Isabel Anchin Becker
A new gift from Isabel Anchin Becker is set to strengthen leadership development for K-12 principals through the David C. Anchin Center at the USF College of Education. The contribution will support the creation of a cohort-based leadership development program and coaching network that will provide ongoing mentorship, collaborative learning and practical tools for navigating complex school environments.
Founded in 1999 by Anna and David Anchin — a forward-thinking Russian immigrant whose life was transformed by education — the David C. Anchin Center for the Advancement of Teaching is dedicated to strengthening teaching and leadership in schools, serving thousands of educators worldwide each year through approximately 60 low- or no-cost professional learning opportunities.
Inspired to continue her parents’ legacy and vision to support educators, Isabel’s gift will help develop new professional learning programming for school leaders.
Expected to launch in the 2026-2027 academic year, the goal is to equip education leaders with the tools, guidance and professional community needed to drive meaningful, lasting improvements in schools that lead to student success.
For Rachel Hatten, co-director of the Anchin Center, the gift represents both a continuation of the Anchin family’s legacy and a meaningful investment in the educators who lead schools every day.
“We are deeply grateful to Isabel Becker for her extraordinary generosity and to the entire Anchin family for their continued commitment to the mission and work of the Anchin Center,” Hatten said. “This gift makes it possible for us to thoughtfully design a leadership program that will directly support principals, whose leadership touches the lives of students and teachers every day. I am excited to see the impact the Becker Anchin Leadership program will have across our partner schools and communities.”
To learn more about supporting the David C. Anchin Center for the Advancement of Teaching, contact Michael Melendez, senior director of development, at michaelmelendez@usf.edu or 850-228-1196.