SchellConsulting

John has a long history of researching the nature of social learning that can serve as a foundation for effective teaching. After graduating with a degree in Social Studies from Central Missouri State University, John spent many of his early years in Kansas City, Missouri as a local manager of federally funded employment and training programs. These experiments of the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s in social engineering aspired to promote a strong American workforce among the economically disadvantaged through vocational training and education. Although John’s professional journey began with a very brief but interesting flirtation with public school teaching, much more satisfying and better paying work was found in the administration of an alphabet of federally funded employment and training programs. Such programs as the Manpower Development Training Act (MDTA), Job Corps, WorkIncentive (WIN), Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA), Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA), Youth Employment Training Program (YETA) are on John’s resume. In fact, CETA funded a professional development scholarship for John’s Masters Degree in Human Resources Management at the University of Utah – making him a successful graduate of the CETA program. Later work as a Supervisor of School-to-Work Transition within the Missouri Division of Employment Security yielded opportunities to work with the U.S. Department of Labor in the development of transitional programs on a much larger scale. Subsequently, as a State Supervisor with the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education John had opportunities for administration and curriculum planning with school districts throughout the state. In this capacity he collaborated with many highly dedicated people as they developed of a statewide network of 13 alternative high schools. Once again this work proved as beneficial for members of the staff as it did for the students at the local schools. Among the former staff are a sitting college president, at least four university professors, and a state director of adult education. Eventually, this path led John through the University of Missouri-Columbia, Department of Practical Arts & Vocational-Technical Education (PAVTE) where he earned his Ph.D. in Comprehensive Vocational Education. He successfully defended his dissertation on Friday the 13th of December, 1984 – an ironic combination of dates that have proved to be an accurate forecast of an increasingly Orwellian world.

            John’s postgraduate career continued as a consultant and administrator at Allegany County Community College in Pittsburgh, PA where he developed advanced technology training programs for individuals with severe physical disabilities. These programs were supported by a partnership among the Pennsylvania Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, the community college, and corporate representatives of Pittsburgh business and industry. The Board of Directors consisted of members from such corporations as ALCOA, Pittsburgh National Bank, Rockwell International, National Steel and Westinghouse. The Board was chaired by the CEO of Westinghouse. The program did not suffer from lack of fiscal and physical resources.

John’s academic career continued at the University of Pittsburgh, School of Education. At Pitt, John served as faculty member and Assistant Director for the Center for Vocational Personnel Development. In 1989, John and Barb moved to Athens when he joined the faculty of the College of Education at UGA. Currently, John is serving on the faculty of Workforce Education. In recent years, he has returned to educational administration, acting as Program Coordinator for the Educational Leadership Program within the Department of Workforce, Leadership and Social Foundations.