Norman “Norm” Bell, a Department Counseling, Educational Psychology and Special Education professor, died June 19, 2023. Bell was with the college from 1966 to 1998. Bell was an early leader of implementing computers in K-12 educational settings. With the partnership of the CEPSE chair at the time, Richard Prawat, Bell and Prawat created the Educational Technology Certificate program, which led to the development of the M.A. in Educational Technology.
Charles Blackman died August 1, 2023. Blackman, a Department of Teacher Education professor emeritus, was with the college from 1956 to 1991. Outside MSU, Blackman served on the Okemos School District board for many years and had a two-year term on the Michigan Educational Association (MEA) board. Blackman was preceded in death by his wife, Margaret “Peggy” Blackman, also a professor emerita of the College of Education.
Sheila Fitzgerald, a Department of Teacher Education professor emerita, died February 22, 2024. Fitzgerald was with the college from 1972 until 1997. Fitzgerald published 50 articles and numerous book chapters and was involved with several state and national education committees. She served as president of the Michigan Council of Teachers of English (MCTE) and the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). On assignment with MSU, Fitzgerald taught courses in Australia, England, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Ireland, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore and South Korea.
Mary M. Kennedy died July 1, 2023. Kennedy, a Department of Teacher Education professor emerita, was with the college from 1986 to 2013. Kennedy’s research focused on the influences of teacher education, research knowledge, attitudes and beliefs, credentials and school context. Kennedy directed the National Center for Research on Teacher Learning at MSU from 1986 to 1994. Throughout her career, Kennedy won five awards, including the Margaret B. Lindsey Award for Distinguished Research in Teacher Education. In 2011, Kennedy was named an American Educational Research Association Fellow.
Timothy “Tim” Little, a Department of Teacher Education professor emeritus, died August 8, 2023. Little was with the college from 1971 to 1996. Little’s expertise was in social studies and had an emphasis in law-related education (LRE). He co-wrote four textbooks with LRE chapters as major themes. Little also deeply loved music. Little created a bluegrass band with Little on the banjo, Bob Smith (now retired from the University of Cincinnati) on mandolin, and Dean and University Distinguished Professor Emeritus Robert E. Floden on guitar.
Laura Roehler-Carmean, a Department of Teacher Education professor emerita, died March 14, 2024. Roehler-Carmean was with the college from 1972 until 2003. She was a three-time alum: B.A. ‘68 (Elementary Education), M.A. ‘69 (Education) and Ph.D. ‘72 (Elementary Education). She led research teams in studies of teacher decision-making, was an Institute for Research on Teaching member and took part in an MSU overseas master’s program. She taught courses in France, Germany, Japan and Thailand. Roehler-Carmean earned several honors, including an MSU Excellence-in-Teaching Citation in 1972 and the Outstanding Teacher Education in Reading Award from the International Reading Association (IRA) in 2002.
Blackman, Fitzgerald, Little photos courtesy of Michigan State University Archives and Historical Collections. Bell courtesy of Toni Jones.