Dr. Parr selected as Dr. Elizabeth Thorn Chair in Literacy

Collaboration and community are the cornerstones that Dr. Michelann Parr will use to enhance literacy as the newly announced Dr. Elizabeth Thorn Chair in Literacy at Nipissing University.Dr. Parr becomes the third person selected to hold the Chair. Dr. David Booth served as the Dr. Elizabeth Thorn Chair in Literacy from 2008 – 2012 and Dr. Sharon Rich served as Chair from 2012 – 2015. Dr. Parr begins her three-year term on July 1, 2017.
“It is a distinct honour for me to be named the Dr. Elizabeth Thorn Chair in Literacy. I was fortunate to have Dr. Thorn as a professor and she made an indelible mark on me and on my career as a language and literacy educator,” said Dr. Parr. “This is an opportunity to give back to the community in which I’ve grown, studied, taught, and researched. I look forward to serving the local community and the university over the next three years.”
“We are thrilled to announce Dr. Parr as the recipient of the Dr. Elizabeth Thorn Chair in Literacy. She is a fantastic educator and researcher with a passion for family literacy,” said Dr. Carole Richardson, dean of the Schulich School of Education. “The selection committee was impressed with Dr. Parr’s experience in language and literacy as well as her commitment to community engagement. This appointment builds on the work of Dr. Booth and Dr. Rich and will benefit our students and community by building excellence in literacy.”
As Chair, Dr. Parr plans to further strengthen community partnerships and form a sustainable network of families, youth, communities, schools, and university personnel who will work together to enhance literacy engagement, particularly family and community literacy.
“I am a strong believer that in order to be sustainable, meaningful, and authentic, literacy initiatives and projects need to be developed through collaboration and consultation,” said Dr. Parr.
Dr. Parr envisions a number of projects aimed at enhancing literacy, including:an annual conference aimed at local community;publications that highlight research, evidence-based practice, teaching tips and/or information related to everyday literacy co-written by students, faculty, and community;special events in partnership with local community that focus on literacy;research events for education students, faculty, member organizations, and the general public to share new ideas;community outreach opportunities that reflect faculty and student strengths (e.g., literacy play days; language and literacy researcher for a day; literacy enrichment days; school- and community-based).
Dr. Parr holds a PhD from McGill University, and from Nipissing: a Master of Education, a Bachelor of Education and an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. She has held research grants from The Learning Partnership, The Ontario Ministry of Education, and the Near North District School Board. Her research has been published extensively in books and journals, and she has presented her work in academic conferences around the world.
She began her teaching career in 1987 as an instructor at Canadore College before moving to the Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic Board of Education in 1992. She has been working at Nipissing since 2000, teaching in the Schulich School of Education. In 2012, she earned the rank of full professor.
Dr. Elizabeth Thorn was a founding member of the Nipissing University Faculty of Education who dedicated her life to the promotion of literacy; she inspired educators around the world with her wisdom, passion and commitment to the subject.
She passed away in 2002. The Dr. Elizabeth Thorn Chair in Literacy was created in 2002, thanks to a planned gift made to Nipissing University through Dr. Thorn’s estate, illuminating how much Nipissing University and education meant to Dr. Thorn.??