Vanderbilt Peabody doctor of education graduate Jonathan Eckert has been selected by U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings for a Teaching Ambassador Fellowship with the U.S. Department of Education. Eckert is a seventh-grade science teacher at Poplar Grove Middle School in Franklin, Tenn. His selection was announced by Spellings July 10.

More than 1,000 teachers nationwide applied for the fellowships, which offer highly motivated, innovative public school teachers the opportunity to contribute their knowledge and experience to the national dialogue on public education. Eckert was one of 25 teachers selected for a fellowship and one of five who was selected as a Washington fellow.

"Jon Eckert will provide the Department of Education with invaluable classroom experience as he collaborates with federal policymakers on multiple issues impacting America’s students.  I look forward to his contributions and insights," Spellings said.

“Jon’s selection as a Washington Fellow places him at the heart of what this program does best, which is to foster dialogue between policy makers in the Department of Education and teachers in the field,” Camilla Benbow, dean of Peabody College, said. “Jon’s experience as a teacher, complemented by his training in educational leadership at Peabody, will surely make him a valuable asset to this program.”

The program for the 2008-2009 fellows kicked off in Washington, D.C., on July 14 with a one-week orientation and policy conference.  The events included a roundtable discussion with Spellings, briefings with senior department officials on timely policy matters, and opportunities to share best practices and local educational challenges.

In addition to teaching, Eckert serves as basketball and tennis coach at Poplar Grove Middle School.  A teacher for 12 years, Eckert also founded and serves as director of Ultimate Sports and Science Camp, which focuses on inquiry-based science experiments and sports activities for middle school students.  In 2008, he earned an Ed.D. from Vanderbilt in educational leadership and policy; his master’s degree is in curriculum and technology-integrated instruction.

For more information about the program and the fellows, visit www.ed.gov/programs/teacherfellowship/programoverview.html.  For more information about Peabody College, ranked the No. 2 education school in the nation in 2008 by U.S. News & World Report, visit http://peabody.vanderbilt.edu.

Media contact: Melanie Moran, (615) 322-NEWS
melanie.moran@vanderbilt.edu