Gerald Campano, professor and chair of the literacy, culture, and international education division of Penn’s Graduate School of Education (GSE), has been awarded the 2021 Spencer Mentor Award of the Spencer Foundation. This award provides $10,000 grants to mentors who have demonstrated extraordinary contributions to supporting the research training and career trajectories of graduate students and junior scholars who engage in education research, broadly construed.

Dr. Campano’s nomination letter from Tamara Spencer of Saint Mary’s College of California describes his work: “Dr. Campano has created a structure that fosters long-term mentoring relationships between university researchers and public school students and their families, forming bonds and connections that have persisted for a decade. Through his mentorship, families and youth of color have made their voices and research public, co-writing and co-presenting their work to national audiences. These collaborations have been transformative for all involved.”

For nearly 10 years, Dr. Campano worked as a public school teacher, during which time he earned district teacher of the year awards and was a Carnegie Scholar. Throughout his academic career, he has been interested in universalizing research through community-based inquiry based on an ethics of care and interdependence.

The grant is intended to support the winner’s ongoing mentoring. Dr. Campano is one of three recipients chosen for the 2021 award.