Abstract
Dr. Kathleen Hinchman, the 2015 recipient of the Albert J. Kingston award, is the associate dean for Academic Affairs in the School of Education and a professor in the Reading and Language Arts Center at Syracuse University. She earned a BS in English Education from Syracuse University, an MS in Reading Education from Syracuse University, and a PhD in Reading Education and Cultural Foundations of Education from Syracuse University. Dr. Hinchman’s scholarship focuses on older youth’s literacies, literacy teacher education, and supporting students who struggle with reading and writing. Her research is both significant and extensive as evidenced by numerous publications in prominent literacy education journals and books.
Dr. Hinchman’s first NRC experience was at the 1981 conference in Dallas. Heady from research talks and vital issues chats with researchers she had only known from citations, she nervously presented a paper on vocabulary instruction in a symposium on content-area reading. From these new experiences, she learned much about giving talks and interacting with colleagues who were also the giants in the field, initiating what have become lifelong friendships. She considers the mentoring she has received from these friends and careful reviewers central to her academic career and views her Yearbook, Journal of Reading Behavior, and Literacy Research Journal publications as among her most important contributions.
Dr. Hinchman’s deep and lasting commitment to LRA is personified through her enduring contributions to the LRA in a number of capacities. She has been an active member of LRA at all levels in the organization since the mid-1980s. After receiving her doctorate in 1985, and throughout the 80s, she served as the NRC Field Council representative and reviewed regularly for the annual program, Journal of Reading Behavior, and the Yearbook. In the 90s, she continued field council work, served as a program reviewer and area chair, and was a member of review boards for both the Yearbook and Journal of Literacy Research. She also went on to serve as a coeditor of the Yearbook.
Dr. Hinchman was elected to the NRC board of directors (2003–2005) and to the presidential cycle serving as vice president (2008), president (2009), and past president (2010). Perhaps the best known accomplishments of Dr. Hinchman’s presidency were the organization’s initiation of the Scholars of color Transitioning into Academic Research institutions (STAR) Mentoring program and its renaming, from the National Reading Conference to the LRA. The STAR program has welcomed a diverse array of new scholars to the LRA membership. The organization’s new name recognized the international membership and solidified its attention to literacy, reading, and writing. She has continued to serve as a committee member, a reviewer for the journal and the conference program, and a mentor for the STAR program.
Dr. Hinchman has also expanded the reach and impact of literacy research by presenting her work at the LRA Annual Conference. Not a year has gone by that she has not presented one or more papers at the conference. Most often, these papers have been presented with students or beginning scholars whom she mentors into the LRA family. Proving her true leadership, Dr. Hinchman’s mentees have gone on to make their own substantial contributions to LRA and to the field.
Dr. Hinchman has given decades of service to LRA and has provided both distinguished service and leadership. Her efforts have continually inspired other scholars to follow her lead.
We extend our thanks and congratulations to Dr. Kathy Hinchman, recipient of the 2015 Albert J. Kingston Award, in recognition for her service to the LRA.