Rosalita Mitchell, a longtime faculty member at the University of New Mexico, passed away on March 4. She was 80 years old.
Before her career in higher education, Dr. Mitchell taught high school Latin and English at Churchill High School in San Antonio, as well as Sandia High School and Cibola High School in Albuquerque. In the 1990s, she transitioned to the University of New Mexico as a full-time faculty member in the College of Education. She served as chair of the department of teacher education until her retirement in 2012.
In her research, Dr. Mitchell was dedicated to developing teacher mentoring programs to reduce turnover and provide teachers with the support they need to succeed. One of Dr. Mitchell’s most significant contributions to the field of teacher education was her role in shaping New Mexico’s 3-Tiered Teacher Licensure System. In addition to her scholarly work, she was dedicated to mentoring both students and colleagues.
A native of Cottage Grove, Oregon, Dr. Mitchell received her bachelor’s degree in Latin and English from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio. She earned her master’s degree in secondary education and her Ph.D. in multicultural teaching and childhood studies from the University of New Mexico.