Beachum Reappointed Bennett ’63 Chair in Urban Principalship
Educational Leadership Professor Floyd Beachum was recently recognized for his reappointment as the Peter E. Bennett ’63 Chair in Urban Principalship.
First appointed to the Chair 17 years ago, Beachum continues to adapt his approach to prepare the next generation of school administrators, principals, and superintendents. Grounded in equity and justice, his work is defined by a commitment to keeping educational leadership relevant.
“If the knowledge base becomes stale, if we hang on to old ideas too long, then we’re not being dynamic, and we become outdated quickly,” Beachum said. To prevent this, he regularly visits K–12 classrooms across different districts, recognizing that physical connection is a crucial lifeline to understanding the ground-floor realities of urban schools.
Beyond the classroom, Beachum is working to expand his outreach. He is currently writing several op-eds and planning to revive his Equitable Minds podcast, a platform dedicated to exploring educational leadership and translating academic research into real-world practice.
AI in Qualitative Research and Teaching
With the support of his endowed chair funding, Beachum is bringing artificial intelligence into his educational research. He is currently utilizing AILYZE, an advanced qualitative data analysis tool, to re-examine a previous study on the migration of retired educators from the South to the urban North. The AI analysis is already uncovering new patterns in how these educators viewed schooling across shifting historical and regional contexts.
In his university classroom, Beachum leverages generative AI to convert research articles into podcasts, visual presentations, and assessments, allowing him to efficiently deliver high-quality materials to students across both in-person and online environments.
However, he is quick to note the technology's limitations, emphasizing that AI cannot replace hands-on classroom experience or bridge the gap between theory and practice.
“We’re going to have to hold the line at the university and in K–12 schools and insist on real information — facts, data, evidence, logic, history,” Beachum noted, adding that teaching students how to critically assess information is now one of an educator's most vital roles.
A Legacy of Mentorship and Gratitude
At the heart of Beachum’s work is a steadfast dedication to his students. Yalitza Corcino-Davis, a 2025 Ed.D. graduate, credits Beachum’s mentorship with her growth as a scholar.
“He invited me to collaborate with him on research projects that resulted in publications in books and academic journals," Corcino-Davis shared. "Dr. Beachum holds a deep commitment to educational equity, and Lehigh is fortunate to benefit from both his scholarly work and lived experience.”
None of this work would be possible without the endowment that brought him to Lehigh. The Peter E. Bennett ’63 Chair provides the essential support for his research, funding software subscriptions, conference travel, and graduate assistants.
“As always, I’m just very thankful to Peter,” Beachum said of his benefactor. “His friendship and support over the years have really helped me in terms of my evolution as a scholar, a teacher, and a person. Peter’s been a support; he’s been a friend even more so, and that’s meant everything to me.”
