MONTCLAIR, NJ, December 14, 2017 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Marquis Who's Who, the world's premier publisher of biographical profiles, is proud to name Patricia Clark Kenschaft, PhD, a Lifetime Achiever. An accomplished listee, Dr. Kenschaft celebrates many years' experience in her professional network, and has been noted for achievements, leadership qualities, and the credentials and successes she has accrued in her field. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
A professor emerita of mathematics at Montclair State College, now Montclair State University, Dr. Kenschaft returned to part-time teaching from 2005 to 2007, marking 46 years in the field of education. She was hired by MSU in 1973 after spending a year as a high school mathematics teacher at Ridley Township High School in Pennsylvania, and taught for two years as a lecturer of mathematics at Bloomfield College, where she returned as a part-time teacher later in her career. Dr. Kenschaft excelled at Montclair, rising from assistant professor to associate professor, becoming a full professor in 1987. She was named professor emerita in 2005, and is well known for her prolific authorship ranging from academic topics like mathematics and parental aids to childbirth and racial equity in academics. Her latest book was the revised edition of "Math Power: How to Help Your Child Love Math Even if You Don't" in 2014.
Dr. Kenschaft completed a BA at Swarthmore College in 1961 and an MA and PhD at the University of Pa. in 1963 and 1973, respectively. After graduating from Swarthmore College, she was a high school teacher for one year. The following summer she took a course in Real Analysis at the University of Pennsylvania from Dr. Emil Grosswald. At the end of the course he said he had arranged for her to have a teaching fellowship at the university beginning that fall and thought she should become a college professor. She accepted his advice. In 1969, she was founder and first president of the Milldam Nursery School, a cooperative nursery school in Concord, Massachusetts. Still thriving 45 years later, Dr. Kenschaft attended the 45th anniversary of the institution in 2014. A cooperative nursery school requires parental involvement in the program, thereby giving parents ideas about how to handle young children. In the 1980s, she did a survey of 75 black mathematicians in New Jersey, which was a highlight in her career. The consensus was that all American children needed better mathematics instruction, as well as role models to bring more minorities into the subject.
A principal investigator of 14 grants over seven years for the Project for Resourceful Instruction of Mathematics in the Elementary School (PRIMES), Dr. Kenschaft supervised a variety of math professionals while providing services for nine New Jersey school districts. Thanks to Dr. Kenschaft, one of schools located in the poorest part of Newark, then the poorest city in the country, attained impressive results. As she explained, "After I'd been working there a couple of years, two of the third grades placed at the 60th percentile and the third at the 70th -- with only one child below the 50th and she was in the 40's." Dr. Kenschaft's paper on the subject is "Racial Equity Requires Teaching Elementary School Teachers More Mathematics," available at http://www.ams.org/notices/200502/fea-kenschaft.pdf. She led the Project for the Instruction of Mathematics in Elementary School as director from 1988 to 1995.
Dr. Kenschaft was also known for having moderated a radio talk show, "Math Medley" from 1998 to 2004, and also moderated and directed micro-inequity skits at national mathematics meetings, depicting experiences of professional women in the previous year. She has been published in approximately 70 professional journals and career publications on various topics, and has delivered or given close to 40 speeches on topics such as "How Can Mathematics Help Elementary School Teachers?," "Careers for Women in Mathematics," and "Mathematics for Human Survival," at venues all across the country. During her career, Dr. Kenschaft also spent time as the founder and president of the N. J. Faculty Forum and as the director of the Project for Resourceful Instruction of Mathematics Elementary School. She also dedicated time to her community as president of the Zero Population Growth of Essex County and of the United National Association of Montclair, as well as as secretary, newsletter editor, and corresponding secretary of the Cornucopia Network of N.J.
Named to Who's Who in American Education, Who's Who in Science and Engineering, and Who's Who in the East, Dr. Kenschaft is also the recipient of an award granted by the Association for Women in Mathematics, where she is a longstanding member and former president of the New Jersey chapter. She was first national chair of the committee for participation of women with the Mathematics Association of America, as well as the organization's first co-chair of the environmental committee, and former governor of the N.J. section. Dr. Kenschaft is a member and former chair of the task force on integration and diversity of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, as well as a member of the National Association of Mathematicians, the American Mathematics Society, and the American Association of University Professors of New Jersey, which elected her state president from 1987 to 1991. She is a former president of the New Jersey Faculty Forum, and a former consultant editor of the National Academy of Sciences.
Dr. Kenschaft was recognized with a 2012 Sister Stephanie Sloyan Distinguished Service Award from the Mathematical Association of America. Married to Frederick Donald Chickester, Dr. EngrgSci, since 1975, she has two children from a previous marriage, Lori and Edward, and one grandchild, Nathaniel. Now enjoying retired life, Dr. Kenschaft loves to read and work in her garden, making a point not to use poisons or power machinery. She is also engaged in ecumenical evangelizing.
In recognition of outstanding contributions to her profession and the Marquis Who's Who community, Patricia Clark Kenschaft, PhD, has been featured on the Marquis Who's Who Lifetime Achievers website. Please visit www.ltachievers.com for more information about this honor.
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America , Marquis Who's Who has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Today, Who's Who in America remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who's Who website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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