Education professor honored with 2004 lifetime achievement award

Educator, researcher and leader can all be posted in Martha McCarthy's résumé. \nIn 2004, however, McCarthy, a chancellor's professor in the School of Education, was able to post a more significant item to her résumé when she received the the University Continuing Education Association's Lifetime Achievement award. \nAccording to the IU Media Relations Web site, the award is given to senior professors who are committed to their profession, demonstrate excellence, leadership, productivity, generosity and service. It is the highest honor given by the association, which consists of major research universities that have doctoral programs in educational leadership and policy.\nAs the 10th recipient of the award since its inception in 1992, McCarthy's award has brought her great honor and accolades from many of IU's top officials.\n"Martha McCarthy is the kind of faculty member that anyone in my position would kill to have on the faculty," said IUB Interim Chancellor Ken Gros Louis. "She is a superb researcher, a superb teacher and a marvelous and exemplary campus citizen."\nShe is so valued, that upon rumors of her departure from the University in the past, Gros Louis took action.\n"I was so concerned that she might be tempted (to leave for another job), even though I was at a conference at Berkeley, I called her from a phone booth to get her as quickly as I could and try to persuade her to remain at IU, which for the school and the campus' benefit, she did," Gros Louis said.\nProfessor Barry Bull, chairman of the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, is also quick to point out the University's respect for McCarthy.\n"We're extremely lucky to have Martha," Bull said. "She is a well-known leader in her field and has demonstrated it in a variety of ways."\nMcCarthy has demonstrated her leadership as the president of the University Council of Education Administration and vice president of the American Educational Research Association. Despite her years of service, she said the award came unexpectedly.\n"I was incredibly surprised and honored beyond belief," McCarthy said. "This is my major professional association and this is the biggest award they give." \nBull said he believes this is the capstone of McCarthy's career.\n"(Her peers) clearly value and respect her leadership positions that she has had during her career," Bull said. "She was a founding director of the Indiana Educational Policy Center, which became a model under her for most centers like it around the nation."\nPast awards for McCarthy include IU's Bowman Educational Award, the Gorman Teaching Award, and in 2001 McCarthy received the Living Legend Award, which has only been given to four other educators by the National Council of Professors of Educational Administration.\nIn the face of such praise, McCarthy remains humble.\n"Is it changing what I'm doing?" McCarthy said. "No, but it makes me feel happy and very humble indeed to receive this award."\nGros Louis puts the award and the praise in perspective.\n"In short," he said, "if we had more Martha McCarthys, we would be ranked among the best universities in the world."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Ryne Shadday at rshadday@indiana.edu.