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NATION'S TOP TEACHER TO SPEAK AT JMU COMMENCEMENT | |
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From: Media Relations December 12, 2000HARRISONBURG – Historian Philip Bigler, 1998's National Teacher of the Year and a James Madison University alumnus, will be the featured speaker at the university's winter commencement Friday, Dec. 15, beginning at 3 p.m. in the JMU Convocation Center. JMU President Linwood H. Rose will confer 676 degrees – 575 undergraduate and 101 graduate degrees – during the ceremony. Among the graduates will be doctor of psychology degree recipients William J. Ernst of Pennington, N.J., Lorena Lee Kvalheim of Irmo, S.C., and Martha Elizabeth Merritt of Ruckersville.  Bigler was presented the national award at the White House by President Clinton in April 1998. His other honors include Virginia's 1997 Teacher of the Year Award, the "Washington Post" Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award, Disney American Teacher Award, Milken National Educator Award and Hodgson Award for Outstanding Teaching of Social Studies. In the classroom, Bigler makes history relevant and exciting for his students through interactive historical simulations. His students have become members of a Greek polis to debate great issues of the day; argued the intricacies of constitutional law before a mock Supreme Court; and recreated the Vietnam War-era court-martial trial of Lt. William Calley. Philip BiglerBigler's teaching career has been at schools in the Washington, D.C., area, including his current post at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria. Bigler is the author of four books, including Hostile Fire: The Life and Death of 1st Lt. Sharon Lane and In Honored Glory: Arlington National Cemetery, The Final Post.He holds a bachelor's degree in history and a master's degree in secondary education/history from JMU, and a master's degree in American studies from the College of William and Mary. # # #Writer: Bill Gentry, University Relations |
 
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Publisher: Media Relations For Information Contact: JMU News Bureau |
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