By Vicki L. Davis | Deputy Director, Indiana Office of Court Services
I have a story. Flashback to 1998 when the Indiana Judicial Center is selected to send a five-member team to participate in the Leadership Institute in Judicial Education at the University of Memphis. This program includes a one-week Leadership Institute, an action plan, a two-day Indiana Institute, implementation of our action plan, and a follow-up Advance Leadership Institute.
Our team (William Hughes, Hamilton Superior Court; Bruce Embrey, Miami Circuit Court; Nancy Harris Vaidik, Porter Superior Court; Cathy Springer, Education Director; and myself) arrived at the University of Memphis eager to experience the week-long program. Well, some were eager. At least one of us wondered what we had gotten ourselves into after looking at the agenda. What is this life-milestone exercise? But it is June in Memphis. We are here to create something new for Indiana.
Dr. Patricia Murrell, Director for the Leadership Institute, warmly greets six teams explaining the Institute is designed to promote justice through continuing professional development.
Diving into curriculum development, Kolb learning theory, experiential learning, life cycles, cognitive development, and learning styles, we learn we have one accommodator, one diverger, and three convergers on our team as we work collaboratively to create and implement Indiana’s education action plan.
Between classes, the National Civil Rights Museum, Graceland, the Peabody ducks, and Beale Street, the team conceives, hashes out, and develops a new yearly intensive education program. It will consist of concurrent in-depth interactive courses offered over a three-day period and called the Spring Judicial College.
The Spring Judicial College is now in its 19th year. It remains one of our most popular events. On April 25-27, we held the 2018 Spring Judicial College at the Century Center in South Bend. Ten different courses were presented. Over 330 judicial officers and Indiana Supreme Court/Office of Judicial Administration attorneys attended.
Time flies when you enjoy the work you do—providing continuing judicial education. The Memphis Leadership team has reason to be proud of the program we implemented in 2000.