Education Professor Has Book Published

Dr. Eileen Morelli, Westminster College associate professor of education, has published Developmental Reading, Achievement and Persistence of African American Community College Students.

The book is based on a study used to compare community college transcripts of African American students who participated in a developmental reading course at a multi-campus, urban community college and those who declined to participate in the developmental reading program.

The study examined 513 records to determine if participation in the reading course improved achievement and persistence. Results showed a positive relationship between overall and third semester achievement and enrollment in the reading course, as evidenced by the student grade point average. Neither enrollment in the reading course nor reading level was related to persistence, as measured by the number of semesters enrolled in college.

The book is available internationally and has been translated into several languages, including German, Spanish, Chinese, and Arabic.

Morelli, who has been with Westminster since 2002, earned her undergraduate degree at Youngstown State University, master's at Valparaiso University, and Ed.D. from the University of Pittsburgh.

Contact Morelli at (724) 946-6035 or e-mail morellme@westminster.edu for more information.

Dr. Eileen Morelli