UH Manoa College of Education professor selected as Rehabilitation Educator of the Year

University of Hawaiʻi
Contact:
Helen Au, (808) 956-4949
College of Education
Posted: Feb 28, 2007


HONOLULU - Brenda Cartwright, associate professor for the Department of Counselor Education at the University of Hawaiʻi, College of Education, has been selected as Rehabilitation Educator of the Year by the National Council on Rehabilitation Education (NCRE). Cartwright was honored at the 7th Annual National Rehabilitation Educators Conference sponsored by the NCRE on Feb. 25-27, 2007, in San Diego, California. Recipients of this award are selected for excellence in teaching, research and service in the field of rehabilitation. Cartwright is one of 16 prominent educators who have been recognized with this prestigious award since its establishment in 1984.

During her acceptance speech, Cartwright shared, "I am grateful to my students who keep me energized by allowing me to continuously raise the bar for excellence."

Cartwright was vital in establishing NCRE‘s new Council on Multicultural Concerns. The Council provides a forum for members of NCRE to increase partnerships with professionals and practitioners across disciplines; helps increase opportunities for mentorship, participation and leadership in NCRE among members from culturally diverse backgrounds; and publishes manuscripts focused on diversity issues in rehabilitation.

Cartwright extended her interest in cultural issues to include teaching courses outside of the university. In the Waianae Health Academy grant-funded programs, her teachings help empower community residents to meet the health care needs of their families and the larger community by providing culturally competent services that address and respect community values, learning styles and educational needs of residents of the Waianae Coast. She was also a visiting scholar at Kyungpook National University in Daegu, South Korea during the summer of 2006.

She is currently working on a study that examines differences among individuals from culturally diverse groups to elucidate generalizations about people‘s health beliefs.

Cartwright is a previous recipient of the College of Education‘s Excellence in Teaching Award, Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development Research Award, American Counseling Association‘s Research Award and the Bobbie Atkins Research Award, among many others.

Formed in 1955, the NCRE is a professional organization of educators dedicated to quality services for persons with disabilities through education and research that advocates up-do-date training and the maintenance of professional standards in the field of education. It has grown to become the leading professional association for rehabilitation educators in the 21st century. The NCRE currently represents over 90 institutions of higher education and 600 individual members.

For more information about the National Council on Rehabilitation Education, visit them online at http://www.rehabeducators.org.

About the College of Education
The College of Education at UH Mānoa comprises a diverse mix of faculty, staff, and students whose aims are to advance and generate knowledge in the fields of education, human development, counseling, administration, assessment, evaluation, research, technology, disabilities, and other related disciplines. In addition to being a professional school of education, the College also houses units which employ and prepare professionals in the related fields of counseling, educational psychology, technology, research on disabilities, athletic training, evaluation, assessment, and curriculum development. For more information, visit http://www.hawaii.edu/coe.