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PAL 50th Anniversary
Celebrating 50 Years of Changing Students' Lives!
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PAL values every mind and is a program to serve every learner. When PAL was established in 1970, it anchored more than an educational pedagogy; it created a first of its kind program for learning differences to empower each student to reach their maximum potential. As we approach our fiftieth anniversary, we invite you to join us to celebrate our past and more importantly, make meaningful strides forward, markedly expanding access and affordability to ensure a bright future for PAL.
If you are interested in supporting PAL and its impact on students, please contact Liz Matson at 617-333-2327 or liz.matson@curry.edu.
A Brief History of PAL
1970
Dr. Gertrude M. Webb, a native Bostonian who a year before had been appointed to a Lectureship in Education at the College, launches an innovative program that matches students with language learning differences (at one time the term was language “disabilities”) with special faculty mentors for tutoring and support; it would become the Program for Advancement of Learning, or PAL. At the same time, students were also mainstreamed into their regular College courses.
1990
The College marks the 20th anniversary of the launch of PAL with a celebration at the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Library and Museum in Boston.
1992
In a major faculty appointment in 1993, and after a nationwide search, Dr. Lisa Ijiri, a learning disabilities specialist at Barat College in Illinois, is selected as the replacement for the retired Dr. Gertrude W. Webb. (Dr. Webb said of her hiring that “Lisa Ijiri is like a breath of fresh air.”)
1995
PAL celebrates its 25th anniversary at the Massachusetts State House, and Governor William Weld proclaims September 29, 1995 “Curry College Day.”
2009
Professor Donna Cataldo Bronson of PAL retires in May of 2009. As Coordinator of PAL from 1973 to 1992, she worked hand in hand with Dr. Gertrude Webb, providing administrative support to students and faculty alike.
2010
Dean Lisa Ijiri and Professor Laurie Fox edit the book, Changing Lives through Metacognitive Relationships: LD/ADHD and College Success, as part of the celebration of the 40th anniversary of PAL. At the same time, Dr. Joseph Cullen is welcomed to Curry, following a national search, as the new Director.
2015
Dr. Laura Vanderberg becomes Director of the PAL program, bringing with her 15 years of experience designing curriculum and implementing educational program evaluations for various types of learners in settings both inside and outside the classroom.
2018
College Magazine names Curry College on its Top 10 Best Colleges List for students with learning disabilities.
2019
Director and Professor Dr. Laura Vanderberg is selected for the Apple Distinguished Educators (ADE) award for her pioneering innovations in the iPAL Program. Apple’s iPads are used as the shared platform for iPAL’s assistive technology curriculum, which features students as co-owners of the curriculum, evaluation, and pedagogy. This represents a very different model from traditional higher education.
Learning Differently: Q & A with Dr. Laura Vanderberg
2020 marks the 50th anniversary of the Program for Advancement of Learning (PAL) at Curry College. PAL Director Dr. Laura Vanderberg shares her passion for supporting students with learning differences, what inspires her work, and how she continues to adopt the legacy of Dr. Gertrude M. Webb.
