The College of Education and Human Sciences will host the fourth annual Kent Wyatt Distinguished Lecture at Delta State University on Nov. 6 at noon in the Jacob Conference Center.
This year’s guest lecturer will be Dr. Renée A. Middleton, dean of The Gladys W. and David H. Patton College of Education at Ohio University.
Middleton is a distinguished educator with a strong commitment to transforming teaching and learning in schools. She has spent her career ensuring equity and excellence in education (P-20) and is a tireless advocate for ensuring that every student in America has the chance to learn and grow under teachers whose knowledge and skills have been verified through a peer-reviewed, performance-based process.
Dr. Leslie Griffin, dean of the College of Education and Human Sciences at Delta State, is thrilled to host Middleton as the keynote speaker.
“Dr. Middleton’s dedication to partnering with schools to ensure that teachers are fully prepared to assume their roles in the schools they will serve is well-regarded in the broad educational community,” said Griffin. “As faculty in the College of Education and Human Sciences reach out to local schools to understand how to better serve them through the preparation of quality teachers, leaders, and other school professionals, Dr. Middleton’s sharing of her experiences provides guidance. We look forward to learning from her through this lecture.”
Middleton serves on the board of directors of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, a nonprofit organization dedicated to elevating the voice of accomplished teachers in shaping a true profession and raising student achievement. She also serves on numerous other boards, including the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, and the Coalition of Rural and Appalachian Schools.
She has 21 years of experience with consulting, working with issues like public school strategic planning for diversity and rehabilitation counseling and multicultural diversity, within the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services, the National Institute for Disability and Rehabilitation Research, the Food & Drug Administration: Center for Devices and Radiological Health and the Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling working on Ethics/Consumer Protection.
Middleton received her bachelor’s degree in speech and hearing with a minor in behavioral sciences from Andrews University in 1981. She received her master’s degree in clinical audiology with a minor in speech pathology and behavioral sciences from the University of Tennessee in 1983. Middleton received her doctoral degree from Auburn University in 1990, with a focus on rehabilitation administration and a minor in rehabilitation counseling and education.
