Connally Family Distinguished Professorship

Since our founding in 1785, the University of Georgia has operated as Georgia's oldest, most comprehensive, and most diversified institution of higher education (). The proof is in our more than 235 years of academic and professional achievements and our continual commitment to higher education. UGA is currently ranked among the top 20 public universities in U.S. News & World Report. The University's main campus is located in Athens, approximately 65 miles northeast of Atlanta, with extended campuses in Atlanta, Griffin, Gwinnett, and Tifton. UGA employs approximately 3,000 faculty and more than 7,700 full-time staff. The University's enrollment exceeds 40,000 students including over 30,000 undergraduates and over 10,000 graduate and professional students. Academic programs reside in 18 schools and colleges, as well as a medical partnership with Augusta University housed on the UGA Health Sciences Campus in Athens.

The Connally Family Distinguished Professor of Reading Education will join a Literacies and Children's Literature program with a long and distinguished history. It features the longest running in the nation. The program has hosted the annual for over 50 years. The Connally Distinguished Chair will also have the opportunity to contribute to advancing the field's understanding of literacy research and pedagogy through a planned family and community literacy center initiative.

The Department of Language and Literacy Education is a stimulating and collaborative environment for advancing the field's understanding of literacy research and pedagogy. It includes nationally and internationally noted scholars in literacy and children's literature, secondary English language arts education, and TESOL and world language education. The Connally Family Distinguished Professor of Reading Education will also join the newly hired Donna Alvermann Endowed Professor for Social Change in the department. The department-wide doctoral program attracts national and international applicants and places graduates in a variety of prestigious positions. Students also publish a and host an annual conference.

The Mary Frances Early College of Education ( MFECOE), one of the nation's largest colleges of education, consistently ranks in the top ten national Elementary Education and Curriculum and Instruction programs. The College offers significant possibilities for interdisciplinary research collaborations, program development, and school-community partnerships. The college's Research Office provides strong pre- and post-award grant support. The College is named for the University of Georgia's first African American graduate, a pioneering educator who played an integral role in the campaign for racial equality in Georgia and across the South. The College is committed to promoting diversity in education and society through its Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, through its research and teaching missions, and through collaborative work with community residents and organizations. The department and college are recognized leaders in developing partnerships with local communities and schools to provide pre-service and in-service professional development, and to expand students' experiential learning and service learning opportunities.

Athens is known for its music, art, food and cost of living, as well as its accessibility to the Atlanta area, the beautiful Georgia coast, the North Georgia mountains, and other natural features (see and ). Georgia is home to the Carter Center, Habitat for Humanity, and the Martin Luther King Center. The state offers lottery-funded universal Pre-K as well as the HOPE scholarship program paying 90-100% of students' public college tuition. The University of Georgia is a land grant/sea grant institution.

Applicants should submit:

References will not be contacted until the candidate has been notified.

Review of applications will begin April 1, 2024 and will continue until the position is filled. The position is available in August 2024 with start date negotiable. Address questions to the search committee chair, Dr. Linda Harklau ().

The University of Georgia is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, genetic information, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation or protected veteran status. Persons needing accommodations or assistance with the accessibility of materials related to this search are encouraged to contact Central HR (hrweb@uga.edu).