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Mississippi College Educator Kay Peterson Receives Award


Mississippi College educator Kay Peterson (left) receives an award from organization leader Chris Bedenbaugh at a recent meeting at Middle Tennessee State University.
Mississippi College educator Kay Peterson (left) receives an award from organization leader Chris Bedenbaugh at a recent meeting at Middle Tennessee State University.

Mississippi College educator Kay Peterson’s career achievements focus on her work impacting the lives of people with dyslexia.

The director of MC’s graduate program in dyslexia therapy, Peterson also serves as an instructor in the university’s School of Education.

For her many contributions to the profession, Peterson received a major award from the International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council. The Dallas-based group accredits quality multisensory training courses like the classes at Mississippi College.

Peterson received the Etoile DuBard Award as the organization’s board convened at the Middle Tennessee State University Center for Dyslexia in Murfreesboro. Dr. DuBard was an extraordinary teacher and gifted mentor to many professionals in the challenging education field.

Peterson’s longstanding work training teachers and service raising awareness about dyslexia continues to change lives, leaders say.

“Kay is an incredibly talented instructor and is very deserving of this recognition,” said School of Education Dean Cindy Melton. The dyslexia therapy is blessed to have her as its leader, she added. The program “positively impacts students, families and communities.”

Dyslexia is defined as a learning disability that’s neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate or fluent word recognition and poor spelling. Millions of people nationwide battle dyslexia starting at an early age, and remaining through much of their adulthood.

A graduate of Texas Tech University, Peterson also serves as the owner-director of LEAD/Literacy Education and Academic Development in Dallas. She’s the former president of the Academic Language Therapy Association. She’s the current president of the Alliance for Accreditation and Certification.

“Kay is certainly a worthy recipient of this award,” says Shirley Tipton, Mississippi College academic coordinator for dyslexia therapy.

The Mississippi College master’s program in dyslexia therapy, Tipton said, “is indebted to the continuing leadership of Kay Peterson as its director.”

Since the academic program’s beginnings in 2004, Peterson has worked tirelessly during every phase of its development, Tipton said.

In early August, the Mississippi College master’s in dyslexia therapy listed 281 graduates over the years. MC hosts two major dyslexia conferences each year on the Clinton campus. The meetings attract educators, therapists, students and parents.

Besides being a successful educator, Kay Peterson stays busy on the home front in Texas. Kay and her husband, Sam Peterson, are the parents of two children, Sam Jr. and Elizabeth.