Buffalo, NY – In recognition of Black History Month, Canisius University will honor the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a keynote address from Shaun Nelms, EdD. His lecture, titled “Leading and Living with Purpose,” is scheduled for Tuesday, February 11 at 1:00 p.m. in the Regis Room, located on the second floor of the Richard E. Winter ’42 Student Center. The event is free and open to the public.
Nelms is the vice president of community partnerships at the University of Rochester. He previously served as superintendent of East Upper and Lower Schools, formerly East High School in Rochester, NY, a position created through a unique partnership between the New York State Education Department, Rochester City School District, and University of Rochester. As the Educational Partnership Organization (EPO) superintendent for East, Nelms was charged with creating a school reform model that can be replicated in urban settings throughout the United States.
A clinical professor at the University of Rochester, Nelms is the first William and Sheila Konar Director for the Center for Urban Education Success (CUES) at the Warner School. In this role, Nelms leads the center’s efforts to support the success of K-12 urban schools both locally and nationally through a combination of research, relationship building, and a commitment to pursue and share best practices.
Nelms previously served as chief of schools for the Rochester City School District, where he supervised the Northeast Zone and successfully led the implementation of the New York State Regents reform initiative. His focus on professional development for principals and teachers led to improvements in leadership capacity, instructional delivery, and student achievement. Nelms also worked as a principal in the Rush-Henrietta School District, and as an assistant principal and social studies teacher in the Greece School District.
Throughout his career, Nelms has maintained a focus on helping students to be successful. He has served as a role model and mentor for students and faculty alike, and his legacy includes several successful programs that he established to give all students the opportunity to reach their academic and personal goals.
Nelms is a frequent speaker on topics related to the creation of equitable school systems and administrative leadership. He is also an associate professor at the Warner School, where he teaches courses in human resource management, school governance, and leadership in urban schools. He is active in numerous community organizations and has been honored with several awards for his leadership and work in education.
Nelms holds a bachelor’s degree in education from SUNY Fredonia, a master’s degree in educational administration and a doctor of education in K-12 school leadership, both from the University of Rochester.
Canisius was founded in 1870 in Buffalo, NY, and is one of 27 Jesuit colleges and universities in the U.S. Consistently ranked among the top institutions in the Northeast, Canisius offers undergraduate, graduate and pre-professional programs distinguished by close student-faculty collaboration, mentoring and an emphasis on ethical, purpose-driven leadership.
