Millennium Magazine_4th Ed

132 Millennium - A Marquis Who’s Who Magazine D rawing upon a Bachelor of Science from the University of Maryland, Cynthia Merle Towsner specialized in journalism and public relations. Working for a Maryland newspaper soon thereafter, she discovered that journalism was not her niche and went on to pursue academia. From 1961 to 1966 and again from 1972 to 1980, she served as a teacher at the Montgomery County Public Schools in Rockville, Maryland. From there, she began her tenure with the U.S. Department of Education, first serving as a special assistant to the commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration, special assistant to the director of the Office of Intergovernmental and Interagency Affairs and acting director of the Intergovernmental Affairs Office until 1987. From 1987 to 1993, Ms. Towsner served as an educational program specialist in the Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Languages Affairs, having thereafter served in the same capacity in bilingual vocational training. Likewise, she became a national coordinator for health literacy and literacy volunteers for adults and coordinator of literacy volunteers. Prior to her retirement in 2010, she spent five years again serving as a coordinator of health literacy and literacy volunteers. During her career, she also served the U.S. Department of Education as a program administrator and special assistant of the Office of Vocational Adult Education. Affiliated with the Association for Career and Technical Education, the Society of Government Meeting Planners and the American Association of University Women, Ms. Towsner received a Meritorious Service Medal from the American Automobile Association, the President Award from the Combined Federal Campaign and the Hammer Award from the 1996 vice president of the United States in recognition of her triumphs. An avid photographer, she also contributed photographs to “Crowing about Life: Voyage through Time” with the International Library of Photography. Ms. Towsner received first and second place ribbons and a First Prize Award in photography at the Maryland State Fair, and first, second and third place ribbons in photography at the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair. She is a master photographer through the IFPO. CYNTHIA MERLE TOWSNER ACADEMIC ADMINISTRATOR (RETIRED) U.S. Department of Education Chevy Chase, MD EDUCATION