Mary I. Luskey Award

The Mary I. Luskey Award is the last in the four-scholarship strand of awards founded by the Alpha Alpha Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma to recognize an outstanding future educator who is a student at The College at Brockport. Family, friends, and colleagues of Ms. Luskey, assistant professor of education emerita, established this award in her memory.

Ms. Luskey grew up in the Village of Brockport and graduated from the College in 1937. She taught special education and later first grade at Hoover Road School in the Greece Central School Discrict from 1938 to 1950. In 1950, she came to the Campus School as a first grade teacher and joined the faculty of the College’s Curriculum and Instruction Department as as assistant professor. She earned her master’s degree in education at Brockport in 1951. She went on the become supervisor of the Campus School, which closed in 1981.

Known as a gifted educator, she is remembered as a member of the College faculty who specialized in teaching reading to both undergraduate and graduate students at the College from 1950 until her retirement in 1983. Ms. Luskey was passionate about teaching developmental Reading and inspired her students to become vigilant and keen observers of children as they developed as readers and writers. She encouraged differentiated instruction, and her students knew well the various approaches to the teaching of reading.

During her time on the faculty, Ms. Luskey was also an active member of the Brockport Alumni Association. In 1958, she was a member of the committee that voted to include student representatives on the committee planning homecoming activities. She also served as advisor to the Class of 1959. In 1996 she received the Alumni Citation of Appreciation. Ms. Luskey passed away in 1999.

Professionally, she was active in the Brockport Chapter of the Childhood Education Association and the Alpha Alpha Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma. The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International promotes the professional and personal growth of women in educators and quality in education. The society dedicates itself to improving education by supporting excellence among practitioners in the profession.

Students who receive the Luskey Award must have previously received the Katharine M. Reichel Award for a first-year education student at Brockport, the Dorothy E. Foster Award for a sophomore woman planning a career in education, and the Frances Moroney Whited Award for a student majoring in education.

Applicants must be continuing to prepare for a career in education while demonstrating leadership qualities, outstanding academic ability, and the potential for success as an educator.