One of Fortune International's 50 Most Powerful Women in Business to Speak at NISOD Conference - May 25, 2010

Marjorie Scardino, the first female CEO of a top 100 United Kingdom company, will kick of this year’s National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) International Conference on Teaching and Leadership Excellence, which begins May 30 at the Austin Convention Center.

NISOD is part of The University of Texas at Austin’s Community College Leadership Program, which is ranked number one in the nation among similar programs and produces the most community college leaders of any community college leader preparation program in the country. Its goal, as a service and professional development initiative, is to support community college professionals and work with them to improve instructor efficacy, student learning and, ultimately student success.

Scardino, the keynote speaker at NISOD’s 32nd annual conference, will be addressing the topic, “Which Way to Student Success?” Scardino brings significant experience to this topic, having served as chief executive of Pearson PLC. The international education and media business includes Pearson Education, Penguin and Financial Times Group.

A consistently top-ranked member of the Fortune International’s list of the top 50 Most Powerful Women in Business, Scardino also is the highest paid publishing executive in the U.K.

It’s, perhaps, not surprising that the highly successful businesswoman and media visionary is a native Texan, a graduate of Baylor University and former rodeo barrel racer whose Texarkana roots have gained her the nickname “Corporate Cowgirl.”  Prior to her career at Pearson, Ms. Scardino was chief executive of The Economist Group and, with her husband Albert, founded and published the Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper The Georgia Gazette. 

Pearson PLC is an international, London-based media conglomerate, with $3.5 billion in annual revenue.  Upon her appointment in 1997, Scardino set about redefining the Pearson group, electing to focus more attention on the publishing and electronic media industry. Thus far, Pearson has acquired Simon and Schuster's educational publishing business as well as Harcourt International and Harcourt Assessment groups. 

Recent data show significant growth in the use of online courses and support services, including online developmental education classes, orientation and tutoring. An advocate for technology and media and it’s use to advance student academic and professional success, Scardino will address the importance of helping students prepare to compete in a global economy.

Since its inception 32 years ago, the annual NISOD conference has honored more than 1,200 dedicated community college educators for outstanding contributions to the field.  More than 700 community colleges around the world are NISOD members, including almost every large community college district, the majority of urban and technical colleges in the U.S. and Canada, and more than 200 small, rural colleges around the world. The Community College Leadership Program, in which NISOD resides, is part of  The University of Texas at Austin College of Education’s Department of Educational Administration.

—Kay Randall, University Communications, 512-232-3910

Related Links:

• NISOD Website
• CCLP Website