Dr. Bob Pelton has retired as Professor of Education after 25 years of dedicated service. The School of Education held a retirement party on May 7, attended by the President of the University, the Provost, the Dean of the School of Education, faculty and staff, and students. The party had a distinctive nautical theme, as Dr. Pelton will transition to Captain Bob and pilot his own boat in retirement.
Dr. Pelton taught many of the core courses that every education student in the program completes, including Educational Psychology, Child Development, and Curriculum and Instruction. He served as a mentor in field placements and internships for hundreds of teacher candidates. He worked closely with the Maryland State Department of Education in the early development of Maryland’s Professional Development Schools and collaborated with then Dean of the School of Education, Dr. Debby Kraft, to help build and sustain Stevenson’s long-standing involvement with the Character Education Conference at Stevenson, where MSDE honored schools with Character Education awards.
Dr. Pelton played an important role in launching the middle school education program – the first in the state – particularly in helping shaping school partnerships. He also took the lead in designing instruction to support the Praxis Performance Assessment for Teachers. He served as editor of a two-book series on teacher action research, inviting educators from across the country to contribute and share the belief that teachers should be researchers of their own practice.
President Elliot Hirschman commended Dr. Pelton for his years of service to both the School of Education and Stevenson University. He highlighted his positions as Chair of the Faculty Welfare Committee and membership on Faculty Council, as well as serving on self-study working groups for Middle States Commission on Higher Education accreditation.
Dr. Kobett, Dean of the School of Education, recognized Dr. Pelton’s years of commitment and his authenticity as a professor and colleague. She remarked, “It’s hard to believe we’re celebrating Bob’s retirement after 25 years at Stevenson. Over that time, he has become the longest-serving full-time faculty member in the School of Education. Bob’s understanding of social emotional learning was exactly what was needed. He’s perhaps best known among students for his Educational Psychology class, where experiential learning wasn’t just a theory, it was how he taught.”
Two middle school education interns, Jacob Schwarz and Derrick Smith, who experienced Dr. Pelton’s mentorship firsthand during their field placements, presented an amusing report on Dr. Pelton’s guidance, using our own Evidence of Progress to comment on his impact.
Dr. Pelton wishes to share these parting remarks with the administration, colleagues, and students: “After many incredible years as a professor in the School of Education, I am officially retiring from teaching. It’s difficult to fully express just how much this journey has meant to me. I’ve had the privilege of working alongside brilliant and passionate colleagues. I’m especially inspired by our newest faculty, whose energy and ideas fill me with great hope for the future of education. To my students – Every class brought fresh insight, new challenges, shared laughter, and renewed purpose. You have all inspired me more than you can possibly know. Now, it’s time for my next adventure: sailing the high seas. The open water is calling, and I’m ready to embrace it with a full heart and an eager spirit. I leave with no regrets. I have deep gratitude for a career that has brought meaning, memories, and immense joy. Thank you all for being a part of this journey. I’ll carry your memories with me wherever the wind may take me. With gratitude and excitement, Dr. Robert P. Pelton.”