The College of Education at the University of Montevallo recently honored a number of alumni at a dinner held in conjunction with homecoming activities. The top honor, the Lifetime Commitment to Teaching Award was presented to Randy Fuller, superintendent of Shelby County Schools.

Fuller obtained the M.Ed. and Ed.S. in Education from the University of Montevallo. As a graduate student at UM, he received the Outstanding Graduate Student in Administration Award.

The purpose of the Lifetime Commitment to Education Award is to recognize the dedication of an alumnus to advancing the field of education. Individuals are nominated by faculty and staff members, current and former UM students, as well as community members. Consideration is given to the nominee’s years of service in the field, contributions to the lives of students and teachers, influence in his/her local school community and overall impact on the field of education.

This award recognizes Fuller’s service as an educator in the state of Alabama for 39 years. Throughout his career, he has served in many capacities including teacher, coach, administrative assistant, assistant principal, and principal.

After serving as principal for 8 years, Fuller was elected Superintendent of Shelby County Schools in 2006. He is now serving his third term as superintendent.

As superintendent, Fuller developed an organizational vision which allows the school system to still meet the expectations of being an exemplary school district even in times of continued economic crisis. His four-point plan includes continuous school improvement, strategic planning, leadership development and instructional design.

Using this plan, Fuller helped steer the district through its first district-wide accreditation process. The Shelby County Schools System was deemed a model school district.

In his role as superintendent, Fuller has been recognized with numerous awards including the University of Montevallo Kermit A. Johnson Outstanding Superintendent Award, the Alabama School Communicators Association’s Superintendent of the Year Award, and the Marbury Technology Innovation Award for Central Office Leaders at the 2011 Alabama Educational Technology Conference.

Fuller is also a charter member of the Superintendents’ Leader Network and a member of the School Superintendents of Alabama, where he was nominated for School Superintendent of the Year in 2016. He is a graduate and active alumnus of Leadership Shelby County and serves on the board of the Alabama Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

For these major achievements and his dedication to education, the UM Education faculty selected Fuller for the Lifetime Commitment to Teaching Award. In reference to the award, Fuller said the University of Montevallo has been an important part of his life.

“Relationships established there, along with early training, provided a foundation for my career in education,” Fuller said. “This continues today with a collaborative partnership with Shelby County Schools in the development of young teachers and administrative leaders.”