Published: Dec. 29, 2017
2017 in review

As we look forward to 2018,Ìýlet’s look back at just a few of the milestones from the CU ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ School of Education’s 2017. Here are 10Ìýhighlights from 2017.

Two new undergraduate majors in elementary education and leadership & community engagement launched in AugustÌý

The School of Education welcomed 34 incoming first-year students enrolled in the school's two new undergraduate majors: the Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education and the Bachelor of Arts in Leadership and Community Engagement.Ìý

The new Elementary Education degreeÌýstands out among peer programs, because candidates will earn their degree in conjunction with theÌýCulturally and Linguistically Diverse education endorsement.ÌýThe innovative Leadership and Community Engagement degree supports students on their path to meaningful and sought-after careers in non-profit and community sectors, and the degree stands out as one of the only degree programs of its kind in Colorado and part of a small number of emerging community engagement degrees nationwide.Ìý

New Master's degrees and pathways launched in 2017,Ìýexpanding access to education programs

The Board of Regents approvedÌýnew professional Master's degree in higher education in February, and we welcomed the first cohort fall semester. TheÌýnew professional graduate degree programÌýis designed to prepare students to work in several areas, including higher education administration and student affairs.ÌýAn innovative collaborative effort between the School of Education andÌýdepartments acrossÌýcampus, the program offers a dynamic combination of academic knowledge and experiential education.

School of Education also introduced a newÌýmulticultural, social justice leadership pathway for first-year students beginning this fall.ÌýThe Multicultural Leadership Scholars programÌýoffers engaging courses, advising and co-curricular activities, andÌýscholarships as part of a supportive pathway toward the Leadership Studies Minor.

Finally, theÌýnew 4+1 Ethnic Studies and Education Concurrent BA/AM Degree ProgramÌýbegan admitting students in spring 2017.ÌýThe School of Education and Department of Ethnic Studies teamed up toÌýoffer thisÌýnew program that allows future teachers and community leaders to earn a bachelor’s degree in ethnic studies and a master’s degree in education in just five years.

New place-based initiative plants the seeds of sustainable partnerships in Colorado communities Ìý

From school assessment assistance for rural districts to co-designing an afterschool program in a diverse Denver neighborhood, four new projects seek to strengthen partnerships in key Colorado communities as the School of Education launchedÌýits place-based partnership initiative.

The aim is to make a sustained commitment in a few carefully selected locations so that we can have a greater impact on the educational opportunities inÌýthree Colorado communities: Lafayette; Near Northeast of Denver; and Northeast Colorado.ÌýAs Kathy Schultz continues her second year as Dean, she says this new initiative aims to develop long-lasting relationships across research interests and locate workÌýin a few geographic areas to foster greater collaboration and sustainability over time.Ìý

ÌýWatchingÌýthe historic solarÌýeclipse near and far

We started the school year like many K-12 classes, staring at the sun —Ìýsafely with glasses, of course —Ìýfor the historic 2017 solar eclipse. Several faculty, staff, and students traveled to totality zones, while many others enjoyed the partial eclipse from ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ. In addition, thousands of pairs of eclipse glasses were distributed to Denver-area K-12 schools through a team led by Professor Valerie Otero via funding from the National Science Foundation, the Noyce Streamline to Mastery grant, Google and a gift from Professor Emeritus Richard McCray.Ìý.Ìý

Education faculty receive a record number ofÌýCU ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ outreach awards

A record 13 projects led by School of Education researchers have been granted 2017-18 Outreach Awards to help support community engagement projects aimed at improving college readiness for students of color, faciltiating community dialogues around "opting out" of state assessments, starting a worker-owned co-op, and more.ÌýSelected by the CU ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ Outreach Committee, comprised of faculty and community members, outreach projects connect CU ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ faculty research, creative work, or teaching with external community partners and constituents.Ìý

Education scholarshipsÌýand student support continues to growÌý

With students, donors, speakers, and the dean each sharing their passion for education, the annual Scholarship Awards Ceremony united and honored more than 136 scholarship and fellowship recipients and supporters on Friday, Oct. 27.ÌýOur Scholarship Program has come a long way since its inception in 1993 when five scholarships totaling $2,500 were awarded to five students. This year, 136 scholarships and fellowships totaled $545,711 in support, and the ceremony celebrated student accomplishments and recognized the generosity of supporters. In addition, severalÌýinnovativeÌýnew scholarshipsÌýcame together this year to support students, including the new Scholarship for Opportunities, Nilon Scholarship, and Tuskegee Airmen Scholarship.

&²µ³Ù;ÌýSupport scholarships for students.Ìý

Education deans nationwideÌýunite toÌýrelease Declaration of Principles to improve public education

Co-led by our Dean Kathy Schultz and Kevin Kumashiro, from the University of San Francisco, a coalition of education deans nationwide released a Declaration of Principles calling on federal leaders to do more to improve public education and advance democratic values in U.S. public schools.ÌýMore than 200 current and former deans of colleges and schools of education nationwide endorsed theÌýstatement outliningÌýfour principles.

Inaugural Robert L. Linn Memorial Lecture Award announced at AERA in April and conferred at CU ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵÌýin September

Professor Jonathan Templin wasÌýselected for the inaugural Robert L. Linn Memorial Lecture Award, which was announced in April at the American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting in San Antonio and the award was conferred and inaugral lecture delivered on the CU ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ campusÌýin September.ÌýThe award was named in honor of "Bob" Linn who was an inspirational leader in the field of measurement and policy and professor at the CUÌýºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ and the University of California, Los Angeles for more than 40 years. The lecture will be heldÌýalternately at CU ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ and UCLA, and the lecture awardÌýwas created by Linn’s wife Joyce Linn to honor early or midcareer scholars who exemplify insightful and interdisciplinary contributions to educational measurement and policy.

Several faculty honored with topÌýnational and university awards

Michele Moses,Ìýprofessor of educational foundations, policy and practice,Ìýwas awarded the Hazel Barnes Prize, CU ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ's most distinguished faculty award.ÌýShe is also the first education faculty member to receive the award, which is awarded annually to a CU ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ faculty member who best exemplifies the enriching interrelationship between teaching and research, and whose work has had a significant impact on students, faculty, colleagues and the university.ÌýThe medal wasÌýpresented at the spring commencement, andÌýMosesÌýwas recognized at a reception in February.Ìý

Kevin Welner, professor of educational foundations, policy and practiceÌýand director of the National Education Policy Center, was been awarded the 2017 American Educational Research Association (AERA) Outstanding Public Communication of Education Research Award. This is only the second year this national honor has been awarded, and the award recognizes a scholar who has excelled in conveying important findings and research to wide audiences and who has demonstrated the capacity to deepen understanding and appreciation of the value of education research in the public sphere.

Ben Kirshner, associate professor of Learning Sciences and HumanÌýDevelopment and faculty director of CU Engage,Ìýreceived the 2016-17 Chase Faculty Community Service Award.ÌýThe Chase Faculty Community Service Award is presented annually to a University of Colorado system-wide faculty member who provides exceptional service to the community. An advisory council recommends an award-winner to CU President Bruce D. Benson, who bestows the honor, which includes a $10,000 grant sponsored by an endowment from JPMorgan Chase through the CU Foundation.Ìý

Allison Atteberry, assistant professor ofÌýresearch and evaluation methodology, was selected for prestigious National Academy of Education/Spencer Fellowship.ÌýDrawing from a unique combination of datasets,ÌýAtteberry will explore the effects of changes in teacher evaluation policies with support from the fellowship.ÌýOnly 30 early career scholars working in critical areas of education research nationwide wereÌýselected out of roughly 300 applicants for the competitive NAEd/Spencer fellowship program. The fellowsÌýreceive $70,000 for a period of up to two years to support research proposals that make significant scholarly contributions to the field of education.

Honoring our graduates: FiveÌýstudents earned outstanding graduate honors and offered advice for students

In this Outstanding GraduateÌýseries, we meet five honored 2017Ìýgraduates, how they found education, and what advice they offer current students.ÌýMeet Gabriella Martinez, outstanding humanities education graduate;ÌýJess Waggoner,Ìýoutstanding elementary education graduate;ÌýDiana Rapp, outstanding CU Teach graduate,ÌýAmber Gonzales Cortes, outstanding MA graduate; and Adriana Alvarez,Ìýoutstanding PhD graduate and the focus of a DenverÌýChannel featureÌýsegment.

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