Dr. Baker to speak at NSU College of Education commencement

( Tahlequah, Okla.)As part of the spring 2012 commencement exercises at Northeastern State University, Dr. Isabel Baker will address graduates during the College of Education ceremony in Jack Dobbins Field House on May 11 at 6 p.m.

A professor emeritus of education, Baker has served public education for more than 43 years. She was granted an exception to begin her teaching career at age 20 in 1950. She received her bachelor of science in education from NSU. She and her husband, Dr. Tim Baker, enrolled at NSU together after his discharge from the U.S. Navy. The couple earned their master's and doctorate degrees from Oklahoma State University.

Her career in public schools included stays in Shidler, Sapulpa and Tahlequah. She held positions teaching at elementary schools before she was named the speech and drama coach at Tahlequah High School. In higher education, Baker taught courses at Morehead State University in Kentucky, NSU and Oklahoma State University.

She was appointed to the Oklahoma State University Board of Regents by Governor David Walters in 1991 and completed her term in 1999. She was recognized as a champion of gender equity and honored by the female faculty at OSU.

Baker has served as president of the Oklahoma Association of Bilingual Education and is a former Oklahoma Mother of the Year. She was inducted into the Oklahoma Women's Hall of Fame by the Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women. She is also a lifetime member of Soroptimist International.

She currently serves on the board of directors of the Tahlequah Area Chamber of Commerce and was named Board Member of the Year in 2010. She is also on the board of directors of the Bank of Cherokee County. She remains active in her church, serving on several committees and on the board of directors of the Wesley Foundation.

As a board member of the Tahlequah Hospital Foundation, she was honored for community service during the hospital gala on Feb. 11.