The professional contributions, critical incidents, and mentoring relationships of one exemplary, female, senior scholar: A qualitative case study

The primary purpose of this qualitative case study was to document the professional contributions of one exemplary senior female teacher educator across her career and to determine how these contributions have changed across time (early, middle, and later years of her career). In addition, specific contributions that have been most meaningful to her, critical incidents in her life, and the barriers and dilemmas she has faced were identified. The researcher chose to study Dr. Eleanor Guetzloe of University of South Florida.; Three primary data collection techniques were used: interviewing, document review, and shadowing. In-depth interviews were conducted with the professor, six colleagues, three proteges, and three students. The researcher reviewed Dr. Guetzloe's employment records and publications and shadowed her for twenty hours while she taught and advised graduate students.; The results of this study suggested that Dr.Guetzloe meets Sternberg and Horvath's (1995) prototype of an exemplary teacher who has extensive, accessible knowledge that is organized for use in teaching. In 1994, Guetzloe was honored as the Contributor of the Year from the International Council for Exceptional Children. In 1995, she received a Teaching Incentive Program award from the University of South Florida.; Guetzloe believes that her primary responsibility is to teach. As a teacher, study participants described Guetzloe as a humorous, compassionate, fair, insightful, knowledgeable teacher. As a mentor Guetzloe provided had high expectations for her proteges, sponsored them professionally, and sometimes acted in a maternal role.; Guetzloe's service as a professor can be characterized as a life of loyalty. She has International Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) for over 25 years. This loyalty is also evidenced in 18 years of service to a mental health organization known as Personal Enrichment through Mental Health Services (PEMHS).; Throughout her career, Guetzloe has researched serious topics that she thought were not being adequately addressed. Her three major research interests have been suicide, violence, and resilience. Guetzloe' s book, Youth Suicide (1989), is the culmination of 25 years of research in the area of suicide and depression. Recently, she has been an advocate for the needs of adolescent students who are lesbian or gay.; Guetzloe has encountered barriers typical of women in academia. She has handled adversity by remaining optimistic and developing a plan to solve problems.