COE News
- Tuesday, November 7 -
Dozens Receive Commemorative Pin To Mark Entrance Into Teaching Program
Fifty UofM undergraduates within the College of Education (COE) took a key step in their academic journey Tuesday night, entering the college’s Teacher Education Program (TEP). To mark this occasion, Dr. Nichelle Robinson, COE’s Director of Teacher Education and Clinical Practice, and her staff host a pinning ceremony.
Read more and celebrate our students' achievements- Friday, October 27 -
Uofm College Of Education Launches First Ever Leadership Academy
The University of Memphis’s College of Education launched its inaugural leadership academy. The academy is a first of its kind among all UofM colleges, according to COE Dean Dr. Kandi Hill-Clarke
Learn more about the Leadership Academy- Friday, October 27 -
Uofm College Of Education Approved For Cadrei Membership
For the first time in its history, University of Memphis’s College of Education (COE) is now a member of the Council of Academic Deans from Research Educations Institutions (CADREI).
Read about the COE and Cadrei- October 25, 2023 -
COE’s Schiro-Geist Receives National Award
Dr. Chrisann Schiro-Geist, Director of the University of Memphis Institute on Disability
(UMID) recently received the Inclusive Higher Education (IHE) Leadership Award at
the annual State of the Art (SOTA) Conference.
COE Faculty and Student News
U of M Hosts Inaugural STEA Regional Conference
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis hosted the first-ever Western Regional Conference for the Student Tennessee Education Association (STEA) on Friday. STEA is a group of Tennessee education students, mostly in their Junior and Senior years, and reservice teachers who meet to discuss current events and issues in the world of education, issues that may not yet be taught in their curriculum.
“Events like this serve several purposes,” said Dr. Tammy Combs, an Asst. Professor of Teaching Urban Education at UofM’s College of Education. “It’s a great networking opportunity for students to see other perspectives. This is a great opportunity to help students understand these difference topics that are going to impact their future practice as teachers.”
Among the topics, according to Dr. Combs, will be trauma-informed teaching, or teaching
students who have experienced some kind of trauma, and AI in the classroom. UofM COE
had two presenters at Friday’s conference: Dr. Keishana Barnes from COE’s Department
of Instruction and Curriculum Leadership (ICL) and Dr. Sharon Griffin with the Department
of Leadership, who gave the keynote address.
“We are honored to have our College of Education here at the University of Memphis serve as co-host for the Western STEA fall conference,” said COE Dean Dr. Kandi Hill-Clarke. “Members of our faculty and staff assisted with conference planning and presented sessions. Today’s conference was filled with engaging conversations, new learning and collaboration among West TN colleges and schools of education.”
For years, STEA held a statewide conference, but the organization felt regional conferences would be more intimate and impactful. UofM was placed in the Western Region and was asked to host the first conference, hosting ten other colleges and universities. The other college and universities are LeMoyne Owen, Christian Brothers, Southwest Tennessee CC, Dyersburg State CC, Union University, Freed-Hardeman University, Jackson State CC, Lane College, and UT Martin.
Currently, UofM has twenty-nine members in its STEA chapter. Interested students can learn more about applying to become a member at www.memphis.edu/education/students/stea.php.
CEPR Graduate Students Receive NBCC Minority Fellowship
Two CEPR graduate students in the Clinical Mental Health program, Masters’ student
Brennan Steele (left) and Doctoral student Tera Warfield (right) were awarded the
Minority Fellowship for Mental Health Counselors from the National Board for Certified
Counselors (NBCC). The scholarship includes a stipend as well as travel expenses and
opportunities for training and mentorship.
The federally funded Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) administered by NBCC has helped increase diversity throughout the counseling profession since 2012. According to the NBCC Foundation website, the fellowship program “helps ensure that the behavioral health needs of all Americans are met, regardless of language or culture, thereby reducing health disparities and improving overall community health and well-being.” Overall, more than 400 doctoral- and master’s-level students have received scholarships through this program. These students go on to practice counseling in underserved areas, educate and lecture on topics of interest, and research and develop exciting new counseling initiatives.
Brennan says of the opportunity, "It is an honor to be named an NBCC Minority Fellow, as I believe that it will further expand my capacity, alongside my coursework in the CMHC program, to provide the best mental health treatment and services for underserved communities in our local community and beyond."
Tera says, “"I am so honored to be chosen for this fellowship. This opportunity will provide additional tools, skills and connections to further serve minority populations, which is my life's work."
Congratulations, Brennan and Tera, on this accomplishment!
Dean Hill-Clarke and Vanessa Cortez, COE Student, Honored at Office of Multicultural Affairs Event
In February, Dr. Kandi Hill-Clarke, dean of the College of Education, received the Freedom Award from the Office of Multicultural Affairs & the UofM chapter of NAACP. At the organization's Mahogany Ball, she was honored as an influential leader in the Memphis community for her service to education.
Dr. Steve Zanskas, associate dean, says, "We are so proud of Dean Hill-Clarke's recognition as an influential leader for service in the area of Education by The UofM's Office of Multicultural Affairs Chapter of the NAACP Freedom Award. Our College has long recognized Dean Hill-Clarke's leadership, inspiring our College's commitment to educational diversity, equity, and inclusion. Leadership matters, and we look forward to continuing our community's journey with her leadership."
COE undergraduate student Vanessa Cortez was also recognized at the ceremony for her work with A Seat At the Table >, an organization with the goal of empowering women students by providing mentorship opportunities, financial literacy lessons and career readiness skills. Vanessa is a sophomore River City Partnership student, Teaching All Learners major & President of A Seat at the Table.
We are so proud of Dean Hill-Clarke and Vanessa for their contributions to the College of Education and the UofM!
The College of Education Partners with TN Department of Education for Grow Your Own Program
The University of Memphis College of Education has partnered with the Tennessee Department of Education through Tennessee’s Grow Your Own (GYO) initiative—immediately expanding opportunity to train future teachers and strengthening the teacher pipeline in Tennessee. UofM joins 8 other recently approved Educator Preparation Programs across Tennessee that will partner with local districts to help create a simple pathway for students who are interested in teaching to receive the training and credentials needed to serve in local classrooms. Tennessee Teacher Apprenticeships are a sustainable recruitment strategy to address both short- and long-term needs by addressing localized district staffing challenges.
"The GYO Program will positively impact the apprentices who participate as well as our district partners,” says Dr. Nichelle Robinson, Director of the Office of Teacher Education and Clinical Practice, “Each cohort of apprentices will build bonds with each other and our UofM College of Education faculty as they receive the supports needed to become teachers who will positively impact student learning. We will see the teacher pipeline grow over time as apprentices return to their community as highly effective classroom teachers familiar with their districts and the students those districts serve."
In addition to the partnership, The UofM College of Education has been approved for subgrant funding from the Tennessee Grow Your Own Center to support teacher apprentices who will begin program coursework in Summer 2023. These funds will go to support apprentice tuition, fees, Praxis costs and mentor stipends – providing students in the program with a truly no-cost educational experience.
“We are excited to have our College of Education approved as one of the state’s Grow Your Own teacher apprenticeship providers”, said Dr. Kandi Hill-Clarke, dean of the College of Education. “This collaborative effort will allow school districts and educator preparation programs to enhance teacher pipeline efforts as we work to prepare classroom and student ready teachers.”
Dr. Bettencourt, LEAD, receives Emerging Scholars Award
Dr. Genia Bettencourt, Assistant Professor of Higher & Adult Education in the Department of Leadership, received the 2023 Emerging Scholar Award from the American College Personnel Association (ACPA). Dr. Bettencourt receives this award as completion of her two year term as an ACPA Emerging Scholar. The ACPA Emerging Scholars Program supports, encourages and honors early-career individuals who are emerging as contributors to student affairs and higher education scholarship and who are pursuing research initiatives congruent with the mission, interests and strategic goals of ACPA.
Dr. Platt, Chair of the Department of Leadership, says, “Dr. Bettencourt is a valued member of the Department of Leadership community. As a scholar, she not only contributes to the academic field of student affairs, but she also works diligently to ensure our graduate students have a quality programmatic experience as both practitioners and future scholars.”
Dr. Bettencourt will be honored at the ACPA Conference in March.
Dr. Batastini, CEPR, receives Early Career Teaching and Mentoring Award
Congratulations to Dr. Ashley Batastini, CEPR, on receiving the 2023 Early Career
Teaching and Mentoring Award from the Teaching, Training and Careers Committee of
the American Psychology-Law Society. This reward reflects Dr. Batastini's impressive
contributions to education, training and mentorship in the field of psychology and
law.
Dr. Rosie Phillips Davis, Professor in CEPR, says of Dr. Batastini, " Ashley is a
hardworking contributor to our University and to our profession. She is working hard
to engage with members of the Memphis community and is just the kind of professor
we need."
Batastini says of the Early Career Teaching and Mentoring Award, "I was fortunate to have incredible mentors at every stage of my academic career, beginning as a first-generation undergraduate. By seeing more talent in me than I saw in myself, they proved how impactful a true advocate can be. Attempting to pay forward what was given to me is a main reason I chose this career path. This award is especially meaningful because it suggests I’m making some progress toward that aim. I also thank my students for trusting me and giving me opportunities to work with and support them."
Batastini will be honored at the 2023 American Psychology-Law Society Conference in Philadelphia next month.