Steve Parson has spent his entire professional career as an advocate for the concept of community education. He has served as president of the National Community Education Association and is a member of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Training Task Force. At Virginia Tech he has served as an associate dean, department head, director of a graduate center and a faculty member in the Educational Leadership program. He frequently serves as a speaker and consultant for school communities involved in developing Community Learning Centers. Steve is also involved in providing support to schools that have implemented the Basic School Model developed by Ernest Boyer. He serves as the co-director of The Basic School Network—Eastern Consortia.