Dr. Beth Dobler was named the 2022-23 King Endowed Professor recently by The Teachers College at Emporia State University. She is a professor in the Department of Elementary Education, Early Childhood, and Special Education at Emporia State.
“It’s such a happy surprise to receive this award,” said Dobler. “I am grateful for the opportunities The Teachers College has provided for me as a faculty member.”
The award was announced at a recent meeting of the faculty and staff of the college on Aug. 18.
“Dr. Elizabeth Dobler exemplifies all of the characters of the Dr. John E. King Endowed Professor,” said Dr. Sara Schwerdtfeger, chair of the department. “We are so proud of Dr. Dobler and all of her accomplishments and look forward to her continued positive impact on Emporia State University students and faculty.”
Dobler has received multiple awards from The Teachers College, including the Ervay Family Award for Applied Scholarship, and awards for excellence in instruction, scholarly activity and service.
She spent the first 13 years of her teaching career as a classroom teacher in kindergarten, first, third, and sixth grades. During the 2016-17 school year she took a leave of absence from Emporia State to work as a school library media specialist at Ross Elementary in Topeka.
In 1998, Dobler joined the Emporia State faculty and earned her doctorate in 2002. Her research interests include web literacies and reading comprehension. She is a member of the International Reading Association and American Library Association and has publications in the Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy and Reading Research Quarterly. She is the coauthor of the books “Reading the Web: Strategies for Internet Inquiry,” “Teaching the Language Arts: Forward Thinking in Today’s Classrooms,” “From Curiosity to Deep Learning” and “Technology with Intention: Designing Meaningful Literacy & Technology Integration.”
“This recognition allows us the opportunity to recognize outstanding faculty who have had a significant impact in the lives of their students,” said Dr. Joan Brewer, Dean of The Teachers College. “This is the fourth year we have been able to award the King Endowed Professorship. I am grateful we have the ability to acknowledge the efforts of these deserving faculty in such a remarkable way.”
The King Endowed Professorship in The Teachers College was established in 2019 by Arthur C. Piculell Jr. to honor Dr. John E. King, the 11th president of Kansas State Teachers College, now Emporia State University.
The professorship’s purpose is to supplement the salary of a distinguished professor within The Teachers College at Emporia State University. This award is in honor and recognition of the impact that educational leaders like Dr. John E. King have on the lives of students.