A Time to Pay It Forward: Honoring Former Dean Richard L. Schwab’s Years of Service

Posted on by

Over the course of his time as dean — 14 years in total between 1997 and 2016 — Richard L. Schwab ’79 MA, ’81 Ph.D. has overseen a veritable transformation of the Neag School of Education. A community he affectionately refers to as his “second family,” the Neag School is one that Schwab, who stepped down as dean this past month to return to the faculty, has continually shaped for the better with every passing year.

Schwab
Richard L. Schwab ’79 MA, ’81 Ph.D. served as dean of the Neag School for a total of 14 years. Over the course of his tenure, the Neag School has received contributions of more than $38 million — and counting — the most money raised under any dean in the School’s history. (Photo Credit: Peter Morenus/UConn)

For one, the Neag School has come to be widely recognized as a premier school of education in recent years, currently ranked by U.S. News & World Report as the No. 16 public graduate school of education in the United States. Four of its specialty programs are also ranked today among the top 20 nationally: Special Education, Educational Psychology, Secondary Teacher Education, and Educational Administration.

As the longest-serving dean in the Neag School’s history — and the only alum to have held the position — Schwab has directed the implementation of new University academic vision as well as a new academic vision for the Neag School; recruited a wealth of nationally and internationally renowned experts to its faculty; and seen numerous Neag School alumni and former mentees receive regional and national recognition for their leadership in the field. In 2014, Schwab also established the Dean’s Doctoral Scholars Program, through which the Neag School offers four years of financial support to a selection of promising Ph.D. candidates. This coming fall, the program will welcome its second cohort of scholars, all of whom are dedicated to pursuing research in one or more of the Neag School’s four strategic areas of focus — STEM education; creativity and innovation; educator quality and effectiveness; and social justice.

Perhaps most memorably, Schwab found himself at the helm when the School announced at the state Capitol in 1999 the largest gift ever given to a school of education in the country — $21 million donated by UConn alumnus Raymond Neag ’56, after whom the Neag School takes its name.

Serving as dean for a total of 14 years between 1997 and 2016, Richard L. Schwab is the longest-serving dean in the Neag School’s history — and the only alum to have held the position.

A Spirit of Giving

That spirit of giving seems to have followed Schwab throughout his years as dean. In addition to Raymond Neag’s unprecedented investment, the Neag School has received contributions of more than $17 million — and counting — over the course of Schwab’s tenure, the most money raised under any dean in the School’s history. Support for scholarships has increased dramatically over the course of his tenure as well. Whereas the Neag School awarded roughly $30,000 in scholarship support in 1998, the School today is providing upwards of $1.5 million in scholarship and fellowship aid to its undergraduate and graduate students.

Schwab
Past and present Neag School Alumni Board members and friends of the School gathered in Hartford, Conn., earlier this month to celebrate with Schwab’s years of service as dean. (Photo Credit: Shawn Kornegay/Neag School)

It is precisely this kind of support that hits particularly close to home for the Neag Endowed Professor of Educational Leadership and former dean.

“I know from personal experience just how meaningful this kind of support is,” Schwab has said. His “second family,” he says, is responsible for providing him with the kind of invaluable opportunities that brought him to where he is today.

The first high school graduate in his family, Schwab himself received funding in the form of a graduate assistantship as part of the educational leadership program during the late ’70s and early ’80s — support that he is quick to credit with enabling him to pursue his chosen career path.

His commitment to education has not ceased in all the years since he was a student; Schwab has dedicated himself to service at the regional, national, and international levels, from serving as a National Commission on Teaching America’s Future commissioner and as a past president of the Council of Academic Deans for Research Education Institutions to working with universities around the world on educational reform issues.

Recognizing Richard Schwab

Colleagues and friends have been eager to pay tribute to Schwab’s years of service. This past spring, for instance, Neag School faculty and staff together contributed in honor of Schwab and Neag School associate deans Casey Cobb and Sandra Chafouleas an additional $3,200 to the Valerie J. Pichette Scholarship Fund — a scholarship that Schwab established this past fall in memory of his late longtime colleague, and which quickly amassed more than $61,000 from friends in and beyond the Neag School.

As three-time Neag School alumnus Desi Nesmith ’01, ’02, ’09 shared at this past year’s Undergraduate Commencement ceremony: “Dean Schwab has truly devoted himself to the Neag School. He has been integral to its success. He sincerely cares about its future. And now, as he concludes his final year as dean, we can look back and know that his superb leadership has, in large part, brought the Neag School to where it is today.”

Schwabs
Former Dean Richard Schwab and his wife, associate professor Kristin Schwab, established the Richard L. and Kristin E. Schwab Fellowship Fund to help support Neag School graduate students.

The Neag School now invites you, too, to consider honoring Schwab’s longtime dedication to the field of education and to help advance the careers of Neag School students — whether through a gift to the fellowship fund established by Schwab and his wife, Kristin, or to another Neag School-affiliated fund.

Examples of funds established in support of the Neag School and its faculty and students include the following:

  • Richard L. and Kristin E. Schwab Fellowship Fund — Established in 2009 to provide financial support in the form of a graduate assistantship to an incoming or continuing graduate student in the Neag School. This past spring, aspiring schoolteacher Alexandria “Lexi” Bodick ’16 (ED) was selected as the fund’s 2016-17 recipient. Give to the Richard L. and Kristin E. Schwab Fellowship Fund here.
  • Helen M. Sherrod Memorial Scholarship — Established this past October by the Sherrod family to provide support for undergraduate students enrolled full time in the Neag School with demonstrated academic achievement and financial need. This memorial fund seeks to honor the legacy of the late Helen M. Sherrod, who served as a third-grade teacher in Bridgeport, Conn., for more than 25 years. The fund is intended to assist students interested in pursuing a degree in teaching at the university level, with the goal of raising $2,500 per year for each scholarship recipient. Contribute to the Helen M. Sherrod Memorial Scholarship here.
  • Neag Alumni Society Endowed Scholarship — Established in 2014 by past and present members of the Neag Alumni Board as well as friends of the Neag School to provide financial support for a student enrolled in the Neag School. Give to the Neag Alumni Society Endowed Scholarship here.
  • Valerie J. Pichette Scholarship Fund — Established in the fall of 2015 in memory of Valerie J. Pichette and her 30 years of service to the state of Connecticut, including her 18 years at the Neag School, where she served as an executive assistant — first with Dean Richard Schwab and later with former Dean Thomas DeFranco. Support a Neag School student with a gift to the Valerie J. Pichette Scholarship Fund.

Find additional Neag School giving opportunities here.

Neag School Celebrates 2016 Commencement

Posted on by

The Neag School’s Class of 2016 graduates and their guests joined faculty, staff, and administrators earlier this month in celebration of Commencement Weekend, held on the UConn Storrs campus.

The Neag School’s Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony, held Sunday, May 8, featured surprise visits from Jonathans XIII and XIV, who accompanied the more than 125 graduates in their processional to Jorgensen Auditorium. Jonathan the Husky, the University’s mascot, also joined the celebration, leading the crowd in UConn and Mother’s Day cheers, while UConn’s all-female a cappella group Rubyfruit performed the national anthem.

State Commissioner of Education Dianna R. Wentzell, also a member of UConn’s Board of Trustees, delivered the Undergraduate Commencement address. She shared with graduates from the Neag School’s sport management and teacher education undergraduate programs insights into her early-career experiences as an educator and encouraged students to make an impact in their chosen fields. “Feedback is a gift,” she said. “Feedback gives us an opportunity to reflect on our work and to think about ways to grow and improve. Having a growth mindset is one key to success in any industry.”

Processional
Jonathans XIII and XIV joined the more than 125 Neag School undergraduates in their processional to the Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony earlier this month. (Photo Credit: Peter Morenus/UConn photo)

 

Congratulations, Neag School Class of 2016!

Find our Commencement video highlights, photo albums, and more here.

Mashup
Watch some of our favorite scenes from the Neag School 2016 Commencement Weekend here.

During the Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony, the School also unveiled two videos — one featuring alumni, students, and faculty sharing their Neag School experiences, and a second video in which graduating seniors offered personal messages of gratitude to their families, faculty mentors, and friends. Graduates and their families celebrated afterward during a reception held at the Gentry Building, where they enjoyed a photo booth and photo opportunities with Jonathan the Husky and Dean Schwab.

On Saturday, May 7, Neag School master’s and sixth-year graduates attended a pre-ceremony reception at the Gentry Building, followed by the Graduate School Commencement ceremony at Gampel Pavilion, where Oscar-winning film director Oliver Stone delivered the Commencement address. Graduates from the Neag School doctoral program celebrated on Sunday afternoon at a pre-ceremony reception held at the Alumni House and Commencement ceremony at Jorgensen, with UConn associate professor of political science Shareen Hertel giving the Commencement address.

In total, more than 8,000 undergraduate and graduate students were awarded UConn degrees this year.

Check out video highlights, photo albums, and more from the Neag School 2016 Commencement Weekend celebration here.

 

Higher Education and Student Affairs Program Names Milagros Castillo-Montoya Interim Director

Posted on by

Milagros Castillo-MontoyaAssistant professor Milagros Castillo-Montoya will serve as interim director of the Neag School’s Higher Education and Student Affairs (HESA) program for one year, the Department of Educational Leadership announced earlier this month.

Castillo-Montoya takes the helm following the retirement of Sue Saunders, whose tenure as extension professor and director of HESA was celebrated at an event held on May 3.

For more information on the HESA program, please visit hesa.uconn.edu. 

UConn Professor: Schools Face New Challenges as Enrollment Shrinks

Posted on by

Editor’s Note: This story — written by David Bauman — originally appeared on UConn Today, the University of Connecticut’s news website.

Connecticut is facing a steady decline in its school-age population, with the decline largest among high school students. For reasons ranging from a decline in birth rates as people have fewer children, to people leaving the state for job opportunities, the state is predicted to have the nation’s third-fastest decrease in enrolled high-school students over the next 10 years, with 5,400 fewer graduating each year. 

Enrollment
Education policy expert Shaun Dougherty discusses the potential impact of declining high school enrollment on Connecticut school districts. (iStock Photo)

The shrinking pool of high school students is expected to affect Connecticut school districts in many ways, from planning for school buildings, to class size, and even decisions about where students will attend school. Shaun Dougherty, assistant professor of education policy and leadership at the Neag School of Education, and an affiliated faculty member in UConn’s Department of Public Policy, recently discussed the potential impact with UConn Today.

Dougherty, a former high school mathematics teacher and assistant principal, conducts research on how PreK-12 policies and programs affect student outcomes, and how this is related to race, class, gender, and disability. His work has appeared in the Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, Education Evaluation and Policy Analysis, and Education Finance and Policy. He has also conducted research for the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University; the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Schools; and the Thomas B. Fordham Institute.

Q. Is the decline in student enrollment going to affect some school districts more than others?

A. Yes. I imagine that especially for smaller districts who have always valued their autonomy and local feel, this decline could be quite impactful. For instance, providing schooling includes huge fixed operational costs, including buildings and teaching staff, that are relatively more expensive to maintain when student enrollment declines. Also, the state fiscal situation, and expected reductions in the amount of money disbursed to districts for education, may increase pressure to find cost-saving solutions, including regionalization.

Q. Apparently districts in other New England states have been consolidating schools for some time. Yet historically, for many communities in Connecticut retaining local control remains important. Is that about to change?

A. Other New England states, Massachusetts and Maine especially, as well as upstate New York, have been grappling with declining enrollments in small districts for quite some time. There too, a tradition of local control has been challenged by these trends. Many districts have had regional associations for high school education in these same places, so it is somewhat surprising that the desire to maintain smaller, local institutions has been so strong. Whether this is all about to change is an open question. Right now Connecticut is having fiscal difficulties, and that, coupled with declining enrollments, may start to force the hands of municipalities as they make fiscal decisions. In my experience, general preferences are often challenged once folks are faced with a choice between giving up one thing or another.

Q. Is merging or regionalizing neighboring high schools a good way to address enrollment declines?

A. There are many considerations in regionalizing schools. For instance, while there may be substantial savings in overhead and infrastructure costs, it’s also likely that transportation costs will rise, as well as average bus ride times for students. Yet overall, creating regional schools seems a reasonable solution as compared to simply closing one high school and sending students to a different high school where the sending town doesn’t necessarily have a role in governance. Another consideration is whether having a class that is too small can pose as much of a challenge as having one that is too big. To that end, regionalization allows for the maintenance (or possibility) of more optimal class sizes, while also reducing the average cost of operating the school.

“Declining enrollment certainly changes the demand for teachers. But paradoxically, reducing the teacher workforce may lead to a jump in class size.”

—Assistant Professor Shaun Dougherty

Q. A decline in enrollment typically results in smaller class sizes and has significant impact on teachers. Are there ways for school districts to reduce teachers and school staff to match the pace of student enrollment?

A. Declining enrollment certainly changes the demand for teachers. But paradoxically, reducing the teacher workforce may lead to a jump in class size. In other words, losing teachers and administrators happens in a lumpier and less fluid manner as enrollment declines. Typically, however, resources like school counselors, psychologists, or other specialists get pared down as well, and then are shared across buildings (or even across districts) as a way to manage costs.

Q. Is updated legislation needed to help districts that want to consolidate? Do any incentives already exist to promote regional high schools – such as energy cooperatives, health insurance options, or increases in state aid?

A. I am not aware of existing incentives that are in place to encourage or facilitate the creation of regional districts. Certainly recent cuts in state aid to districts will create financial constraints that could encourage such joining of forces. Going forward, the state could encourage such regional mergers by dangling more aid to facilitate these transitions. I also think it’s reasonable to assume that laws could be passed that could help regional districts navigate provision of insurance.

Q. How is the decrease in the number of high school students likely to affect the state’s public colleges and universities?

A. The effects are not likely to be immediate. Already not all high school graduates go on to college, so it’s hard to know what the impact of enrollment declines at the high school level will mean for college enrollment. But if the same trend of declining enrollment is occurring in neighboring states, we could see an incentive for cross-state agreements related to tuition and fees for out-of-state students as a way to maintain a larger supply of college applicants.