College of Education Honors Distinguished Alumni and Faculty on April 22

Akron, Ohio, April 9, 2003 — The University of Akron's College of Education will honor three alumni and five faculty members at its 2003 Distinguished Alumni and Faculty Awards Dinner at 5:30 p.m., April 22, at the Martin University Center. The honorees were chosen for their achievements in the education field and significant contributions to their community.

In addition to individual awards, a Community Partner Award will be presented to the Summit County Educational Service Center.

The 2003 Distinguished Alumni Award honorees are Dr. Janet (Spoonster) Litzel ('78, '90) of Akron, clinical instructor and co-director of extended educational experiences at The University of Akron; Dr. Jerome Pecko ('69, '74, '85) of Barberton, retired superintendent, Barberton City School District; and Dr. Larry G. Roberson ('68, '70, '80) of Akron, superintendent, Coventry Local School District.

The 2003 Outstanding Faculty Award recipients are Dr. Dianne Brown Wright of Akron, Dr. Lisa A. Lenhart of Solon, Dr. Loreto R. Prieto of Akron, Dr. Robert C. Schwartz of Akron, and Dr. Brian Pendleton of Cuyahoga Falls.

Dr. Janet Litzel received a master of science degree in elementary administration and a doctoral degree in educational administration from The University of Akron. She has had an outstanding and respected career as a public school teacher and administrator in the Copley-Fairlawn City Schools from 1970 to 1994, followed by two years as middle school principal for Chagrin Falls Exempted Village Schools.

Her career at The University of Akron began in 1991 as a part-time instructor in graduate education. In addition to serving as co-director of the College of Education's Office of Extended Educational Experiences, she is a liaison and professional development coordinator for Coventry Local Schools. She is faculty advisor to the campus student organization Akron Council of Education Students and received the excellence award from Omicron Delta Kappa for outstanding service to University of Akron students.

Litzel is education director for the Akron Aeros Baseball Association, and a former member of the Educational Advisory Board of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She is currently serving on the advisory board of the Ohio Middle School Association, which has twice honored her as an Outstanding Middle Level Educator. She has been a consultant for staff development for numerous school districts including Akron City, Cuyahoga Falls, Tallmadge, Field and Streetsboro.

Dr. Jerome Pecko earned a bachelor of arts, master of arts and doctoral degrees in education from UA. He was superintendent of Barberton City Schools from 1994 until March 1, 2003. While at Barberton, Pecko oversaw many projects that benefited the schools and community, including the establishment of the school district's Head Start Program, construction of a $35 million high school and 100-acre sports complex, and the creation of an Evening Alternative School for at-risk students.

Pecko's educational career also spans 23 years with the Akron Public Schools as teacher, assistant principal, principal and executive director in the Office of School Improvement.

His community service activities include serving on the board of trustees for the South Summit Chamber of Commerce, the Barberton Community Foundation, the Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine Foundation and the Barberton Area United Way.

On July 31, Dr. Larry G. Roberson will retire as Coventry Local School District superintendent — a job he has held since 1998. He is a life-long resident of Akron and a graduate of Garfield High School. He earned a bachelor of science, master of science and doctoral degrees in education from the University.

Roberson has a passion for the performing arts. While at UA, he was active in a variety of musical groups and activities. His educational career began in the Aurora City School District teaching music and organizing dramas and school musicals. He is music standards chairperson of the State Fine Arts Standards Committee and is a past member of the Ohio Music Education Association Board of Directors.

Roberson has served as assistant principal for Streetsboro, Glenoak, St. Vincent-St. Mary High Schools and Central Junior High School. From 1987-94, he was principal at Springfield High School and was superintendent of Mount Gilead Exempted Village School District from 1994-98. He also taught part time at UA.

Dr. Dianne Brown Wright, associate professor in the Department of Educational Foundations and Leadership, will receive the Outstanding Service Award. Her service contributions are tied to her teaching as well as her research agenda as a University faculty member.

Wright brought the “P-16” concept to Akron in 1992, and served as the first local P-16 Council Chair in the state, and liaison to the Education Trust Offices in Washington, D.C. She published and edited the University's first “Thinking P-16 in Akron” semi-annual newsletter.

Wright has secured funding for various University programs through her successful grant writing. Included in the projects are the UA Summer Honors' Institute for Gifted and Talented High School Students, funded by the Ohio Department of Education; the UA Honor Student Volunteer K-3 Reading Initiative, which originally was funded by the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation and now funded through the OhioReads program; and the UA/Canal Place Technology Group “Cable Wireless of London” grant for equipment purchases for at-risk youth.

A native of Florida, Wright has been recognized by numerous organizations for her leadership and service, most recently as a 2003 Recipient of the Harold K. Stubbs Humanitarian Award in Education.

Dr. Lisa A. Lenhart, assistant professor in the Department of Curricular and Instructional Studies, will receive the Outstanding Teaching Award. As a member of the literacy faculty, she teaches literacy courses and is a consultant in literacy instructional practices. She is co-author of the text, “Reading and Learning to Read.”

Lenhart joined The University of Akron in 1998. On the state level, she has been involved in writing statewide curriculum for the Ohio Department of Education and trains teachers throughout the state. She also serves as field faculty for the Literacy Specialist project, an Ohio Department of Education program that trains school district reading specialists in effective literacy strategies.

Receiving Outstanding Research Awards will be Dr. Loreto R. Prieto, assistant professor in the Department of Counseling, and Dr. Robert C. Schwartz, assistant
professor in the Department of Counseling and director of the Clinic for Child Study and Family Therapy.

Prieto will be recognized for his contributions to the scholarship of teaching and learning in psychology, particularly in the development of teaching assistants. His research contributions benefit the teaching assistants he directly works with and help others who work with and train teaching assistants.

Prieto joined the University in 2000. He also is an adjunct instructor in the Department of Behavioral Sciences at Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine where he instructs first-year medical students in medical interviewing techniques.

He has penned 25 refereed journal articles, two book chapters, 10 newsletter articles and book reviews, edited a book and co-produced a workbook and videotape on multicultural counseling.

Schwartz joined UA in 2000. His primary research area includes studying symptoms of psychosis and how they are related to insight/self-awareness, suicide, homicide and substance abuse. It is hoped that as symptoms of psychosis are better understood, clients' insights can be increased and their life problems reduced.

His other research areas include countertransference and Buddhist philosophy in counseling. He has received many awards, including the International Outstanding Individual Program Award and the Outstanding Research Award from Chi Sigma Iota International Counseling Honor Society.

Dr. Brian Pendleton, professor in the Department of Sociology in the Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences, will receive the Campus Partner Award in recognition of 23 years of collaborative projects with the College of Education, particularly in the development of the Decker Family Development Center in Barberton.

The Decker Family Development Center provides educational, social and health services to low-income women and their preschool children. With a staff of 80, the center annually serves more than 200 women and 300 preschool children.

Pendleton has won local, state and national awards for his work and sociology research. His research was used by former Ohio Gov. Voinovich to establish the State's “Family and Children First” program, and by Gov. Robert Taft to establish the BEST Educational Practices Statewide Partnership.

Dr. Elizabeth Stroble, dean of the UA College of Education, will present a Community Partner Award to the Summit County Educational Service Center in recognition of the center's many years of support for the College's outreach agenda.

“The Summit County Educational Service Center has served local school districts and the College of Education over many years,” Stroble says. “Most recently, collaboration between the center and the College has resulted in the development and delivery of the academic standards master's cohort program, and joint sponsorship for Leadership for Learning: A Forum for Educators.

“The College of Education is proud to honor all of the 2003 award recipients for their distinguished contributions in the field of education and to the University,” Stroble says.

Anyone wishing to attend the event should contact the Office of the Alumni Association at 330-972-7270. Tickets are $25 each. Reservation deadline is April 16.

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