Four alumni of the IU School of Education have received the Distinguished Alumni Award, the highest honor for graduates of the school. The award, founded in 1977, recognizes alumni who have enhanced the reputation of the school by distinguishing themselves in their careers through significant professional and civic contributions to their community, state, and nation.
The alumni will be honored at an event this evening.
“One of my favorite traditions at the School of Education is celebrating our graduates through the Distinguished Alumni Award,” said Dean Anastasia Morrone. “Our work at the School of Education is far-reaching in its impact, and honoring our alumni reminds us of the difference we all can make through education.”
Rebecca Bersani (B.S.'18)
Early Career Achievement Award
Rebecca Bersani graduated from Indiana University, Bloomington, in 2018, with licenses in Computer Education and Elementary Education. Her interest in STEM Education grew during her undergraduate and student teaching experiences, including a transformative period in Auckland, New Zealand, through the IU Global Gateways program. This passion led her to start her professional career at Blue Academy Elementary School in Indianapolis, a public Title 1 school, where she built the STEAM program from the ground up, serving all 700+ students as the sole STEAM teacher in the district.
At Blue Academy, Bersani not only developed the curriculum and classroom experience for STEAM, but also helped organize the school's first musical production and school-day integration of GLOW Girls - a program designed to help empower young girls in their self-confidence and leadership. In the summers, she directed a STEM Camp created by the National Inventors Hall of Fame for all students near the area and fundraised for scholarships to help students attend. Her efforts significantly enhanced the community's engagement with STEM Education and arts programming.
After two successful years, Bersani was elevated to STEAM Department Head and Elementary Project Lead the Way Coordinator for all six Elementary School STEAM Classrooms in MSD of Decatur Township. In this role, she oversees the curricular instruction, provides coaching and professional development, and organizes the district-wide annual STEAM Fest event.
Bersani's influence extends beyond MSD of Decatur Township. For example, she co-wrote the 2nd Volume of a STEAM Elementary Curriculum for 1st Makerspace in 2020. She contributed to articles for Education Post and eSchool News. She is an active presenter at conferences such as ISTE and the Indiana Education Purdue STEM Conferences, advocating for STEM and Computer Science Education, 21st Century lessons, and methods that enhance the student experience.
Recognizing the importance of ongoing professional development for herself and others, Bersani also became her school building’s Lead Teacher/Instructional Coach in 2022. In this capacity, she collaborates closely with school administration, leads professional development sessions, and supports 40+ educators in implementing best teaching practices in all subject areas. Her leadership philosophy, embodied in her platform "The Leading Learner," emphasizes lifelong learning, social-emotional health for both the educator and the student, and creating inclusive experiences that inspire past the walls of a classroom or school doors.
Bersani's dedication to enjoyable and memorable educator development continues to shape educational environments that foster positive student personal and academic outcomes. Her roles as a speaker and advocate underscore her commitment to broadening educational horizons and nurturing future leaders in students, adults, STEM, and beyond.
Mary Lee Seibert (B.S.'63, M.S.'73, Ed.D.'79)
Excellence in Higher Education Award
Mary Lee Seibert came to Indiana University as a first-generation college student from Evansville, Indiana. She spent 16 years at the university, obtaining her Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology, Master of Science in Education, and Doctor of Education. While completing her doctoral program, she worked as a supervisor of the clinical laboratory in the Wishard Hospital and as a faculty member developing the first-in-the-nation baccalaureate program to prepare health professionals for teaching positions in their disciplines in colleges and universities.
After receiving tenure from the School of Medicine, her commitment to diversity led Seibert to supervise a project with the American Association of Colleges and Universities in Washington, D.C., designed to assist minority colleges and universities to develop programs in the allied health professions. From there, she became Dean of the School of Allied Health Professions at Temple University and one of only four female deans of allied health professions among 125 schools in the country. Seibert represented the allied health professions on several national boards and committees, including six years on the Board on Health Care Services of the National Institute of Medicine/National Science Foundation – the group that recommends health policy to Congress and the President.
Seibert went on to become the Associate Provost at Ithaca College and retired in 2004 as the Provost Emeritus of Utica University in New York. Although this ended her full-time employment, she continued for the next four years to serve as an Executive Associate for the Middle States Commission on Accreditation in Higher Education to provide professional support to institutions in the US, Europe, and Asia. Drawing on her academic career as a senior academic administrator at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis, Temple University, Ithaca College, and Utica University, Seibert’s diverse leadership roles positioned her well to continue to appreciate the challenges faced especially by developing institutions and those serving under-represented minorities. As we honor her more than 50 years of service to higher education, we claim her as a Hoosier and a respected alumna of Indiana University and the School of Education.
Sharon Johnson Shirley (B.S.'77, M.S.'90)
Excellence in PreK-12 Education Award
Sharon Johnson Shirley is the Superintendent of Lake Ridge New Tech Schools, Calumet Township in Northwest Indiana. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Indiana University Bloomington, a master’s degree from Indiana University Northwest, an administrative license from Purdue University, Calumet Campus, and her doctorate from Loyola University, Chicago, Illinois.
Shirley has worked as a teacher, principal, director of curriculum, and assistant superintendent. Since 2006 she has served as superintendent of Lake Ridge New Tech Schools. Additionally, she serves as a member and chair of the Board of Advisors of the Executive Committee for Indiana University Northwest. Shirley is a member of the Alumni Board of Advisory for Indiana University Bloomington Campus. Shirley serves as chair of the Board of Directors for Edgewater Behavioral Health Systems, Inc. She has served as a member of the Executive Board of Indiana Public Schools’ Superintendents and chair for Northwest Superintendents’ Study Council District I. Shirley has been an Indiana School Safety Specialist since its inception (1999). She has been a member of the State Safety Academy’s Advisory Board and a Founding member of the Safe Schools Lake County Commission. In 2013 Shirley was appointed by State Superintendent Glenda Ritz to the Indiana Department of Education Special Education Advisory Board and reappointed by Jennifer McCormick in 2018. For many years she served as a facilitator for HWC and currently, she serves as a facilitator for the Aspiring Superintendents of Indiana Schools Superintendents Association (IASA). Shirley is a Founding member of the Lake Ridge Schools’ Education Foundation.
Members of the Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents chose Shirley as the 2013 and 2014 District I Superintendent of the Year. In addition, in 2013 and 2016 she was nominated to be a finalist in the Influential Women in Education of Northwest Indiana Awards Ceremony, and ultimately won that distinguished honor in 2018. She has been a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority since 1974. She became a member of the Gamma Nu Chapter at Indiana University Bloomington. Shirley is now an active member of the Gary Alumnae Chapter Inc. and serves on the Social Action Committee as co-chair.
Shirley has been a member of Phi Delta Kappa, a Professional Fraternity for over 30 years. She has also served as a Lakeshore Alliance member for Student Success (LASS). She is an active member of the Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents and has served on the Executive Committee for two terms. She is active in the Indiana Urban Schools Association as vice president for the Executive Board. Shirley serves Northwest Indiana Special Education Cooperative as an Executive Board member.
Shirley serves as a member of the Northwest Indiana Public School Study Council. In addition, she is a member of the Executive Board Northwest Indiana Education Service Center (NWIESC), an active member of the National Affiliate of the National School Board Association, a member of the Indiana School Boards Association, and serves as a member of (NABSE) National Alliance of Black School Educators.
A proclamation was made in her honor to invigorate the lives of all who call Lake Ridge home. To that end, we recognize with honor and gratitude Sharon Johnson-Shirley, and all she represents, by declaring Juneteenth a district holiday in the year 2024.
Shirley is married to her wonderful husband, Carlos, and between them, they have three daughters, four grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter.
She believes in the famous quote from Gandhi: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”
Debra Tica Sanchez (B.S.'92)
Outstanding Alumni Award
Debra Sanchez is the Senior Vice President of Educational Media and Learning Experiences at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). She oversees children's and youth content investments, develops educational initiatives, and works closely with producers and stations to meet public media’s education mission.
Sanchez designs and leads initiatives that leverage public media’s content, distribution, and community-based work to address critical needs in education today. American Graduate supports stations and producers to partner with community organizations, businesses, and education organizations to raise awareness about the importance of high school graduation, post-secondary opportunities, and preparing young people for the changing workforce. She led an initiative focused on media by, with, and for youth with the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop to investigate the media habits of children ages 8-18 and identify how public media can respond to young people’s evolving media practices.
Since 2005, CPB and PBS have been awarded funds through the U.S. Department of Education for the Ready To Learn (RTL) grant, which leverages public media content to help close the achievement gap for children in low-income communities. CPB also supports innovative, digital approaches to bring content and resources to classrooms, including new U.S. History and Civics resource collections on PBS LearningMedia. These collections focus on the key knowledge and skills students need to participate in civic life today.
Prior to joining CPB, Sanchez was Vice President, Government Relations, at America’s Public Television Stations (APTS). In this role, she was the primary education policy professional for the public television community and provided strategic counsel on pursuing Pre-K to postsecondary federal initiatives. Before joining public broadcasting, she was a special education teacher in Arlington, Virginia, and Highland, Indiana. She was a high school athletic coach, facilitated a Natural Helpers leadership academy for high school students, and was a private tutor for at-risk students. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Special Education from Indiana University.
She is married to Daniel Sanchez from Chesterton, Indiana, who graduated from Indiana University Northwest with a degree in Political Science. Their daughter is currently studying media, film and graphic design at Indiana University Bloomington and their son lives the Indiana basketball tradition in Northern Virginia as a three-year varsity basketball letterman for West Potomac High School in Alexandria. Sanchez is an active leader and volunteer in her community and her children’s educational and extracurricular endeavors.