News Archive

The College of Education announces the appointment of Kirsten Butcher as Interim Associate Dean for Research, effective July 1, 2024. Butcher has served as Associate Dean for Faculty and Student Affairs since July 1, 2023 and will continue on in this role through June, 2025.

The Urban Institute for Teacher Education in the University of Utah College of Education is pleased to announce Connor K. Warner as its new director, as of July 1, 2024. Warner follows inaugural director Mary D. Burbank, who has served in the role for over a decade.

Celebrate the appointment of William A. Smith as a Distinguished Professor at the University of Utah’s College of Education. Recognized for his pioneering work on racial battle fatigue and his commitment to equity in education, his influence extends globally.

Mary D. Burbank’s new co-authored book, Meeting the Learning Needs of All Children: A Model for Montessori Practitioners and Stakeholders Committed to Inclusive Education, examines the relationship between special education and Montessori principles within the context of private and public schools in Salt Lake City.

– AACTE (American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education) today announced David Stroupe, Ph.D., associate professor of STEM education and director of research of the USTEM Hub at the University of Utah, as the 2024 recipient of the AACTE Gloria J. Ladson-Billings Outstanding Book Award for Growing and Sustaining Student-Centered Science Classrooms.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded Lynne Zummo, Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology, an Advancing Informal STEM Learning Program (AISL) grant to study learning around climate change at the landmark Natural History Museum of Utah exhibit “A Climate of Hope,” along with Co-PI and NHMU Exhibit Developer Lisa Thompson. Zummo holds a joint appointment at NHMU as the Curator of Learning Sciences.

Professor Laurence J. Parker of the Department of Educational Leadership & Policy received the 2023 University Council for Education Administration (UCEA) Linda C. Tillman Social and Racial Justice Award in Minneapolis on November 16.

The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) announced today that the Teacher Licensure and Educational Leadership programs at the University of Utah have received full accreditation approval for their educator preparation programs.

Professor William A. Smith will receive the 2023 Albert B. Fritz Civil Rights Worker of the Year Award on Friday, October 27, 2023, from the NAACP Salt Lake Branch Life Membership and Freedom Fund.

This past June the park played host to a remarkable group of visitors: Utah educators participating in a groundbreaking professional development program called Learning to Observe: Unpacking the Development of Science Teacher Observational Expertise in Field Settings.

Dr. Paula Smith was recently honored for service and outstanding contributions to the Society for Prevention Research.

Dean Frankie Santos Laanan has been awarded a $49,998 grant from the Spencer Foundation. The project, Ingram State Technical College (ISTC) Exploratory Case Study of Incarcerated Adults in Career and Technical Education.

Dean Nancy Songer is training a new generation of problem solvers with innovative and future-oriented curricula.

Dr. Chris Linder Awarded Presidential Scholarship

Former Educational Leadership & Policy graduate, Sandra Leu Bonanno has won the 2021 AERA Social Justice Dissertation Award. We wish to congratulate Sandra and her Chair, Dr. Irene Yoon.

Numerous faculty across the College of Education will be presenting at this year's virtual AERA. Read more for a list of presentations by day.

The 2020-21 Scholarship Celebration was a huge success! We brought together over 68 attendees of donors, students, faculty, and staff. Read more to see donor and student highlights, access the evening's program, and watch a video!

Dr. William Smith, Department Chair of Education, Culture, and Society has been awarded the University of Utah 2021 Distinguished Researcher Award. This honor recognizes Dr. Smith's work on racial battle fatigue and other high-level scholarly activities.

Aaron Fischer, Assistant Professor in the Department of Education Psychology recently had the chance to weigh in on how COVID-19 will reshape education in an interview panel with University of Utah Magazine

Wilson, who is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Special Education, has received the prestigious Mabel Lee Award for early career researchers from PE's largest professional organization.

Please join us for an engaging graduate student panel presentation on the School to Prison Pipeline. The students on the panel are enrolled in Dr. Alvarez Gutiérrez ECS 6820/7820.

Dr. Erin Castro and Dr. William Smith will be featured at the Hinkley Institute Forum: "What Does It Mean to Abolish Slavery from Utah’s Constitution in 2020?" on October 26.

The Behavior Response Support Team provides daily tips and teaches skills for managing kids’ behavior amid remote learning, in-person learning and general pandemic conditions.

In May Robert Durham, who teaches Environmental Science, Biology, and Astronomy at East High School, was awarded the Outstanding Public School Teacher Award by the Office of Academic Affairs at the University of Utah.

Jason Burrow-Sánchez, chair of the Educational Psychology Department and Director of the Mountain Plains Region 8 Prevention Technology Transfer Center has been selected by President Ruth Watkins as a Presidential Leadership Fellow.

The University of Utah and the Spencer Foundation have both honored William Smith, chair of the Education, Culture & Society department in the College of Education and professor of Ethnic Studies in the School of Cultural and Social Transformation, with awards recognizing exemplary mentorship.

Like many of you, I am deeply saddened and discouraged by the events of recent weeks and the pervasive racism that precipitated them.

Faculty in the Department of Special Education and Department of Educational Psychology received six Utah State Board of Education (USBE) grant awards to increase training opportunities for future educators in special education for the state of Utah.

Annually, faculty and staff are recognized for their accomplishments. This year’s recipients reflect the quality of teaching, service, and research that embody our community.

On Friday, March 13, 2020, U student Abi Marshall ate lunch at her desk at Taylorsville High School while keeping one eye on Utah Gov. Gary Herbert’s Facebook page. Just days away from completing her student teaching, Marshall had planned a surprise for her students the next week before handing the class back over to her mentor teacher. By the end of that day, though, Utah public schools statewide were closed as part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. “It happened all of a sudden,” Udita Gupta of UITE says of the school closures, which have extended through the end of the school year. “It was bit of a panic as it was the end of the quarter and student teachers had to wrap up their student teaching, including assessments, grading and research.”

University of Utah Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Dan Reed announced that professor Nancy Songer has been named as the new dean of the College of Education. Songer, a recognized researcher in STEM education, is a Fulbright scholar and former dean of Drexel University’s School of Education.

The College of Education raised just over $5,300 from 74 donors for the newly created Student Emergency Hardship Fund.

Nuo’s article "Resist virus-fueled racism against Asians in Utah” was completed for an assignment in Dr. Alvarez Gutiérrez’s graduate course, ECS 6823/7823: Immigration & Education.

Robert Z. Zheng and Michael K. Gardner, both Professors of Educational Psychology in the College of Education's Educational Psychology Department recently released a new book, Memory in Education. Both authors are experts in the field of human memory and learning.

Michelle M. Jacob, PhD was the guest lecturer at the J. George Jones, Jr. and Velma Rife Jones Lecture Series. This year's lecture, sponsored, by the Urban Institute for Teacher Education, was presented January 23 to a large crowd that filled the College of Education auditorium.

Dr. Cynthia Benally, an assistant professor in the college's Department of Education, Culture & Society, is featured as a guest editor and contributor in the most recent edition of the Journal of American Indian Education.

University of Utah President Ruth V. Watkins has appointed Chris Linder as a special assistant to support violence prevention and education efforts on campus.

Kayla Odom, a graduate student in special education, served her fall semester practicum at Northwest Middle School in Salt Lake City. Her commitment to the students extended well beyond that required for her practicum — she helped raise over $4,000 to pay off student lunch debts.

This year’s MLK Week challenges us to redefine the definition of fear and its role in the fight for freedom and equality. Find out about the events in and around campus.

College of Education Associate Professor, Seung-Hee Claire Son, was recently appointed to serve a two-year term on the Utah School Readiness Board.

Our own Karen Tao, Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology in the College of Education, is host of a new PBS Utah series, Let’s Talk: How to Talk to Kids About Race.

The following is a commentary written by Maeve Wall that originally appeared in the Nov. 19, 2019 edition of The Salt Lake Tribune. Wall is a first-year Ph.D student at the University of Utah College of Education.

Professor Gardner says he would recommend academia to any young psychologists looking for a career path. "You get to choose the problems you work on; you have a lot of flexibility; you work with bright and interesting people, both colleagues and students; and it's fun to come to work..."

Congratulations to Leticia on receiving this award presented by the Mestizo Institute of Culture and Arts.

Researchers at the University of Utah College of Education saw an opportunity to help. The college’s Department of Educational Psychology created the Well-Being Team to help empower teachers with the knowledge and skills needed to address their students’ mental health concerns.

Deserving students were recognized this morning, Sept. 27, as recipients of scholarships to the University of Utah College of Education. Recipients, donors and faculty gathered at the Marriott University Park Hotel for the college's annual Scholarship Award Recipient and Donor Recognition Brunch.

Congratulations to Erin, Assistant Professor in Educational Leadership & Policy, on this great honor!

The Play for Life Tennyson Cecchini Memorial Golf Tournament is an annual event chaired by Dennis Cecchini, held in honor of his late son, Tennyson, who passed away as the result of a long battle with opioid addiction.

Ryan Dickison, Clay Diffrient, Sophia Gagakuma, Cheryl LaMar and Kyle Whittle are students pursuing a master’s of education in the Instructional Design and Education Technology Program. These students are working to update training materials for potential foster parents with Utah Foster Care.

Cheri Blue is a first-year Ph.D. student studying special education. Her research, drawing on nine years of experience working as a speech-language pathologist in public schools, focuses on augmentative and alternative communication.

Jonathan Hale and his research partners at the University of Utah Department of Special Education, John McDonnell & Kristen Paul, and Kelby McIntyre-Martinez, Assistant Dean for Arts Education and Community Engagement, College of Fine Arts, have found that the art classroom can lend itself to improved socialization for students both with and without disabilities.

Larry Madden, Principal at SLCSE, talks about the ‘Schools of Opportunity’ recognition and how this learning model is being incorporated in other Salt Lake City School District schools.

Anthony Godfrey received his Doctorate of Education in 2007 from the ELP department. Congratulations to Anthony!

Robert “Archie” Archuleta, a U alum, was a retired elementary school teacher and principal, former administrative assistant for minority affairs for Salt Lake City, and Latino activist and civil rights advocate. At the time of his death, he was past president of the Board of Trustees for Utah Coalition of La Raza. Archuleta served as president of the coalition for nine years, retiring from that position in 2010.

Lily Eskeleson GarcÍa, College of Education alumna, is president of the country’s largest professional union, the National Education Association. She currently serves as a board member for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, as an executive committee member of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, and as regional vice president of Education International.

University of Utah President Ruth Watkins announced that Lori K. McDonald has been named vice president for student affairs.

Two recent accomplishments we're excited about: West High School Reading Intervention Grant and an IES Project Site in Utah

Brad Mortensen, has been selected as the new president of Weber State University. Brad received his PhD from ELP in the Fall of 2009. Congratulations, Brad!

In recognition of inspirational teaching nationwide, Stephanie Hunt of Clayton Middle School in the Salt Lake City School District has been named the Utah recipient of the first-ever National University System-Sanford Teacher Award.

The Botswana Ministry of Education, the University of Botswana, and Stepping Stones International, have undertaken an empirical study of the University of Utah Reading Clinic’s (UURC) model for helping teachers make challenging grade-level text and word study accessible to students with a wide variance in reading ability.

The Utah State Board of Education gave Kellie May, a West High School social studies teacher, the title of Teacher of the Year. Congratulations from the College of Ed!

Aaron Fischer, School Psychology assistant professor, is honored to be the inaugural recipient of this wonderful award. It is made possible by a generous donation from the Candace and Tim Dee family.

Jonathan Hale was teaching art at both Jordan Valley School, a school for students with severe and multiple disabilities, and Sprucewood Elementary School in Utah’s Canyons School District when he had an idea—what if he brought students from Jordan Valley into the art classroom at Sprucewood to work in grade level peer pairs?

For Mickey Ibarra, advocacy has always been a way of life. That lifetime of advocacy has earned Ibarra the highest honor bestowed by the Government of Mexico — the Ohtli Award — in recognition of his contributions to the well-being, prosperity and empowerment of Latino communities in the U.S.

Education, Culture & Society Professor, William Smith, has received an unprecedented two of four awards this year from the 12th District Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. He is now nominated for the International Award given in July 2018.

U College of Education releases report on why teachers remain in the profession. A study by the Utah Education Policy Center, UEPC, in the College of Education at the University of Utah, found that choosing to make a difference isn’t just a reason for becoming a teacher. As it turns out, teachers report that making a difference in the lives of children and young adults, and contributing to the greater social good are among the top factors in their decisions to remain a teacher.

William Smith, ECS Professor, co-authored a new study that explores challenges faced by black male students.

Congratulations to the Department of Special Education for being ranked 15th for their Online Licensure Program and 16th best Bachelor's of Science in Special Education.

Ms. Sayro Paw was selected to present her research, "Immigration stress among refugees resettled in Utah" at the 2018 National Conference of Undergraduate Research.

Karen Tao, assistant professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Utah, can help. Tao studies how children talk about and understand race and their other social identities. She has collaborated with elementary school teachers, students and parents in the Salt Lake School District to implement a classroom-based program focused on topics such as race and gender.

For William A. Smith, chair of Education, Culture & Society, the civil rights movement isn’t just history. It’s an event that ties together his family, his education, his scholarship, his passion.

When John Kircher, professor of educational psychology, arrived at the U as a graduate student in 1977, he wasn’t interested in studying lie detector technology, but after a sequence of events early in his career, he has become a leading expert in the detection of deception.

Isael Torres gave a Tedx Talk this November in Salt Lake City on Cultural Pedagogy: Educational Equality for Our Youth. Isael is from Logan, UT and earned his master's in the department of Education, Culture & Society.

Gerardo R. López, professor and chair in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy has been selected as the lead editor of the journal Educational Administration Quarterly. EAQ is considered the most prominent journal in the field of educational leadership. Congratulations!!

Exploring Religion in Unique Spaces: From the University Classroom to Hate Groups. Dr. Fox is a sociologist whose work is driven by her sense of social justice, interpersonal compassion, and the idea of intentionally creating a better world.

Congrats to Kathleen Brown and the rest of the Reading Clinic for their incredible work. Over the past 15 years, the University of Utah Reading Clinic has received just over $3.5 million from the Improving Teacher Quality State Grants program to increase teachers’ knowledge of reading instruction and small group reading intervention.

Education, Culture & Society Emeritus Professor Harvey Kantor discusses this in an interview with AlterNet.

ELP graduate, Alonso Reyna Rivarola, and ELP Masters Student, Brianda De Leon, were featured in the Salt Lake Tribune’s article titled, “Dreamers celebrate five years of DACA as its fate looms”. Reyna Rivarola is the director of the newly founded Dream Center at the U and De Leon is the first graduate assistant attributed to the center.

Congratulations to Zac, Associate Professor in Educational Psychology. This award recognizes extraordinary scholarship of associate professors.

The Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science is holding their annual 3-day conference in Salt Lake City October 19-21, 2017. SACNAS is an inclusive organization dedicated to fostering the success of Chicanos/Hispanics & Native Americans, from college students to professionals, in attaining advanced degrees, careers, and positions of leadership in STEM.

Research has demonstrated that play is central to the development of children’s language and cognitive skills. However, children with autism often have difficulties with social play and play with objects such as toys. This study examined methods for increasing the quality of play of three preschool-aged children with autism who were in preschool classes primarily comprised of children without disabilities.

The University of Utah's Urban Institute for Teacher Education and the Salt Lake City School District are co-sponsoring the 9th Annual Stegner Young Writing Scholars Writing Institute held June 5-16, 2017 with funding provided by the Salt Lake Education Foundation, and the University of Utah College of Education.

Awards to our faculty for their outstanding work in Teaching, Research, and Service were announced this year at the College Council Executive Committee Annual Spring Gathering. Our sincerest congratulations and thanks for all you do!

In case you missed our lecture this year by Dr. Michael Dantley "Leading Education in a Time of Transition: A Critical and Spiritual Imperative" you can view the video by clicking below.

This award is given to honor excellence in research that makes material differences in the lives of people. Congratulations Maria!

Congratulations, Peggy, UITE clinical instructor. Career Services annually recognizes outstanding faculty who have made significant contributions to their students' professional development.

Congratulations to MarÍa Ledesma, ELP Assistant Professor! The Committee on Scholars of Color in Education Awards recognize scholars in various stages in their careers who have contributed significantly to the understanding of issues that disproportionately affect minority populations, and minority scholars who have made a significant contribution to education research and development.

In 2015, the Utah America Reads program changed its name to Utah Reads.The University of Utah is one of over 1,100 institutions of higher education to participate in the America Reads challenge providing quality tutoring to children struggling to read on grade level.

Congratulations to Erin Castro, Assistant Professor, Educational Leadership & Policy. The award is given to outstanding young faculty members who have made significant contributions to teaching at the University of Utah.

Dr. Kircher is being honored for his internationally recognized and ground breaking work in psychophysiology and the detection of deception.

Susan Johnston, Special Education professor, created the book “The Gnome in Your Home – A Tradition of Kindness”, an illustrated children’s book created to help teach children how to establish a tradition of doing small acts of kindness.

Facing the Teacher Shortage, Why Utah struggles to keep educators, and what the College of Education at the U is doing to help.

Alumni, students and faculty celebrate the legacy of Milton Bennion and bid a fond farewell to the building that helped shape the futures of thousands of educators.

Dr Leticia Alvarez Guiterrez and Mestizo Arts and Activism Collective are recognized as a 2016 recipient of this award. Congratulations!

This new book, Hope, Heart and the Humanities - How a Free College Course is Changing Lives, being released by the University of Utah Press later this month includes ELP emeriti Professor Dr. L. Jackson Newell.

The University of Utah has now obtained an Institutional Membership for the National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity (NCFDD), sponsored by the College of Education.

Congratulations to Dr. Pounder who now serves as a Research Associate with the Utah Education Policy Center.

Sarah Kate Selling has joined ECS, Jennifer Marie Taylor and Lauren Barth-Cohen have joined Ed Psych >>

Sarah Kate Selling has joined ECS, Jennifer Marie Taylor and Lauren Barth-Cohen have joined Ed Psych >>

Get REAL! provides beginning teachers with classroom-based training using curricula and technology-informed simulations and modules with multimedia explorations for all students in Pre-K-6 classrooms.

Dr. Sue Morrow, Educational Psychology, was invited by the American Psychological Association Board of Scientific Affairs to give a Master Lecture on Methodology.

U of U Reading Clinic, through its academic partnership with Wilson Language, has been listed as one of the independent teacher training programs accredited by International Dyslexia Association (IDA).

University of Utah Reading Clinic received Global Learning Across Disciplines Grant (GLAD) for their literacy training work in Botswana.

Congratulations to Dr. Cathy Nelson on this prestigious award!

Marilynn Howard was one of the recipients of the University District Staff Excellence Awards!! Marilynn is now in the running for the University-wide Staff Excellence Award.

Celebrating eight years in partnership between the College of Education-Urban Institute for Teacher Education (COE-UITE) and the Salt Lake City School District (SLCSD) with Co-Directors, Monica Ferguson and Laura Scarpulla.

The College of Education was pleased to host the 2016 Utah Association of Behavior Analysis Conference on June 10.

U student Madelyn Stafford, who is visually impaired, has teamed up with Utah Museum of Fine Arts to make their website, museum tours, including their audio and braille, accessible to all.

Dr. Daniel Olympia will be retiring from the school psychology program faculty in Educational Psychology on June 30, 2016. Many sincere thanks for the service you have rendered to the College of Education as well as the University, community and professional organizations.

Dr. Nicole Suchey receives the Distinguished Alumnus and Dr. Bill Jenson receives the Jeanette Misaka Award. Congrats to both!

The College of Education at The University of Utah is pleased to announce that Dean María Fránquiz is the recipient of the 2016 American Educational Research Association (AERA)’s life-time career award

Congratulations to the Department of Special Education. They have been awarded a Leadership Training Grant from the U. S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs.

Special Education professors Jameson & McDonnell were awarded a USOE grant for the U of U Project to Alleviate Critical Educator Shortages in Severe Disabilities (ACES-SD).

Dr. Calderon, Assistant Professor in Education, Culture & Society, has a new publication in Anthropology & Education Quarterly.

The Ben Bruse Distinguished Service Award is given annually by the Utah Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) to an individual in the state that has had a substantial impact on service, research, or education for children with disabilities.

Dr. Aaron J. Fischer, Educational Psychology, just had his book "Computer-Assisted and Web-Based Innovations in Psychology, Special Education, and Health" published. It was co-edited with J.K.Luiselli.

Dr. Liang, Educational Psychology Associate Professor, has been given the prestigious honor of being named one of the 15 members of the 2017 Caldecott Medal Committee.

During the fellowship, Dr. Son, Educational Psychology Assistant Professor, will expand her work on improving at-risk low-income young children's reading and literacy.

Educational Psychology Professor Jan Dole has been inducted into this prestigious group. Congratulations, Jan!

Representatives of Google and national charity DonorsChoose.org announced funding for more than 50 projects for students with special needs in Salt Lake and Utah counties, totaling roughly $60,000 in donations.

Sharon is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy . She was nominated by both students and her staff for providing transformational experiences for students.

The U of Pittsburgh and the U of U Reading Clinic (UURC) have been awarded an Institute of Education Sciences (IES) grant. The project is titled “Returning to Our Roots: Development of a Morphology Intervention to Bolster Academic Vocabulary Knowledge"

Congratulations to Alayna, College of Education Administration Manager, selected as one of the six remarkable staff members on campus who goes beyond her job classification to improve the quality of the lives of students, staff and faculty.

Check out the news and valuable resources in our Fall 2015 newsletter!

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Lopez to the College of Education as the new chair of Educational Leadership & Policy. Dr. Lopez is hoping to work closely with local and state educators and policymakers on ways to improve education for students and parents in schools.

Drs. Sharlene Kiuhara (Special Education) and Aaron Fischer (Educational Psychology) were selected from a large pool of applicants across the country to attend the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) Summer Research Training Institute on Single-Case Intervention Research Design and Analysis

Dr. Fields collaborated with U IT and Apple to develop 2 unique educational apps that are now available.

The Presidential Scholar awards will recognize tenured faculty members who are established or emerging leaders with exceptionally strong scholarly recognition, significant promise for continued achievement, and established contributions to our educational mission.

This five year project will provide $1,244,230 to support the preparation of teachers who will work with students with sensory impairments (students who are Deaf and Hard of hearing, Visual Impairments and Deafblind).

This five year project will provide $1,226,399 to support preparation of doctoral level personnel to assume positions in higher education research and training institutions.

Markell McCubbin, a Department of Special Education alumma, was recently featured in a front page article in the Salt Lake Tribune. Markell works at the Pingree Center, a school focused on educating students with autism spectrum disorders.

Dr. Bergerson, Educational Leadership & Policy Associate Professor, received this award that the Graduate School established to honor and encourage the considerable efforts and accomplishments of faculty who consistently serve as effective mentors of graduate students and postdoctoral scholars,

Congratulations to Dr. Pierce, Education, Culture & Society assistant professor, on this prestigious award for his book Education in the Age of Biocapitalism.

Dr. Bill Jenson, Educational Psychology professor, has been honored with this award established to recognize innovations demonstrating impact beyond academia and improving lives in our society.

Two University of Utah education students take the challenge prompted by a recent study indicating we spend 8-10 hours a day on our cell phones.

Building Positive Behavior Support Systems in Schools: Functional Behavioral Assessment is co-authored by Leanne Hawken of Special Education with collaborative efforts by SPED faculty, students and USU professors.

Congratulations to Dr. AJ Metz, assistant professor in Educational Psychology, for outstanding contribution to teaching at the U of U.

Get REAL: Responsive Education for All Learners! Examining teacher education's role in preparing future teachers to use curriculum integration for all learners.

Four Latina professors will be up for tenure next year at the U, which is more historic than it first appears. Three are College of Education professors.

Jason L. Taylor, Ph.D., Assistant Professor in Educational Leadership & Policy, presented his recent paper at the opening session of the 2015 National Policy Summit on Reverse Transfer in Orlando, FL.

Jason L.Taylor, assistant professor in ELP, presents information and insights on the tradeoffs associated with President Obama's proposal for providing free Community College to eligible students.

Uncovering Settler Grammars in Curriculum. This piece represents a timely entry into the discussion around social studies curriculum, its role in U.S. society, and how it is oftentimes used to promote particular types of ideological projects.

Zac Imel, Associate Professor in Educational Psychology, received University Research Faculty Fellow Award for 2015-16

Erin's presentation examined the politics of doing higher education in prison and the limiting reach of reduced recidivism as a rationale for college-in-prison programming.

The Department of Special Education recently received approval from the national Behavior Analysis Certification Board (BACB) for a coursework sequence being offered by the departments of Special Education and Educational Psychology.

Dr. Karen A. Johnson’s new book African American Women Educators examines the lived experiences and work of African American women educators during the 1880’s to the 1960’s.

Dr. Cathy Nelson in the Department of Special Education, along with several colleagues at multiple institutions around the country, will be receiving funding for the National Leadership Consortium in Sensory Disabilities.

Dr. Deneece Huftalin has been selected by the Board of Regents as the eighth President of Salt Lake Community College. Dr. Huftalin received her Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree from the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy at the University of Utah in 2006.

Mr. Mohsen Ghaffari, a graduate of the College of Education’s Elementary Education program, was named Utah’s 2015 Teacher of the Year. He is a fifth-grade educator at North Star Elementary. Ghaffari will also attend the National State Teachers of the Year Conference in January and a meet and greet with President Barack Obama in April where the National Teacher of the Year will be named.

Octavio Villalpando and Dolores Delgado Bernal, professors in the Department of Education, Culture and Society, have led the U's equity and diversity efforts for more than 7 years.

College of Education's Secondary Licensure Program Graduate, Kyle Bracken, Honored with a 2014 Huntsman Excellence in Education Award

In Fall 2013, Dr. Enrique Alemán, Jr., and Dr. Dolores Delgado Bernal with the support of a $50,000 Utah System of Higher Education Expansion Grant merged and expanded two college-access partnerships, Adelante: A College Awareness and Preparatory Partnership and Mestizo Arts & Activism (MAA), to form the Westside Pathways Project.

Kudos to Kimberley Andersen's efforts at this year's Providence Hall Elementary IB Exhibition. The project gave students an opportunity to research a topic they are concerned about, create a plan of action and enact it in their community to make a difference.

Kelby Mcintyre-Martinez was asked to write a blog entry on behalf of Dean Raymond Tymas-Jones. Take a minute to read this insightful piece about Access and Community Based Arts Education.

Kelby McIntyre-Martinez, Director of Professional Development for the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program is awarded Outstanding Dance Teacher of the Year by UAHPERD.

Zac Imel, an Assistant Professor in the Counseling Psychology Program in the Educational Psychology Department, has received the American Psychological Association Division 29 Early Career Award.

Dr. Wanda Pillow in the Department of Education, Culture & Society, has received a Faculty Fellow Award, sponsored by the University Research Committee.

Two University of Utah faculty members - science educator Aloysius S. Church and chemist Henry S. White - are among seven winners of the 2013 Utah Governor's Medals for Science and Technology.

Dr. Sharlene Kiuhara in the Department of Special Education, has received a Funding Incentive Seed Grant for $33,000, sponsored by the University of Utah Research Foundation.

Kim Hackford-Peer has been recognized as Utah Alumna Regent by the Point Foundation, a national organization dedicated to empowering promising LGBTQ students to achieve their full academic and leadership potential.

Dixie Huefner, Department of Special Education Alumna, was among the University of Utah Emeritus Alumni Board's five exemplary alumni selected to receive its 2013 Merit of Honor Award.

Dr. Sharlene Kiuhara, faculty member in special education, is receiving the Early Career Publication Award from the Division for Research of the Council for Exceptional Children.

A Salt Lake County lawmaker wants to expand the University of Utah reading instruction program for grades K-3 to Ogden and Cedar City.

The new book by Clayton Pierce "Education in the Age of Biocapitalism" has received the American Educational Studies Association Critics Choice Book Award.

Dr. Zachery E. Imel in the Department of Educational Psychology, along with consortium Universities in California and Washington, has received a three-year $742K grant award from the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA).

Dr. Maria E. Franquiz, professor of education and assistant dean, University of Texas, Austin, joins the U in January 2014 as dean of the College of Education.

Dr. Misaka, U alumnus and Emeritus Clinical Professor in the U of U Dept. of Special Education, was announced as a recipient of the Japanese Foreign Minister's Commendation for 2013. The commendation aims to honor outstanding achievement by individuals and groups in furthering greater understanding and support for good relations with the Japanese people.

Beverley played a critical role in transforming the College through her philanthropy and vision. On behalf of the students, staff and faculty of the College of Education, we express our condolences to Beverley's family.

As a member of United Way of Salt Lake's Changing the Odds Campaign Steering Committee, Cecelia "Cece" Foxley, helped shape United Way of Salt Lake's new message, developing strategies to reach new donors, and providing leadership and guidance to staff.

Academic Analytics recently ranked the Department of Special Education in the COE 15th in the country with regard to faculty scholarly productivity. As Dr. Michael Hardman, interim senior vice president for Academic Affairs stated, "These rankings are indicative of the high quality and hard work of the U's dedicated faculty and represent their commitment to academic excellence."

The Ogden City School District honored University of Utah Reading Clinic (UURC) Director Kathleen Brown for 12 years of service to Ogden public school educators, struggling readers and English Language Learners.

Clifford J. Drew and David J. Sperry, both long-time faculty in the College of Education, were recently appointed to Emeritus status.

Dr. Paul Gore, Associate Professor of Educational Psychology and Director of Institutional Analysis has been named an American Council on Education (ACE) Fellow for academic year 2013-14.

Andrea Rorrer, Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy has been appointed Interim Chair of the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy for 2013-14. Andrea joined the faculty in 2002. Andrea will begin her term July 2, 2013.

A new book by Clayton Pierce explores biocapitalism, an economic model built on finding and creating new commodities from existing forms of life, fundamentally changing how we understand the boundaries between nature/culture and human/nonhuman.

Anne Cook, Associate Professor in Educational Psychology, has been appointed Department Chair of the Department of Educational Psychology. Anne has been at the U since 2002. Anne will begin her term July 1, 2013.

Congratulations to Dr. Zac Imel who has been selected to be the new Associate Editor of APA Division 29's journal, Psychotherapy.

Congratulations to the Ed Psych students who are attending and presenting at the International Meeting For Autism Research (IMFAR) conference in Donostia - San Sabastian in Spain from May 2-4, 2013

Professors Robert Zheng and Bob Hill (Department of Educational Psychology), along with Rand Rupper (School of Medicine), Marilyn Lupptak (College of Social Work), and Salt Lake County Aging Services have received a pilot grant award from the University of Utah's Center on Aging.

When U Alumnus Matt Nelson was hired as principal of Grant Elementary in mid-October, friends told him he might have skipped a step or two.

The Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Utah has received a five-year 1.2 million dollar personnel preparation grant award from the U.S. Department of Education to address the serious challenges that our schools face to meet the needs of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD's).

The UITE, along with local business, civic, and philanthropic organizations was recently recognized for its partnership with Horizonte Instruction and Training Center.

Janiece Pompa, Educational Psychology, is the recipient of the Outstanding Faculty Service Award.