Jennifer Waddell, Ph.D.
Associate Director

Jennifer Waddell, associate director of the Institute for Urban Education (IUE), has been instrumental in the launch of this exciting new educational endeavor.  She served as chair person of the IUE’s Curriculum Design Team and was responsible for recruiting the Fall 2005 class of scholars who represent the inaugural class of UMKC’s IUE.  She has facilitated the close working relationship between the School of Education, the College of Arts and Sciences the UMKC offices of admission and financial aid, the Dean of the School of Education, school and community partners and others in the IUE’s creation and implementation.

Waddell has an exemplary history of working with school district partners.  She has served as the School of Education’s director of field experiences for future teachers.  As such, she has been directly involved in the preparation of future teachers, increasing preservice training for urban school teachers and assessing performance by teachers in urban schools. Prior to this, Waddell was the co-director of the Basic School Regional Center in Kansas City, Mo., where she served as consultant and facilitator in implementing a comprehensive improvement framework in 17 Kansas City area network schools.  As such, she provided extensive training to principals and teachers.  She also conducted sessions aimed at improving curriculum in Kansas City Basic Schools.

Waddell was an elementary school teacher from 1994 through 2000, first in Las Vegas, then in Kansas City, before becoming an assistant principal in the Kansas City, Missouri Public School District. 

Waddell received her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Montana in Missoula in 1993. She received her master’s degree in urban leadership and policy studies in education/elementary education administration from UMKC in 2000. In 2005, Waddell is completing an interdisciplinary Ph.D. degree in urban leadership and policy studies in education. The research focus of her dissertation is teaching in urban schools. 

Waddell anticipates great things from the inaugural class of IUE students. “Our first class of students is exemplary.  They are very passionate about teaching in the urban schools.  Many have held this ambition since childhood. I am very excited about working with them and growing with them over the next four years,” said Waddell.

She has professional affiliations with the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, the Missouri Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, Education Consortium Centers for Excellence Planning, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Delta Kappa Gamma Society International and the National Basic School Network Practitioner’s Board.  She is a frequent presenter on best practice issues for teachers and has shared her concepts with colleagues at events in Kansas City, St. Louis and Granthan, Pa.

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