The Alexander Lebenstein Teacher Education Institute

Questions of Conscience: Teaching about the Holocaust and Genocide

Just announced: Session I (July 7-12) is FILLED.

The Alexander Lebenstein Teacher Education Institute is a 3-credit University of Richmond graduate course. Current Virginia elementary, middle and high school educators who intend to teach for the next three years are invited to apply to attend a six-day class taught at the Virginia Holocaust Museum. The class is designed to educate teachers, librarians, counselors, and administrators about the Holocaust and Genocides. The course is taught by museum staff, including university, research, and classroom educators. Graduate credit is available in Education or History.

The course addresses many sections of the Virginia Standards of Learning for history, English, civics, economics, biology, art and music. Teachers will have the opportunity to delve into a wide range of topics including anti-Semitism, eugenics, racial laws, victim groups, perpetrators, bystanders, denial, modern genocide, post-atrocity tribunals and the realities of bullying in contemporary society.

Program Dates

  • Session I: July 7-12 (FILLED as of May 8, 2013)
  • Session II: July 21-26

Tuition, Room and Board

Tuition for the program includes the cost of textbooks and other educational resources. Participants also have the option of residing on campus.

  • Tuition: $130*
  • Room & Board Option: 5 nights (Sunday-Thursday), including three meals daily: $325 (approximate)

* The generous corporate philanthropy of Weinstein Properties subsidizes this program through the Virginia Holocaust Museum in recognition of the role the Museum plays in teacher education and to honor the memory of Alex Lebenstein. Weinstein Properties is committed to sharing its time, talent and financial resources to benefit the greater community and is devoted to teaching tolerance. With bullying and intolerance on the rise, Weinstein Properties is proud to be a part of this unique professional development opportunity for educators.

Application Process

Admission to the program is a selective process. To receive the tuition scholarship, interested educators must complete the following as part of the application process. Qualified applicants wil be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. The application deadline has been extended to June 1.

  • Application/registration form (along with $130 deposit)
  • Personal statement of interest
  • Letter of recommendation from a supervisor, principal, member of the clergy, or civic leader

Visit the Virginia Holocaust Museum’s The Alexander Lebenstein Teacher Education Institute page for additional information. All materials must be received before an application will be complete. Materials should be submitted, with deposit made payable to University of Richmond, to:

Cheryl Genovese
Manager, Summer Programs
School of Professional & Continuing Studies
University of Richmond, VA 23173