Helen Lafferty, PhD, was unanimously voted to serve as the interim president of Youngstown State University, her undergraduate and graduate alma mater, starting on Jan. 31, 2023. Dr. Lafferty brings over four decades of experience in higher education administration to this position. The students, faculty and staff in our department will miss her dearly, but we are confident that Youngstown State will benefit from her wisdom and experience.

Additionally, Dr. Lafferty was named among the Aspen Institute’s inaugural Aspen Index Impact Fellows, who will advance an urgent agenda focused on the research, interventions and strategies necessary to accelerate the access to, and quality of, youth leadership programs nationally. The department congratulates Dr. Lafferty on this prestigious recognition!

This year, Victor Brooks, EdD, celebrates 50 years in the Department of Education and Counseling at Villanova! Dr. Brooks earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from La Salle College and a doctorate in the History of Education from the University of Pennsylvania. In his early years as a professor, Dr. Brooks spent time over spring break teaching in the United Kingdom. Although he has taught many different courses, his favorite courses are the ones he is teaching now, “Education from Pearl Harbor – Sputnik” and the “Education and Society in the 1960s.” In addition to teaching, Dr. Brooks is an accomplished author, with more than a dozen books on history and education, and is currently working on a book devoted to the year 1963. The department thanks Dr. Brooks for his half century of dedicated service to his students, colleagues and the University and wishes him continued success!

On Friday, Oct. 21, Education and English major Gracie Petrelli ’23 CLAS was the featured student speaker at the 2022 President’s Reception, celebrating the generous Villanova alumni and donors who have contributed so kindly to the advancement of the University. Gracie shared about her experience at Villanova, the sense of belonging she feels and her desire to give back to the University in the same way others have done. She is involved in Blue Key Society, the Student Pennsylvania State Education Association and research in the Education and Counseling Department.

In this issue, we are pleased to feature senior Education and English double major, Gracie Petrelli ’23 CLAS. Gracie has been working on a number of tasks in the Department Office this semester. She is energetic, hard-working and determined and has taken advantage of numerous opportunities in the Department. As President of Student Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA), she has rejuvenated the group and spearheaded several events and initiatives, including the Peer Mentorship Program. She has served as an active member of two faculty research teams. Alongside Rachel Skrlac Lo, PhD, Gracie transcribed interviews for a study on anti-racist teaching practices for pre-service teachers across the country, and she collaborated with Madora Soutter, PhD, on a research project implementing social emotional learning in the classroom through Teacher Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). As part of that endeavor, she was able to co-present with Dr. Soutter at the annual The Pennsylvania Association of Colleges and Teacher Educators conference in Harrisburg. This semester, Gracie also served as a Student PSEA representative on the department’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee.

Gracie also serves as a tour guide and ambassador with Blue Key Society and is a member of the Senior Class Gift Committee, which directs donations to different areas of campus in need and fosters an attitude of giving among Villanova's undergraduate population.

In the spring, Gracie will complete student teaching at Lower Merion High School, teaching five ninth-grade English classes under the mentorship of her cooperating teacher. She plans to continue her education at Villanova for a fifth year as part of Villanova’s combined BA/MA program. Her long-term goals include someday teaching as a professor at Villanova to “give back to the school that has given so much to me!”

On Sept. 7, Student PSEA hosted its first Pizza Social and Education Major Info Session for current and prospective Education majors to connect and talk all things teaching! Participants enjoyed fellowship alongside pizza and Crumbl cookies in the Department student lounge. Student PSEA President Gracie Petrelli '23 CLAS and Vice President Becca Jacobson '23 CLAS led an informational session about the major and membership in Student PSEA, guided icebreaker games for community and connection, and discussed plans for the fall semester.

President-Elect Victoria Rozas-Rivera and Vice-President Elect Ryan Maloney will be assuming their respective roles as President Gracie Petrelli and Vice President Becca Jacobson begin their student teaching in the spring 2023 semester.

Edward Wahesh, PhD, co-authored a newly published book, Motivational Interviewing in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, with Todd Lewis, PhD, of North Dakota State University. He also attended the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT) Forum in Chicago, where he co-presented on implementing science frameworks and shared a poster on deliberate practice principles in Motivational Interviewing coaching and training. Additionally, Dr. Wahesh presented at a two-day workshop on Motivational Interviewing for the National Board for Certified Counselors Foundation’s Minority Fellowship Program (MFP). Over 30 Masters-Level Fellows, who are currently enrolled in CACREP-Accredited Clinical Mental Health Counseling programs throughout the US, traveled to Greensboro, North Carolina to attend the training.