As the College of Education celebrated its inaugural year as a stand-alone college within the University, Dean Danielle Dennis organized a year-long celebration of monthly events to highlight the important work of leaders across the educational spectrum, showcasing the college’s connection to national issues and trends in education that present the college as a frontrunner in teacher preparation.
The celebration kicked off with Education Day at the Rhody Rams football game against Stony Brook in September. Jay Midwood, Chief of Human Capital at Central Falls School District, was honored with the College’s inaugural Spirit of Partnership award for his support of the College’s educator preparation programs.
Dorian L. McCoy, director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences, was October’s distinguished speaker, sharing experiences of people of color in higher education, examining how historically underrepresented students, faculty and administrators are socialized in academia.
“Dialogue is always best,” he said as he began his presentation, “but some people are not comfortable talking about these topics.” In his lectures, McCoy engages across differences in the socio-political climate to avoid a “scorched earth, burn down the house” approach, and encourages courageous leadership that identifies common ground and works across differences.
In November, Dr. Kayon Murray-Johnson, associate professor of adult education, moderated a panel on Equity & Justice in Teaching and Research Panel, where experts shared their experiences on infusing equity and justice into teaching and research, and discussed successes, challenges, and advice for advancing JEDI (justice, equity, diversity, inclusion) in faculty work.
Panelists included Tashal Brown, assistant professor of urban education and social studies; Lazaro Camacho Jr., assistant professor of College Student Personnel program; Emily Clapham, associate professor of health and physical education; Sara Sweetman, associate professor of elementary and environmental education; and Associate Dean Annemarie Vaccaro.
The panelists were asked what inspired them to inject JEDI into their work and teaching. Responses were both personal and professional experiences. Sweetman spoke of the invisibility of females in STEM subjects and remains committed to changing that in the K-12 sciences. Brown said that her experiences as a woman of color and feelings of not being seen or heard, has underlined her work with Black girls, and provides input to curriculums geared to them. Camacho said that his work with JEDI provides an opportunity to illustrate masculinity from the Latino male perspective. Clapham’s use of surf therapy offers opportunities to individuals with special needs. And Vaccaro’s work entails examining how various marginalized student populations can succeed in a higher education environment.
Their advice to educators for successfully infusing justice and equity into their teaching and research was to, 1) stay alert and active – monitor laws and policies that can promote change; 2) approach this work with love and passion; 3) understand that this work takes time and patience.
December showed the College’s giving spirit with donations to the Rhody Outpost Food Pantry that provides critical support for URI students throughout the year, followed by January’s promotion of J-Term offerings of accelerated courses to help students complete their curriculum requirements.
Distinguished alum Wilson Kwamogi Okello, MS ’12, assistant professor of higher education in the Department of Education Policy Studies and director of the Black Study in Education Lab at Pennsylvania State University, headlined February’s event with a discussion on Intellectual Refusal and the Pursuit of Liberatory Praxis. Okello is also an artist and interdisciplinary scholar who draws on Black critical theories to advance research on student/early adult development theory. He also studies how Black critical theories might reconfigure understandings of racialized stress and trauma, qualitative inquiry, critical masculinities, and curriculum and pedagogy.
April events celebrated extraordinary educators from across the state, including the 2024 Rhode Island Teacher of the Year, Aimee Couto ’96, and a medallion induction ceremony honoring new educators into the teaching profession.
To close out the academic year in May, the College celebrated Teacher Appreciation Week, May 6-10, with a special video message to all educators from Dean Danielle Dennis.