Kathleen McGrath loves a good book.

As lead faculty member of the College of Education’s Family Literacy Center (FLC) at Niagara University, McGrath said she believes “Reading can very powerfully change the trajectory of a life.”

Through her Niagara graduate school position, McGrath teaches certified teachers how to help students in kindergarten through eighth grade best realize their literacy potential – whether it is through remedial work or enrichment programs.

“If I teach 20 graduate students, for example, think of how many students and families these teachers will touch over the course of their careers,” she said.

“Teachers have such an exciting vantage point to spread the importance of reading,” she added. “And hours spent reading are the No. 1 predictor for later academic success for students.”

The FLC will begin another Enrichment Book Club for children in grades two through eight, set for 4:30 to 5:30 pm Thursday, April 28. There are still openings and as with all FLC programs, there is no charge. The FLC is located in Room 125 in Niagara’s Academic Complex.

After a year of planning, McGrath helped launch the center’s pilot program in 2012, and is quick to credit her colleagues’ collaboration. They include: Robin Erwin, Donna Phillips, Michelle Ciminelli, Patricia Wrobel, Niagara’s assistant dean for external relations; and Debra Colley, who currently serves as NU’s executive vice president. Chandra Foote is the College of Education’s interim dean.

A Niagara professor since 2010, McGrath shares her Lewiston home with her husband, Dr. Tim McGrath, an orthopedic surgeon, and their four children, ages 11 to 18.

McGrath recently took some time to reflect on her career and how personal experiences helped fuel her choices in this wonderful interview with the Buffalo News.

#KathleenisVincent and #KathleenisLouise.