmail.com
Lloyd Holliday Gr'95 studied educational linguistics at the GSE and completed his Ph.D. thesis entitled NS Syntactic Modifications in NS-NNS Negotiations as Input Data for Second Language Acquisition of Syntax on Cross-Sentential Cues to the acquisition of L2 syntax under the supervision of Tere Pica and Nancy Hornberger. The idea of cues as the principal process of language acquisition in statistical learning has recently received a lot of attention again in research undertaken by Newport and others. Some of Lloyd's fellow students were Nora Lewis, Dom Berducci, Catherine Doughty, Richard Young, Dianna Boxer, Angela Creese and some colleagues he knew through part time work at the Language Centre were Katherine Billsmyer, Cheri Micheaux, Tom Adams, Gay Washburn, and Margaret van Naerssen.
Lloyd joined the staff of the Graduate School of Education at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia, where he supervised Ph.D. students in applied linguistics and taught and managed La Trobe's offshore programs in Vietnam and China. Some of his past students have published significant books as outcomes of their dissertations, such Machiko Achiba's Learning to Request in a Second Language, Hu Deying's Trilingual Education of Members from Ethnic Minority Nationalities in Yunnan, Yuan Yichuan's Attitude and Motivation and English Learning of Ethnic Minority Students in China. Two of his other Ph.D. students Dr. Ha Van Sinh (Input and Interaction Training in Pre-Service EFL Teacher Training in Vietnam) and Dr. Le Anh Phuong (The Feedback on Teaching Practicums Given to Pre-service Student Teachers of English in Vietnam) were awarded post-doctoral Fulbright scholarships for a year's research in the U.S. Since his retirement from La Trobe in 2007, he has been teaching at Maejo University in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Dr. Navneet Khera GED'95 Gr'95 is a founder of PACE (Programs for Awareness in Cultural Education), which has been named the 2009 recipient of the Voice of Inclusion Medallion by the American College Personnel Association. PACE was established in 1993 as a partnership between the Greenfield Intercultural Center and PennGSE to train students to increase cross-cultural awareness at the University. Dr. Khera founded PACE at the initiative of GIC's acting director Joseph Sun, with advice and support from GSE professor Nancy H. Hornberger.
Brian Peterson EAS'93 GEd'97 is executive director of the Ase Academy, "an experimental African-centered educational-enrichment program for area sixth- and seventh-graders, [which] holds sessions each Saturday on campus, in DuBois College House and Huntsman Hall. In its ninth year of operation, it is expanding to sixth through 12th by 2010. Hundreds of students from over a dozen public schools have participated. The earliest students are now in college. The program continues to persevere primarily through the gifts of individuals and corporate donors" In January, Brian accepted the Dr. Judith Rodin Award on behalf of Ase at Penn's 12th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Symposium on Social Change.
Hilary Bonta GEd’98 has teamed up with Anne Pomerantz GEd’98 Gr’01 to create a Mandarin Chinese program for elementary schoolchildren in Philadelphia. Hilary and Anne, both mothers of elementary schoolchildren, shared an interest in foreign language education. With help from Cheri Micheau Gr’90, Ann Kreidle, planning coordinator at Penn Alexander, and parent Lisa Mathewson, they launched the first Chinese-as-a-Foreign-Language afterschool program at the University City Arts League in September 2008. Anne and Cheri, who both teach in the Language and Literacy in Education division, recruited Chinese-speaking students in GSE’s TESOL program as teachers, and the program has become a fieldwork site for the TESOL program. Because there are few commercially available learning materials for children who do not have Chinese-speaking family members, the teachers had to develop an original curriculum and a host of beginning-level materials. The new program has also enjoyed support from parents who have picked up some Chinese themselves as they help their children review their lessons on the electronic files the teachers have created. Scholarships are available to ensure that the opportunity is open to all children.
Gloria J. McNeal GNu’75 GrEd’98 has been named the new editor of The ABNF Journal. Gloria is a professor and the associate dean for Community and Clinical Affairs at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey School of Nursing. First published in 1990, The ABNF Journal documents the distinct health care needs of the Black patient with original research and health related manuscripts, materials and reviews.
Anne Pomerantz GEd’98 Gr’01. See Hilary Bonta GEd’98.
Jamie Schuller Grant C'98 GEd'99 and her husband, Stephen, are delighted to announce the arrival of their son Carter Frederick, born February 6 (10 lbs. 4 oz., and 21 inches) in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania. "Our little butterball was warmly welcomed by our immediate and extended family, including Grandma Betty Schuller Gentner CGS'89, Aunt Elizabeth Schuller Eshelman C'93, and Uncle Bryan Eshelman WG'02, and by family friends Gavin Cheong EAS'98, Elizabeth Conboy Bartone Nu'98, and Lucia Palant EAS'98. Carter looks forward to joining the Class of 2030."
Bill Porter GEd'02 writes, "I am writing to inform you of all of the wonderful things that have been happening at the Freire Charter School, a school staffed by many Penn GSE alumni. Freire Charter is a college prep high school located in Center City Philadelphia. We send 98 percent of our students off to college despite 78 percent of them being low-income. We are one of only three open-admissions high schools in the City of Philadelphia to have won the State's Keystone Award for Academic Excellence three years a row. We earned this honor for having made AYP under No Child Left Behind for four years in a row. We are doing some amazing things at Freire.
Over 20 percent of our staff is Penn GSE, including Brett Shiel GEd'04, who started a program called the PEACE Project, which was awarded numerous grants and had a movie made about it; Brian Brecher GEd'07, a tenth-grade history teacher; Ja'Dell Davis GEd'07, a ninth-grade history teacher; Kelly Davenport, head of school since the very first day we started in 1999; Sarah Braden GEd'06, an 11th-grade science teacher; Stacey Carlough GEd'06, an 11th-grade English teacher, who started a Writing Fellows Program at the school; Sue Thompson GEd'03, dean of students (who's earning her principal's certification); and me-drector of College Counseling." Bill just earned his principal's certification and was a Fulbright Scholar in 2007-2008, winning the Fulbright Scholarship for School Administrators for the U.S.-Bulgaria Foreign Exchange.
Tiffany McKillip Franks GrEd'03 has been appointed president of Averett University, in Danville, Virginia, effective July 1. She is currently executive vice president at Greensboro College in Greensboro, North Carolina. Tiffany joined Greensboro in 1988 as the dean for student development.
Sue Thompson GEd'03 see Bill Porter GEd'02.
Phillip Petru, GEd’03, GrD’10 is the principal at Medford Middle School, which was recently named one of New Jersey’s “Schools to Watch” in recognition of its academic programs and use of technology. This honor is given annually to recognize schools that demonstrate academic excellence and student development. Schools to Watch are designated for three years, during which time each school agrees to host visits and travel to state conferences and workshops to share best practices. In addition to holding a master's in Educational Leadership from GSE, Phillip is currently enrolled in GSE's Educational and Organizational Leadership Program.
Vinay Harpalani GEd’99 Gr’04 Gr’05, who received his PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies in Human Development, has found continued success as a law student at NYU School of Law. He was selected as this year’s Student Scholar at the Thirteenth Annual LatCrit Conference hosted by Latino and Latina Legal Critical Theory, Inc. The paper that garnered the award, “Formal, Material, and Symbolic Modes of Racialization: Examining South Asian Americans’ Access to ‘Whiteness,’” uses South Asian Americans as a case study to explore the concept of whiteness as a form of capital to which various groups may seek access. Vinay is expected to receive his law degree in May 2009. Vinay went to NYU in order to combine his knowledge of human development with teaching law. In the future, he hopes to become a professor of law.
David Paul GrEd'04 published When the Pot Boils: The Decline and Turnaround of Drexel University with SUNY Press in May. David is president of Fiscal Strategies Group, Inc.
Rob Muller GrEd’04, who presented at Exec Doc’s fifth annual alumni reunion conference on January 15-17 (you can read his story, Title, on page TK) reports on the trip back to Washington. “Our train ride back on Saturday to DC was eventful. I coincidentally had a train to DC about the same time as the Obama whistle stop. Travel was delayed—no Obama but I did get to experience all the security at Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station. Our train passed his, stopped in Wilmington where there was a huge crowd beginning to disperse. People on my train thought that was so exciting that they all started calling their friends to say they saw the Omaba train! I guess in DC we get a bit cynical after getting stuck in too many Cheney motorcades. The tracks were then lined with people on and off all the way to Baltimore—crowds at the small-town stations, people in their backyards, small groups at intersections. That was awesome. We didn't brave the crowds Tuesday (call us wimps, kids have exams...) but I was downtown Sunday afternoon for a gathering of former Secretary Riley folks [Riley was Secretary of Education under Clinton] so got to share the enthusiasm and see the set-up on the mall; we drove down Independence Ave. and around the Capitol late Monday night which was quite inspiring too. ‘Wow’ about sums it up.
Dinkins GrEd'05 is the director of Electronic Learning and Career Education in the Tredyffrin-Easton (PA) School District.
Regina Vella GEd’03 GEd’04 Gr’06 writes, “Greetings from chilly Georgia! When I first decided to move here, I was determined to leave the cold behind yet it seems to have caught up with me. Before the holiday rush ensues, I wanted to drop a friendly line to wish all of you a wonderful thanksgiving holiday with your families and wish you well. I do miss my Penn GSE family very much and hope all is going well with you. I'm attaching a silly photo for you all to enjoy so you can see what a fun time I have with duties as assigned. This is truly the definition of what it means when you start up a new college - you may be a Director but you still get balloon duty…good thing I had all those years of practice with events at PENN!” Regina is the director of the Career Development and Center at Georgia Gwinnett College, Lawrenceville, Georgia
Marsha Pincus Gr’04 was recently named one of the “18 Distinguished Men and Women Talk About Who Inspire Them Most” by Reader’s Digest. The article was written by one of Marsha’s former students, who recalls that Mrs. Pincus took a personal interest in the well-being of her students inside and outside of the classroom. Marsha retired this year after more than 30 years of teaching.
Luisa Boverini GREd’05 is the new Assistantship Coordinator in the Higher Education program, taking over from Ann Tiao.
Sarah Braden GEd'06 see Bill Porter GEd'02.
Stacey Carlough GEd'06 see Bill Porter GEd'02.
Daniel Hickey GrEd'06 is now head of Upper School at the Tower Hill School.
Lawrence Rudolph GrEd'06 is now serving as the principal of Edgewood Middle School, Harford County, Maryland.
Dana Holland, Gr'06 is now Assistant Professor of Anthropology at the American University of Afghanistan.To read more about her experience living and working in Kabul, read this recent article.
Valerie Klein Gr’06 was quoted in the October 23, 2008 issue of the Philadelphia Inquirer. The article, entitled “Philadelphia program an alternative to check-cashing firms” discusses the efficacy of bank accounts for Philadelphia residents. Valerie currently serves as Director of Program Quality at the nonprofit Consumer Credit Counseling Service of the Delaware Valley. As a PhD student, Valerie worked with Janine Remillard studying a program working with people who had lost their credit and ability to bank. Valerie is married to Gabriel Kuriloff, who is the son of Peter Kuriloff and currently an EdD student in Educational Leadership at GSE.
Deirdre Martinez Gr’06 has published two books, Washington Internships: How To Get Them and Use Them To Launch Your Public Policy Career, and Who Speaks for Hispanics? Hispanic Interest Groups in Washington. The latter is based on her dissertation work. Deirdre is currently the director of the Fels Public Policy Internship Program and Penn in Washington and a lecturer in Penn’s Fels Institute of Government.
Brian Brecher GEd'07 see Bill Porter GEd'02.
Ja'Dell Davis GEd'07 see Bill Porter GEd'02.
William Kiehl GrEd '07 writes, "my new book 'Global Intentions Local Results: How Colleges Can Create International Communities' was published in 2008. The book, based on my doctoral research, is available through Amazon.com or on the CreateSpace Publisher's website. Contributions relating to public diplomacy appeared in two books in 2008 also: 'The Case for Localized Public Diplomacy' in "The Routledge Handbook of Public Diplomacy" and 'Seduced and Abandoned: Strategic Information in the National Security Process' in "Affairs of State: The Interagency and National Security" published by the Strategic Studies Institute."
Elizabeth Martin, GEd'07 is faculty advisor to the group of students at The Shipley School in Bryn Mawr, PA who won the Lexus Eco-Challenge, a national prize in Environmental Science that included an award of $50,000. Elizabeth credits her students for this success. To view a video about Elizabeth's class and this award click here.
Mark Saunders GEd’08 has been appointed director of admission for the Pennington School in New Jersey. Previously he was director of admissions and financial aid at the Langley School in McLean, Va.
Jana Carlisle GrEd'08 has been named senior program officer for Research and Evaluation at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Jesse Dougherty GrEd'08 has been named director of the Upper School at Friends Select in Philadelphia.
Linda Grobman GrEd'08 has been named superintendent and chief learning officer of the Radnor Township School District in Radnor, Pennsylvania. Linda previously served in the School District of Philadephia as a regional superintendent (for 11 years) and special education supervisor (for six years).
Chris McGinley GrEd'08 has been named superintendent of the Lower Merion School District in suburban Philadelphia.
Paul Marthers, GrEd '08, had an article accepted by the Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement. The article is an adaptation of a chapter of his dissertation. Reviewed "Southern Women at the Seven Sister Colleges" for an upcoming issue of the History of Education Quarterly. Presented a paper on women's college history at the History of Educations Society's 2008 meeting. Paul is a graduate of the Executive Doctorate Program in Higher Education Management. He currently works as the Dean of Admission at Reed College.
1930s
Ruth Saler Blank Ed'37, January 28, Elkins Park, Pennsylvania. A fundraiser for Alzheimer's disease for more than 25 years, Ruth Blank became active in the Alzheimer's Association in 1976, eventually chairing its executive committee. She initiated its Samuel A. Blank Research Fund (named in honor of her husband, the late Samuel A. Blank W'29 L'32), which supported the work of prominent researchers, including scientists from Penn and Harvard University. She received the Alzheimer Association's Distinguished Service Award in 1988 and its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002.
S. Herbert Starkey Jr. Ed'34 GEd'38, March 9, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. Herbert served as director of research for the New Jersey Education Association for 21 years, until his retirement in 1973, at which time he worked as a school finance consultant for the State of New Jersey until 1980.
1940s
Richard S. Heisler Ed'41 GEd'44 Gr'61, April 24, New Britain Borough, Pennsylvania. Born in Philadelphia, on July 17, 1919, he attended the University of Pennsylvania and received his bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees-all in education. After graduating, he taught science for ten years at Souderton High School. He returned to Penn to serve on the faculty of the Graduate School of Education for more than 25 years. While serving at the university, he did consulting work, evaluating the curriculum of various school districts. He also co-authored several books with William B. Castetter, including Appraising and Improving the Performance of School Administrative Personnel and Developing and Defending a Dissertation Proposal. As an avocation, Dr. Heisler studied trolley cars in many cities throughout the nation. With University colleagues, he also refurbished pipe organs from Philadelphia movie theaters.
Charles Appler Ed'49, GED'51 has retired from teaching Biology in Chatham, NJ. He now divides his time between Florida and New Hampshire. He has been publishing an 8 page Appler Family Newsletter four times per year for the past 27 years.
1960s
William G. Owen W'42 GEd'67, January 23, Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. William Owen's 48 years at Penn began in 1938, when he started his undergraduate studies. He earned a bachelor's degree in economics from Wharton in 1942. After serving in World War II and the Korean War, he returned to Penn in 1953 as assistant secretary of the University. Six years later, he was promoted to assistant vice president in the President's Office and then to dean of admissions. Meanwhile, he earned a master's degree from Penn GSE in 1967. He served as secretary of the University from 1968-1975. With the launching of the major campaign, Program for the Eighties, he was named vice president for development under senior vice president E. Craig Sweeten. His accomplishments at Penn included the development of the central academic calendar, the Alumni Council on Admissions, and the Small Communities Talent Search, in which the Admissions Office worked with high school students in rural areas of Pennsylvania to recruit promising students. After retiring in 1986, he continued working at the University as a consultant and was very much involved with the Kelly Writers House. He was a member of the Class of 1942 executive board that funded the complete renovation of the Class of 1942 Garden at Kelly Writers House. He also served on the board for Almanac and the Faculty Club (now University Club at Penn) and was a recipient of the Alumni Award of Merit. He is survived by his daughters, Lynda Safnauer, Virginia Fifer, and Sandra Richards; eight grandchildren including William Richards C'10 and Thomas Richards, Jr. C'05 GEd'06; and two great-granddaughters.
1970s
Eric C. van Merkensteijn C'68 WG'71 GEd'74, February 14, Philadelphia. In 1968 he joined the staff of Penn's English Language Laboratory, eventually serving as its director. He joined Wharton in 1975, where he was associate dean of finance and administration and later adjunct professor of public policy and management. In 1985, he began teaching at the Center for Organizational Dynamics. He was co-author of the book To Improve Office Design...Turn it Upside Down. Also a consultant on entrepreneurship, he established Van M's Music Bar & Grille in Old City Philadelphia in the 1990s. He is survived by his wife, Sallie L. Griffin Van Merkesteijn CGS'72 G'78, his son James E. Van Merkensteijn C'92, and his brother, John H. Van Merkensteijn III L'68.
1980s
Patricia Johnston Gr'87, July 11. A graduate of Pennsbury High School, she held a master's degree in the psychology of reading from Temple University and a bachelor's degree in English education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She earned her doctorate degree from Penn GSE's Reading/Writing/Literacy program in 1987. Pat joined the Pennsbury (PA.) School District in 1998, serving as assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction. Colleagues at Pennsbury credited her with reorganizing the kindergarten program to provide an equivalent half-day curriculum districtwide. Before that she was a teacher and administrator in the Centennial School District for 25 years. At the same time, she taught in the instructional leadership strand of Penn GSE's Mid-Career Doctorate in Educational Leadership program as an adjunct assistant professor. She was also an instructor in Educational Leadership at Delaware Valley College.
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