The ĚÇĐÄÉŮĹ® College of Education has chosen early childhood education pioneer Sue Bredekamp ’72, M.A. ’76, Ph.D. ’85, to deliver the commencement address at both its undergraduate and graduate ceremonies on Thursday, May 22, at Reckord Armory. The undergraduate ceremony will be held at 9 a.m. and the graduate ceremony will take place at 12 p.m.
“We are delighted that such a pivotal education leader as Dr. Bredekamp will deliver the commencement address to our graduating students,” said Dean Kimberly Griffin. “As one of the most influential voices in the field of early childhood education and a three-time Terp, she will inspire graduates to ponder the importance of lifelong learning and the valuable contributions of mentors and educators.”
Bredekamp is an early childhood specialist who serves as a consultant on curriculum, teaching and professional development for state and national organizations and institutions of higher education. As director of professional development at the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), she developed and directed their accreditation system for early learning programs and led their work on early literacy and teacher education. Bredekamp is the primary editor of NAEYC’s highly influential publications on developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs. She is also the author of an introductory textbook, “Effective Practices in Early Childhood Education: Building a Foundation” (5th ed.).
She has co-chaired the National Academies of Sciences Committee on a New Vision for High-Quality Preschool Curriculum; served on the National Research Council’s Committee on Early Childhood Mathematics, which produced a landmark report, “Mathematics Learning in Early Childhood: Paths toward Excellence and Equity”; and is the past board chair of the HighScope Educational Research Foundation. She received the Visionary Leadership Award from the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership and was named one of 11 pioneers in early childhood education by the Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes.
Bredekamp has been a visiting lecturer at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia; Monash College in Melbourne, New Zealand; the University of Alaska; and the University of Hawaii.
“I am deeply honored and humbled to be invited to be the College of Education’s commencement speaker. My education and the experiences it afforded me shaped both my personal and professional life in a myriad of positive ways,” said Bredekamp. “The beauty of a degree in education is that it prepares graduates for a diverse array of possible careers but also teaches the intrinsic value of the process of learning. In fact, education graduates are prepared in teaching and learning. New learning will always be necessary for educators because our knowledge base is always growing and changing.”
Bredekamp will be joined by undergraduate student speakers Alyssa Orlando and Bryant Alexis Rivera Cortez and graduate student speakers LaTanya Sherone Sothern and Brandon Eduardo Rodriguez Torrento.
Orlando is a special education track II major from Jackson, New Jersey. During her time at the ĚÇĐÄÉŮĹ®, she worked in the College of Education’s Office of Student Services as a peer advisor; served as a representative of the College of Education’s Undergraduate Assembly; was the undergraduate representative for the Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education Review Committee; and is a member of Omicron Delta Kappa Honors Society. Orlando completed her student teaching with a first-grade general education class and first/third-grade special education students. In the future, she plans to work in the field of higher education and education policy to ensure all students have equitable access and receive the necessary support to be successful in their educational experiences.
Rivera Cortez is a Banneker/Key scholar majoring in middle school math and science education with a minor in disability studies. At the College of Education, he served as the president of the Association for Aspiring Educators of Color; a senator in the University Senate; the Department of Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership representative in the Undergraduate Student Assembly; an undergraduate research assistant for Maryland KidWind; and a TerpsEXCEED mentor. Upon graduation, Rivera Cortez will teach middle school science in Prince George’s County.
Sothern, a doctoral candidate in school system leadership, is a dedicated educator with nearly 30 years of experience passionately advocating for educational equity for students of all backgrounds and abilities. She holds degrees from American University and Howard University and administrative certification from Bowie State University. A two-time National Board Certified teacher-educator and proud principal in Prince George's County Public Schools for the past six years, she has led a school through challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic and has received state recognition for supporting her students’ growth. She has also been recognized for operational excellence and promoting a positive school culture through creative branding. Her doctoral capstone identifies instructional strategies and approaches that would ensure students are proficient readers by third grade.
Rodriguez Torrento, a master of arts student in higher education, student affairs, and international education policy, higher education concentration, is a proud first-generation college graduate. He has served the campus community as the higher education program representative in the Graduate Student Government; a reading mentor in the Maryland Mentor Corps; the public relations chair of the Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education’s Graduate Student Association; and a representative on the Provost’s Graduate Student Advisory Council. He was also a NASPA graduate associate, an intern with the National Association for College Admission Counseling, a resident director in the Department of Fraternity and Sorority Life, and a graduate assistant for the First-Year Experience at the Robert H. Smith School of Business. Rodriguez Torrento is committed to breaking down barriers in higher education and helping underrepresented communities access the college admissions process.
