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Whether he’s testifying to Congress about education policy or talking to a new student about adjusting to college life, Dr. George Hagerty is a powerful presence – from the local classroom to the national and international stage.
His acumen has earned him a mantle full of honors in his decades-long career, most recently a place among the Most Influential Leaders of Central Florida, as ranked by the Orlando Business Journal. READ MORE
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Eighty high school counselors and educational consultants from the United States and abroad attended the latest edition of the Counselor Fly-In Program in November, sponsored by Beacon College. The event, held on campus and at Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, highlighted why Beacon College is the best holistic choice for students with learning differences. The fly-in featured presentations from students and alumni, including Helen Chinn, Calinda Strayhorn, Jovan Bell, Bella Renshaw, AJ Evdokimo, and Joey Taylor. Staff presenters included Dana Manzo, Melissa Bradley, Dale Herold, Brody Glidden, Ashley Milito, and Drs. Kevin Reilly, AJ Marsden, Nancy Wood, and Oksana Hagerty. Topics covered included "Being a Champion for Neurodiverse Students/Student-Athletes," college readiness, stereotypes, and innovation at Beacon. | |
At a recent Techtonics upskilling event on campus, students weren't just there to peek under the hood of broken cellphones, laptops, tablets, and other gadgets. Students were earning a microcredential toward WISE certification through the "Foundation: A Gateway to Technician Certification" program provided by Techtonic SkillCircuits. READ MORE | |
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Learning specialist Melissa Walley Packwood was featured in December on an episode of "The Individual Matters" podcast, a boutique psychology practice specializing in comprehensive learning and neurodevelopmental evaluations. Click the image to view. | | |
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Psychologist and associate professor Dr. AJ Marsden appeared in the season 6 premiere of "Very Scary People" in January. The episode, titled "Courthouse Killers," follows the story of David Matusiewicz, Christine Belford, and their four children, who seem to be living the American dream. However, when Matusiewicz's parents move in, their desire to control the children leads to allegations of abuse, a 19-month kidnapping, and ultimately, a brutal murder. You can stream the episode on MAX and Discovery ID. | |
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Learning specialist Danielle Heider joined the St. Luke's United Methodist Church's Sounds of the Season Christmas community choir in December. This impressive ensemble, boasting over 100 members, featured a full orchestra, children's choir, dancers, and handbells, delivering four captivating performances.
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Chief Information Officer Dr. Brad Hough and Dr. Oksana Hagerty, Dean of the Center for Student Success and Disability Services Coordinator, participated in a webinar in January hosted by Extreme Networks' Abilities Alliance employee resource group. The discussion, "Empowering Neurodivergent Minds: Strategies for Student Success," focused on Beacon College's innovative use of technology and its commitment to accessibility. | |
Assistant professor of studio arts Kimberly Watters judged approximately 300 artists January 31 and February 1 at the 51st annual Mount Dora Art Festival. | |
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Beacon College women's head basketball coach Mfon Udoka appeared with student-athlete Katerina Kolaxis in December on The SportsHub Podcast. Click the image to view.
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Dr. AJ Marsden recently served as an academic reviewer for the Rocky Mountain Psychological Association conference scheduled for April. She evaluated proposals and provided feedback on the submitted projects. | |
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Research by three Beacon students, Tevia McNeil, Abby Kempton, and Rina Levitt, has been accepted for presentation at the Rocky Mountain Psychological Association Conference in Denver this April. They will present posters at the conference, which is open to members, professionals, and students. The RMPA conference features scientific papers, posters, and symposia, promoting professional development through the dissemination of scientific and professional ideas. Judges select work from hundreds of submissions by undergraduate and graduate students, as well as psychology professionals. | | |
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On most Saturdays for the past 11 years, Richard Weaver has been building houses for people in need. The 2000 Beacon College alumnus, who has developed a reputation for being a whiz with the paintbrush, is a loyal volunteer for Habitat for Humanity Winter Park/Maitland in Florida. READ MORE | |
Jose L. Bermudez Colondres, '20, is a student-athlete at the University of Puerto Rico's Rio Piedras campus, where he is pursuing a degree in education with a concentration in recreation. He excels in freestyle, Greco-Roman, and folkstyle wrestling, having secured multiple medals over the past two years. Competing in the 125 kg (275 pounds and over) weight division for freestyle wrestling, the 130 kg division for Greco-Roman wrestling, and the 285 pounds division for folkstyle wrestling, Colondres showcases his versatility and strength. Additionally, he holds a black belt in judo and has earned medals in this discipline as well. In 2022, he achieved the top ranking in Puerto Rico's super-heavyweight division (100 kg+). After graduation, Colondres plans to pursue a career in mixed martial arts. | | |
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Thomas Malecki, '24, began his new role as a teacher assistant at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Norristown, Pennsylvania, in February. He supports the head teacher in fostering a safe learning environment and contributes to the daily development of lesson plans for the students. | |
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Alumni Updates
Submit your Beacon College alumni updates, news, weddings, births, etc. for consideration in the next issue of the Lighting the Path newsletter. We look forward to hearing from you! EMAIL US
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To call the women’s basketball season for Beacon College “trying” might be an understatement. Sure, the team finished the season with a tournament championship after rallying from a slow start.
But if you watched the team in person, you would understand why: the team had exactly five players on their roster — until the last month of the season. READ MORE
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Dr. William Nesbitt published an album review of The Cure – "Songs of a Lost World" in November for The Rockpit. | |
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Gretchen Dreimiller, director of library resources, and Emily Morgan, assistant library director, have been recognized for their contribution to the upcoming book "Academic Libraries and the First-Year Experience." Their chapter, titled "Beyond Books: A Holistic Approach to Cultivating Library Engagement in the First-Year Experience," is set to be published by the Association of College and Research Libraries, with an expected release in fall 2026. | | |
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The website showcasing the research for 'The Business Book ROI Study,' the largest-ever survey of published business authors, with Dr. AJ Marsden as a researcher, is now live. You can review the findings from interviews with over three hundred writers HERE. | |
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In November, learning specialist Tresha Stevens presented at the National Association for Gifted Children conference in Seattle, Washington. This four-day event, celebrating the organization's 70th anniversary, attracted over 2,000 educators, psychologists, researchers, and caregivers. Stevens' presentation, "2e: The College Years: Making it Happen," was one of 200 selected from more than 800 proposals. Her poster detailed the differences between high school and college, emphasizing the characteristics of college-capable versus college-ready students. Parents and students gained insights into assessing and planning for the transition from high school to college and learned about the various ways Beacon College supports the success of 2e learners.
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Senior Instructor Christopher Irving will present at the 46th International Conference for the Fantasy in the Arts, hosted by the International Association for the Fantasy of the Arts. The event will take place at the Orlando Lakeside Marriott on Friday, March 21. This year's theme is "Night Terrors." Irving's presentation, titled "Fighting Terror: Overcoming Psychological and Social Paralysis in Richard Matheson's Stories," will be part of the panel "American Masters: Matheson, King, and Hill." | |
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Brody Glidden, associate dean of admissions and summer programs, presented on "Preparing for Life After High School... In High School!" at the Atlanta Area College & Post-Secondary Fair in Atlanta, Georgia.
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Dr. Kevin Reilly, vice president of academic affairs, and Melissa Bradley, director of the Juan and Lisa Jones Center for Career Preparation, participated in a joint presentation in December with the Branch Alliance for Educator Diversity. Their session, titled "Next Gen AI: Training for Key Supervisors," was part of the Harkin Summit DC 2024. Sponsored by the Harkin Institute for Public Policy & Citizen Engagement, a leading nonpartisan public policy research organization founded by retired U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, which lists neurodiversifying the workplace among its focuses, the session provided a "real-time" experience for the audience, showcasing the efficacy and adaptability of mixed reality simulation training that can be conveniently delivered on-site. | |
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Ashley Milito and Cheyenne Saborido presented a workshop on student transitions to college at the FL AHEAD Conference at the University of Florida in Gainesville. Milito, associate dean of virtual college readiness and matriculating programs, and Saborido, associate director of virtual college readiness programs, delivered a workshop from the College's Center for College Readiness titled "Empower & Advocate: Strengthening Student Transitions to College." They used data from Beacon College's college readiness programming to educate participants on the differences in academic policies and support systems between high school and college, and ways to foster self-advocacy essential to student success.
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Brody Glidden, associate dean of admissions and summer programs, presented 'Unlocking Potential: How College and Counselor Collaboration Elevates Student Success through Pre-College Programs' with Michelle Schmeltz, director of transitions and employment at Gateway Academy in Houston, at the Texas Transition Conference. | |
Beacon Salon Speaker Series | | |
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For the November 2024 edition of the Beacon Salon Speaker Series, Beacon Senior Instructor Christopher Irving presented "The Future Happened Yesterday," which examines how sci-fi literature and its cinematic representations are both expanding and retreating due to our continued demystification of the universe. Click on the image to view. | | |
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For the December 2024 edition of the Beacon Salon Speaker Series, Greg and Candy Dawson presented "A Ukrainian Symphony of Survival: From the Holocaust to Putin's War." The presentation tells the story of the dawn of the Holocaust through the story of Greg's mother and younger sister, both piano prodigies, who miraculously escaped a Nazi death march and survive the war by assuming non-Jewish identities and performing for the Nazis. Click on the image to watch.
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"A World of Difference: Embracing Neurodiversity" | | |
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In the November 2024 episode of "A World of Difference: Embracing Neurodiversity," families and caregivers learn how to help students navigate language-based learning disabilities, and we introduce our latest Difference Maker, Dr. Ludmila Praslova. Click the image to view. | | |
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In the December 2024 episode of "A World of Difference: Embracing Neurodiversity," the show explores how neurodivergence manifests differently in boys and girls, and we introduce our latest Difference Makers, Matt and Navah Asner. | | |
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In the January 2025 edition of "A World of Difference: Embracing Neurodiversity," the show examines bullying and neurodivergence, and introduces our latest Difference Maker, Gil Gershoni. Click the image to view. | | |
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In the February 2025 edition of "A World of Difference: Embracing Neurodiversity," the program explores how to help students make a successful transition to middle school, and introduces our latest Difference Maker, Scott Steindorff. | |
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"Flaming enthusiasm, backed up by horse sense and persistence, is the quality that most frequently makes for success."
-- Dale Carnegie
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