May 15, 2013
Dr. Deborah Simmons, an affiliated professor at the Center on Disability and Development at Texas A&M University, was recently honored with the College of Education and Human Development‘s 2013 Outstanding Faculty Mentoring Award.
“The College of Education and Human Development Outstanding Faculty Mentoring Award recognizes tenured faculty members who have given selflessly of their time, knowledge and energy to guide and support one or more assistant professors in their progress toward tenure,” said Dr. Victor Willson, Head and Professor of the college’s Department of Educational Psychology.
Dr. Simmons has been a Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at the College of Education and Human Development at Texas A&M University since 2004, where she has mentored two groups of junior faculty members through the tenure and promotion process. She earned this award previously in 2008 while she was supporting her first group of junior faculty members.
“The process of supporting junior faculty in their career development is very important to me, to our department, college, and university. I have been privileged to work with rising stars. In some cases I provide guidance and mentoring. In other cases I point them in the right direction and watch them soar. I’m honored to be a mentor for these individuals.” said Dr. Simmons.
Dr. Simmons has been recognized for many things during her career in higher education. In 1997, she received the Palmer O. Johnson Memorial Award for the best paper in an American Educational Research Association publication for her publication on peer-assisted learning strategies to make classrooms more responsive to diversity. In 1998, her publication on evaluating and enhancing the acquisition of early reading skills was named National Association of School Psychology’s “Best Manuscript.” In 2002, she was honored with the Jeanette Fleischner Award for her outstanding contributions to the field of Learning Disabilities by the Council for Exceptional Children.
For more information about the faculty of the Department of Educational Psychology at Texas A&M University, visit the website.