First-year state progress reports were released by the U.S. Department of Education in January. But according UConn’s Tammy Kolbe, an assistant research professor at the Neag School of Education’s Center for Education Policy Analysis, it’s far too early to speculate on the effectiveness of these or any reforms funded by the one-time grants—though it’s not too early to create an RTT evaluation plan. In fact, it’s essential.

“Winning states came up with plans for change, but do they have the capacity to implement that change, or ensure that it’s meaningful, long-term change, rather than just a short-term fix?” said Kolbe, lead author of “And They’re Off: Tracking Federal Race to the Top Investments From the Starting Gate.”

Written with University of Maryland education policy studies professor Jennifer King Rice and published in the January issue of Educational Policy, the article examines the influence of federal education priorities on grant proposals, explains grant parameters and how funds were awarded, outlines both winning states’ and the government’s intents, and stresses the need for a benchmarked evaluation system.

“Five to 10 years from now, we’ll need to have a tool that allows us to determine whether these grants made a difference; whether this money mattered. Establishing baseline expectations will be key to determining whether states achieved the significant and comprehensive education innovation, reform and improvements that RTT  grants were intended to provide,” Kolbe said. “This was no small lump that was distributed. It was a significant—historic—distribution of grant funds larger than any state has ever seen before.”

Funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, and managed by the U.S. Department of Education, RTT  was designed to “reward” states with concrete plans and actions to:

• Significantly improve student outcomes
• Close achievement gaps
• Improve high school graduate rates
• Better prepare students for college and career success

Forty-six states (including Connecticut) and the District of Columbia competed for the funds which, when the 12 winners were chosen, led to grants of between $20 million and $700 million distributed over a four-year period. The application process was extensive and the competition fierce, with some states going as far as to change laws, regulations and teacher contracts to make themselves eligible to apply, or more likely to win, an award.

Winners were Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island and Tennessee.

“But is competition the best way to award funds designed to improve poor educational systems? States with more resources are very likely going to have the ability to put together better grant proposals than those with less resources,” Kolbe explained, “which means the needier state may not get the grant—though one of the hopes for RTT is that it will have a trickle-down effect. That non-RTT states will see what RTT states are doing, and then look at how they can make similar changes in practice within their cost and resource restraints.”

Tracking states’ RTT fund plans and progress is the federal education department’s Implementation and Support Unit, but local leaders need to track and monitor states’ progress, too, Kolbe said.

“If RTT pans out as it was intended, local districts and states will have effective best-practices and programs to use as models to meet specific needs,” Kolbe said. “But we need time to watch and see. Several RTT states plan to use the funds on short-term projects, but will that allow them to sustain needed educational improvements over the long haul? Also, will continued economic challenges affect states’ abilities to sustain long-term change?”

“There’s also the issue of whether this kind of sizeable federal investment in education reform was a good one to make,” Kolbe added. “Can large grants better move states and localities closer to achieving national goals for public education?”

Robert Villanova (standing) leads discussion during Neag/CAPSS partnership meeting. Also pictured is Francine Coss, superintendent in Columbia, a graduate of Neag's Executive Leadership Program and current student in Neag's Ed.D. program. Photo credit: Shawn Kornegay

New Connecticut Regional School District 14 Superintendent Jody Goeler credits the Advanced Leadership Development Institute for Early Career Superintendents at the Neag School of Education with giving him not just the tools, support and opportunities needed to better manage the practical, day-to-day aspects of his job, but also to tackle the unavoidable sticky—and inevitably unexpected—situations.

“When you’re the superintendent of schools, you’re literally the only one in town, and it sometimes can be a lonely position,” said Goeler, who was assistant superintendent in Avon before becoming the head of District 14, which covers Bethlehem and Woodury, in August. “But the Institute has given me the opportunity to develop strong networks and relationships with others doing similar work. It challenges my thinking and has given me real-experience answers to challenges related to all matter of my work.”

Created as part of an ongoing partnership with the Connecticut Association of Public Schools Superintendents (CAPSS), the CAPSS/Neag Early Career Superintendent Institute provides superintendents who’ve been at the job three years or fewer the opportunity to actively participate in purposely structured seminars with other early career superintendents, said Robert M. Villanova, Ph.D, who co-facilitates the Institute with Diane Ullman, Ph.D., Simsbury’s superintendent of schools and adjunct faculty member at the Neag School of Education.

“Even experienced leaders require a network of support and continuing education,” said Dr. Villanova, a professor in the Neag School of Education’s Department of Educational Leadership and former schools superintendent himself. “Learning and the need for ongoing professional development doesn’t stop because you’ve been appointed superintendent, and the truth is that there’s a big difference in the scope of responsibility between serving as an assistant or deputy superintendent and the one with the ultimate responsibility for leading school district improvement.

“The position of superintendent is unique, and the benefits associated with participating in an ongoing professional learning community made up of other superintendent colleagues cannot be overstated,” he continued.

Focused on providing the kind of strategic leadership support that can help a superintendent stay focused on district leadership work that has the best chance of improving district effectiveness and performance, the Institute meets roughly nine times during the school year at the CAPSS headquarters, 26 Caya Ave., West Hartford. Based on past participants’ feedback, classes take place on either a Tuesday or Wednesday from 9:30-11:45 a.m., after which superintendents can either stay and network in small groups over lunch or head back to their districts.

Neag faculty and experienced CAPSS superintendents often participate and help guide Institute sessions. Each session is organized around the following activities:

• Problems of Practice Analysis. Either facilitators or Institute participants introduce a timely district leadership “problem of practice”—authentic district leadership challenges that superintendents face in leading school districts. Institute facilitators or other invited, experienced superintendents present specific examples of district leadership challenges, such as how to work with the board of education in developing and presenting the district budget; strategies to use in supporting and developing the instructional leadership capacity of principals; and successful strategies used to develop a collaborative and results-oriented partnership with the board of education. Other topics addressed in recent seminars have included ethics and decision making in district leadership, creating the conditions for transparency and accountability, and strategies to engage the full range of community stakeholders.
• Collaborative Inquiry Around a Particular Problem of Practice. A superintendent presents a real and pressing problem he or she is facing that is directly related to improving district performance. Through a structured, reflective protocol, colleague superintendents then offer analysis, suggestions and a practical take-aways for the presenting superintendent to consider. These take-aways most often result in new perspectives and learning for each superintendent in the group.
• “Pressing Issue” Roundtable. Each participant briefly shares a current and “pressing” district leadership challenge, and members of the group both give and receive feedback. These pressing issues often become the focus of future practice problem analyses.

“To have a district that values learning, you need to have a superintendent who values learning—and the Advanced Leadership Development Institute for Early Career Superintendents provides an opportunity for superintendents to model that learning; to show that they are committed to their own continual learning and growing, which hopefully will have a trickle-down effect, inspiring other administrators, principals, teachers and students to do the same,” Villanova said.

But it’s more than a belief in education that drives the program, Villanova explained. There’s a real need.

Each year, roughly 39 of Connecticut’s 157 public school districts get a new superintendent, said CAPSS Executive Director Joeph Cirasuolo, which means that at any given time, 25 percent of Connecticut’s educational leaders are facing new challenges and responsibilities—and need a proven resource to turn to for best practices in district leadership.

“The access to experienced superintendents that the Institute provides gives participants years of experience, knowledge and leadership to learn from,” said Wolcott Schools Superintendent Joseph Macary, who’s attended the program since 2009. “The sessions are collaborative, there’s always time for discussions, and you leave knowing that you’re not alone—and that you have colleagues to reach out to, if needed.”

Cost for the program is covered by CAPSS through each superintendent’s membership dues, which means that any Connecticut superintendent who’s been in the role three years or fewer is eligible to attend. Soon-to-be superintendents can also attend—a benefit that Seymour Assistant Superintendent Christine Syriac is taking advantage of right now. She’ll become Seymour’s schools superintendent in July.

“I’m a firm believer that there’s much more to gain from working as a team than as an individual,” Syriac said, “and the Institute team has provided me with so much: a common language, the opportunity for dialogue, access to applied research, and the opportunity to learn from highly experienced and respected educational leaders. Being a part of this team also helps remind me not to get lost in everyday minutia and to keep sight of our goals, our students and our instructional core.”

Although each new program cycle begins in September and ends in May, eligible superintendents may join on a rolling basis and start at any time. However, a commitment to be an active participant is required.

“We come to rely and count on each other—something that I imagine will continue after our time in the program is over,” said Newington Deputy Schools Superintendent Jeffrey Schumann, who on July 1 will become Enfield’s superintendent of schools. “Building these relationships is nothing but beneficial, as is having this direct connection with the Neag School of Education and all of its resources, research and timely information on virtually any topic a new superintendent might face.”

For more information about the program, contact Villanova at (860) 486-4812 or Robert.Villanova@uconn.edu. Register through CAPSS  by calling (860) 236-8640.

This approach is the foundation of the second edition of Teaching Science to Every Child by Dr. John Settlage, associate professor in science teacher education at the Neag School of Education. The textbook serves as a tool for educators to think about all learners, regardless of abilities or language, with strategies for successful teaching in the subject matter.

“The goal of this book was to infuse student diversity throughout the whole book — in how to ask questions, in how to design assessments and in how to run a classroom,” said Settlage.

Settlage’s research examines the need to teach science so children from any background can be successful. His text is unique to the market, offering an encouraging tone throughout and approaches to making science accessible to all.

Contents of the book include understanding basic science process skills, experimenting as a valuable way of doing science, integrating science with other subjects, among others.

Besides three new chapters, embedded technological tools and an increased attention to the role of theory, a special feature of the second edition is the added artwork as chapter openers.

The contributing artists were fourth grade students from Katie Smith’s class in Manchester’s Waddell Elementary School. Smith, a Neag alumnus, had Settlage as a professor and learned from him the importance of adjusting to meet the needs of every individual in the classroom. Smith used the first edition of the textbook as a graduate student before helping in the contribution of the newest updates.

“The book, as much as it is a tool for teachers to learn science teaching methods, really encourages out-of-the-box thinking,” said Smith. “It’s not about the traditional way of teaching science with a textbook. It’s much more about kids having meaningful experiences exploring with materials, while the teacher provides a venue for them to feel safe, to ask questions, to be curious, and to communicate those feelings with each other.”

“It encourages teachers to think deeply about their own science teaching practices and whether or not these methods are truly helping each member of a diverse classroom to process concepts and extend learning,” Smith concluded.

With the help of Settlage, Smith and her class brainstormed different ways students might think about science with a list of categories like weather and ecosystems. After handing out pieces of paper, the educators gave the children the liberty to draw whatever came to mind that was important to them in terms of the subject.

One of the student drawings that appeared in the book.

The focus was not to have correct diagrams or explanations, but instead to illustrate the students’ own authentic opinions and thoughts, which translated well into the book, further emphasizing Settlage’s message.

“I think it’s nice to show thinking from kids in the updated edition, especially for new teachers,” said Smith. “As a pre-service teacher, I always felt more connected to a text in which I could see authentic examples of work being done in the classroom. It helps to contextualize the often-arduous process of teaching a bit more, and it gives teachers a taste of the fun that is to come!”

The book is published by Routledge Press. For more information about the book, check out their website http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415892582/.

For information on supporting the Neag School of Education, visit here.

“The Northeast Media Literacy Conference has been recognized for almost a decade as a key annual meeting of media literacy leaders and enthusiasts to learn and share with each other,” said Dr. Thomas B. Goodkind, conference creator and coordinator and a Neag School of Education professor of curriculum and instruction. “The program usually features two keynote speakers — recognized national and international experts in the field — as well as over a dozen workshops led by innovative theorists, practitioners and researchers in media literacy and technology.”

A special repeat feature of the conference will be the participation of 22 media leaders representing 22 nations, sponsored by the U.S. State Department’s International Leadership Program.

“The participation of these leaders in this distinguished State Department program at our conference is significant in that it appears to tie in directly with the continued, timely U.S. government recognition of the international interest and importance of media literacy,” said Goodkind.

The international visits to UConn also boosts the visibility and image of both the University and the Neag School of Education, while providing the potential for important world-wide contacts in media literacy and related fields.

Keynote speakers are Howard Schneider, nationally recognized speaker, educator and founding dean of the School of Journalism at Stony Brook University, and Dr. Kathleen Clarke-Pearson, award-winning American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) pediatrician and expert on the impact of the mass media upon young children. Both will bring leadership, knowledge and experience in media literacy to the conference, Goodkind said.

The conference will also feature 15 workshops, exhibitors and film showings. Registration includes a continental breakfast, buffet lunch, refreshments throughout the day, social hour, conference-related handouts and parking fee. Cost to attend is $95 per person; $45 for students (with ID).

For more information and to register, visit the Northeast Media Literacy Conference website at http://medialiteracy.education.uconn.edu or contact Dr. Thomas B. Goodkind at t.goodkind@uconn.edu or (860) 486-0290.

Josh Lupinek, a first year master's student in sports management, teaches Hartford students how to play soccer during the Husky Sport "Read and Raise Olympic Event." About 200 Hartford students and staff spent the day on campus with 200 UConn students and staff, celebrating the schools' participation in the Read and Raise initiative from December through April. Photos by Jessica Tommaselli

A program that pairs UConn students with schools in Hartford’s North End—using sports as common ground for learning—has instilled the importance of community service in every participant.

Week after week since 2004, UConn students have spent time in Hartford through the Neag School of Education’s Husky Sport program. They work alongside nearly 30 community organizations, particularly the City of Hartford’s Parker Memorial Center, and in five local schools—Capital Prep, Clark, Fred D. Wish, Martin Luther King and SAND—to drive home the importance of education, engage the students in school-wide reading challenges, and participate in sports activities and nutrition lessons.

Some of the UConn names who have contributed to the program are also among the most well-known: Kemba Walker, Maya Moore, Donald Brown, Brittany Hunter, Emeka Okafor, Kevin Ollie and many more. Okafor also supported the program through a 2007 gift, donating $250,000 to the program, which has been integral in the growth of Husky Sport.

Husky Sport is not limited to student-athletes, however. More than 1,000 UConn volunteers participate each year, amassing more than 25,000 hours of community outreach annually through service learning classes led by Jennifer Bruening, Ph.D., in the Department of Kinesiology. Bruening created the Husky Sport program shortly after arriving at UConn in 2002.

“Sport is at the root of our partnership,” Bruening said. “Sports-based youth development provides the basis for teaching larger life lessons. Husky Sport uses sport as a foundation to assist the Hartford students in making smart choices, and bringing real change to their community.”

The UConn students take on a kind of rock-star status among the students at the schools, and their presence helps to encourage the students in Hartford to reach higher. For instance, the Read & Raise Initiative that challenges the students at each of the Hartford schools to read 15,000 books and complete 15,000 work sheets by April 30 was met and surpassed well ahead of the target date. The students in Hartford are also invited to Storrs for events, often tied into Division of Athletics activities

Bruening’s service learning class in Storrs—and the popularity of the program—has allowed for a steady increase in the reach and depth of the Husky Sport program. Through the program, UConn students provide assistance with physical education and nutrition in the schools and partner with Clark Street neighborhood after school programs to increase the number of youth who attend weekly swimming lessons at the Parker Memorial Center.

The program has also expanded its work with the Teens Through College program for high school students preparing for college to include a college credit bearing course at Capital Prep High School. Graduates of the Teens Through College program are presently attending college throughout the state, including UConn.

For more information on Husky Sport, or to support Husky Sport, visit here.

Alyssa Budkofsky ('01) listens to the student- athletes on the menʼs basketball team at Quinnipiac University.

When Alyssa Budkofsky (BS Sport Science ʼ01) listens to the student-athletes on the menʼs basketball team at Quinnipiac University describe the challenges of getting their schoolwork done while still meeting their obligations for practice, games, and travel, she is sympathetic up to a point.

After all, Budkofsky, assistant athletic director for menʼs basketball academic support at Quinnipiac, once faced a similar situation herself, as a student manager for the Huskies. Today, she tells her student-athletes: “I had to go to practice and go to class. I know youʼre going to have to make sacrifices in your personal life, but thatʼs what you have to do to make that commitment.”

Soon after earning her degree from the Neag School of Education, Budkofsky received a call from Karl Hobbs ʼ84 (CLAS), who had been named head coach at George Washington University after being an assistant coach to Jim Calhoun at UConn, asking if she would be interested in going to graduate school and working as a student manager. While obtaining a masterʼs degree in business administration, Budkofsky tutored basketball players at George Washington to earn extra money. With her MBA in hand, she then spent a year and a half working for the management division of Ripken Baseball, led by former Baltimore Orioles star Cal Ripken Jr., before returning to George Washington as an academic advisor and earning a second masterʼs degree in higher education.

Budkofsky started as academic advisor for menʼs basketball in 2007 at Quinnipiac, when Tom Moore was named head menʼs coach, and established an academic advisor position for his team. Moore, a former assistant coach to Calhoun at UConn, had previously hired Budkofsky as a student manager for the Huskies.

“Alyssa has been invaluable in our efforts to establish a culture of academic excellence in our menʼs basketball program,” Moore said. “Her work ethic, loyalty, and commitment to the academic process have been the driving forces behind us being noted by FoxSports as having the largest increase in our academic progress rate score of any Division I menʼs basketball program in the country.”

Budkofsky met Moore on her first day in Storrs as a freshman in 1997, when she visited the menʼs basketball office to see how she could get involved with the team. The meeting put her in a front-row seat for a basketball journey she never anticipated, including being part of the Huskiesʼ first NCAA title in 1999.

“I was never very good at sports,” said Budkofsky, who sits on the team bench during games. “I played softball and danced. I grew up in Connecticut [in Bloomfield] and loved watching UConn basketball. Thatʼs where my passion for sports started.”

Budkofsky has not only offered academic support to her student-athletes, but has also worked with Quinnipiac assistant coach Scott Burrell (BGS ‘10). Burrell, who left UConn before completing his degree to pursue a playing career in the NBA, completed his UConn degree requirements 17 years after he left Storrs.

For more information on Neag’s Sport Management program, visit here.

Assistant Head Coach Rich Miller ʼ95 (Physical Therapy), right, with Ben Waruch ʼ13 (CLAS).

Rich Miller (Physical Therapy ‘95) is head coach of menʼs cross country and associate head coach of menʼs track and field. He has been part of the Huskiesʼ coaching staff for 16 years, and as a student-athlete was named the 1995 UConn Club Outstanding Scholar-Athlete. He was a co-captain of the track and field teams that won back-to-back New England Indoor Championships. He spoke with UCONN Magazine about coaching menʼs cross country.

What should people know first about cross country?

We race over five miles in the woods and in the fields. Each course varies in the level of difficulty because of the terrain we run on. You have both individuals competing and a team competition. You are scored based on the place that you come in – you get one point for being in first place, 30 points for being in 30th place – as well as the time you have. You add up the points for the top five runners on the team, and thatʼs the score you come in with. Itʼs like golf in that the lowest score wins.

What makes a good championship course?

A challenging course. Runners have different strengths and weakness, and you have some runners who may favor the hillier course, some who favor a flat course, or those that are good in the fields or the woods. The weather also plays a factor. Some courses get muddy when itʼs raining, and others drain pretty well. To me, a good championship course combines a lot of things, giving you some flat running as well as open running.

Is most of the teamʼs training done on or off campus?

One of the great things about being here is there are a lot of varied routes nearby. We have some traditional loops on campus here: near Mirror Lake, Horsebarn Hill, and some trails up near the fields behind Charter Oak in the woods. Weʼll also go down to Mansfield Hollow a number of times during the year. Itʼs great training for these guys.

Is it difficult that you donʼt have the chance to coach your student-athletes as they are competing in cross country as other coaches in other team sports can do?

Thereʼs always final minute adjustments right before the competition starts but, by and large, most of the work has happened already, leading up to that competition. There is a race plan for the kids to be disciplined, aggressive, and to follow the plan set up for them. Success or failure will be based on that. It is unique in that once the race starts, you turn into a cheerleader.

What are the elements of a race plan?

I believe in racing aggressively and in putting yourself in a position to win and not waiting for something to happen. A lot of it starts with mental preparation and race concepts. We work on understanding the benchmark is running five-minute miles over a five- to six-mile race. If youʼre able to run at that level, by and large, youʼre going to be successful. Guys need to be in position as they move into the rest of the race. And you need to do it without exerting the energy you need for the rest of the race.

What do you feel is unique about cross country racing at the intercollegiate level?

One of the great things in the sport is that weʼre all starters. Thereʼs no looking around for someone to take the ball away from you. I have my opportunity to succeed or fail, be a champion – and itʼs up to me, not the guy next to me. If I can be my best on the day that Iʼm preparing to be my best, nobody can take that away.

Current DPT Student Geregory Satgo gets hands-on instruction from UConn Heralth Center physical therapist Gregg Gomlinski as part of his clinical experience. (Shawn Kornegay/UConn Photo)

UConnʼs Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program has achieved national accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education. This is the first review of the DPT program, which has been part of the Neag School of Education since its inception in 2007. The accreditation is good for 10 years.

The accreditation commission said, “The program is meeting its mission, as evidenced by the programʼs high licensure pass rate on the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy licensure exam and the reputation of its graduates as being well-prepared for autonomous, evidence-based practice.”

Accomplishments of students in the DPT program include:

• A 100 percent first-time licensure exam pass rate, compared to the national average of 89.5 percent.
• An employment rate for graduated students of 100 percent.

“This accreditation is a testament to the hard work of many faculty and staff members, along with our students and alumni,” said Dean Dr. Thomas C. DeFranco. “The program has a very rich history and, through the efforts of many, has the potential to be a nationally ranked program.”

In 1952, the University of Connecticut became the first public university in the nation to establish a physical therapy degree program. The program evolved from an undergraduate program, then became a masterʼs, and in 2007 progressed to a doctorate program. Now based within the nationally ranked Neag School of Education, the DPT degree program is offered through the Department of Kinesiology.

“The physical therapy program at UConn has always been highly regarded,” said Dr. Craig Denegar, director of the DPT program. He said the program is now “poised to become a leader in the advancement of evidence-based care.”

“We are so proud of our accreditation and the faculty, students, and staff who continue to work hard to make the DPT an excellent program,” he added. “We have excellent students and faculty working together to prepare excellent clinicians, advance practice through research, and serve our communities.” There are currently 60 students in three cohorts. The first DPT class graduated in 2010.

As a professional doctoral program, the curriculum is designed to ensure physical therapists receive the skills and expertise needed to practice and stay abreast of advances in physical therapy and health care which, in turn, ensures patients receive top-quality care. Through strong didactic and clinical education experiences, the DPT program also fosters each studentʼs individual talents through collaborative research with a team of faculty mentors.

The DPT is a three-year, post-bachelorʼs program. Applicants may earn a bachelorʼs degree in a number of different areas, but all complete the same pre-requisite coursework.

Clinical education is at the heart of the DPT program. The students participate in full-time learning experiences at healthcare facilities across the country. The Nayden Rehabilitation Clinic, operated by the Department of Kinesiology, also serves as a local training site for students, while providing care to the University and nearby communities.

John Greene (MA ’67, Ph.D. ’70), a master’s student at UConn in the 1960s, was also teaching high school math at the time. One day he was walking down a hall on campus, where he saw the sign “Project Essay Grade” and he knocked on the door. Entering that door would change his course of study – and his life forever.

The sign on the door, “Project Essay Grade,” was for a US Office of Education doctoral program at UConn, focusing on behavioral science research. In speaking with the professor in charge, Dr. Page, Greene discovered “they were looking for people like me.”

“The program offered a stipend, which matched my teaching salary,” he recalled. “It also paid for all the costs, including tuition, books, and travel to conferences. There was even an extra allowance for your children.”

He switched academic programs from math education to behavioral science research and started in the program with nine other doctoral students, including Dr. Fran Archambault (MA ’69, Ph.D. ’70). The two students built a life-long connection.

“Fran was a year ahead of me,” said Greene. “He was very helpful to many people. I have the highest regard for him, and his expertise and dedication.”

“He would go out of his way to help people. Fran even showed me the secret spots to park on campus, but I had to promise not to tell anyone,” Greene smiled.

The doctoral research fellowship — which was through UConn’s School of Education (later renamed the Neag School of Education) — focused on behavioral science. “At UConn, they had outstanding facilities and computers.” It was Greene’s first experience with computers and educational research.

The project focused on computer simulations and Artificial Intelligence. He was very curious about the research focus and thought it was an unbelievable opportunity. The program and experience helped Greene prepare for the world after college. “It gave me the ability and credentials. I had selected UConn because of its reputation,” he said.

Along the way, he met education psychology professor Dr. Joe Renzulli. “I’m a math guy – I do stats and computer analysis – and Joe really helped me with my writing.”

“Unlike others, he didn’t just accept or reject the writing,” said Greene. “He actually taught me to write. We would go over each chapter, and he’d mark it up in a helpful way. Joe did that for many people, and it really helped me.”

Renzulli served on Greene’s dissertation committee, which Greene fondly reflected on. “I keep up with all that Joe’s doing. I’m so happy for him and all his accomplishments.”

“John was an outstanding student when he was here at UConn,” Renzulli recalled. “He graduated and went on to become a highly respected professor and then an entrepreneur. He went into a different aspect of education, on the business side of education services.”

After graduation, Greene went on to teach at the University of Bridgeport. He worked there for the next 10 years, focusing on educational research. His research expertise also allowed him to explore consulting opportunities outside the classroom, which led to him publishing over 100 articles, manuals and professional papers.

While at the University of Bridgeport, Greene worked with his doctoral friend, Archambault, on National Science Foundation grant projects.  Archambault was at Boston University at the time, and Greene helped him with various projects, including one with math development for children.

Archambault needed help and asked Greene to get involved, along with Renzulli. They travelled together, collected and analyzed data together, and wrote reports together. They also had a chance to talk about life and strengthen their bond. “I have great memories of working on those projects with John,” Archambault said.

“He was committed, insightful, talented and fun to be with. What could better than having fun with your work?”

Greene also reflected about those projects. “We went around the country, interviewing the brightest kids,” Greene recalled. “Some could solve math puzzles faster than the professors. Our research focused on how the kids were taught, and their verbal interactions were measured.”

Greene determined his next path would be consulting full time and helped launch a consulting firm with a colleague, Joe Keilty, a professor at the University of Bridgeport. Named Keilty, Coldsmith and Company, the firm launched in the 1980s. Greene was a founding member.

He spent the next 30 years flying all over the world, with his second home being a hotel room. Greene’s favorite was La Valencia Hotel in La Jolla, California, near where the firm was based.

Members of the firm worked with Fortune 500 organizations like General Electric, American Express, IBM, AT&T, and numerous others, including the FBI. They developed organizational and leadership development modules for their clients, and Greene’s research and expertise with behavioral sciences constituted key components. They were among the first to use 360-degree feedback and other cutting-edge leadership development and measurement tools.

He also met industry leaders along the way. Jack Welch from GE was one of those leaders.

“I met the dynamic Jack Welch when we were consulting for GE,” said Greene. “Often we were doing our training at the Crotonville facility, and Mr. Welch would take a helicopter to the meeting. Everyone gathered at a reception area and waited for him to arrive.”

“He gave a presentation and then opened it up to questions. He was very receptive to questions, but if you asked him a question, sometimes he would turn it around and ask the individual what he or she thought.”

“Hopefully, they all had good responses,” he chuckled.

An avid sports fan and former collegiate athlete himself (four varsity letters including golf), Greene actively followed UConn sports, especially men’s and women’s basketball. He and his graduate school friend, Archambault, attended many UConn basketball games. He also enjoyed attending Super Bowls, Little League World Series, Final Fours and the Olympics with his six children.

“We’ve stayed in touch through important family events and various UConn functions, including events at the Neag School, Alumni Association events and football and basketball events,” recalled Archambault. “John is party of my family, and I am part of his. And we are both members of the UConn family, and proudly so.”

The consulting business was very successful, but after almost 30 years he decided to retire and hand part of the business to his children. Greene now has more time to spend with hobbies, including UConn sports and playing golf, both of which he enjoys with Archambault.

When asked who is the better golfer, Greene wouldn’t divulge who has the better handicap. He did, however, confess to really enjoying relaxing on the fairways and contemplating retirement. In between drives and putts, he started thinking about ways to give back to his alma mater. He thought about a scholarship that would benefit students studying educational psychology focused on measurement– the program he studied.

He connected with the folks at the UConn Foundation about setting up the scholarship and determined it would be wonderful to honor his life-long friend, Archambault, who has done so much for UConn and is always giving back.

“I’ve known Fran all these years,” Greene said, adding that he couldn’t respect or imagine a better professional than Archambault, which is why he named the scholarship in his honor, as opposed to himself.

The scholarship, officially named the “Friends and Colleagues of Francis X. Archambault, Jr. Fellowship,” was launched in 2006 and awards funds on an annual basis. Archambault is the Alumni Trustee of the University of Connecticut’s Board of Trustees, Professor Emeritus in the Neag School of Education and past president of the UConn Alumni Association.

“John thought it would be best to support graduate students in evaluation and measurement, the same discipline in which we earned our degrees,” said Archambault. “The scholarship helps move students along the path to the Ph.D. These students go on to take leadership roles at other universities and governmental agencies.”

Due to the scholarship, the students “have a direct impact on education here in Connecticut and across the nation.”

“I’m not surprised Greene established a scholarship back at his alma mater,” added Renzulli. “I know he’s always considered giving back, and I’m really proud of all that he’s accomplished.”

Last year’s recipient, Glen Davenport, is a current second-year doctoral student in measurement and starting to dive into his own research on cognitive diagnostic assessments. Davenport used the scholarship funds to attend the American Education Research Association (AERA) Conference in New Orleans.

“That was really a big deal, because as a first-year student, I did not have anything to present and was not eligible for most student travel grants,” said Davenport. “Attending the AERA meeting was a huge boost for me, as it gave me opportunities to network and ideas for my own lines of research.”

Davenport acknowledges the importance of the scholarship and who it’s in honor of. “(Dr. Archambault) is deeply connected to education, to UConn and this area. I know that the scholarship I received was in his honor, which is a seriously positive commentary on someone’s character.”

Davenport will carry on the legacy of Greene and Archambault through his studies and research.

Greene gets back to campus for UConn basketball and other sporting events. He’s also been able to meet some of the scholarship recipients at the spring Honors Celebration.

Opening that “Project” door years ago led to a new course of study, a new lifelong friend and a new career. He’s been happy he made that choice ever since.