LV Life

Life takes positive turns for Coleman

Claire Coleman, assistant professor of education and coordinator of off-campus child development programs, began working full-time for the Education Department in July 2001 after a three-and-a-half year part-time teaching position. Coleman earned a second master's degree from Cal State Los Angeles, which is also her undergraduate alma mater. / photo by Liz Lucsko
Claire Coleman, assistant professor of education and coordinator of off-campus child development programs, began working full-time for the Education Department in July 2001 after a three-and-a-half year part-time teaching position. Coleman earned a second master’s degree from Cal State Los Angeles, which is also her undergraduate alma mater. / photo by Liz Lucsko

by Alejandra Molina
Assistant Editor

Assistant Professor of Child Development Claire Coleman wakes up every morning looking forward to her day of work at the University of La Verne.

“It’s a pleasure to come to work everyday,” she said.

Since July 2001, Coleman has been working as a full time professor for ULV after working for three years part-time.

“As a full time professor, there is more interaction between faculty and students,” Coleman said. “When I worked part time, I used to just teach and leave.”

Coleman sees many advantages working in the education department at ULV.

“I have grown so much professionally I learn from my colleagues all the time,” she said.

Aside from working full time for the university, Coleman coordinates off-campus programs in child development. She is responsible for five off campus programs located in South Central Los Angeles, Huntington Park and the City of Commerce. These programs were established in March of 2001.

“I am responsible for finding instructors, scheduling classes and teaching them,” Coleman said.

For 31 years, Coleman worked for the Los Angeles Unified School District. She served as principal for early education centers in Los Angeles for 23 years, and she taught for eight years within the district.

In 1998, Coleman took an early retirement from the LAUSD.

“I miss my job as an administrator, but I wasn’t having fun anymore,” Coleman said.

After that she began teaching part time at community colleges. She has taught at Los Angeles Valley College, East Los Angeles College, Pasadena City College and Citrus College.

Her original plans consisted of finishing her degree and credential, and after that, maintaining an elementary school position because of her high interest in young children.

As she started teaching administration in community colleges, she realized she liked working with adults.

While working part time at ULV a professor, introduced her to the position as a full time professor.

“I heard of the job possibility from Barbara Nicoll and expressed my interest in it,” Coleman said. “I learned so much with her and I enjoy working with her.”

Coleman is originally from Boston and later moved to Los Angeles, where she attended John Marshall High School and Los Angeles City College.

While she taught early childhood schools, she worked on her bachelor’s degree in childhood education from Cal State Los Angeles.

Looking back 20 years, Coleman sees herself in a different way today than before.

“I’m a little bit more mellow and more accepting of differences,” she said.

“After my husband died, I put things in better perspective,” Coleman said. “I’ve been more flexible over the years.”

Coleman looks toward a bright future of continuing to work at ULV.

“I’d like to be here as long as I can,” she said. “I find it a very nice place to work in.”

Alejandra Molina, LV Life Editor
Alejandra Molina
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University of La Verne graduate Liz Lucsko, recently earned a Masters in photography from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University in New York. Lucsko currently teaches Elementary Photography as a part-time faculty member. Her photography exhibit, “Banning – Stagecoach Town USA,” is on display in the Irene Carlson Gallery of Photography, and closes today. Lucsko’s interest in portrait photography has helped her personalize the photographic act for her students. / photo by Nancy Dyleuth
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