Tim Swinehart, MAT ’05, named 2020 Teacher Education Outstanding Alumni and keynote speaker of annual Gathering of the Grads

On Tuesday, March 10, Tim Swinehart (MAT ’05) will be honored with Teacher Education’s 2020 outstanding alumni award and deliver the keynote address at the annual Gathering of the Grads. Swinehart is a long-time social studies teacher at Lincoln High School in Portland and adjunct professor in the teacher education department.

The alumni award is given annually to an outstanding graduate who embodies the graduate school’s mission of social justice in all aspects of their practice and has been in their career for at least five years.

“Tim Swinehart represents what I hope for from all of our graduates,” says Liza Finkel, associate professor and secondary program director. “He is a teacher leader, both with his peers and for his students; he seamlessly integrates social justice into all aspects of his work; and he is a lifelong learner who reflects openly on his experiences with young people and educators, always looking for ways to meet the complex needs of his students more effectively.”

In addition to being this year’s alumni award recipient, Swinehart will also be delivering the keynote address at the Gathering of the Grads. This annual event brings the previous year’s class back to campus at a critical point in their early careers to reconnect with their cohort, program faculty, and alumni who came before them.

“We tell all our students that once you enroll, you have us for life,” says Kimberly Campbell, professor and chair of the teacher education department. “This means that we support our graduates as they become working professionals and throughout the entire duration of their careers.”

The Gathering of the Grads is one example of this support. Strategically timed to take place mid-way through the first year of teaching, this event is designed to offer support, encouragement, motivation, and inspiration to the area’s newest teachers. A key element in the motivation and inspiration category is the keynote speaker.

“This person, or people, inevitably lift the entire event with their candor, passion, and truly inspirational stories from their time in the classroom,” explains Campbell. “I see our returning recent graduates become reinvigorated and connect deeply with our speaker each year. It is so exciting to have Tim recognized as he is truly an incredible teacher and I know what he says will be transformative.”

The event will take place on Tuesday, March 10, from 5:30 – 7:30 pm in the South Chapel on the Graduate Campus. For more information about the event, please contact the Teacher Education department at lcteach@lclark.edu.

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Lewis & Clark’s programs for educators prepare you to work in diverse school settings and with all children—including those from different cultural, linguistic, and economic backgrounds, and those who have special needs. Teachers learn to investigate and support each child’s unique growth—academic, social, and emotional—as citizens of the world. Here, extensive content preparation and research-based models form the basis of a rich intellectual experience and ensure your success beyond the classroom.