Oscar Dowdell-Underwood
Dr. Oscar Dowdell-Underwood (born August 18, 1949) became the first African-American Indiana Teacher of the Year in 1977.
Professional career
Dowdell-Underwood holds a Ph.D. and Ed.S in Higher Education Leadership, Administration and Foundations from Indiana State University. He holds an M.S. in Educational Administration and Curriculum Development from Indiana University and a B.S. in Elementary Education from Indiana University.
He is the headmaster of the Cornerstone Christian College Preparatory Day & High School International, which he founded in 1991. The school is an accredited, K-12 independent, co-educational, Christian Day and High School, and is part of the Indiana State Voucher Program.
Prior to that, Dowdell-Underwood was the principal of the Bunche Elementary School in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.
He has written two books, Assassination of Human Potential (Xulon Press) and Burden of Hope: Transition, Retention and Collegiate Black Men (Scholars' Press).
In the 1990s, Dowdell-Underwood was the first African-American state platform chair for the Indiana Republican Party State Convention held in Indianapolis. In 2014, he served as a delegate to the convention, which was held in Fort Wayne.
Personal life
Dowdell-Underwood resides in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He and his wife have five children.