Melba C. Spooner, Ed.D, ’79, ’85
Distinguished Faculty Award
Melba Spooner came to UNC Charlotte in 1974 and loved the institution so much that it seems like she has never left! She majored in Elementary Education, earning her Bachelor’s of Arts in 1978 and Master’s of Education in 1985. She completed her Doctorate at UNC Greensboro in 1991.
Melba’s career began in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools where she served as a teacher’s assistant, classroom teacher, and Assistant Principal. She returned to UNC Charlotte as a faculty member in 1987 and has served in various roles in the College of Education including Assistant Dean; Chair of the Middle, Secondary, and K-12 Education Department; and Associate Dean. She currently serves as Senior Associate Dean.
“Melba has had a dramatic impact on the quality of the teacher candidates graduating from UNC Charlotte,” says Ann Clark, Superintendent of Charlotte-Mecklenburg. “She has been genuinely receptive and open to feedback from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools regarding ways to better prepare teachers for success as they leave the college classroom and enter the K-12 classroom.”
Always willing to collaborate, Melba secured funding for a Professional Development Schools Network, which links educator preparation at the university level to collaborative professional development with faculty in public schools. She provided leadership for a major initiative to promote National Board Certification and served on one of CMS’ strategic task forces focused on institution of higher education partnerships with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.
“Thanks to her vision, a network of CMS schools have been able to strategically deepen the professional development for their teachers,” says Clark.
Melba has been a nationwide leader of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), the premier accreditation body for educator preparation programs. At UNC Charlotte, she has a record of university service on a variety of tasks that directly impact the student experience. Says former College of Education Dean Mary Lynne Calhoun, “Beyond her list of accomplishments, she brings so many intangibles to her distinguished work at our university.”
“Her teaching, research, and service efforts are closely entwined and center on the importance of teaching and teacher education,” says Provost Joan Lorden. “Many of the marks of excellence in [the College of Education] – national accreditation, Professional Development School partnerships, strong attention to effective college teaching – are due in large part to Dr. Spooner’s vision and effective leadership.”