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Vol. 19, No. 3 - Summer 2003
Endowed chair in urban education to be
established through Campbell gift
Carmen (B.S., ’64, nursery school, kindergarten, and primary
education) and Jim Campbell (B.S., ’64, business
administration, Carlson School of Management) are establishing the
Carmen Starkson Campbell Endowed Chair in Urban Education in the
College of Education and Human Development. The gift has been made
through Campaign Minnesota.
 One of only a few such chairs in the
country, this permanent faculty endowment will provide a highly
visible focus for the college’s current activities in urban education,
and will formalize the college’s emphasis on urban education and
history of partnerships with urban schools, especially the Minneapolis
schools. “We were looking for a way to create a gift that would
really have a positive, supportive effect on teachers in urban
schools,” says Carmen Campbell. “I taught for 11 years in the
Minneapolis schools and we’ve stayed close through fundraising and
other activities. I know the urban setting is changing and it can be
challenging for young teachers to stay in the profession. We’re hoping
the chair will attract a faculty person who will bring ideas for
addressing some of these issues and sparking higher awareness in this
area.” While the college and University have put significant
resources and expertise into urban education issues, creation of this
chair will allow the college to develop and share knowledge specific
to urban education and to establish national connections for improving
teacher preparation in urban education. “This is a wonderfully
generous gift on the part of Carmen and Jim Campbell. It provides a
vision that fits perfectly with the college’s desire to build on and
strengthen its work in the field of urban education,” says Dean Steve
Yussen. “We’re sure it will foster even more productive relationships
between our faculty and staff with the teachers and administrators in
our city schools.” The Campbell Endowed Chair will be a catalyst to
accomplish a variety of activities including:
- Preparing and supporting new teachers in urban settings to
improve retention and classroom stability
- Developing creative ongoing professional development and renewal
activities for experienced teachers in these settings
- Supporting teachers as advocates for at-risk students and
providing them with the ongoing educational resources needed to
ensure these students’ success
- Facilitating ongoing and new partnerships with urban schools,
especially the Minneapolis and St. Paul school districts, to support
research; sharing knowledge about best practices; taking leadership
in linking schools and families in high-poverty communities;
facilitating the development of leadership teams within schools; and
developing strategic planning through the lens of urban education.
For more information on contributing to the work of this new
endowed chair, please contact Lynn Slifer, development director, at
612-625-5511 or slife001@umn.edu. |
