Doctoral Student Receives Keith Osborn Scholarship

Early childhood education doctoral student Boyoung Park was awarded the D. Keith Osborn Scholarship in recognition of her academic achievement.

Park, a native of Seoul, Korea, was awarded the $500 scholarship by the elementary education program.

A pioneer in early childhood education, Osborn was a professor of education and child development for 26 years at UGA's College of Education . From 1980 to 1993, he was also graduate coordinator for the department of elementary education. Before coming to UGA, he was one of the first male teachers of young children. He was a faculty member and division chair at the Merrill Palmer Institute from 1952 to 1968.

As a consultant to the U.S. Office of Education in the early 1960s, Osborn was on the committee that planned the Head Start Program and served for a year as assistant director. Later, he was on the planning committee for the Children's Television Workshop, which developed the popular “ Sesame Street ” program. His service to children continued through his work on the President's Council on Early Childhood Education and the President's Council on Television. The U.S. Commissioner of Education and the director of the U.S. Office of Economic Opportunity also relied on his expertise in early childhood.

Osborn received numerous teaching awards at UGA, including the 1987 Josiah Meigs Award, the university's highest teaching honor. In 1988, he was named Georgia Professor of the Year by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. He was also a National Silver Medal winner for teaching that same year.

Alumni wishing to assist students seeking to become teachers of young children may donate to increase the scholarship fund. Checks should be sent to the following address and designated for the D. Keith Osborn Scholarship Fund (#40-S5850): University of Georgia Foundation, UGA Foundation Building, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602.

Thursday, January 20, 2005
WRITER: Nicole Richardson, 706/583-0811, nrichard@uga.edu
CONTACT: George Stanic, 706/542-4283, gstanic@coe.uga.edu