Thomas VanSoelen, a third-year doctoral student in elementary education, has been awarded the Harold D. Drummond Scholarship from Kappa Delta Pi, an international honor society in education.

    VanSoelen, a native of Iowa, has taught all grade levels from K-12 in four different states as well as college-level courses. At UGA, he teaches undergraduate courses in elementary education and coordinates field placements in four counties within the Early Childhood Education Partnership Program.

    His research areas include teacher collaboration, teacher induction programs, and school reform. His dissertation research involves forming novice teacher learning communities, called Critical Friends Groups, that examine issues of practice and school culture.

    VanSoelen is the current president of the UGA chapter of Kappa Delta Pi. He received his master’s in elementary education and specialist’s degree in K-12 educational leadership from Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, FL. He earned bachelor’s degrees in elementary education and music education from Dordt College in Sioux City, IA.

    The $750 scholarship is awarded to graduate students who demonstrate scholarship and excellence in education.
 

Thursday, September 19, 2002
Writer: Michael Childs, 706/542-5889, mchilds@coe.uga.edu
Contact: Penny Oldfather, 706/542-4324, poldfath@coe.uga.edu