Forrest Clift, assistant director in the COE Community Outreach Department, received an International Partnership Delegation Grant from GVSU's International Center. In March of 2011 he joined an interdisciplinary team that traveled to Jamaica for an on-site program based at a GVSU partner institution, the University of the West Indies, located outside of Kingston, Jamaica. The group studied Jamaica's history and culture, met with faculty and staff in their common areas of work and discussed collaborative projects.

Rodney Lewis is the current principal of Ottawa Hills High School in Grand Rapids. He earned a bachelor’s degree in printing management from Ferris State University, and two master’s degrees in education leadership and an Educational Specialist degree from Grand Valley. He was the owner of Litho-Tech Printing before working in the field of education. He taught at Creston High School before becoming assistant principal at Ottawa Hills High School.

Dr. Amy Masko is currently an associate professor of English education at GVSU. Dr. Masko is a passionate educator focused on fairness and equity in the field of education. She began her career as a kindergarten teacher, which allowed her to witness the most exciting and fastest changing stage of literacy development in children: emergent reading. Later she went on to teach middle school science and language arts. After earning her Masters degree in literacy, she went to work for The Bridge Project, an educational non-profit located in Denver's public housing developments. She served as the Director for Education, as well as one of the site directors for the program.

Dr. Masko earned her Ph.D. from the University of Denver in Curriculum and Instruction: Urban Education. Her dissertation was an ethnographic study of interracial relationships among a diverse group of children in an after school program. This work began her scholarship in race and schooling. She has since conducted research examining how race manifests itself in urban schools, culturally competent teaching practices, poverty and schooling, and the cultural congruence between home and school.

Char is an educational consultant working with the Kent Intermediate School district to coordinate and facilitate learning for the: Literacy Coaches network, Cognitive Coaching Network, and Teacher-Leadership Academy. She actively supports literacy learning for all ages by serving on the advisory council of the community Literacy Coalition of West Michigan and on United Way's Vision Council for Education. Char previously served as a special eduction teacher and elementary prinicpal in the Grand Rapids and Kentwood public school communities.

Char's passion for working with others is driven by the belief that: "Learners are leaders, and that learning with others yields greater results."

Nelli worked for 30 years at Sparta Middle School where she taught in a resource room, fifth grade, and sixth grade Language Arts and Social Studies. She served on many district and building committees, which focused on literacy and student achievement. After retirement in 2006, Nelli transitioned into work at Kent ISD. She currently is part of the training team for the Literacy Coaches Network and a Kent ISD Agency Trainer for Cognitive Coaching. She also is a facilitator/trainer of literacy strategy workshops and coaches teachers, principals, and literacy coaches in area schools.

Cynthia Mader, professor of education, received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Women's Commission, March 13th, 2012 at the annual Celebrating Women Awards Ceremony. As one of the founders of the Women's Commission, Cindy led initiatives that improved the working climate for women on campus.

In the mid-1990's, the commission conducted a campus climate study that revealed concerns, including inequities in salary. Subsequent salary review led to pay increases for some faculty and staff on campus. In addition, the Women's Commission played a vital role in the hiring of Grand Valley's first vice president for planning and equity.Other initiatives that grew from the efforts of the Women's Commission include the Women's Center, Women and Gender Studies, LGBT Resource Center and Positive Black Women are now considered campus mainstays.

The College of Education was named an Exemplary Performance Teacher Preparation Unit for a fifth straight year by the Michigan Board of Education. In accordance with HEA Title II requirements, the COE earned 68 out of 70 points in six areas:

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  State test pass rates


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  Candidate surveys of perceived readiness to teach


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  Program completion within six years


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  Program review and accreditation status


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  Candidate diversity


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  Student preparation in high-need subject areas

At the April 2011 Graduate Student Celebration, Dr. Julie Chlebo, associate of education, received  the Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award by the Graduate and Professional Student Association. She was nominated by Laura M. Crump, her student in the Early Childhood Education program.

Elaine Collins, COE dean, has instituted an award program to recognize outstanding graduate student research and applied scholarship. The 2011 inaugural winners of the Graduate Award for Excellence standing with the dean are (left to right) Edwin Lee Vaandering, Dean Collins, Lisa Marie Domke and Olivia Destrades Mendoza. These  students were honored at a reception and award ceremony where they presented their work, answered questions about their project/theses, and participated in a panel discussion.  The winning projects are on course reserve at the Steelcase Library, DeVos Center and avaliable for student review.

The College of Education has begun enrolling students in the first GVSU master's degree program offered completely online--a master's in educational technology.  Through this program, K-12 educators will learn how to integrate and maximize classroom technology use.

The master's degree is designed for those living outside of Kent, Ottawa and Muskegon counties. However, the program is also offered with a hybrid (online and face-to-face) option for those who reside in or close to the Grand Rapids area.The program allows teachers to access cutting-edge information and build ongoing leaning communities and networks.

Andrew Topper, associate professor of education, led the three-year effort to establish the online program.

The Glenn A. Niemeyer Outstanding Faculty Award is GVSU's highest award and honors faculty who strive for excellence in all aspects of their academic experience. In 2011, GVSU recognized Dr. Claudia Sowa Wojciakowski, professor of education. Dr. Claudia Sowa Wojciakowski joined the GVSU faculty in 1999 and teaches in the school counseling program. She also is the director of the Center for Educational Partnerships. She has served on the University Curriculum Committee and has won over $1 million in grants for service learning education.

GVSU honored Dr. Barbara Lubic in 2011 for her exceptional community service in the area of her professional expertise.  Lubic has been a classroom teacher, behavior consultant, community activist and advocate for literacy and for children with special needs. She has been a active participant in the West Michigan Inclusion Network, the Grand Rapids Very Special Arts, the Grand Rapids Children's Museum and the Adoptive Family Support Network. She created and implemented a Ready to Read program, a state-funded preschool initiative and founded Tuesdays at Sundae's in the Heights, a literacy initiative combining ice cream and story time to increase reading readiness in her neighborhood.