Monthly Digest | November 2025

A Message from Interim Dean Julie Washington

Dear School of Education Community,

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, I’m reminded how much there is to be grateful for across our School community — from our students and staff to the many partners who help us advance education here and around the world. 

This month, as we celebrate International Education Week, we’re highlighting the extraordinary global collaborations led by our faculty, work that stretches across more than 20 countries and shows the impact of learning that transcends borders. 

I hope you’ll take a moment to explore these stories, along with other updates and celebrations from our community. Wishing you all a joyful and restorative holiday season ahead. 

Warmly,

Julie A. Washington

Professor & Interim Dean, UC Irvine School of Education

New & Noteworthy

Scholarship Ceremony & Dean's Leadership Society reception

Sixty-five students—5 Ph.D., 46 MAT, and 13 UCI CalTeach—were honored at last week's 2025 Scholarship Ceremony & Dean's Leadership Society Reception, which celebrates student achievements and the generosity of scholarship donors; out of 18 awards, 12 were donor-funded.

Learn more

New UC Irvine report reveals long-term benefits of youth arts programs

Led by UC Irvine School of Education & Informatics Professor Kylie Peppler, the study shows how creative expression shapes confidence, connection, and career pathways for young people.

Learn more

Spotlight On

Alumni Spotlight: Shelby Anderson

This month’s Alumni Spotlight features Shelby Anderson, a UC Irvine School of Education alumna and award-winning educator and historian whose work with the National WWII Museum is helping bring women’s WWII service to the forefront of classroom teaching and public history.

Learn more

25 Years of Student Achievement Guided by Experience (SAGE) Scholars

Alums of SAGE credit the program with altering their educational and career trajectories; ninety percent of the program’s participants are first-generation college students, and nearly 700 students have graduated.


Learn more

Community Impact

Across Borders, Across Disciplines

This week marks International Education Week, and UCI’s School of Education is celebrating by spotlighting the global reach of our research — from AI collaborations in Germany to early learning partnerships in Morocco.

Learn more

School of Education Scholars Contribute to CPIP

Seven School of Education faculty members, including Distinguished Professor Greg Duncan (pictured) along with a postdoc and graduate student, are contributing their expertise in educational inequality and policy to UC Irvine’s newly established Center for Population, Inequality, and Policy—highlighting our school's growing impact in this campuswide effort..

Learn more

Rethinking Homework for Kids

Professor Gustavo Carlo shared his insights on the benefits of homework with Good Day LA, citing decades of research that point to both academic and social interaction advantages for students, and stresses that parents should focus on effort, not perfection.

Watch video

Events & Calendar

• Nov 20 – Finding Balance in the Force, with Ashley Eckstein, The Voice of Ahsoka Tano from Star Wars: The Clone Wars
• Nov 21 – Professor & Interim Dean Julie Washington to receive the Honors of the Association Award at the 2025 Convention of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), Washington, D.C.
• Dec 15 – UC Irvine Fall Commencement; 25 Education Sciences majors will walk

Please visit the Teacher Academy website to view more upcoming workshops.

Other News

The Cost of Cuts

Uncertainty in education research funding could have negative effects in classrooms and communities.

Learn more

Learn more about the UCI School of Education as seen on Viewpoint, hosted by Dennis Quaid