Teacher education and professional development professor Larry Corbett dies
A professor in the College of Education and Human Services will be remembered with a scholarship for international student teachers.
Larry Corbett, who served as director of the Center for Clinical Experiences and was a professor in teacher education and professional development, died Feb. 16 at age 66.
Corbett died after battling cancer, according to his obituary.
CEHS Dean Dale-Elizabeth Pehrsson said faculty and staff in CEHS have donated money to create the Dr. Larry Corbett Memorial Fund, which is a scholarship for international student teachers. Donations can be made by contacting the CEHS dean’s office.
“He had a big heart. He tried to help people in any way he could,” Pehrsson said. “Our college and Michigan has lost a great colleague and a great teacher.”
Pehrsson said Corbett worked as a teacher, principal, coach and superintendent at school around Michigan before coming to CMU.
“He’s worked with teachers, students, administrators and faculty from all over the state,” Pehrsson said.
At CMU, Corbett started as a faculty member, then became chair of the Department of Teacher Education and Professional Development. Pehrsson said as department chair, Corbett continued to teach and earned the rank of full professor.
Corbett’s most recent title was Director of the Center for Clinical Experiences in CEHS. Pehrsson said the center is where future teachers go to get placed into a student teaching position and receive evaluation before they graduate.
“The center is the checkpoint before they go out and work professionally,” Pehrsson said. “Evaluation is rigorous because we need to make sure they are ready to be teachers.”
Corbett loved to travel and taught in several international programs, Pehrsson said. Corbett started an international program in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic and also taught programs in Australia, England and Ireland, among others.
“The first time I met him, he told me, ‘I would love to see every student who becomes a teacher have an international experience because it will make them better teachers” Pehrsson said.
According to University Communications, there will be a visitation from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 21, at Gorsline Runciman Funeral Home, 205 E. Washington, in DeWitt. The funeral service is at 11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 22, at Redeemer Church in DeWitt.
