Baylor University Mourns the Passing of School of Education Professor

Contact: Lori Fogleman, 254-710-6275
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WACO, Texas (June 29, 2015) – Baylor University is mourning the passing of John C. Park, Ph.D., associate professor of curriculum and instruction in Baylor’s School of Education.

Park passed away Sunday, June 28. A local memorial service was held June 29 at Fellowship Bible Church in McGregor.

Additional memorial services will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 9, at First Church of God, 1000 East Brown, Bellefontaine, Ohio 43311, and at 3 p.m. Sunday, July 19, at Triangle Community Church, 4216 Kildare Farm Rd., Apex, North Carolina 27539.

“John had an impressive national reputation as a teacher-educator and served in many important leadership roles within the profession,” said Larry J. Browning, Ed.D., professor and chair of the department of curriculum and instruction in the School of Education. “At Baylor, he always engaged with students and peers in a manner that clearly expressed his Christian beliefs. His gentle demeanor, warm smile and collegial attitude will be greatly missed at Baylor and in the School of Education.”

“While only at Baylor for a few years, John Park was a large presence and important part of our efforts to prepare science teachers in the School of Education,” said SOE Dean Jon Engelhardt, Ph.D. “His recent efforts to develop new science content courses for teachers will leave a lasting contribution to Baylor, to future teachers and to the schools and children of Texas and beyond. His presence, both personally and professionally, will be deeply missed.”

Dr. Park joined the Baylor faculty in January 2012, after a long career teaching from 1985 to 2011 at North Carolina State University that culminated in the title of associate professor emeritus. He also taught as a graduate student at Ohio State University and was a high school science teacher from 1978 to 1982.

Dr. Park was involved in several professional organizations and received a number of national awards. He was a member of the national School Science and Math Association, where he served as president from 2012-2014. Among his awards were the 2011 North Carolina Science Teachers Association Distinguished Service Award, two Association for Science Teacher Education national awards for his papers on use of technology in teaching science (2003 and 2006) and the 1990-1991 North Carolina State University Outstanding Teacher Award.

Dr. Park graduated from Anderson College in Indiana with his B.A. in chemistry and physics and later earned his M.A. and Ph.D. in education from Ohio State.

He is survived by his wife Lory and their children.

During this difficult time, please remember in your thoughts and prayers the family of Dr. Park, as well as the many faculty, staff and students whom Dr. Park has influenced over the years.