StudentsFirst CEO to speak

As Wilkes celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Rosenn Lecture in Law and Humanities, the university welcomes its newest speaker. Michelle Rhee, founder and CEO of StudentsFirst, has been a driving force behind the betterment of education in the public school setting.

"[Rhee's] work, though controversial, is focusing the nation on issues that need to be brought to the table and discussed in a professional, informed manner," says Dr. Caroline Maurer, chair of Wilkes' education department "We must all work to ensure that the children of America – whether in rural, urban or suburban schools – are provided with the best education possible."

Recognizing the monumental importance of teachers and teaching in the educational development of students, Rhee has helped develop a number of programs over the years in addition to StudentsFirst. Two of these programs, Teach for America and The New Teacher Project, proposed new methods of hiring teachers as a way to ensure the continued practice of keeping students at the forefront in the world of education.

"Ms. Rhee has caused educators and non-educators alike to think about schools, school reform and brainstorm ideas about what we would do if we were in charge and expected to make big changes in low achieving schools," Maurer said.

After years of focusing much of her work in Washington, D.C., public schools which, according to the profile of Rhee on www.StudentsFirst.org, represented "the worst performing school district in the country," Rhee was appointed by the mayor of Washington, D.C. to lead the school district towards reformation. An "unprecedented" growth in  the test scores of students, enrollment numbers, attendance and graduation rates resulted because of the work she conducted in this district.

Rhee's lecture is to be held at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 1, in the Arnaud C. Marts Center on 274 S. Franklin St. Visit www.StudentsFirst.org for more information on the organization.