Lindsey Swagerty has been named director of the Education Renewal Zone in the College of Education and Health Professions at the University of Arkansas. She started the position Sept. 14.

Swagerty worked as an academic adviser to students in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction since 2011. She also teaches in department's certificate program for STEM education, which stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics. She is working on a doctorate in curriculum and instruction from the U of A, with a concentration in integrated STEM education, and she holds a master's degree in library and information studies from the University of Oklahoma and a bachelor's degree in developmental psychology from Northeastern State University.

The Arkansas Legislature created the Education Renewal Zones in 2003. The idea is to strengthen local schools and provide resources through partnerships with higher education to help the schools meet their needs and improve student achievement.

"This position gives me the opportunity to continue working with faculty and staff in the college while building relationships with schools in our community," Swagerty said. "We will continue to collaborate with our partners to bring resources to schools."

Swagerty plans to continue programs begun by former director Elizabeth Smith, such as the University of Arkansas New Teacher Academy and Adopt-A-Classroom. The New Teacher Academy program supports 10 first-year elementary teachers this school year through monthly four-hour professional development workshops, monthly networking lunches and mentoring by U of A faculty members.

Swagerty herself participated in Adopt-A-Classroom as a U of A staff member. She worked with students on elementary-level STEM projects at Farmington Elementary School. Faculty and staff who participate are matched with a K-12 teacher in one of the ERZ partner schools, which are schools in rural areas or schools that serve populations typically underrepresented in higher education. The purpose of this program is to allow K-12 teachers to see best practices and up-to-date content knowledge modeled in their classrooms by university faculty and staff.

The Education Renewal Zone also sponsors conferences bringing business and industry leaders together with educators at all levels to discuss workforce needs, and it works with a group it established called the Northwest Arkansas P-20 Task Force to provide ideas and feedback for educators.

"I am also exploring new ideas, including an elementary level technology challenge that would bring students to campus to compete," Swagerty said. "Another possibility is an institute to help teachers use Next Generation Science Standards in their classrooms."

Swagerty was recognized this year as an emerging leader by the Foundation for Technology and Engineering Education, International Technology and Engineering Educators Association and the Council on Technology & Engineering Teacher Education. In 2013, she was selected to attend the NASA Pre-Service Teacher Institute in Hampton, Va.