Models of Community-Based Learning Centers

The Community Education Coalition, Bartholomew County

John M. Burnett, President of the Community Education Coalition, Columbus

The Community Education Coalition (CEC) is an organization of local business, education, and community leaders working to improve education. Burnett currently works with representatives from Indiana University Purdue University Columbus, Ivy Tech State College, Purdue School of Technology Columbus, Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation, and WorkOne to develop a collaborative community learning system. The system is intended to identify and deliver continuously improving education and training to citizens, community organizations, and businesses of the Columbus area. Burnett serves as one of the leaders of the Columbus Learning Center project. The Center will provide education, training, career counseling and guidance services to teachers, students, businesses, and community organizations. The very latest technologies will be used in the Center as people in the Columbus region pursue life-long learning opportunities. Recently, Burnett led the development of a $5 million dollar grant request, approved by the Lilly Endowment. He is now responsible for leading the design and implementation of the initiatives funded by the grant, administered locally by the Heritage Fund of Bartholomew County.

Prior to his current role as the CEC President, Burnett served as owner and President of the Adecco Personnel Services franchise territory in Buffalo, New York. He provided human resource consulting and staffing services to companies in the Buffalo region including United Parcel Service, The Mentholatum Company, Tower Group International (McGraw-Hill), Citicorp, as well as regional distribution, financial, and marketing research companies.

From 1984 to 1997, Burnett worked for Cummins Engine Company where he held a variety of human resource positions including Director of Human Resources for a 1.5 billion-dollar division. He also served as Director of Human Resources for Cummins' Jamestown, New York plant. During his time at Jamestown, Burnett led several education initiatives including the development of a youth apprenticeship program, which was adopted by the National 4-H Council as a model for youth apprenticeships. He also led the development of a middle-school mentoring program, and he served as facilitator for the development of diversity programs for the local community college.

Early in his career, Burnett taught high-school English for three years. He worked as a tennis teacher, tennis professional, and he was Men's Varsity Tennis Coach at Indiana State University for two years. He received his BS degree from Indiana State University in English and Education. Burnett, his wife, Deborah and their two daughters reside in Columbus.

Jeanie Scofield, Manager, Business Learning Partnerships, ArvinMeritor

Jeanie Scofield currently serves as Manager of Business Learning Partnerships for ArvinMeritor in Columbus, Indiana. In describing her role Jeanie comments, "I work jointly within ArvinMeritor and externally with local business and education institutions in promoting and facilitating learning opportunities for employed adults."

Scofield works to build strong, collaborative business-community relationships as she serves in a dual capacity, first as a key link for ArvinMeritor to the community learning system and secondly as a resource to community learning as a whole.

A former high school teacher who taught English and Spanish prior to joining Arvin in 1976, Scofield is a graduate of Ball State University. Serving ArvinMeritor in a variety of roles, her responsibilities have included human resources, quality systems, procurement, worldwide continuous improvement, and worldwide training and development.