Ladson-Billings receives Woman of Color award

In recognition of her contributions to scholarship and the campus community, Gloria Ladson-Billings has been named UW–Madison’s recipient of the UW System Outstanding Women of Color award.

Ladson-Billings, Kellner Family Professor in Urban Education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, will be honored at the 11th annual Outstanding Women of Color in Education Award Ceremony and Reception held on the UW-Eau Claire campus on Saturday, March 4.

Ladson-Billings’ research has focused on multicultural education, social studies, critical race theory and education. In 1994 she wrote the book “The Dreamkeepers: Successful Teachers of African American Children,” in which she examined eight outstanding teachers who differ in personal style but approach teaching to affirm cultural identity.

She serves as a project director at the Wisconsin Center for Education Research (WCER), where she and colleagues developed Teach for Diversity, a graduate program for teachers who want to teach in diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic settings.

In April 2005, she assumed the presidency of the 22,000-member American Educational Research Association (AERA), a position of national prominence that recognizes her scholarship, service, leadership and overall excellence in educational research.

In past years, the awards ceremony has been embedded in the annual statewide Women’s Studies Conference.

For this year only, the awards ceremony will be separated from the conference and celebrated with events co-sponsored by the UW-Eau Claire Women’s Studies Program rather than at the annual conference.

For more information and a list of UW System winners, visit http://www.uwsa.edu/acadaff/womens/events/woc/woc.htm.