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December 16, 2003 NM SECRETARY OF EDUCATION TO RECEIVE DOCTORATE AND DELIVER UNM CONVOCATION ADDRESS New Mexico Secretary of Education Veronica Garcia will deliver a convocation address and receive her doctorate of education degree (Ed.D.) at the University of New Mexico, Saturday, Dec. 20 at 10 a.m. in Johnson Center. Garcia, who will participate in the College of Education commencement ceremony, will present, "Who Are You Anyway?" Garcia is New Mexico's first secretary of education, named to the position November 13 by Gov. Bill Richardson. The Albuquerque native has served as a New Mexico educator for 30 years. In that time she has worked as a substitute and full time teacher, principal, school psychologist, assistant and associate superintendent and superintendent of Santa Fe Public Schools from 1999 to 2002. Prior to becoming the secretary of education, Garcia was executive director of the New Mexico Coalition of School Administrators. She has presented keynote addresses at more than 100 national and regional conferences. "I think she has a tremendous experiential base and a good grasp of recent trends and research in education that will help her navigate as she heads into new waters," said Breda Bova, associate dean and professor, UNM College of Education. Each of Garcia's three collegiate degrees was earned at UNM. She received her bachelor's in 1973 and her master's in 1978, both in special education. Her doctorate in educational leadership came following completion of her dissertation, in which she examined the changes in school administrator's leadership behavior after participating in a formalized development program. At UNM on December 4, Garcia was awarded the "2003 Educator of the Year Award" by the New Mexico Research and Study Council. The council was founded in 1959 and consists of New Mexico school superintendents and staff. "Starting as a substitute teacher, Dr. Garcia has shown dedication, exemplary leadership and hard work toward educational excellence in New Mexico," said John Mondragon, council leader and faculty member at the UNM College of Education. Mondragon, together with Bova, were Garcia's dissertation review committee. Also to receive a doctorate in educational leadership on Saturday is Ellen Bernstein, president of the Albuquerque Teachers Federation. Her study examined the evolution of change from an industrial style teacher's union to a professional union. Bernstein earned a bachelor's in elementary education in 1982 and a master's in special education in 1987, both from UNM. In November, she was selected by Gov. Richardson as chair of the Governor's Council on Teaching, an advisory group to Sec. Garcia, creating policy that sets standards for teachers. Other leaders in education working in New Mexico who have earned graduate and doctorate degrees from the UNM College of Education are: Kurt Steinhaus, deputy secretary for Learning and Accountability, Ed.D., UNM, 1998; Carlotta Penny Bird, assistant secretary for Indian Education, B.A, 1972, M.A., 1977; Beth Everitt, superintendent, Albuquerque Public Schools, Ph.D., 1983; and Gloria Rendon, superintendent, Santa Fe Public Schools, M.A., 1978. # # #

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