Lastinger Legends | University of Florida Lastinger Center for Learning

Lastinger Legends | Ep. 6 | The Heart & Soul

Join Lastinger Center director, Phil Poekert, as he talks with Laverne Daniels, the Center’s long serving administrative assistant and, some may say, the Center's heart and soul. Listen as Laverne reflects on the Center’s earliest days and her sixteen-year tenure with the Lastinger Center for Learning.

Lastinger Legends | Ep. 5 | Focusing on Teachers

Join Lastinger Center director, Phil Poekert, as he talks with Alyson Adams, who provided critical expertise in teaching and educational research in the Center’s early days. Alyson now serves as Director of the School of Teaching and Learning in the College of Education at the University of Florida. Listen as Alyson reflects on her early educational experiences, describes her involvement in the Lastinger Center’s first steps as an education start-up, and how her passion for supporting teachers influenced the overall direction of the Center’s work.

Lastinger Legends | Ep. 4 | Passion & Inspiration

Join Lastinger Center director, Phil Poekert, as he talks with Thomasenia Adams, one of the Center’s expert faculty members and current Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Development in the Office of Educational Research at the University of Florida's College of Education. Listen as Thomasenia shares about her journey into mathematics education and how her passion for community, teaching, and learning led to her involvement with the Lastinger Center for Learning.

Lastinger Legends | Ep. 3 | Leadership

Join Lastinger Center director, Phil Poekert, as he talks with the Center’s founding director, Donald Pemberton. Listen as Don reflects on his childhood, on experiences that contributed to his expertise in education foundations, and on how his passion for supporting teachers and providing opportunity to students contributed to the establishment and work of the UF Lastinger Center for Learning.

Lastinger Legends | Ep. 2 | Endowment

Lastinger Center director Phil Poekert talks with former Dean of the College of Education, Roderick McDavis, as he reflects on his educational experiences, his time as the first African-American Dean of the College of Education at the University of Florida, and how his ideas for improving public education across the state of Florida contributed to the endowment and establishment of the Lastinger Center for Learning.