SC State’s Dr. M. Evelyn Fields appointed chair of South Carolina Education Deans’ Alliance
SCEDA unites deans from public and private colleges of education across South Carolina to tackle statewide challenges in teacher preparation. Through leadership, advocacy, and close collaboration with K-12 partners, the SCEDA focuses on teacher recruitment and retention, professional development, and evidence-based policy solutions.
“As educator preparation programs, we are committed to ensuring qualified teachers are in every classroom,” Fields said. “By working together, we can navigate roadblocks and address the teacher shortage gripping our state.”
A veteran educator with 40 years of service to South Carolina — 25 of them at SC State — Fields has held leadership roles ranging from program administrator at the University of South Carolina to director, department chair, interim associate provost, and president of the Faculty Senate at SC State.
She is a tenured full professor of early childhood education and was named SC State’s 2017 Professor of the Year.
Nationally, Fields has served as president of the American Association of Blacks in Higher Education (AABHE) and has just received the organization’s Legacy Award for her leadership. Her research centers on equity and culturally relevant pedagogy, particularly for African American boys, and she has secured millions in grant funding to advance teacher education.
Fields earned her M.Ed. and Ph.D. in early childhood education from the University of South Carolina.