Biographical Text
Professor Emeritus of Leadership and Higher Education Alexander Erwin (December 7, 1941-), is a North Carolina native. He received his B.A. degree in social sciences and history from Livingstone College, Salisbury, North Carolina, in 1964, and an M.A. degree in social studies and curriculum/supervision from Appalachian State University in 1972. He also earned an Ed. S. degree in administration supervision from Appalachian State in 1976. Erwin later attended Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, receiving a certificate of advanced studies in school administration (1982) and an Ed.D. degree in administration and curriculum (1985). Dr. Erwin's professional career began in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, where he was a teacher and coach from 1964 until 1973. In 1973, he became assistant principal of Wilkesboro Elementary School, and, in 1976, principal of C. C. Wright Elementary School. He served as principal of Wilkes Central High School from 1979 to 1980 and as principal of Wilkes Senior High from 1980 through 1989. Erwin made numerous contributions in the areas of elementary and secondary education, serving on the advisory board of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and on the North Carolina Textbook Commission. He chaired the commission from 1985 to 1989. Dr. Erwin was honored by the Wilkes Jaycees as an outstanding young educator for Wilkes County. He was on the board of directors for the Adult Basic Education program of North Carolina's Community College System (1976-80), and he sat on a panel for the North Carolina Professional Review Committee. He also made Southern Association visitations from 1983 to 1987 to six North Carolina high schools. Additionally, Dr. Erwin was a presenter and trainer for the Wilkes County school system Effective Teacher Training Program and the Teacher Performance Appraisal Program. In 1989, Dr. Erwin joined the faculty at Appalachian State as a professor in the Department of Leadership and Higher Education. From 1990 through 1993, Erwin served as assistant dean of the College of Education, receiving tenure in 1992. In 1994, he collaborated with the Department of Public Instruction and the Northwest Technical Assistance Center in developing the first Leadership Academy for Aspiring Administrators for the northwest region of North Carolina. The following works have been published by Dr. Erwin: • "Organizational Life Style as a Predictor of Student Teaching Performance." Education 113, no. 3 (Spring 1993). (With James D. Long and Patricia Gaynor, Appalachian State University) • "The Relationship of Self-Management to Academic Motivation, Study Efficiency, Academic Satisfaction, and Grade Point Average Among Perspective Education Majors." Psychology: A Journal of Human Behavior 31, no. 1 (1994). (with James D. Long and Patricia Gaynor, Appalachian State University, and Robert L. Williams, the University of Tennessee) Dr. Erwin's seminar and workshop presentations covered the topics of curriculum and textbook adoption procedures, special education at the secondary level, plant management for public schools, public school administration and facilities, and implementation of social studies curriculum. Erwin was awarded for his teaching efforts in 1995 with the Alumni Association's Outstanding Teacher Award. His professional affiliations include the National Association of Secondary School Principals, the North Carolina Association of School Administrators, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Phi Delta Kappa, the North Carolina Association of Educators, the North Carolina Social Studies Council, the National Council of Social Studies, and the National Education Association. Dr. Erwin retired from Appalachian State in 1998 and was awarded emeritus status by the university Board of Trustees in 1999. Sources: Appalachian State University files. -Dr. Howe
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