Award to enhance graduate education

A $1.275 million Spencer Foundation award will enhance education research and graduate programs at the School of Education.

The grant, which will be spread over seven years, will provide fellowships to 12 students planning careers in education research. The Graduate School will contribute funding for eight additional fellowships for minority or disadvantaged students.

Based in Chicago, the Spencer Foundation has continuously provided funding for education graduate students at UW–Madison since 1994. The grants are intended to help offset a national decline in the resources allocated to education research.

“We are always grateful for financial support for our graduate students,” says Education Dean Charles Read. “But this grant is especially important because it gives us an opportunity to rethink our doctoral programs in education research, and to share ideas with other leading schools of education.”

In connection with the Spencer grant, Read says, the School of Education will continue its support of the Research Training Program for graduate students preparing for careers in education research. The program is open to all interested students — not just those supported by fellowships — and provides mentoring, interdisciplinary seminars, and opportunities to conduct research early in the graduate career.

The training program, created three years ago, has involved 38 students from throughout the School of Education. Elizabeth Fennema, professor emerita of curriculum and instruction, directs the program.