University of Central Arkansas alumnus Raymond Simon, deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Education, will deliver the College of Education’s Centennial Lecture next Tuesday, June 19 at noon in the Brewer-Hegeman Conference Center on the UCA campus.
“We are honored that our friend and distinguished alumnus Ray Simon is returning to UCA to deliver the Centennial Lecture for the College of Education,” said UCA President Lu Hardin. “Dating back to its previous role as Arkansas State Teachers College, UCA has a historic mission to education that continues to this day. What better way to celebrate our history and our future than with a lecture by a UCA graduate who is a national leader in education.”
Simon was honored as UCA?s distinguished alumnus in 2006.
“It is quite fitting that Secretary Simon deliver the College of Education Centennial Lecture,” Dr. Larry A. Robinson, dean of the College of Education, said. “The University of Central Arkansas has historically played a vital role in preparing educators throughout Arkansas and the region. Mr. Simon’s presentation will assist the College in honoring our past legacy and our commitment to preparing educators.”
Simon is the third speaker in UCA’s Centennial Lecture series, in which each college presents a special guest lecturer to celebrate UCA’s 100th anniversary. More information and a full calendar is available at www.uca.edu/100.
Also on June 19, UCA’s College of Education will host its first annual Leadership Institute for area educators. (See separate press release.)As the Deputy Education Secretary, Simon plays a pivotal role overseeing and managing the development of policies, recommendations and initiatives that help define a broad, coherent vision for achieving the President George W. Bush’s educational priorities, especially the No Child Left Behind Act. He also provides overall supervision and direction of program organizations of the Education Department. Prior to his current position, he served as the Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education at the U.S. Department of Education.
For six years, Simon was director of the Arkansas Department of Education, a position he held until his appointment by President Bush in 2003. He also served as superintendent of the Conway (Ark.) School District from 1991 to 1997.
A native of Conway, Simon has been involved in Arkansas education since 1966, when he began his career as a mathematics teacher at North Little Rock High School. During his tenure in the Conway public school system, he held various positions. In addition, he was an adjunct professor at the University of Central Arkansas, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and the Arkansas State University at Beebe, where he taught educational technology and school finance.
Simon graduated from St. Joseph Catholic School and then received a bachelor’s degree in mathematics/accounting and a master’s degree in mathematics from the University of Central Arkansas. He also holds an educational specialist degree in school administration from the University of Arkansas.
