Thanksgiving is one of those days where we have time to slow down and appreciate the people around us — people who make a difference in the lives of others through their kindness, their tireless work, and their dedication to solving some of the globe’s biggest challenges.

At the College of Education and throughout the University of Arizona, we are fortunate to be surrounded by people who put so much effort into making this world a better place. And a big thank you to all of you, our readers — there are nearly 30,000 of you! — because we know you are hard at work empowering all the communities you serve.

Honoring our veterans

November is also the month we honor our veterans. We want to thank all our veterans, including our alumni, employees, and students, for their service. In fact, we’re happy to announce that the University of Arizona is one of the nation's best universities for service members, veterans, and their families, according to the Military Times. 

A special thank you to our 2019-20 National Advisory Board

Our National Advisory Board is a vital link between the college and the community. Members are committed to improving our local and state educational systems through their support.

Front row (left to right): Shirley Ann Hartman, Gloria Barnett, Laura N. Banks-Reed, Dell Bromiel, Barbara Miller, Judy Ovitt, Charlotte Harris, Vicky Mullins, and Nancy Woodling

Back row (left to right): Jim Brunenkant, Panfilo Contreras, Paul Lindsey, Barbara Sullivan, and Bruce Johnson

Not pictured: Larry Bahill, Carrie Brennan, Patrice Brown, Richard Carranza, Brenda Even, Dale Frederick, Augie Gallego, Victoria Hobbs, Naomi Karp, John Lewis, Sally Matiella, David Overstreet

We stand behind our Native SOAR students

After invoking Native American stereotypes in remarks to a Native SOAR class last month, University of Arizona President Robert Robbins apologized to the class where his apology was accepted. 

This is a first step toward healing, but there is more to be done. 

This is not the first incident our Indigenous community has encountered. We must do better. 

We are committed to working toward an institution where we all advocate and support Indigenous students. We believe one of the first steps to effective advocacy is to be informed. Here are links to two relevant pieces written by Gabriela Cázares-Kelly, a member of the Tohono O’odham Nation and a member of our Education Policy Center Advisory Board.

Huffington Post

Color Lines

We stand behind our Native SOAR students and the courage they have shown.

$3.2 million in federal grants to address critical need in Arizona

The college is home to the only bachelor’s degree program in Arizona that prepares interpreters. We also have the only program in the state that trains teachers of students with visual impairments and rehabilitation counselors. There are more than 5,000 vacancies for such teacher positions throughout the U.S. 

Thankfully, several faculty members in our Department of Disability & Psychoeducational Studies have been hard at work to obtain funding, and it’s paid off! More than $3 million in federal funding via three grants from the U.S. Department of Education will help address a critical shortage in educational interpreters, rehabilitation counselors, and teachers of students with visual impairments.

The college’s faculty members who obtained the funding were featured in this story.

Associate Professor of Practice Cindy Volk was interviewed in this story on Arizona Public Media about the grant she oversees to prepare educational interpreters for deaf and hard-of-hearing K-12 students.

Assistant Professor of Practice Philip Johnson received nearly $1 million in funding for a training grant to recruit, train, and graduate master’s level rehabilitation counselors with a specialty emphasis in the rehabilitation of individuals who are mentally ill.

Cross-border collaborations

Several of our faculty members and graduate students visited Sonora, Mexico, to talk about possible collaborations and to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Arizona-Mexico Commission, which exists to strengthen Arizona’s ties to Mexico and build a cross-border community of professionals from nearly every industry from agriculture to medicine.

As a result, the college and Arizona Global are collaborating with Centro Regional de Formación Profesional Docente de Sonora to discuss initiatives, such as special education teacher preparation, American sign language, and multicultural education.

This abrazo has a far reach

When a caregiver looks after a family member with cancer, the caregiver often needs support and understanding, as well.

Disability & Psychoeducational Studies Associate Research Professor Catherine Marshall created a far-reaching program, Un Abrazo Para La Familia™ (A Hug for the Family), which provides cancer information and support to low-income, ethnically diverse, and medically underserved family members who are struggling with a cancer diagnosis within the family.

Not only does Marshall work in the college, she also happens to be a grad. She earned a doctorate in rehabilitation in 1985.

Marshall was interviewed in this video by the Alliance to Advance Patient-Centered Cancer Care about her project. 

Contact Marshall for more information about Abrazo.

She is the first in Arizona!

Three-time College of Education graduate Sally Stevens is among just 14 other people throughout the country — and the only person in Arizona — to receive the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring.

Announced by the White House, this is the nation’s highest award for excellence in STEM mentoring and education. Stevens, who holds three degrees from our Department of Educational Psychology, is a distinguished outreach professor in the Arizona Department of Gender and Women’s Studies and a research professor at the Southwest Institute for Research on Women.

Widely published, much of her work involves people of Hispanic decent and Native Americans living in the Southwest and the examination of cultural and gender issues specific to these race-ethnic groups.

Stevens was featured in the Arizona Daily Star and the Wildcat when the award was announced late last month.

 

We’re the new home for CONAHEC

Our college is now the home for Consortium of North American Higher Education Collaboration, a not-for-profit membership-based network of approximately 180 institutions of higher education in Canada, the United States, and Mexico, as well as a select group of institutions from other parts of the world. The consortium fosters academic collaboration among institutions, organizations, and agencies of higher education.

From homelessness to doctorate

In high school, Shyla Dogan’s homework wasn’t always done because she dealt with recurring homelessness. Her counselor told her not to enroll in an SAT prep class because she would take up the space of someone who would actually go to college. Today, she holds a doctorate from our educational leadership program. Talk about perseverance! Read this article about her journey of ups and downs on her way to earning a doctorate.

You rock…seriously!

Dedicated faculty mentorship is at the heart of the research experiences offered to our talented scholars in the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Consortium, or UROC. Students receive invaluable research training and graduate school preparation. Student Tony Viola (right), mentored by Assistant Dean Sara Chavarria and Research Scientist Corey Knox, spoke about his research analysis of informal and experiential learning.

Especially important to this transformative experience is the student’s relationship with his or her faculty mentor. Our college is notably active with 10 faculty members serving as mentors.

A special thank you the following faculty members for their dedication to our students:

New program hopes to grow multilingual teachers of color

EachONE/TeachONE, created by Teaching, Learning & Sociocultural Studies Professor Julio Cammarota, is a year-long program in which 10-15 TUSD high school students meet once a week for 90 minutes to learn how to develop and implement a lesson plan in an elementary school. The program seeks to grow and train critically conscious, multilingual teachers of color. Upon completion of the program, students will receive a certificate of achievement from the UA. 

KOLD, Tucson’s CBS affiliate, produced this story on the program.

Pathways to Teaching 

The word also is out on our innovative Pathways to Teaching teacher-preparation program that invests in future educators for local schools.

The collaboration between the college and Sunnyside Unified School District was featured in this story on KGUN, Tucson’s ABC affiliate. 

Taking part in school psychology awareness week

In light of recent tragedies, school psychologists in Arizona and across the country believe state legislators need to address issues affecting students’ ability to learn in an environment that is safe, supportive, and conducive to learning.

In coordination with the National Association of School Psychologists, the Arizona Association of School Psychologists hosted Advocacy Action Day on November 13. School psychologists across the state emailed and called their state legislators as part of National School Psychology Awareness Week, November 11–15.

In addition, at the college, several graduate students in our school psychology program talked to high school psychology classes about the importance of learning in a safe and supportive environment. Graduate students also tabled on the university mall and handed out resources. 

Making dreams come true

More than 150 guests attended the 17th Annual Scholarship Donor Appreciation Breakfast this month, where scholarship recipients meet those who make their dreams of education a reality. The event brings donors and their student recipients together to get to know each other. Pictured above is donor Emily Meschter surrounded by Arizona Teaching Fellows students.

Our guest speaker was Ruston Agte (pictured below) of the Lauren Faye Edwards Memorial Scholarship, and student speakers were undergraduate student Veronica Rios (elementary education) and graduate student Felisia Tagaban (higher education).

Ruston Agte (left), Renee Creswell (right), and Shelby Shields with her son, Henry

The Caged Birds of Phnom Pehn

Award-winning illustrator and author Ronald Himler is known for illustrating complex emotions, and Worlds of Words recently acquired the original art for his celebrated book, The Caged Birds of Phnom Pehn.

Professor Kathy Short, the director of WOW, adds, “These pieces are excellent examples of emotions ranging from despair to hope, and we look forward to sharing this work.”

Lacey Nehls looks at Himler's art above. The entire set of original watercolor and gouache art can be seen in WOW through December 20. 

News from Norway

Elementary education students from our International Student Teaching Program in Norway were featured this month in the Kvinnheringen local news. Savannah Ruiz, Maggie Denham, Jill Nielsen, and Holly Barker plus students from Iowa State University talked about their experiences teaching at five different schools in the Kvinnherad kommune.

Announcing our new minor in global education 

The global education minor prepares undergraduates for careers in education that involve working with diverse international populations in the U.S. and abroad.

Courses are taught by faculty with expertise and professional experiences in international education. Students will be able to tailor their minor curriculum to more specific professional and academic areas of interest, such as schooling, human rights, and sustainability.

Yay to the A

The Arizona State Board of Education handed out its 2019 school report cards, and Davis Bilingual Elementary Magnet School Principal Jose Olivas (also a college grad!) celebrated the school’s A grade with all his Arizona gear.

KGUN, Tucson’s ABC affiliate, reported all the TUSD grades in this story.

Congratulations, Principal Olivas and Davis!

Message from the Alumni Council

Thank you to everyone who participated in Homecoming 2019 and attended our events.

 

Our fifth annual Wine Harvest Homecoming Reception was a huge success! About 170 guests came to honor our Alumna of the Year, Laura Nobles Banks-Reed '43 '66 '70 '81, and University of Arizona Sidney S. Woods Alumni Service Award recipient, Charlotte Harris '67. 

We also had a great time at our tailgating tent, meeting alumni, watching the parade, and enjoying the campus spirit. Our Student Ambassadors did glitter tattoos for kids, and the Alumni Council spun its prize wheel for alumni, always a hit!

In lieu of a December Alumni Council meeting, we are having a Happy Hour on Monday, December 10, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. All College of Education alumni are welcome to attend. Contact Emma at 520-621-2972 or [email protected] for more information!

Bear Down!

David Overstreet '80 '86

Alumni Council President

People 

Dean's Office

Assistant Dean Sara Chavarria (center, in red shirt) was named an Arizona Champion by the Appointed Professionals Advisory Council for her efforts to increase college access to first-generation students and students with limited financial means. Chavarria and other Arizona Champions were celebrated during the homecoming football game.

Associate Director of Equity and Inclusion for Community Engagement Sherard Robbins is a 40 under 40 recipient for 2019. The seven university recipients are featured in this story.

Disability & Psychoeducational Studies

Department Head and Professor Carl Liaupsin and Assistant Professor of Practice Amanda Tashjian were interviewed on this episode on KVOI Smart Talk, hosted by our Education Policy Center’s Executive Director Robin Hiller.

Research Professor Penny Rosenblum is starting a new chapter after working in the college for 20 years: In January, she will be the director of research for the nonprofit American Foundation for the Blind. 

Associate Professor Desiree Vega and graduate students Jaclyn Wolf, Michele Stathatos, Dylan Barton, Veronica Guzman, and Juanita Arellano published this book chapter about college-choice experiences of first-generation Latinas in First-Generation College Student Research Studies. 

 

Educational Policy Studies & Practice

While many rural schools in Arizona are struggling with declining enrollment, Vernon Elementary has doubled its student body in the last four years. At the same time, the school has greatly improved academics, transitioning from a failing school to a B-rated school. The Title I school is making great strides, despite local poverty levels. Our very own alumna Monica Barajas ’99 ’16 is at the helm as superintendent. Barajas also was appointed to the WestEd Board of Directors, leaders from public and private education, business, and human services communities. The board takes an active role in agency leadership and strategic planning.

Associate Professor Nolan Cabrera was featured as a panelist on Speak Out with Tim Wise for a podcast discussion about affirmative action, the way in which Asian Americans have long been viewed by some as a "model minority," and the recent lawsuit against Harvard for its affirmative-action programs.

Cabrera also spoke with University of Maryland Associate Professor and College of Education Alumna Michelle Espino on her podcast, Latinx Intelligentsia, about how to engage in scholar-activism with intention and humility.

Exploring the history of racial analysis in sociology and education, Cabrera also wrote Race(ing) across the disciplines in Equity & Excellence in Education.

Gabriella Cázares-Kelly, a member of the Tohono O’odham Nation and a member of our Education Policy Center Advisory Board, wrote this article for the UCLA Law Review about the Red for Ed movement on Arizona tribal reservations, including issues related to transportation, heat, flooding from monsoon rains, and teacher retention.

What happens to students when there are no more public schools? Assistant Professor Kevin Henry addressed this question and much more during a presentation for the Education Policy Center. The presentation, Lessons from New Orleans, featured Henry, a native of New Orleans and a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison (Ph.D.) and Tulane University (B.A.). Henry has extensively researched and published on the education system and racial realities in post-Katrina New Orleans.

Professor Jenny Lee and doctoral student John Haupt wrote this article for Inside Higher Ed, analyzing the benefits of China and U.S. scientific collaboration.

Educational Psychology

Former Dean and Professor Ron Marx was asked to be part of a planning meeting for the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine’s next decade. Marx provided advice to founder Andrew Weil and Executive Director Victoria Maizes on strategic priorities that could guide the work for the center as it strives to provide a more integrated and holistic approach to health care. The planning meeting included participants from medicine, nursing, and insurance.

Teaching, Learning & Sociocultural Studies

Four-time University of Arizona Alumnus (three of those degrees came from the College of Education!) Herman R. Lucero ’80 ’98 ’01 ’04 writes, “You have great things going on in the College of Education. Congratulations!”

We’re always happy to hear from our alumni and especially impressed with the perseverance of those who have four degrees from our institution!

We also heard from Jason Smith ’94, who writes, “I am a proud graduate of the UofA College of Education. I love the UofA, and I wanted to reach out and personally thank the College of Education for all they gave me in my youth.”

And we’re proud of Jason Smith, who was awarded the Washington State High School Principal of The Year and the Josten’s Renaissance National Educator of The Year!

University Faculty Chair Jessica Summers, who represents faculty as a member of President Robert Robbins’ cabinet and is an associate professor in the college, has been quoted in numerous media outlets regarding the cost of the university’s strategic plan, including this story in the Arizona Republic.