Norma Lu Hafenstein

Norma Lu Hafenstein, Ph.D., is the Daniel L. Ritchie Endowed Chair in Gifted Education at the University of Denver Morgridge College of Education Department of Teaching and Learning Sciences. A former teacher and school administrator, Hafenstein brings over 40 years of experience and expertise in graduate level and K-12 teaching, program development and evaluation, supervision and research. As program designer and initiator, Hafenstein led the development and implementation of the University of Denver’s Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED) Education Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction with a specialization in Gifted Education. She was a member of the Colorado Department of Education Standards Development Team, designing the Core, Specialist and Director of Gifted Education endorsements for Colorado educators. Hafenstein led the development of aligned graduate coursework at the University of Denver and received approval from the Colorado State Board of Education for educators to acquire multiple endorsements. She designed and implemented a full course in Gifted Education for pre-service teachers, providing knowledge and skill development not typically addressed. Hafenstein has secured over $13 million in grants, gifts and contracts toward Gifted Education at the University of Denver including support through the Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Act Grant of the US Department of Education, the Bradley Foundation, the Considine Family Foundation, the Sturm Family Foundation, the Buell Foundation and Daniel L. Ritchie. Hafenstein is currently principal investigator for a $2,845,155 Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Program, United States Department of Education five year project to increase identification of and service to traditionally under-represented gifted students in rural Colorado. From 2015-2018, she was co-PI on a federally funded Jacob K. Javits grant to increase the identification of and service to traditionally under-represented gifted students in rural Colorado, including those eligible for Free and Reduced Lunch, English Language Learners, Native students and Hispanic students. Hafenstein has conducted research and professional development in Colorado’s rural districts since 2014 with the goal of understanding barriers to identification and service to traditionally marginalized populations. Another of Hafenstein’s current research projects is the examination of pre-service teacher training related to the needs of gifted learners. Hafenstein was the founding director of the Institute for the Development of Gifted Education at the University of Denver from 1998 through 2016 where she led efforts in research, publications, outreach and service to the community. Publications through the Institute included a monograph series entitled “Perspectives in Gifted Education” with special topics in Young Gifted Children, Twice-Exceptional Children, Complexities of Emotional Development, Spirituality and Hope, Diverse Gifted Learners, Creativity, Legal Issues, and Influences and Impacts of the Education Doctorate, Vols. I, II and III. Hafenstein has directed fourteen national conferences hosted through the Institute for the Development of Gifted Education or through the office of the Daniel L. Ritchie Endowed Chair in Gifted Education. Each of these conferences has hosted a policy symposium to examine issues and implications of the practice. Hafenstein has over 300 presentations at International, National and State level conferences relevant to gifted learners. In 1984, Hafenstein founded the Ricks Center for Gifted Children, a private school for preschool through 8th grade gifted children on the University of Denver campus. For 29 years she supervised a staff of 45 associate directors, faculty, graduate assistants and staff and administered an annual budget of over $3.45 million. She also led a successful fundraising campaign which included capital for a new building, student scholarships and a program endowment. Hafenstein has chaired or participated in over 85 doctoral dissertations or doctoral research projects. She has developed and currently teaches graduate courses including Research as Intervention, Defense of Research, Program Development, Leadership and Communication in Gifted Education, Special and Gifted Education Legal Issues, Instructional Strategies for the Gifted, Creativity: Theory and Practice. Dr. Hafenstein was the recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award from Emporia State University in 2012. She received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Colorado Association for Gifted and Talented in 2006. In 2005, Norma was presented with the Founder’s Day Distinguished Service to the University Award and has been recognized by the University for excellent in Research, in Service, and as a Career Champion in support of students. Hafenstein is a nationally and internationally recognized expert in program development and evaluation, gifted education and teacher training.