UW–Madison alumna Linda McNeil died on April 1 at the age of 77.
McNeil earned her PhD from the School of Education’s Department of Curriculum and Instruction in 1977.
McNeil was the co-founder and longtime director of Rice University’s Center for Education, with the university explaining in this report how she “dedicated her life to addressing educational inequity, curriculum, and public school reform.”
McNeil “possessed a fierce and penetrating intellect, the courage to defend her ideas even if unpopular, and an ability to describe significant undercurrents of change in the face of public education over her lifetime,” noted Eileen Coppola, who worked with McNeil at Rice and is now a senior director with the New York City Department of Education.
Coppola continued: “She was an extremely generous colleague, mentor, and teacher, supporting younger scholars from diverse backgrounds who have gone on to influence our educational systems. Her passionate commitment to providing a deeply meaningful, equitable education for all has had a lasting mark on how we think about public education, and will continue to influence how leaders in the field construct or critique education policy.”
To learn much more about McNeil’s life and remarkable career, check out this Rice University report.