A. Jane Roberts Scholarship

Dr. A. Jane Michael Roberts was born September 22, 1921 in Buffalo, New York to Arthur John and Mabel Josephine (Bartold) Michael. She was raised in Orchard Park, New York and graduated from Orchard Park High School. Jane passed away at the age of 93 on September 28, 2014 at Kavanagh House Hospice.

Upon receiving her Bachelor’s Degree from the State Teacher’s College, Geneseo, now SUNY, she taught in the Rochester, New York public schools. While pursuing her Masters and Ph.D. (’51) at the University of Iowa, she was a demonstration teacher at the University Elementary School. After receiving her Doctorate, she joined the faculty of the Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, as an instructor to develop a new program to prepare liberal arts graduates for elementary school teaching. Two years later, she was honored to be the first female to achieve professorial rank at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, when she was named Assistant Professor and Director of Elementary School Apprentice Teaching.

After her marriage to Dr. Lynn K. Roberts, she moved to Des Moines and worked as an educational consultant in private practice. In 1974, she joined the faculty of Des Moines Area Community College, retiring in 1985 as Program Chairperson, Teacher Associate/Pre-Teacher.

Jane served as a volunteer on national, state, and local boards concerned with issues relating to children and the elderly. She served as Chair for the AARP Iowa State Legislative Committee and was a member of the AARP National Legislative Council. She was also a founder of the Waveland Park Neighborhood Association.

She is survived by a daughter, Ann Allison, and grandson, Robert Allison, both of Des Moines, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.