Alverno College Professor Honored for Distinguished Achievement in Teacher Education

The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) has named Mary E. Diez, Ph.D., dean of the School of Education at Alverno College, the winner of its 2013 David G. Imig Award for Distinguished Achievement in Teacher Education. The award, given in honor of AACTE President Emeritus David G. Imig, recognizes achievement in the formulation, implementation, or analysis of teacher education policy or in the performance of distinguished scholarship in teacher education. It will be presented February 28 at AACTE's 65th Annual Meeting in Orlando, Fla.

The AACTE Committee on Professional Preparation and Accountability, which reviews submissions for the award, selected Dr. Diez for her outstanding background and dedication to the field of education, and her many achievements focused on improving educator preparation.

The Committee noted that her experience with several national organizations, including AACTE, the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), attests to her expertise in policy formulation, implementation, and analysis of education policy. For example, Dr. Diez exhibited significant leadership through her role in the revision of the Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC) Model Core Teaching Standards. In addition, her extensive work in a wide variety of areas with AACTE illustrates her dedication to the importance of educator preparation.

“Mary Diez embodies everything that is incredible about Alverno College, and this prestigious award couldn’t be awarded to a more deserving individual,” said Mary Meehan, Ph.D., president of Alverno College. “For over 20 years, she has been a pioneer in the teacher education field and a tireless advocate for performance assessment as a support for teacher growth. Her work with the InTASC Model Core Teaching Standards, teacher learning progressions and leadership of the Teacher Education as a Moral Community Task Force are just a few examples of her positive impact on teacher education policy, at both state and national levels. We are so proud of Mary and extremely thankful for the many contributions she has made to teacher education.”

See further details on AACTE's 2013 award winners at www.aacte.org.