National Teacher of the Year Ashlie Crosson will be the keynote speaker at a free education conference March 21 at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford.

The Outstanding Teacher Education Conference will take place from 8:30 a.m. to noon in the Mukaiyama University Room of the Frame-Westerberg Commons. The conference is intended for anyone interested in education – including not only current educators and administrators, but also pre-service teachers and even high school students thinking about a career in education.

In addition to Crosson, a panel of Pitt-Bradford student teachers, recent graduates and alumni who are tenured teachers will answer questions about current topics in education and their own areas of expertise.

Crosson has taught English and journalism in the Mifflin County School District in Lewistown for 14 years. She was named the Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year in 2024 and the National Teacher of the Year in 2025 by the Council of Chief State School Officers.

 A first-generation college student, Crosson was inspired by her own teachers growing up in Lewistown to go to college and return to her hometown to teach. She is an adviser for the school newspaper and encourages her students’ written expression.

In 2018, she was named a Fulbright Teacher for Global Classrooms fellow, which led her to develop an elective course, Survival Stories, that examines global humanitarian crises from a youth perspective.

In her role as National Teacher of the Year, Crosson has been speaking nationally in venues ranging from CBS Mornings to national education conferences.

Light refreshments will be provided. Registration is required. Deadline is March 4. To register, visit upb.pitt.edu/education-majors or contact Dr. William Clark, assistant professor and coordinator of secondary education, at wac109@pitt.edu or 814-362-7617.