March 21, 2023
By Tessa Chilton
We are excited to celebrate Dr. Ginevra Courtade this week for her demonstrated leadership and advocacy in rural special education. Dr. Courtade is a professor in the Department of Special Education, Early Childhood & Prevention Science in the College of Education and Human Development.
Recently, Dr. Courtade was awarded the 2023 Eagle Award by the American Council on Rural Special Education (ACRES). ACRES is a non-profit organization committed to enhancing services for exceptional children and adults living in rural communities. As part of its mission, ACRES provides leadership and support for individuals with exceptional needs, their families, and the professionals who work with them. The Eagle Award is presented to an individual who exemplifies the spirit of the ACRES mission.
Dr. Melinda Ault from the University of Kentucky College of Education, presented the award to Dr. Courtade with the following comments:
“This year’s Eagle Award recipient is an individual who has been a loyal and consistent friend of ACRES, serving on the Board of Directors since 2012, as Conference program co-chair, secretary, chair elect, chair in 2015-16, and past chair. She has shared her scholarship by publishing regularly in Rural Special Education Quarterly and presenting at our conferences.
In addition, she has made a major and profound contribution to ACRES through her work with our journal, Rural Special Education Quarterly (RSEQ). She served from 2008-2016 on the Editorial board and as Technical co-editor of the journal. In 2017, she began her role, that she continues to hold today, as the Executive Editor of the journal during which time she oversaw RSEQ’s new partnership with Hammill in publishing the journal as well as initiating the use of a team of associate editors.
She has devoted herself since to publishing quality scholarship as noted in her Message from the New Editor published in Volume 36(1) in 2017. She wrote then “As the only national scholarly publication devoted to topics and issues in service delivery and personnel preparation in rural special education and disability services, we have a unique perspective to offer our readers.” She went on to write that she looked forward “to extending the legacy of previous editors by committing to maintain the high quality of the journal.”
Receipt of this award should solidify that she IS extending that legacy and that ACRES is extremely grateful for her work. It is my pleasure to present the 2023 Eagle Award to Dr. Ginevra Courtade.”
Dr. Courtade was celebrated on March 10, 2023 at the 42nd annual ACRES conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Learn more about Dr. Ginevra Courtade by visiting her faculty page.
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