CONWAY, Ark. (October 28, 2015) – The Hendrix College community is saddened by the loss of faculty member Dr. James Jennings, who passed away Tuesday.
Dr. Jennings joined the Hendrix faculty in 1992 and taught in the Education and History Departments. This spring, he was awarded the Cynthia Cook Sandefur Odyssey Professorship for the "Above the Line Project 400" to continue working with public schools in the Arkansas Delta.
Dr. Jennings designed the Above the Line Project in 2007 to work with elementary students who previously scored "below" or "below basic" on the Arkansas Benchmark Exam, a state-sponsored testing program designed to grade the educational aptitude of public school students. Following three weeks of intensive remedial studies led by Jennings and a team of Hendrix students, a majority of students improved their test scores in a number of subject areas.
Jennings was named a National PTA Fellow and received a $5,000 to research the student achievement and parent involvement/achievement gaps in American education. He was also a member of the Achievement Gap Committee for the Conway Public Schools.
“Dr.
James Jennings was my professor, mentor, and colleague,” said Hendrix education
professor Dr. Dionne Jackson ’96. "He was a man who lived out his faith in
God daily as he served in the field of education to improve students’
educational opportunities, particularly in the Arkansas Delta, by developing
and mentoring teachers prepared to meet their needs. His life’s work will go on
for years through the numerous individuals he influenced.”
“Dr. Jennings was my first advisor, my best professor, and my career-long mentor,” said Amy Ruple Jordan ’95, assistant principal at Bob Courtway Middle School in Conway. Jordan is a longtime educator and previously served as a classroom teacher and literacy specialist. “I am shocked and saddened about his death. However, his influence on the field of education and the lives of thousands of students is immeasurable, and through that he will live on. He inspired me to be the very best teacher I could be, and I am forever indebted to him.”
“There are not enough words to express my sorrow and
gratitude for someone who was more than just a professor but also a mentor,”
said Kathryn Elise Armstrong ’14. “He was a listening ear when I struggled as a
student and even after graduation as a first-year teacher. He gave me plenty of
advice and opportunities to make me the teacher and the person I am today.”
“It's hard to say goodbye to someone who has helped shaped
the person I've become,” Armstrong added. “He not only impacted my life and the
lives of other Hendrix students, but he also strived to improve the educational
system and the lives of countless students at various levels in the state of
Arkansas. He sought close the achievement gap in Arkansas Delta as the founder
of the Above the Line Project. He set the example for what an educator should
be and how they should act. I am grateful for his commitment to education and
to putting students first.”
There will be a wake for Dr. James Jennings on Friday, Nov.
6, at 6 p.m., at Ruffin and Jarrett Funeral Home in Little Rock. The
funeral will be Saturday, Nov. 7, at 11 a.m., in the sanctuary of Full Council
Christian Metro Church at 1700 Maple St. in North Little Rock. Additional
details are available here.
About Hendrix College
Hendrix College is a private liberal arts college in Conway, Arkansas. Founded in 1876 and affiliated with the United Methodist Church since 1884, Hendrix is featured in Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think about Colleges and is nationally recognized in numerous college guides, lists, and rankings for academic quality, community, innovation, and value. For more information, visit www.hendrix.edu.