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The college's much-needed Talk It Out program received a generous donation from The Links, Incorporated, Tucson chapter. The contribution provided funds and materials for about 25 play therapy kits for the students and families who use the Talk It Out counseling services. The donation was presented to Talk It Out Director Lia Falco at the Catalina High School Family Resource Center.

The Links, Incorporated, is an international professional organization for women of color. They are committed to service through civic engagement and philanthropic activities to support African Americans and other persons of African ancestry.

A huge THANK YOU to The Links for helping out our program that impacts so many!

Applied Behavioral Analysis Program Director and Assistant Professor of Practice Rebecca Hartzell recently spoke with Tucson’s ABC affiliate, KGUN-9, for this story about the social and emotional effects the pandemic has had on children.

Hartzell also spoke with AZPM’s Arizona 360 about how the transition from extended at-home learning back to in-person instruction has led to anxiety in some children and the role counselors and social workers play in addressing these issues.

Assistant Professor Jameson D. Lopez is the recipient of the University of Arizona Early Career Scholars Award, established to acknowledge outstanding early career faculty who are at the forefront of their disciplines and make highly valued contributions to the teaching, creative activity, and service priorities in the university's Strategic Plan.

Associate Professor Z Nicolazzo was featured in Teen Vogue about an open letter signed by more than 17,300 educators and educational scholars, sent to President Biden in response to the record-breaking, anti-trans legislation being introduced across the country.

Assistant Professor Karina Salazar, whose research on the recruiting practices of colleges and universities is often featured in national media, is the recipient of the 2021 Maria Urquides Laureate Award, which honors outstanding contributions by faculty and academic professionals in bilingual education on behalf of children. The award is named for the Tucson woman who became a leader in spearheading a bilingual-bicultural approach to teaching language and was known as “the mother of bilingual education.”

Dean Emeritus and Professor Ron Marx was featured in this news story in MSN Money about one of the flagship measures (two years of free community college) of President Biden's American Families Plan.

Professor Emeritus Luis Moll is one of just eight education researchers across the U.S. elected to the prestigious American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Assistant Professors Valerie Shirley and Jeremy Garcia, co-directors of the college's Indigenous Teacher Education Program, were honored with our Outstanding Faculty, Service & Outreach Award.

Associate Teacher in Residence Trina Zimmermann is the College of Education's Educator of the Year, which is presented by the Dean's Undergraduate Advisory Board, a group of diverse undergraduate students who represent the voices, concerns, and interests of the student body. The award is selected solely by students, some of whom noted Zimmermann’s ability to make everyone feel welcomed and valued while pushing students to think about challenging topics.

What motivated me most was finally finding the degree program that I loved. The interpreting emphasis inspired me to give my all and motivated me to work as hard as I could to be the best interpreter I can be.

The number one reason I chose the College of Education was that the Deaf Studies Interpreting Program is the only four-year ASL interpreting program in the state and one of a handful in the country. I started my undergrad at Northern Arizona University as a pre-nursing major and quickly figured out healthcare wasn’t for me, so I spent countless hours trying to figure out what it was that I had a passion for. What I ultimately found out was that the perfect program for me was back home in Tucson. It was a long meandering road to the College of Education, but I am so grateful for the experiences that brought me to this incredible program.

 

Something that I learned in the College of Education may seem a little silly, but it made a huge difference for me, was the superman stance. Whenever my classmates and I were having a rough day or feeling down on ourselves about an interpretation, our professor would make us do the Superman stance. She made us stand up, legs strong and apart, hands on hips with chest and head up, and say together, “Stand like a superhero, feel like a superhero, act like a superhero. I CAN DO THIS!” That always made me feel better and helped me learn how to be confident with myself.

My post-graduation plans are to work as an educational interpreter in a public school district. I hope to stay in Tucson, but I’m open to moving if the opportunity arises.

Showing up is 90 percent of success. It starts a snowball effect by dragging yourself to that class or those office hours. Once you’ve done that, all the other stuff becomes more manageable and worthwhile. My other piece of advice is, get your education to gain knowledge and understanding, not to gain a GPA. As soon as I let go of always worrying about the grades, I actually started learning and enjoying my classes. Before I knew it, my grades followed suit, too!

Enjoy your summer — one with rain this time, I hope!

Bruce Johnson