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Jianping Shen named Sandberg Professor of EducationSept. 28, 2005 KALAMAZOO--Dr. Jianping Shen of Western Michigan University's Department of Teaching, Learning and Leadership, has been named the John E. Sandberg Professor of Education. The announcement was made by WMU President Judith I. Bailey Sept. 27 during her annual State of the University address. She named Shen the recipient of one of two endowed professorships created this year to honor faculty members for their "passion for the life of the mind and the corresponding commitment to the well-being of our students." Shen, a faculty member since 1996, enjoys an international reputation for his expertise on contemporary education issues, including alternative teacher certification and the characteristics of good educational leaders. He was lauded for his research, his classroom teaching and his commitment to graduate education. During the past 10 years, he has served as chair or a member of 35 doctoral committees. During that same time period, he published 45 refereed articles, and he also was selected as guest editor for six national journal publications. In addition, he is the author of two books, including "School Principals," which was published in 2005. A successful grant writer, Shen has garnered three recent awards totaling more than $4.25 million from the Wallace Foundation and the U.S. Department of Education. Shen's new professorship is named for a longtime dean of the College of Education, who served from 1971 to 1984. Sandberg retired in 1985 and now lives in Florida. Under his leadership, WMU established a doctoral program in educational leadership in Guam, and the college earned full accreditation by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. The Merze Tate Center for Research was developed during his tenure. Shen came to WMU from the University of Washington-Seattle, where he earned his doctoral degree in 1995 and served as a research assistant and postdoctoral fellow with the Center for Educational Renewal. Before that, he was a lecturer at the East China Normal University in Shanghai and assistant editor of the Journal of Teacher Education in Shanghai and Beijing. His background also includes time in the classroom as an elementary school English teacher. In addition to his service to the University and its students, Shen has served his discipline in a variety of ways. He served as a commissioner on the W.K. Kellogg Foundation's National Commission on Service Learning, which was led by former Sen. John Glenn. His research reports on alternative teacher certification have been used by a number of national media organizations, including NBC, National Public Radio and U.S. News & World Report. Named professors at WMU receive an annual stipend of at least $12,500 for the first three years following their appointments. The stipend is derived from the earnings of an endowment from private donations put at the discretion of the president. Up to one-half of the stipend may be used to augment the faculty member's salary. The balance is to be used for expenditures on appropriate professional endeavors. Related articles Media contact: Cheryl Roland, (269) 387-8400, cheryl.roland@wmich.edu WMU News |
