Laura Quaynor Obituary
Laura Quaynor Obituary: The academic community is mourning the loss of Laura Jeanne Quaynor, a passionate educator and leader who empowered students and catalyzed positive change across educational systems. Laura passed away unexpectedly on August 30, 2023 at the age of 41.
Laura Quaynor Obituary: Early Life and Teaching Career
Laura Quaynor was born on April 6, 1982. She discovered her calling as an educator early on and began teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) and French immersion in Maryland and Virginia schools.
Laura moved on to work in teacher education programs at universities in South Carolina and Illinois. There she designed ESL and bilingual education courses while mentoring the next generation of teachers.
Joining Johns Hopkins University
In recent years, Laura served as Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Advanced Studies in Education at Johns Hopkins University. She guided doctoral students through their dissertation studies and honed their academic writing abilities.
At Johns Hopkins, Laura shared her passion for empowering immigrant, multilingual, and marginalized students through her teaching and research. She published articles furthering this mission in prominent journals.
Unwavering Advocate for Inclusion
Laura spent her career advocating for educational environments where all students can thrive. She specialized in designing and evaluating programs for vulnerable youth, particularly girls and immigrants.
Friends and colleagues say Laura brought tireless optimism and care to removing barriers and amplifying unheard voices within school systems. Her advocacy embodied a resonating quote by Maria Montessori: “Establishing lasting peace is the work of education.”
Researching Global Citizenship
In her academic work, Laura explored civic education and global citizenship, studying how schools can nurture empathy across divides of language and culture.
Her research provided valuable insights into these topics in U.S. classrooms and beyond in nations like Liberia. Laura shared knowledge that equipped educators worldwide to raise engaged, socially-conscious students.
A Lasting Legacy
While Laura Quaynor left us too soon at 41, her groundbreaking work empowering students will continue impacting education for generations. She helped countless teachers transform their approach to be more inclusive.
Laura’s passion for nurturing the potential in every student, regardless of background, serves as inspiration. Her legacy reminds us of education’s role in building a just, equitable, and peaceful global community.
Honoring Her Memory
To pay tribute to her meaningful life, a memorial visitation and service will be held on September 9th in Georgia where Laura grew up. Donations can be made to funds supporting the causes Laura championed.
Though deeply saddened, Laura’s loved ones find solace in knowing her light will keep shining through the students and educators she lifted up. Her spirit of equality lives on.
As per some sources Visitation will be held from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM on September 9, 2023 at Greener Pastures Funeral Home, 4405 Marietta St, Powder Springs, GA 30127. The Funeral Service will take place at 11:00 AM on the same day at the same location.
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