Guest Speaker Focuses on Educating Hispanic Population

VALDOSTA -- Valdosta State University's Dewar College of Education will host a presentation and Q&A with Sarita Brown, titled "American's Future and Latino Students," from 7-9 p.m. Thursday, April 1, in the University Center Magnolia Room.

Boasting more than two decades of experience in higher education and governmental administration, Brown is committed to improving the quality of education for Latinos and all students. She served as executive director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans under Bill Clinton before founding Excelencia in Education in 2004.

Brown, who has helped craft national policy for Latinos under the direction of two United States presidents, now serves as president of the not-for-profit organization, which connects research, policy, and practice for policymakers and institutional leaders in an effort to create and strengthen policies and practices that support the educational achievement of the Latino population.

Dr. Brian Gerber, director of curriculum content, research and technology for the college of education, said guests at Thursday's event should find Brown's insights helpful in understanding and serving the growing Latino population in VSU's 41-county service area.

"This issue is important because at VSU we are very interested in accelerating the success of our Latino students -- especially those who enter the field of education," Gerber said. "We chose Sarita Brown because the Latino population is one of the fastest growing segments of the population in our nation -- also true for us locally -- and she has an excellent reputation as a knowledgeable educator and informed spokesperson for this group of students."

The event is free with no RSVP needed. Call the College of Education at 229-333-5925 for more information.