Athens, Ga. – University of Georgia graduate student in education Beryl Bray has received a $1,000 Louise McBee Scholarship from the Georgia Association of Women in Higher Education for her academic achievements and support for women exhibiting leadership in higher education.
Bray, a second-year doctoral student in the College of Education from Ghana, West Africa, is majoring in educational psychology with a concentration in applied cognition and development. For her dissertation, Bray plans to research the development of mathematical cognition in African-American children and to explore the gender differences that exist in learning mathematics in early to middle childhood.
McBee, for whom the scholarship is named, is vice president for academic affairs emerita of UGA. She began her career as a high school teacher in Virginia, but made her mark on education and politics in Georgia. Beginning in 1963, she held several posts with UGA, including dean of women, associate dean of students, dean of students, assistant vice president for instruction, associate and senior associate vice president for academic affairs, and acting vice president for academic affairs.
McBee retired from the university in 1988 and moved into the next phase of her life. She tackled Mt. Everest and was, at the time, the oldest woman to climb higher than 18,000 feet. From there she plunged into politics. McBee was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives from Clarke County in 1991 and served for 14 years. She served as chair of the Higher Education Committee from 2002-2004.
“It’s such an honor to be named the 2009 recipient of the Louise McBee Scholarship,” Bray said. “I believe Dr. McBee is an extraordinary woman with high regard for students, faculty, alumni and friends. Her honesty, candor and integrity make her one to be greatly admired.”
Bray, who plans to graduate in 2011, will be recognized at the 2009 GAWHE Conference on Feb. 20 at Georgia Center for Continuing Education Conference Center and Hotel.
