$2M donation will create new professorship in early child literacy
A $2 million donation from the C.D. Spangler Foundation will create the Spangler Distinguished Professorship of Early Child Literacy in the College of Education at East Carolina University.
The Spangler Distinguished Professorship of Early Child Literacy will focus on improving reading proficiency in North Carolina children. (ECU file photo by Cliff Hollis)
The distinguished professor will teach and provide leadership on training new teachers. The professor will also conduct research in early literacy and collaborate with educator preparation programs and school districts across the state to ensure reading proficiency in North Carolina children.
“We are grateful for the Spangler Foundation’s commitment to early childhood literacy through teacher preparation and the promotion of effective practices,” said Chancellor Philip Rogers. “Since our founding, we have prepared teachers to serve the state of North Carolina and today ECU’s College of Education remains a top producer of education professionals in the state. As a leader in this space, we are excited to advance our mission through the Spangler Distinguished Professorship of Early Child Literacy.”
Funds from the foundation could be used toward the professor’s salary, travel and research expenses, stipends for research assistants, special equipment, library books and programmatic support. ECU plans to apply for up to $667,000 in matching funds from the N.C. Board of Governors’ Distinguished Professorship Endowment Trust Fund.
Three other UNC System institutions received similar gifts to establish professorships. The Spangler Foundation gave $8 million total to be divided among ECU, Appalachian State University, UNC Charlotte and N.C. A&T State University.
Spangler Foundation Director Anna Spangler Nelson, who also serves on the UNC Board of Governors, said she hopes the professorships serve to increase children’s literacy levels in the state.
“North Carolina’s reading proficiency levels, already disturbingly low, have declined further over the course of the pandemic,” Nelson said. “Our investment in this work seeks to elevate the importance of early child literacy across North Carolina, enhance the preparedness of our teachers and acknowledge our shared responsibility for doing better for our children and their futures.”
“We are so grateful to the Spangler Foundation for its historic investment in early child literacy at our colleges of education,” UNC System President Peter Hans said. “The four distinguished professorships will bring experts to North Carolina who will help prepare future teachers to ensure reading proficiency among our youngest learners. I can’t imagine anything more important for our children, our schools and our future.”
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