Dr. David Finn, associate professor of education at Samford University and director of Samford's Children's Learning Center, has been recognized nationally for his efforts encouraging racial, ethnic and religious diversity.

As one of six Gimble Child and Family Scholar honorees from around the nation, he will lead a workshop at a symposium on the Promotion of Racial, Ethnic and Religious Understanding in America on Monday, March 20, in Willimantic, Ct. His topic will be "Understanding Pacific Island Americans."

The Gimble Awards program recognizes the academic and individual efforts of scholars and practitioners who develop interventions for children and their families that promote emotional and physical health. This year's program identifies individuals who encourage young people to understand and embrace the racial, ethnic and religious diversity found in the U.S. The symposium will be held at Eastern Connecticut State University.

Dr. Finn, a specialist on multi-cultural special education issues, is a former special needs project director at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He has led extensive training of special education and early childhood teachers in all 10 U.S. entities of the Pacific Basin. He has been head of the Samford Children's Learning Center since 1998.