Alumna to share lessons from 'Sesame Street'

LAWRENCE – A University of Kansas alumna who helps “Sesame Street” strike the right balance between entertainment and education will visit campus to talk about her career with the beloved children’s television series. 

Rosemarie Truglio, senior vice president of global curriculum and content at Sesame Workshop, will speak about her career at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 16, at Alderson Auditorium in the Kansas Union. The lecture, titled “Lessons from ‘Sesame Street,’” is free and open to the public.

Truglio was named a Distinguished Alumna of the KU College of Liberal Arts & Sciences in 2013. The award is the highest recognition the College bestows upon its graduates. Truglio received her master’s degree in human development and family life in 1986 and her doctorate in developmental and child psychology in 1990, both from KU.

As an executive at the Sesame Workshop, Truglio is responsible for the development of the interdisciplinary curriculum on which “Sesame Street” is based and oversees curriculum and content development for all Sesame Workshop co-productions around the world. This includes the development and review of content across all media platforms and products. Truglio has worked for the Sesame Workshop since 1997.

Truglio started her research on the effects of media content on child development at KU with the Center for Research on the Influences of Television on Children (CRITC), mentored by John Wright and Aletha Huston. After she received her doctorate, she accepted a position at Teachers College, Columbia University, where she continued her research on the effects of television on children. Truglio has written numerous articles, presented her work at national and international conferences, and conducted media literacy workshops.

The College of Liberal Arts & Sciences is KU's broadest, most diverse academic unit, with more than 50 departments, programs and centers. The College encourages learning without boundaries through interdisciplinary education, global awareness and experiential learning.