Spillane Starts Global Fellowship
Seven junior scholars from around the world will be attending the International Congress For School Effectiveness and Improvement (ICSEI) Congress 2023 in Chile thanks in part to a new fellowship program made possible by Northwestern University professor James Spillane.
Spillane, president-elect of the ICSEI, helped establish the program with his 2022 Spencer Foundation Mentorship Award, which he received for his decades-long support of the next generation of scholars. The $15,000 award will help recipients cover the registration fee for the January event.
The fellows include doctoral students, candidates, an assistant professor and a senior lecturer who study how to improve equitable access to quality instruction for all students. They hail from Morocco, Trinidad and Tobago, South Africa, Canada, Germany, and Chile.
Though primarily intended for junior scholars from low- and medium- income countries, scholars from high income countries who need financial support were encouraged to apply and considered for available slots.
The cohort of successful applicants each year will convene at the annual congress to discuss their work. ICSEI envisions supporting 10 to 15 scholars annually over the next three years.
Spillane, the Spencer T. and Ann W. Olin Professor in Learning and Organizational Change at the School of Education and Social Policy, is a global expert on education policy, policy implementation, school reform, and school leadership.
A member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Education, Spillane is also professor of human development and social policy, professor of learning sciences, and an expert in organizational leadership and change.
One of his latest studies explored the benefits of building education systems that develop the “whole” child and use the same rigor and comprehensive care that a parent might invest in their own offspring.
The shift from an academic model to a holistic approach is an essential part of helping children thrive, according to the report “Transforming education for holistic student development” by the Center for Universal Education at the Brookings Institution.