Alum Memory Book
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A magazine for Curry students, alumni, faculty, and friends |
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Fall 2007 Curry in the News Class of 2008 - - - Buy an Inscribed Brick to Support Bavaro Hall Curry Foundation Curry Campaign |
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- - - Lance E. Percy I recall with great fondness roaming the halls of Ruffner Hall and enjoying all of the classes -- well, most of them. Ruffner Hall was a harbor to me. It was a place where not only was I able to satisfy my yearning for knowledge in the fields of Education and Psychology, but it also served as the place where you could go to meet with friends, be it in the more formal setting of a classroom, or the merriment of just being together in the lounge of what was then the Counselor Education department. Our professors -- people like Bob Pate, Ken LaFleur and Paul Walters, Bill Van Hoose, Dick Beard and John Boyd -- all contributed so much to our time at UVa, and especially our experiences within the walls of Ruffner Hall. I have always considered my three years at UVa pursuing my doctorate as three of the most significant years of my life, and my time spent in Ruffner Hall will always be among my most favorite memories of that time. - - - Hendrick Booz Margo Figgins’ picture still hangs on my classroom wall. Wow. She influenced to work harder, to reduce my level of “Engfish” as Ken MacCrorie labels regurgitated and unfeeling language, and to be more real with myself so that I would be able to be real with my students. In my seventh full year of teaching, I see her about once a week from the corner of my eye, and she still forces me to reflect. Curry enabled me in a better way than the term might apply to today’s students. No, in fact, Curry ennobled me. I am a better person because of my decision to become a Curry student. I often reflect on my time and realize that the moments I spent with Susan Mintz and Margo Figgins forced me to, as Nietzsche states, become who I am. Curry forced me to realize a potential, to awaken a dream, to actually do something. Every day, I show up at work at 6:45 a.m. and laugh. Every day, I speak with senior students about narrative, about Oedipus, about Macbeth, about Keats’ nightingale. Every day I live. For that fact, I thank those who guided me in my choices.. Margo, Susan, thanks. We who are your graduates, thank you every time we laugh together. - - - Edna M. Babbitt I have to say that Dr. Robey was THE best professor I’ve had for a class, either undergraduate or gradute school. He bring real world experiences to the classroom, challenges his students to think about future patients as human beings, presents information in logical, understandable formats, and connects with clinicians working in the field of speech pathology to incorporate skills student clinicians will need upon graduating. Ten years later, I come across other researchers in the field of Aphasia who are always impressed when I say Dr. Robey was one of my former instructors. He has the respect of many people, colleagues and former students. - - - Cheryl-Ann R. Weekes - - - Jerry D. Martin - - - Joseph H. Quintano The field of counseling and clinical psychology at that time was not really established in Virginia, but things were beginning to develop and evolve with the establishment of a Professional Counseling license and even a Psychologist license with a State regulating Board and so on. The counselor department at that time did not have a course of study that prepared psychologists other then school psychologist which was just starting at Curry. Well I determined that I would take whatever courses were available to me to prepare myself for the highest level of Counseling Psychology that I could given that I was doing something new and frankly there were some professors that did not want me to create my own niche. In spite of the narrow view of some of the faculty, I got nothing but support and encouragement from Dr Paul Walters and Dr Richard L. Beard. They were truely Counselors who supported and encouraged me to follow my values and goals. They set a very fine example for me as models and mentors, especially Dr Beard. As a result of their total acceptance and lack of negative judgement of my goals I was able to become a licensed psychologist and have had a very successful private practice on K St., N. W. in Washington, D. C. for about 35 years. I'm 70 years old now, have hundreds of CEUs post doctoral to keep up to date in my field of Clinical Psychology and license renewals, traveled to many places around the world to conferences and have met a good number of famous individuals in the music, theatre, political, and movie and television fields, all of which was made possible by two professors who believed in me and the goals that I set for myself with what I had at my disposal at that time of my life. Never once did they tell me NO, YOU CANT DO THAT. I even had some articles published and also appeared on the Oprah Winfrey TV show. Now I continue to see patients on Saturdays in downtown DC since I retired from full time practice just to keep my license active. Penny Robillard MacPherson I couldn't describe what the Curry School looks like from the outside of the building. Nor could I elaborate on the decor of the classrooms. Neither could I comment on the facial expressions of fellow students I encountered there during my three years of study. For I was diagnosed with Retinopathy of Prematurity six months after I was born which meant that I was served an extra scoop of challenge by handling the ups and downs of life under the veil of blindness Nevertheless, there is much I can say about my time at the Curry School. My favorite Curry professor of all time was Dr. Crook, who taught the Language Arts block along with courses in children's literature. Her enthusiasm for what she taught oozed and spilled from the pores of her mind and mouth and I couldn't wait for each class to catch another second wind of fervor from her. Her classes indulged my love of books and my passion to write stories. I appreciated the library staff at the Curry School. They were always so anxious to help. They were tireless in the number of hours they spent assisting me in locating ERIC articles for my Master's thesis, printing them out, and aiding me in finding any children's book my hungry heart desired. They generously poured themselves out in a drink offering of quiet service. It's hard to believe that my ears haven't heard my footsteps echoing in Curry corridors for seventeen years. Conversations with my friends and fellow students Karen laMaire, Norit and Noam, and Heidi still ring in my mind. The day when Dr. Plaskon discussed some thoughts he was putting into a letter of reference for me. Barring the day that my daughter was born, the day that crowned every other day of my life was the day when I not only received my Master's of Teaching degree but the Outstanding Master of Teaching Award from the Curry School. Aside from the excellent training and advice I garnered, there was the rustling of the softly-scented mulberry breezes of encouragement and the enduring memories of true friends on the grounds of U.VA. who stood by me and saw me through my tenure as a graduate student there. Until now, very few people perceived the fingerprints which Curry has stamped on my life. That is why I'm writing: to say a million thank-you's to each one who breathed life into the dream for me and those who work to keep giving this enduring legacy to other Curry students. For one of the greatest gifts I ever received, I say thank you from the bottom of my heart. Yvonne Elizabeth Sansom - - - Mark P. Harrington I remember driving back to grounds from northern Virginia on Sept 11, 2001, listening to the unfolding tragedy in shock and disbelief. I arrived at Curry at around 0930. The pentagon was still whole. I had a class with Bob Covert, but nearly everyone in the building had gathered in Don Ball's classroom on the first floor. There we watched the towers fall, and the planes crash into the pentagon and that lonely Pennsylvania field. It was very quiet in the room. The occasional gasp or the thud of Backpacks dropping to the floor was all. I stayed in that room through what should have been John Sanderson's "buffet." (His daily handouts of all things tests and measurements, and my next class) I think Bob and John ended up in Don's classroom that day. I think all of Curry was there. It was the worst day of our lives, but it forever bonded us to each other, and to the Curry School. - - - Leila Azarbad One of the best decisions I have ever made was to leave the comfort of the midwest to attend the Curry School for my Ph.D. in clinical psychology. The Curry Clinical and School Psychology faculty are truly excellent, and I was fortunate enough to meet amazing peers who have become my closest friends. I'm honored to be affiliated with such a strong program! - - - John Duncan Hubbell It was my time at Curry that changed my life. Under the instruction of Marty Snell, I learned one of the most valuable lessons in my life. I learned to think for myself. It sounds simple, but often people never learn this lesson. It started with a writing assignment. I think I was supposed to take a stand on what a mother should do if she was pregnant and found that the fetus was going to be disabled. Well, I wrote a great paper telling Marty everything I think she wanted to hear. As it turned out, Marty tore my paper and thoughts apart. That is when I learned to think for myself. I learned to evaluate things, gather data, and make quality decisions. I took that simple but powerful lesson and applied it every day for many years while serving in the submarine service. Today, as the department head of a special education team in a middle school in Norfolk, VA and as an adjunct instructor at Old Dominion University, I am teaching others this lesson. I also remember spending many hours trying to create teaching materials out of styrofoam McDonalds packages, colored paper, and contact paper. This too was not viewed well by Marty. That led to lessons two and three. Keep it simple stupid (KISS) and work smarter not harder. Thanks Marty. Thanks Curry. Thanks UVA!
Frank Wesley Heath I took courses at the satellite campus in Virginia Beach while teaching science in High School. I especially appreciated being able to attend classes on Friday night and Saturday. Also, we were afforded the luxury of getting real professors from UVA. The faculty brought a world of experience to my Assistant Principal and Principal positions. I know their teachings will continue to serve me well as Assistant Superintendent for Currliculum and Instruction.
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Publisher:
Curry School of Education Foundation PO Box 400276 Charlottesville, VA 22904 |
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Editor:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Director of Communications |
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