college of education LEADER DEGREE II education adds program Extending the arm of Harding University throughout the state, the College of Education initiated an educational specialist program in the fall. The first of its kind in the department, the program prepared students to become leaders in their future school districts. The Higher Learning Commission and the Arkansas State Department of Education accredited the educational specialist degree. The approval from the Higher Learning Commission came in August, one week before the fall semester began. The late approval caused low enrollment for the first semester, Pat Bashaw, director of the Educational Leadership program, said. "The specialized degree brings to Harding a new level of graduate education that prepares candidates to achieve licensure as district administrators and also prepares them for further graduate studies," Dr. Tony Finley, dean of the College of Education, said. "Our desire is that these graduates would be prepared to pursue their doctorate in educational leadership." Finley said the College of Education offered classes at the Searcy campus, as well as at the DeQueen, Ozark and Dewitt campuses, the North Little Rock Professional Center and distant learning through the Educational Services Cooperatives. "This allows us to provide a service to educators in the state that was not possible in the past," Finley said. Although the program got off to a slow start, administrators who helped initiate the program were optimistic about the program's·future. "Unless some major overhauling occurs in Arkansas education, there will be a significant need for well-trained superintendents in the near and long-term future," Dr. Larry Long, associate vice president for Academic Affairs and dean of the College of Arts and Humanities, said. Dr. Linda Thornton, associate professor of education, taught courses in the new program and said there were many requests for it. "We'd had requests from educational leaders to add the program," she said. "We're excited that so many people are interested in it. People were waiting to go into the program as soon as it got approved. It's a good, quality program. It is an honor to be accredited to do something like this." - Sara Van Winkle 16811academics Senior Bethany Culbertson assists a second-grade student at Sydney Deener Elementary School Nov. 19. Culbertson, along with all certifying education majors, was required to complete stUdent-teaching hours before graduation. (Photo by Melissa Wilson)
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