Dr. Sylvia Read Awarded for Outstanding Contributions in Education

During the second annual Show Up for Teachers conference in July, Sylvia Read, associate dean of accreditation and undergraduate studies for the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services at Utah State University, was recognized as an outstanding educator in higher education for the state of Utah by first lady Abby Cox. Read was presented with the award during the Honors in Education Gala, held in conjunction with the conference and sponsored by Deseret News and Utah Business magazine. An educator for more than 30 years, Read continues to create a legacy in education for teachers, students, researchers, and faculty members.

“When I saw the call for nominations, I immediately thought of Sylvia,” said Marla Robertson, director of elementary education for USU. “I came to USU seven years ago; she was my mentor as a statewide campus faculty member. Although she is literacy faculty and that is her expertise, I have never known someone who cares about teacher education on a statewide scale as much as Sylvia does.” 

For 13 years, Read was an elementary teacher in Urbana, Illinois and in Utah with the Cache County School District. She taught first, second, and sixth grades and was passionate about teaching her students to read and write.  Upon the completion of her doctoral degree in education from USU in 2000, Read joined the university as an assistant professor in the School of Teacher Education and Leadership. Her career in higher education has encompassed many roles, including professor, director of graduate studies, director of undergraduate programs, associate department head, department liaison to USU statewide campuses, and now as associate dean.

When asked by Utah Business if there was a pivotal moment that led to her involvement in education, Read responded, “The pivotal moment was when I was working as a research assistant writing summaries of articles about early literacy while also teaching my stepdaughter to read. Because of this, I became fascinated by early literacy development and I decided to return to school for my master’s in education and a K-8 teaching license.”

In addition to her position as associate dean, Read serves tirelessly on numerous state and national education commissions and committees, not because she is required to serve, but because she wants to be informed and share her voice when it comes to educator preparation in Utah.  Read is heavily involved with the Utah State Board of Education, the Utah Teacher Education Assessment and Accreditation Advisory Council, and the Association for Advancing Quality Educator Preparation.

Read explained, “One of my responsibilities is to ensure that our educator preparation programs are both compliant with state rules and aligned with state and national expectations for quality. Our programs prepare teacher candidates to be effective educators who are ready to teach in a variety of communities in Utah and other states.”

Being an advocate for Utah’s educators is not something that Read takes lightly. “The teachers in Utah are dedicated to the success of their students and work extremely hard every day to ensure they serve those students and their families,” she said.

Robertson described Read’s work in education with three characteristics: passion, dedication, and commitment to excellence. “She consistently receives high evaluations from students in her university courses, particularly in her courses on writing,” Robertson said. “Sylvia is one of those faculty members who volunteers regularly to be on a task force or a committee. Considered our resident expert on writing research, particularly on writing in the elementary grades, Sylvia continually wants to be involved in the workings of the department, to know what is going on, and to assist in any way she can. She is a highly regarded colleague.”

Read about the 2023 Honors in Education awards in Utah Business Magazine.