Throughout the academic year, the Neag School is proud to share the latest achievements of its faculty, staff, students, and alumni.

Explore their most recent promotions, awards, retirements, publications, and more:

• Dean’s Office
• Department of Curriculum and Instruction and Office of Teacher Education
• Department of Educational Leadership
• Department of Educational Psychology
• Faculty/Staff
• Students
• Alumni
• In Memoriam

Dean’s Office

The Neag School and its Alumni Board celebrated the 2025 Alumni Awards winners earlier this month. Read about the event and the honorees on UConn Today.

The Rogers Educational Innovation Fund award committee selected Giselle Ziegler ’22 6^th Year, a music teacher at the Odyssey Community School in Manchester, Connecticut, as this year’s recipient. She was formally recognized during the 2025 Alumni Awards Celebration on March 15. Read about Ziegler and her project.

UConn’s Neag School, Department of English, and Connecticut Writing Project, co-sponsors of the 32nd annual Letters About Literature contest, recognized Connecticut’s winners for the 2024-25 academic year. Read about the contest and this year’s winners on UConn Today.

Julia Oas, a Neag School doctoral candidate in the Department of Educational Psychology, prepared a rapid research brief with the Neag School’s Center for Education Policy Analysis, Research, and Evaluation (CEPARE). This research brief examined public school staffing trends in Connecticut. Learn more in an executive summary.

On March 5, several Connecticut educational leadership groups, including Neag School’s Center for Education Policy Analysis, Research, and Evaluation (CEPARE) co-hosted the statewide premiere of the documentary film “Counted Out” to support dialogue about Connecticut’s Equity in Mathematics Education joint position statement, which was unanimously endorsed by the Connecticut State Board of Education in 2023. Read more about the event.

Department of Curriculum Instruction (EDCI) and Office of Teacher Education

Earlier this month, UConn Stamford and the Neag School of Education’s Teacher Certification Program for College Graduates hosted a special event for the Sueños Scholars Program, which prepares underrepresented students for careers as educators. The event included a panel featuring student leaders from the current Sueños Scholars cohort and La Comunidad Intelectual, who shared their insights on racial literacy in education. The event concluded with an inspirational talk by Dr. Yolanda Sealey-Ruiz, professor of English education at Columbia University’s Teachers College.

This month, the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators in Connecticut’s (AMTEC) Preservice Teacher Conference was held at Manchester High School. Neag School math education and elementary education students were in attendance, and alumna Bella Llano ’23 (ED), ’24 MA was on the First-Year Teacher Panel. Alumna Elizabeth (EB) Canavan ’21 (ED), ’22 MA was among the presenters, sharing a session on establishing a positive classroom environment. Other presenters included Noyce Math Teacher Leader Fellows Ilisse Gomez and Kwastina Jackson. View photos from the event.

Department of Educational Leadership (EDLR)

The Sport Management program participated in Connecticut Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz’s press conference in Canton, Connecticut, last month to celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day. The Neag School continued the celebration online with a social media campaign featuring alumni who offered their take on why the day is important. View photos from the social media campaign here and here.

The Sport Management program hosted a coffee hour at the Toscano Family Ice Forum, bringing together faculty, graduate students, alumni, and friends of the program. The morning offered the chance to invest in long-lasting partnerships and cross-campus collaboration. Special thanks to UConn Athletics for allowing the program to use the Toscano Family Ice Forum for the event. View photos from the event.

The Sport Management program hosted its ninth annual Sport Business Conference in Lawrence D. McHugh Hall at UConn Storrs in February. During the student-organized program, UConn students had the chance to connect with sports business professionals nationwide. Check out photos from the event and read more about the conference.

Department of Educational Psychology (EPSY)

The Gifted Education program hosted “Mind Wandering and Creativity: Postcards from Chile” with David D. Preiss from Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile at UConn Storrs in March.

Renzulli Learning’s training program, “Enrichment for All Students,” was selected by global peers and ranked as the No. 8 Best Program in the World for Education 2025 by Global Gurus.

Jessica Koslouski and Sandra Chafouleas, along with others, co-authored a study, “Measures of Emotional Well-Bring For Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities: A Scoping Review of Reviews,” for the March issue of Research in Developmental Disabilities. Read more in this UConn Today article.

Faculty/Staff

Todd Campbell co-authored an article, “Supporting a State in Developing a Working Theory of Improvement for Promoting Equity in Science Education,” for the January issue of Frontiers in Education.

Chen Chen is mentioned in a UConn Today article about a UConn Graduate School partnership Network for Enriched Mentorship (NEM). Chen is serving as the program’s first two faculty affiliates for inclusive excellence.

Alyssa Dunn was selected to be part of a grant project with collaborators from Vietnam National University (VNU) titled “Developing a Professional Development Model of Social-Emotional Learning Competence for University Teachers in Undergraduate Training Programs.” As part of the grant, Dunn will serve as an expert scholar in residence for two weeks during summer 2026.

Alexandra Freidus co-authored a chapter, High Stakes Schooling: Risk, Protection, and the Education of Disabled Children in a Pandemic, in the book “How to Be Disabled in a Pandemic” (NYU Press, 2025). 

Preston Green co-authored an article, “What Is a Charter School, Really? Supreme Court Ruling on Whether Catholic Charter is Constitutional Will Hinge on Whether They’re Public or Private,” for The Conversation. Read more in the UConn Today article. Green is also featured in another UConn Today article about his Drake law review article, “All Aboard!: Making Charter School Boards All-Purpose State Actors Under the Supreme Court’s Amtrak Case,” and was a co-presenter for a virtual panel on “Law, Rights, & Religion Project’s Black Religious Liberty Curriculum” for Columbia Law School in January.

Liz Howard delivered the keynote presentation at the La Jordana conference in Los Angeles, California, in February.

Risa Isard was interviewed by Tucker Center Talks on “Amplifying Marginalized Voices Through Data-Driven Research” about her research on media bias in the WNBA. She was also interviewed by Detroit Public Radio about “The Metro: The Rise of Women’s Sports and the WNBA’s Potential Return to Detroit.”

James Kaufman’s book “The Creativity Advantage” discusses three key benefits of creativity, which are summarized in Psychology Today. Kaufman co-authored a study, “What Could Go Wrong? Anxiety Fuels, But Optimism Buffers Negative Counterfactual Divergent Thinking,” for the January issue of the Journal of Creative Behavior which was featured in PsyPost. Kaufman also co-authored “The Products of the Process: Toward Exploring and Expanding the Benefits of Being Creative” for the February issue of The Journal of Creative Behavior, authored an article “Dancing on an Empty Shore: Symbolic Immortality, Meaning, and Being Creative as Doomsday Approaches” for the February issue of Learning and Individual Differences, and co-authored an article “What Could Go Wrong? Anxiety Fuels, But Optimism Buffers Negative Counterfactual Divergent Thinking” for the January issue of The Journal of Creative Behavior.

Kathleen Lynch was elected program chair and chair-elect of the AERA Classroom Observation Special Interest Group. The two-year term will provide the opportunity for Lynch to enhance AERA’s commitment to improving and advancing education research. She also authored “The Application of Behavioral Economics to Teacher Professional Development” for the December issue of AERA’s Educational Researcher.

Del Siegle participated in two virtual panels: “Shifting Through the Essentials of Gifted Education for Talent Development: Separating the Wheat From the Chaff” for the Dutch National Knowledge Center for Gifted Education, and Exploring the Three-Legged Gifted Education Approach of Advanced Content, Depth and Complexity, and Interest-Based Learning” for the Alabama Association for Gifted Children, both in February. Read about the second panel in this article. 

Saran Stewart co-authored, “Cis-Gendered Experiences in Higher Education: a Photovoice Exploration of Adult Learners in Jamaica,” for the February issue of Cambridge Journal of Education. She was also the invited keynote speaker on “Multi-Method Research” for the Association for Graduate Research at the University of West Indies, which was held virtually in January.

Jennie Weiner hosted a workshop in February on “The Paradox of Care Work—How Invisible Labor Moves Schools Forward While Holding Women Back” for the National Association for Independent Schools. Weiner was awarded a $75,000 district partnership grant with East Hartford Public Schools through the Center for Connecticut Education Research Collaboration and is now a member of the executive committee of the University Council of Educational Administration (UCEA).

Students 

Two Sport Management students, Brooke Campell ’27 (ED) and Meghane Duchesne-Chalifoux ’27 (ED), are members of the UConn women’s ice hockey team, which clinched regular-season Big East Conference Champion status.  

Violet Andrews ’27 (ED), an Earth sciences education major, is mentioned in a UConn Today article about ten UConn students traveling to Taiwan during the winter for a three-week Earth science field course.

Kaitlyn Chen ’25 MS, a graduate student in Sport Management, was recognized during half-time at the UConn women’s basketball team’s annual Senior Recognition Ceremony.

Julie Gehring ’26 Ph.D., a graduate student in the adult learning program, was mentioned in UConn Today about a UConn Alumni mentorship program.

Alumni

Meg (Noble) Clifton ’04 (CLAS), ’05 MA, of Hebron, Connecticut, was named UConn’s Early College Experience Rookie of the Year for first-year instructors. Clifton has been teaching English at RHAM High School for 19 years after completing UConn’s Teacher Certification for College Graduates program.

Christin N. Collins ’90 (ED) has been named to the global steering committee for the Summit on Meaning, Purpose, and Spirituality (MPS) and Their Impact on Health. Collins is a wellness advocate and co-founder of the Root Cause Healing Movement.

Wilma Bor Davidson ’65 (ED), of Longboat Key, Florida, has written her seventh book, “Super Cat! Splat! Splat!” It teaches children that we can make happiness for ourselves, even though bad things may happen to us along life’s path. Recently retired as a professor of practice at the University of South Florida, Davidson continues to run her business consulting practice and has fun writing.

Isabella Ivy Horan ’19 (ED), ’20 MA, a first-grade teacher in East Hartford, Connecticut, honored as an Alma Exley scholar in 2019, organized a schoolwide “Literacy Night” in February to excite students about reading. Read more in this Alma Exley story.

Morgan O’Mally ’04 Cert. was honored as EASTCONN’s Iva Dean Cook Educator of the Year. She was presented this award at the Council for Exceptional Children’s Division on Career Development and Transition’s conference in January. O’Mally also works closely with the Neag School’s IB/M program, hosting a master’s internship for special education cohort students.

Meghan O’Neil ’23 (ED), who is graduating from UConn’s Exercise Prescription master’s program this spring, is mentioned in a UConn Today article about the program.

Jim Penders ’94 (CLAS), ’98 MA, the head coach of UConn’s baseball team, was featured by UConn 360.

Samantha Wiegel ’12 (SFA), ’12 (ED) received the prestigious Kellogg Award, recognizing Rectory Schoolemployees for their dedication and commitment to the school through their many years of service and special assistance to the school and students. Wiegel has been at Rectory School in Pomfret, Connecticut, since 2012 as director of instrumental music and private lesson coordinator and has served as a coach for many sports, most notably volleyball and fencing.

Scott Wojnarowicz ’98 (ED), ’99 MA is a co-founder and assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction at Capital Preparatory Schools, a charter school district that serves Connecticut and New York City.

Mhret Wondmagegne ’23 (ED), ’24 MA was recognized as the Outstanding New Teacher for Columbia Elementary in Falls Church, Virginia.

Elizabeth Zagata ’24 Ph.D. was selected as a runner-up for the 2025 Graduate Student Award for Literacy Research Excellence by AERA SIG: Research and Literacy.

Daniel Zittoun ’97 (ED), ’98 MA was part of a half-time celebration during a UConn women’s basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut, in February with his family in honor of his daughter Abby, who met the team through the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center as part of her cancer treatment. The connection grew stronger, and she attended games and practices until her passing in October 2024. Learn more in this CT Insider article.

In Memoriam

Helen B. Ajay ’73
Claudia K. Bissett ’75
David J. Brunsell ’75
Ann P. Chase ’85
Merrill S. Cook ’65
Richard A. Cormier ’77
Arlene A. Dempsey ’85
Betty Forcash  ’54
Casey J. Handfield ’01
Emily M. Johl ’53
Elizabeth M. Koenig ’59
Beverly A. Kovacs ’61
Wei-Tsun Lee ’89
Robert W. Mellette ’70
Kathy Nelson ’72
Sandra C. Phair ’71
Igor I. Serebriakov ’95
Willard J. Skehan ’75
Richard Sturgeon ’71
Allan D. Walker ’61
Jim F. Ward ’08
Thomas “Tim” Weinland (former dept. chair and faculty member)
Raymond L. Wilson Jr. ’57