Lesley Snyder is the Associate Director of the Center for Educational Partnerships (CEP) at the University of South Carolina. In this role, she provides strategic leadership to advance the Center's mission of enhancing educational and community outcomes through collaborative partnerships and innovative initiatives. Lesley is critical in fostering collaboration among diverse partners and stakeholders, brokering connections among high-impact programs and services, managing resources, and advocating for policies and practices that support the Center's goals. Additionally, she aids educators in creating field narratives to uplift their voices toward impactful change. Her efforts aim to create a more equitable and effective education system and thriving communities for South Carolina families by leveraging partnerships, resources, and research-driven strategies.
Before joining the CEP, Lesley created innovative, purposeful learning experiences as an eighth-grade honors teacher at Dutch Fork Middle School in Irmo, South Carolina. She challenged her students to think independently, incorporating real-world examples and career connections, with community involvement in hands-on learning experiences. As English Department head, she led her team to achieve the district’s highest scores on state assessments in reading, even during the challenging pandemic period. Lesley also collaborated with the University of South Carolina to develop project-based learning (PBL) curriculum and professional development, earning a PBL endorsement from the AWAKE Center at USC’s College of Education.
Lesley's dedication to diverse instruction and pushing all learners to reach their full potential is evident in her achievements. She has mentored new teachers, served on leadership committees, and worked on state initiatives like creating a calendar for African American History Month and working on SC-Ready development and scoring committees. Her innovative teaching strategies have left a lasting impact, with students excelling in text-dependent analysis, producing high-quality audio projects, and participating in growth-focused and service-oriented groups like Dutch Fork’s Pearls and BETA club.
Lesley earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of South Carolina in 2012 and a master’s in education administration in 2016.
Press release: Milken Educator Award Comes to Irmo, Surprises Local Teacher with $25,000 Award
"Project-based learning boosts engagement because it ties..." (read more)
