The United States Distance Learning Association has selected Bob Riley, Governor of Alabama, for its 2010 Eagle Award. The award will be presented during the USDLA national conference in St. Louis, Missouri, May 4.
The Eagle Award is presented to a national or international public official who has demonstrated leadership in the public policy arena, a record of supporting educational technology and “serves the needs of the distance learning community by providing advocacy, information, networking and opportunity,” the announcement said.
“I’m truly honored to receive this award,” said Governor Riley. “In my state, every high school now offers distance learning classes. That has leveled the playing field for our students in a way no other education program ever has before. Now, no matter if they live in an urban, suburban or rural community, our students have access to classes they otherwise would not. It’s broadened their horizons and opened up a whole new world of learning opportunity for our students in Alabama,”
Reggie Smith III, president, USDLA Board of Directors and chair of the awards committee, noted that, “The work of Governor Bob Riley and his Alabama ACCESS Distance Learning Initiative team demonstrates and confirms the transformative power of distance learning.”
Prior awardees have included North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue, Former Florida Governor John Ellis “Jeb” Bush and Former FCC Chairman William Kennard. In addition, this year, Ellen Wagner, executive director, WCET, and Farhad Saba, CEO, Distance-Educator.com, will be inducted into the USDLA Hall of Fame at the conference.
The United States Distance Learning Association is a non-profit association formed in 1987 and located in Boston. The association reaches 20,000 people world-wide
For more info on Alabama’s initiative see, http://accessdl.state.al.us/ . To read more about the USDLA awards program see http://www.usdla.org .
