School of Education
Ronald R. Voeller
Director of Military Education
Ronald R. Voeller earned his bachelor of arts in 1960 and master of arts in teaching in 1967 from St. Thomas. Before his retirement in 2000, Voeller directed humanities programs for the children of U.S. military personnel overseas. Voeller�s career began in 1962 as a music teacher at a high school in Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. He joined the Department of Defense school system for the children of U.S. troops in 1964, which brought him to Karlsruhe, Germany, as a music teacher, later becoming supervisor of music programs in the Department of Defense European schools.
In 1980, Voeller moved to Alexandria, Virginia and became the supervisor of music, visual arts, and humanities, and gifted and talented programs for the Department of Defense Dependents Schools (now Department of Defense Education Activity). At its peak during Voeller's tenure, the school system had 180,000 American students enrolled at U.S.-style schools worldwide. In addition, Voeller conducted three-week institutes at the Kennedy Center for humanities teachers at the Department of Defense schools. He helped develop curricula and often traveled to schools throughout the world.
After retiring, Voeller turned to writing. His book, Full Glass Half Empty: Public School Education -- An Inside Look, was recently published by Ithaca Press. Voeller passed away in November 2005 and is awarded this honor posthumously.
