Rebecca Powell, Ed.D.
Dean of Education
Anderson Hall, Room 122, 502-863-8158
rebecca_powell@georgetowncollege.edu

I joined the faculty at Georgetown College in the fall of 1993. Prior to coming to Georgetown, I served as a faculty member at Kentucky State University in Frankfort and at Mars Hill College in Mars Hill, NC. In 2003, I was awarded the Marjorie Bauer Stafford Endowed Chair of Education. That same year, I received the Cawthorne Excellence in Teaching Award. I am the author of two books and numerous articles. A third book, a co-edited volume titled Toward a Literacy of Promise: Joining the African American Struggle, is scheduled to be published in the fall of 2008.

I live in Georgetown with my husband, Jerry, and our wonderful chocolate lab named Abbeygale. I have a grown son (Ryan) and stepson (Michael), who are the light of my life. My oldest son, Justin, is deceased.

Thoughts about Education

My educational philosophy reflects a critical multicultural perspective that is grounded in my faith. Education must be a path toward empowerment that leads all students to view themselves as capable individuals who can make a positive difference in their community and in the world. My vision for the Teacher Education Program is to prepare teachers who are committed to the profession and to the students and families they serve, and who will develop a sense of self-efficacy and worth in every child they teach. The purpose of education should not merely be to reinforce the status quo; rather, the goal should be to transform it.

Elsewhere, I have written:

“The problems of our society and world cry out for a prophetic voice, and as educators who touch present and future lives, we must contribute to that voice. We must establish aims that call for a better society—one that is grounded in equity and is characterized by compassion and care. We must be willing to engage in moral practice by becoming a part of the struggle to end oppression and to renew a sense of hope for future generations. We must nurture a collective and critical social consciousness and establish a community that is willing to act on its democratic principles and moral ideals. Certainly, educators alone cannot change the status quo. But we must try, for the world will not be moved through our silence.” (Literacy as a Moral Imperative, p. 123.)