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WIU COEHS Names LaPrad Director

August 2, 2023

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MACOMB/MOLINE, IL - - Western Illinois University College of Education and Human Services (COEHS) has named WIU Philosophical and Social Foundations of Education Professor Jim LaPrad director of the WIU School of Education, effective July 1.

LaPrad has served as a tenured professor, teaching courses in social foundations of education from philosophical, historical, legal and socio-cultural perspectives to teacher candidates, in-service teachers and educational leaders. His research, scholarship and practice include critical pedagogy in teaching and learning environments, experiential education, educational ethics, multicultural education, transformative educational leadership and P-12 educational reform.

Before joining WIU, LaPrad worked as a middle school math and science teacher in the Discovery Program, which is a nationally recognized "school within a school" experiential and integrated curriculum program for a diverse population that emphasizes academic, physical and emotional learning equally. He has also worked as an Outward Bound instructor for both the Hurricane Island Outward Bound School in Maine and the North Carolina Outward Bound School.

In addition to his work in education, LaPrad has been a big brother with Big Brothers and Big Sisters and currently serves as a board member for the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Warren and McDonough Counties, as well as the Macomb Community Unit School District #185 Board of Education.

LaPrad received his bachelor's degree in Metallurgical Engineering from the University of Notre Dame in 1988; his master's degree in Education (M.Ed.) in Social Foundations of Education in 1995; and his doctoral degree in Social Foundations of Education in May 2005. He later went on to be named the 2008 National Society for Experiential Education Leader of the year.

WIU COEHS Interim Dean, Eric Sheffield, is looking forward to working with LaPrad as the permanent director.

"We are excited to have Dr. LaPrad join the COEHS administrative team as director of the School of Education," said Sheffield. "Dr. LaPrad's extensive experience with educational matters of all shapes and sizes makes him a natural fit for this position—particularly given the complicated issues currently surrounding education at every level."

For more information on the School of Education, visit wiu.edu/coehs/education.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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