Wayne State University's College of Education, the Michigan Education Association (MEA) and Lake Michigan Credit Union (LMCU) are pleased to present Michigan's 3rd annual Educators Rising Conference and Competition for middle and high school students interested in pursuing a career in education. 

Educators Rising is a national initiative through which middle and high school student participants build content knowledge and develop skills teachers need - including instruction, responsive planning, reflective practice and data analysis.

Internationally recognized poet, activist and educator jessica Care moore is the keynote speaker for the event.

All Michigan middle and high school students interested in pursuing a career in education are welcome to attend and participate in the conference at no charge. The competitions will take place concurrently with the conference activities. Students who wish to participate in the competitions will sign up to compete when registering. State winners have a chance to advance to the Educators Rising National Conference in June 2026.

Jessica Care Moore’s participation is sponsored in part by funding from the Frederick C. Neff Endowed Memorial Lectureship in Philosophy and Education. The Neff Lectureship supports College of Education lectures that examine the moral nature of the educational system and the role of philosophy in solving educational problems.

Neff joined the College of Education faculty at Wayne State in 1959 and was one of the most highly regarded philosophers of education in the country. He served as a professor for 21 years, including 12 years as chair of the Department of History and Philosophy of Education.

The lectureship bearing his name was created in 1996 with a generous gift from Pauline Bergener ‘32, M.Ed. ‘44, a fellow educator and friend of Neff’s. Since then, the Neff Lectureship has brought leading thinkers to Wayne State to discuss numerous topics, including positive psychology, art therapy with military families, race and education, and more.