The University of Wyoming College of Education will recognize four exemplary members of its extended family Friday, April 23, during its 2010 Distinguished Alumni/Distinguished Former Faculty Awards Luncheon.
This year's Distinguished Alumni Award recipients are the late William G. Berube, professor emeritus of educational leadership, and Lois Veath, vice president for academic affairs at Chadron (Neb.) State College. Recipients of the 2010 Distinguished Former Faculty Award are Lydia Z. Kercher and Arnold L. Willems.
Berube, a 1985 UW graduate (Ed.D., educational administration), launched his education career in 1973, teaching fifth grade and physical education at St. Mary's Cathedral School. Elementary education assignments, both in the classroom and in administration, followed in other North Dakota and Wyoming schools.
In 1990, Berube joined the College of Education faculty as director of the Wyoming Center for Teaching and Learning at Laramie (UW Lab School) and assistant professor of educational leadership. He served as head of the college's Department of Educational Leadership twice, from 1997-98 and from 2002-2005. Between those assignments, Berube served as associate dean.
Berube died March 26, 2010.
Veath (Ph.D., 1988, curriculum and instruction) assumed her current responsibilities at Chadron State in 2005, 25 years after she first joined the college's faculty as an adjunct chemistry instructor. Veath also served as director of the CSC Science and Mathematics Learning Center, which she established and patterned after the center at UW, director of the CSC Planetarium, chairperson of CSC Department of Science and dean of Arts and Sciences.
Kercher (Ph.D., 1989, adult education) launched her teaching career in a split appointment between the college's Vocational Education Department and the University School (Lab School). She taught business-related courses, as well as exploratory classes at the middle-school level
Former students played an instrumental role in successfully nominating Kercher to the Wyoming Association Career and Technical Education Hall of Fame and the Wyoming Business Education Hall of Fame. She also holds professional memberships in national, regional and state business education and vocational education organizations.
Willems' College of Education connection began in 1971, when he was hired for a Cheyenne-based faculty position and established a pilot teacher education program with Laramie County School District 1.
Willems moved to the Laramie campus in 1977, continuing as a faculty member in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction During his teaching career, Willems earned the 1981 John P. "Jack" Ellbogen Meritorious Classroom Teaching Award, Who's Who in America, Who's Who in the West, the 1987 Project Innovation's Merit Award for Educational Leadership and several campus advising awards.
