The 39th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Planning Committee has announced that Professor Sharon Dotger, School of Education Faculty Director for Teacher Education and Undergraduate Studies, is a 2024 Unsung Hero. Dotger joins other 2024 winners: community member Murjan Abdi, high school student Elbethel Berhane, and Syracuse University student Mia-Marie Fields ’24
The Unsung Hero Award is given to community members, students, faculty, and staff who have made a positive impact on the lives of others but who are not widely recognized for their contributions. The awards were created to honor Dr. King’s vision of creating positive change in a troubled world.
The award winners were recognized at the 39th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration in the JMA Wireless Dome on January 21.
Dotger is being celebrated for her work redesigning SOE’s teacher education program, ensuring that preservice teachers are equipped with the skills, knowledge, and compassion necessary to both enter the workforce and thrive in it. The Committee notes that, “This shift will ensure that graduates of the University’s education programs are prepared to work alongside students with disabilities in schools across the nation, bringing the world closer to full inclusion.”