Sept. 17, 2025
Corkran, Lee, Scriber, Erikson & Williams
NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State University’s Gallaspy College of Education and Human Development announces this year’s inductees into the Hall of Distinguished Educators. They are the late Cheryl Corkran, the late Linda Marie Doll Lee and James Scriber of Homer. The college will also recognize two Outstanding Young Professionals in Education, Alyson Erikson of Natchitoches and Dr. Aaron Williams of Dallas.
A reception for honorees will begin at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 4 in the Teacher Education Center Commons in conjunction with NSU Homecoming festivities. The induction program will begin at 11 a.m. in the NSU Middle Lab School auditorium.
The Hall of Distinguished Educators is the highest honor bestowed by the School of Education. Nominees must have earned an education degree from Northwestern State University, must have a minimum of 30 years of service in the field of education, and must have made significant contributions to the field of education and/or the larger community at a local, state, national or international level.
Outstanding Young Professionals in Education must have earned an education degree from NSU and have a minimum of 10 years of service in the field of education. Nominees must have made significant contributions to the field of education and/or the larger community. Nominees must be age 45 or younger.
More than 100 educators have been honored with the Hall of Distinguished Educators award since 2000.
Corkran served the Bossier Parish School Board as director of bands at Greenacres Middle School from 1993-2021. In a teaching career that spanned 38 years, Corkran taught at the middle school, high school and college levels in New Mexico, Texas and Colorado before her arrival at Greenacres. While at Greenacres Corkran was a frequent supervisor of student band teachers, some from Centenary College, but most from NSU.
Corkran earned a bachelor’s degree in music education from NSU in 1982, a Master of Music from Eastern New Mexico University and completed postgraduate work towards the Doctor of Musical Arts. She performed on clarinet and bass clarinet with the Shreveport, Monroe, Longview, Texas, and Marshall, Texas, Symphonies, The Prevailing Winds, Centenary Summer Band, Centenary Wind Ensemble and the Red River Wind Ensemble.
Corkran’s professional affiliations included American Federation of Musicians, Louisiana Bandmasters Association, Louisiana Music Adjudicators Association, Louisiana Music Education Association, National Association for Music Education, Phi Beta Mu International Bandmasters Fraternity and Sigma Alpha Iota Women’s Music Fraternity. She passed away Feb. 27, 2025.
Lee was a retired educator whose career spanned 36 years, primarily in Natchitoches Parish, with early service in Red River and Rapides parishes. A 1983 honor graduate of St. Mary’s High School, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in finance from Northwestern State University in 1986 and began her professional journey as a stockbroker with Edward D. Jones, but after one year, felt a deeper calling to education. She returned to NSU and earned a Master of Education degree in 1990, launching a lifelong commitment to early childhood education.
Her teaching career began in Red River Parish and continued in the Natchitoches Parish School District, where she taught kindergarten, special education preschool and served as an early interventionist. She retired in May 2024, leaving behind a legacy of compassion, dedication and impact on countless young lives.
Throughout her career, Linda pursued professional growth, earning a plus 30 credential and achieving National Board Certification. Her passion for teaching and nurturing young children was evident in every classroom she entered, and her influence continues to resonate in the lives of her students and colleagues. She passed away Nov. 19, 2024.
Scriber is a retired educator with more than 50 years of experience as a teacher, coach, principal and superintendent in Louisiana schools. He earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Northwestern State College in 1964 and a Master of Education from Louisiana Tech University in 1969.
Scriber began his career teaching and coaching at Mid City Baptist School in New Orleans before returning to Claiborne Parish in 1967 to teach and coach at Summerfield High School. In 1971, he was named principal of Summerfield, a role he would hold for more than three decades.
From 1987 to 1994 and again from 2004 to 2007, Scriber served as superintendent of Claiborne Parish Schools, where he oversaw district-wide improvements and advocated for educational excellence. Even after his initial retirement in 2001, he returned to Summerfield as a teacher, coach and principal, demonstrating his enduring commitment to students and staff.
Erikson, a career-long educator in Natchitoches Parish, currently serves as a Master Teacher. She earned both her undergraduate and graduate degrees in education at NSU. Erikson has served the educational community as a classroom teacher, assistant principal and English/Language Arts specialist at the Natchitoches Parish School Board. During her five-year tenure as supervisor, Natchitoches Parish achieved its highest literacy growth to date, drawing state and national recognition. In 2023, Erikson returned to the classroom, joining the first grade team at Natchitoches Magnet.
A champion for educational equity, community-rooted instruction and student-centered innovation, Erikson exemplifies what it means to lead with passion, humility and purpose in education. She and Van Erikson have been married for 14 years and have two daughters.
Williams has provided dedicated service to public education for more than 15 years and currently serves as the Chief Human Capital Officer for the Midlothian (Texas) Independent School District where he provides strategic leadership and oversight of multiple departments. A first-generation college graduate, he earned a Bachelor of Music Education from Northwestern State in 2009, followed by a Master of Education from Stephen F. Austin State University in 2013. In 2018, he completed a Doctorate in Education from The Johns Hopkins University.
Beginning his career as a band director, he quickly advanced into campus administration and curriculum leadership roles before moving into district-level leadership. Williams has led districtwide initiatives designed to build strong school leaders consistently, intentionally and from within his school community. At the core of his work is a deeply held belief that when schools invest in their people, there is no limit to what they can achieve.
Honorees will also participate in the Homecoming parade that will take place on campus beginning at 2:30 p.m. and be recognized on the field during the football that will kick off at 6 p.m.
A Homecoming schedule is available at www.northwesternstatealumni.com/homecoming.