Mickelson, Preece, Lim named distinguished alumni By Robie Liscomb   The Faculty of Education kicked off a week of celebrations Nov. 3 by honouring three distinguished alumni from among the ranks of graduates of the UVic faculty of Education and its predecessor, the Victoria Provincial Normal School. Selected as the first recipients of the annual distinguished alumni award were Dr. Norma Mickelson, Dr. Alison Preece, and Dr. Sam Lim.

Mickelson, currently serving as the first woman Chancellor of UVic, attended the Normal School, where she received the Denton Memorial Award as the leading graduate. After a distinguished career as a teacher in the public schools, she earned her MEd from UVic and her PhD from the University of Washington. She joined the faculty in 1967. In 1975 she became the faculty's and the University's first woman dean. She later received the inaugural Sarah Shorten Award, administered by the Canadian Association of University Teachers to honour outstanding contributions to improving the status of women in Canadian universities.

Preece completed her Professional Diploma in education in 1974, her both her MA in early childhood education and her UVic PhD in language development at UVic. Her dissertation won the International Reading Association award in 1987. She is currently director of elementary teacher education. Preece has served as a member of the UVic Senate, chair of the Faculty Women's Caucus, and as a member of the Vice-President's Joint Advisory Committee on Faculty Women's Issues. She has served on numerous Ministry of Education committees for the review and implementation of the primary program and language arts curricula.

Lim received his BEd from UVic, an MSc at the University of Oregon, and his PhD in education leadership from Brigham Young University. He spent 20 years as a teacher, administrator and assistant to the superintendent in the Saanich School District, and is now Assistant Deputy Minister of education programs for the Ministry of Education, Skills and Training. He is responsible for the planning, development and implementation of new curriculum directions, student assessment, learning resources, education technology, career programs, the Provincial Learning Network, and field and regional services. Responsibility for pre-service teacher education has recently been added to his portfolio.

Photos of the recipients of the distinguished education alumni award will be prominently displayed in the MacLaurin Building and a scholarship in education will be awarded in their names.

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