Alumnus Dr. Zachary Alstad Joins LCIRT
by Solvegi Shmulsky
PUTNEY, Vt.--On November 16, 2014, Landmark College alumnus Dr. Zachary Alstad joined the Landmark College Institute for Research and Training (LCIRT) as a research associate. In his role at the College, Alstad is working on two National Science Foundation (NSF) grants, both of which focus on learning and students with learning disabilities (LD). Alstad said, “My vision is to support Landmark’s goal of creating access for students who learn differently while finding tools to motivate, organize and empower them.”
“I am very excited to have him on board,” said Dr. Ibrahim Dahlstrom-Hakki, senior academic researcher with LCIRT. “Alstad has the credentials and expertise to support these grants as well as the personal experience to understand the nuances of the struggles faced by students at Landmark College.”
Alstad’s connection to Landmark College goes back to 2001, when he was a student living in Frost Hall. He put a Post-It note with the letters “Ph.D.” on his mirror; this note would serve as a “process quietly running in the background” while he studied at Landmark through 2002. After leaving Putney, Vermont, Alstad earned a B.A. in psychology from St. Olaf College, an M.A. in educational psychology from the University of Colorado, and a doctorate from the University of Washington. He has served as a college instructor, researcher, and volunteer for Habitat for Humanity in Tanzania.
Respect for learners and a deep appreciation of the intertwined nature of identity, wellbeing, and learning run through Alstad’s comments about education. His current research is in educational technology, but his interests lie with broader questions like the psycho-social development of digital natives and the therapeutic potential of virtual reality.
Pick a passion and charge headlong into it.
“It was a circuitous route to get here, and at times I was lost, desperate, and without direction,” Alstad recalled. His grit paid off when he earned three degrees after leaving Landmark College. “It was tremendously rewarding to graduate from my master's and Ph.D. programs.” When asked what propelled him through the hard times, he emphasized the importance of supportive family and faculty. “My mother had infinite patience, he said. “All of us who have the opportunity to go to Landmark College should meet the experience with gratitude.”
Alstad, who has been diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD, offered advice to college students and alumni who learn differently. “Pick a passion and charge headlong into it,” he said. “You are fine tuning yourself all the time. Understand the value in your own frustration and how that is part of your growth process.”
Landmark College was the first institution of higher learning to pioneer college-level studies for students with dyslexia. Today, Landmark College is a global leader in integrated teaching methods for students with learning disabilities (including dyslexia), ADHD, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The College offers two- and four-year degree options, a graduate-level certificate in universal design with technology integration, and summer programs for students who learn differently. Students, faculty, and professionals from around the world are drawn to Landmark College for its innovative educational model, designed through research and practice to help all students become confident, empowered, and independently successful learners.