For press information, contact Curt Guenther, 901/678-2843

The inaugural Barbara K. Lipman Award for Excellence in Early Childhood Education will be presented to Dr. Eleanor Duckworth, internationally renowned professor of education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.  Dr. Duckworth will accept her award and deliver the keynote address at a dinner Thursday, Nov. 13, at the University of Memphis Holiday Inn.

The award is made possible by a gift from Ira A. Lipman in honor of his wife, for whom the award is named.  It will be given annually to a researcher, writer, or program designer who has significantly influenced early childhood education or child growth and development.

Mrs. Lipman’s name is also carried by the Barbara K. Lipman Early Childhood School and Research Institute at the University of Memphis, a laboratory demonstration school for pre-school-age children that is associated with the University’s College of Education.

Dr. Eleanor Duckworth

Mrs. Lipman has long been an advocate for the rights of children and for high-quality early childhood education.  She is the founder of the Montessori Program at the Lipman School at the University of Memphis.  Proceeds from the awards ceremony will help support the school

The University of Memphis, founded in 1912, is a comprehensive metropolitan research university that is recognized nationally and internationally for its academic, research, and athletic programs.  For its more than 20,000 students, the University offers more than 254 areas of study for those seeking bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees; it also offers the juris doctor (law) and education specialist degrees.

For information about reservations or other aspects of the Barbara K. Lipman Lecture Series and Awards Ceremony, call the Lipman School at 901-678-2120.