In Memoriam
Carol McDonald Connor
Chancellor's Professor of Education
UC Irvine
1953-2020
Carol McDonald Connor, Chancellor’s professor, passed away on May 14, 2020, in Irvine, California, at age 67, after a valiant battle with cancer. Dr. Connor was born on February 21, 1953, in Chicago, IL. She was trained and worked as a speech language pathologist before her pursuit of a doctoral degree in education at the University of Michigan. Before joining University of California, Irvine (UCI), she was a faculty member at Florida State University and the Florida Center for Reading Research, and Arizona State University. Friends and colleagues at the University and from all corners of the world recalled Carol for her kindness, confidence, strength, and energy as well as her expertise and leadership.
Dr. Connor came to UCI in 2016 as a Chancellor’s Professor to build the Creating Opportunities for Disadvantaged Children Research Center. The Center was the result of a cooperative proposal from the School of Education, School of Social Sciences, and the Donald Bren School of Information & Computer Sciences, and was only the second such cluster hire authorized by UCI. This facilitated the hiring of six additional faculty to work with Carol at the Center.
Dr. Connor had a great appetite for research. She was involved in a number of projects and grants over the course of her career, funded by the US Department of Education, the Institute of Education Sciences, and the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development. All of her projects were audaciously bold, methodologically rigorous, and highly innovative. All reflected Carol’s deep commitment to develop, test, and then field in schools across the country the successful strategies and tools that she identified in order to make meaningful improvements in children’s academic achievement.
Dr. Connor’s research examined children in preschool through fifth grade, and included typically developing children and children who are deaf or hard of hearing, children with dyslexia, language, and learning disabilities, children growing up in poverty, who are African American, and, most recently, children who are English Learners. An important part of her research investigated how technology can be used to support teachers and improve student outcomes by personalizing the instruction that children receive. Her work was framed using bio-ecological and dynamic systems conceptualizations of child development –there are multiple sources of influence on children’s development and learning, with the most proximal sources of influence, home and school, having the greatest impact. At the same time, Carol’s work reflected a deep understanding of individual differences among students which influence the types of learning opportunities that are more optimal for them. Perhaps her most important research contribution is her development of observation systems to assess children’s experiences in classrooms, and then used data to inform teachers of strategies for optimizing instruction for individual children in their classes. Carol tested these tools in hundreds of classrooms around the country in a series of random assignment clinical trials in which she found meaningful improvements in children’s literacy and math skills when instruction was matched to children’s individual skills, particularly for students attending high poverty schools, who belong to underrepresented minorities, who are English Learners, or who have disabilities.
Dr. Connor’s work was recognized by several awards, including the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers presented by President George W. Bush (2006), the Early Career Contribution Award by the Society for Research in Child Development (2009), and the Richard C. Snow Early Career Award from the American Psychological Association (2007). Carol was a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and a Fellow of the American Educational Research Association.
Dr. Connor’s teaching at the university level was aimed at helping her doctoral students to appreciate the challenges facing children and to empower them to draw upon and conduct research to improve the quality of instruction in preschool through grade 5. In her doctoral seminars on Literacy Development, History and Politics (Education 218), Educational, Behavioral and Social Statistics (Education 288), and Hierarchical Linear Modeling (Education 280), she purposely embedded what she called “desirable difficulties” into her courses to prompt students to problem solve, seek answers outside the text, ask and answer important research questions, and become independent learners and researchers. She was routinely commended by her students not only for her wealth of knowledge and expertise but for her dedication to helping them meet their individual learning goals. Dr. Connor was especially beloved by her doctoral advisees. One advisee offered this reflection on Dr. Connor’s impact upon her as a teacher: “She was both the smartest kind person and the kindest smart person. These are essential qualities of a great teacher. Smart enough to know, kind enough to listen while the students get there. As a teacher, Carol made sure you knew where you were going, and then she gradually released you on your own path.” Another doctoral advisee observed: “Throughout all of our milestones, Carol offered us unwavering support and professional guidance. She was not only my teacher and mentor, but my role model, lighthouse, and safe harbor. Her positivity toward life, her spirit, and her research are treasures for scholars, teachers, and parents that will never be forgotten.”
Carol was passionately dedicated to mentoring young scholars in a way that was genuine and kind, providing meaningful guidance and support. She regularly checked in, offered brilliant feedback on research ideas, connected young scholars with her immense professional network, and invited mentees into grant proposals and manuscripts. Notably, Dr. Connor made an explicit effort to mentor and work with students and junior scholars from underrepresented minority backgrounds in academia, not only at UCI, but also at universities across the country, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities. She is remembered as being intentional and reflective in her mentorship, seeking advice from other scholars on the best ways to increase opportunities for junior colleagues. Faculty members commended Carol for seeing potential in them that they may not have seen in themselves, for standing up for them when they were not in the room, and for connecting them to other researchers in the field, and in doing so, giving them a proverbial seat at the table.
Carol was highly active in the School of Education and in the field. In the School, Carol was the equity advisor, ensuring pursuit of inclusive excellence in several key functions such as faculty recruitment, faculty development, and mentoring. In the field, Carol was the vice president at the Society for the Scientific Studies of Reading at the time of her death, and also served as a treasurer and board member before that. Carol left an enduring mark on the Society and its members around the world.
Carol is survived by her mother, Ann-Eve McDonald, the love-of-her-life and husband, Joseph (Jay) Connor, along with their children, Jessica and Bill Hudak, Kerianne and Nick Lentz, and Patrick and Sarika Connor. And their grandchildren: Josephine, Lillian, Jacob, and Wyatt. Carol is also survived by her siblings: Lianne Mech, John McDonald, Kate Sergeant and their spouses and children as well as her beloved dog, Tally. She was preceded in death by her father, Leo McDonald.
Young-Suk Kim, Senior Associate Dean and Professor
School of Education, UC Irvine
Andres Bustamante, Assistant Professor
School of Education, UC Irvine
George Farkas, Distinguished Professor
School of Education, UC Irvine
Brandy Gatlin-Nash, Assistant Professor
School of Education, UC Irvine
Carol Olson, Professor Emerita
School of Education, UC Irvine
Elizabeth Peña, Associate Dean and Professor
School of Education, UC Irvine
Deborah Vandell, Chancellor’s Professor Emerita
School of Education, UC Irvine
Dr. Connor came to UCI in 2016 as a Chancellor’s Professor to build the Creating Opportunities for Disadvantaged Children Research Center. The Center was the result of a cooperative proposal from the School of Education, School of Social Sciences, and the Donald Bren School of Information & Computer Sciences, and was only the second such cluster hire authorized by UCI. This facilitated the hiring of six additional faculty to work with Carol at the Center.
Dr. Connor had a great appetite for research. She was involved in a number of projects and grants over the course of her career, funded by the US Department of Education, the Institute of Education Sciences, and the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development. All of her projects were audaciously bold, methodologically rigorous, and highly innovative. All reflected Carol’s deep commitment to develop, test, and then field in schools across the country the successful strategies and tools that she identified in order to make meaningful improvements in children’s academic achievement.
Dr. Connor’s research examined children in preschool through fifth grade, and included typically developing children and children who are deaf or hard of hearing, children with dyslexia, language, and learning disabilities, children growing up in poverty, who are African American, and, most recently, children who are English Learners. An important part of her research investigated how technology can be used to support teachers and improve student outcomes by personalizing the instruction that children receive. Her work was framed using bio-ecological and dynamic systems conceptualizations of child development –there are multiple sources of influence on children’s development and learning, with the most proximal sources of influence, home and school, having the greatest impact. At the same time, Carol’s work reflected a deep understanding of individual differences among students which influence the types of learning opportunities that are more optimal for them. Perhaps her most important research contribution is her development of observation systems to assess children’s experiences in classrooms, and then used data to inform teachers of strategies for optimizing instruction for individual children in their classes. Carol tested these tools in hundreds of classrooms around the country in a series of random assignment clinical trials in which she found meaningful improvements in children’s literacy and math skills when instruction was matched to children’s individual skills, particularly for students attending high poverty schools, who belong to underrepresented minorities, who are English Learners, or who have disabilities.
Dr. Connor’s work was recognized by several awards, including the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers presented by President George W. Bush (2006), the Early Career Contribution Award by the Society for Research in Child Development (2009), and the Richard C. Snow Early Career Award from the American Psychological Association (2007). Carol was a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and a Fellow of the American Educational Research Association.
Dr. Connor’s teaching at the university level was aimed at helping her doctoral students to appreciate the challenges facing children and to empower them to draw upon and conduct research to improve the quality of instruction in preschool through grade 5. In her doctoral seminars on Literacy Development, History and Politics (Education 218), Educational, Behavioral and Social Statistics (Education 288), and Hierarchical Linear Modeling (Education 280), she purposely embedded what she called “desirable difficulties” into her courses to prompt students to problem solve, seek answers outside the text, ask and answer important research questions, and become independent learners and researchers. She was routinely commended by her students not only for her wealth of knowledge and expertise but for her dedication to helping them meet their individual learning goals. Dr. Connor was especially beloved by her doctoral advisees. One advisee offered this reflection on Dr. Connor’s impact upon her as a teacher: “She was both the smartest kind person and the kindest smart person. These are essential qualities of a great teacher. Smart enough to know, kind enough to listen while the students get there. As a teacher, Carol made sure you knew where you were going, and then she gradually released you on your own path.” Another doctoral advisee observed: “Throughout all of our milestones, Carol offered us unwavering support and professional guidance. She was not only my teacher and mentor, but my role model, lighthouse, and safe harbor. Her positivity toward life, her spirit, and her research are treasures for scholars, teachers, and parents that will never be forgotten.”
Carol was passionately dedicated to mentoring young scholars in a way that was genuine and kind, providing meaningful guidance and support. She regularly checked in, offered brilliant feedback on research ideas, connected young scholars with her immense professional network, and invited mentees into grant proposals and manuscripts. Notably, Dr. Connor made an explicit effort to mentor and work with students and junior scholars from underrepresented minority backgrounds in academia, not only at UCI, but also at universities across the country, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities. She is remembered as being intentional and reflective in her mentorship, seeking advice from other scholars on the best ways to increase opportunities for junior colleagues. Faculty members commended Carol for seeing potential in them that they may not have seen in themselves, for standing up for them when they were not in the room, and for connecting them to other researchers in the field, and in doing so, giving them a proverbial seat at the table.
Carol was highly active in the School of Education and in the field. In the School, Carol was the equity advisor, ensuring pursuit of inclusive excellence in several key functions such as faculty recruitment, faculty development, and mentoring. In the field, Carol was the vice president at the Society for the Scientific Studies of Reading at the time of her death, and also served as a treasurer and board member before that. Carol left an enduring mark on the Society and its members around the world.
Carol is survived by her mother, Ann-Eve McDonald, the love-of-her-life and husband, Joseph (Jay) Connor, along with their children, Jessica and Bill Hudak, Kerianne and Nick Lentz, and Patrick and Sarika Connor. And their grandchildren: Josephine, Lillian, Jacob, and Wyatt. Carol is also survived by her siblings: Lianne Mech, John McDonald, Kate Sergeant and their spouses and children as well as her beloved dog, Tally. She was preceded in death by her father, Leo McDonald.
Young-Suk Kim, Senior Associate Dean and Professor
School of Education, UC Irvine
Andres Bustamante, Assistant Professor
School of Education, UC Irvine
George Farkas, Distinguished Professor
School of Education, UC Irvine
Brandy Gatlin-Nash, Assistant Professor
School of Education, UC Irvine
Carol Olson, Professor Emerita
School of Education, UC Irvine
Elizabeth Peña, Associate Dean and Professor
School of Education, UC Irvine
Deborah Vandell, Chancellor’s Professor Emerita
School of Education, UC Irvine
