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 celebrated the Class of 2025 on May 11 and May 12 at UConn Storrs. Read more about the Undergraduate Ceremony — and check out a video featuring a special performance by music education majors, a video from Senior Send Off about seniors’ favorite memories, and a Husky Pride video shown during Undergraduate Commencement. Plus, enjoy a sights and sounds video along with photos from the Undergraduate procession and Commencement ceremony, featuring Jonathan XV, and the receptions for Neag School master’s/6th year students, and as well as doctoral students. View featured grad profiles on UConn Today.
U.S. News & World Report issued its 2025 rankings of the nation’s best graduate schools of education, with the Neag School ranking among the top 30 public graduate schools of education for the 10th consecutive year. In addition, three Neag School graduate programs were also ranked: the Special Education program stands among the top 20 in the U.S., tied at No. 18; Educational Administration programs tied at 28; and Curriculum and Instruction programs tied at No. 34.
The Neag School of Education honored several faculty, staff, and students at the May Neag School meeting with its annual awards recognizing research, teaching, and service. The Neag School’s Dean’s Office solicited nominations in March from current students, faculty, and staff. The 2025 award recipients are:
- Perry A. Zirkel Distinguished Teaching Award – Adam McCready
- Distinguished Researcher Award – Sandra Chafouleas
- Outstanding Early-Career Scholar Award – Zachary Collier
- Valerie J. Pichette Outstanding Staff Award – Diane Herlihy and Christine North
During the meeting, the Neag School also celebrated years of service milestones for the following individuals:
25 Years of Service:
Doug Kaufman
Kimberly Shirshac
20 Years of Service:
Laura Burton
Catherine Little
John Settlage
Dan Stolzenberg
Ann Traynor
10 Years of Service:
Dominique Battle-Lawson
Cara Bernard
Nicholas Gelbar
Elizabeth Moussette
5 Years of Service:
Diane Herlihy
Stephanie Huntington
Adam McCready
Anna Roberts
Two Neag School faculty members are retiring this spring: Suzanne Wilson, who has been at the Neag School since 2013, and James O’Neil, who has been at UConn for over 40 years. View albums of photos from Wilson’s retirement celebration and O’Neil’s retirement celebration.
UConn’s Office of the Provost announced the promotion and tenure of faculty across its campuses. Neag School faculty who were recognized include:
- Promotion to Professor:
Liz Howard, Curriculum and Instruction
Jennifer Freeman, Educational Psychology - Promotion to Associate Professor and Tenure:
Alexandra Freidus, Educational Leadership - Promotion to Professor In-Residence:
Richard Gonzales, Educational Leadership - Promotion to Associate Professor In-Residence:
Susannah Everett, Educational Psychology
Adam McCready, Educational Leadership - Promotion to Associate Clinical Professor:
Tracy Sinclair, Educational Psychology
In April, Neag School faculty, students, and alumni attended the annual American Educational Research Association (AERA) Conference in Denver. View a list of presentations from the AERA Conference. Two Neag School of Education professors, an alumnus, and a student received prestigious awards at AERA. Bob Pianta ’77 (ED), ’78 MA, is the 2025 recipient of the Distinguished Contributions to Research in Education Award, Franklin Tuitt earned the W. J. McKeachie Career Achievement Award, Michael Coyne is the Notable Vocabulary Researcher Award winner, and Taylor Strickland has been named an Outstanding Graduate Student. Read about their recognition. Alexandra Freidus and Suzanne Wilson were also recognized as Outstanding Reviewers at AERA. Read about their recognition.
Thanks to about 550 individuals, the Neag School garnered over $27,000 in contributions during UConn Gives 2025, along with $15,000 in challenges and matching gifts. The annual University-wide fundraising event raised about $5.4 million overall for UConn, with incoming donations to support everything from scholarships and academic programs to student groups and athletics. The Neag School promoted its different education-affiliated funds during this year’s event, held in April. Out of the 42 Neag School funds, the top three finishers in number of donations were: UConn Husky Nutrition & Sport, Dr. Sue Saunders Higher Education & Student Affairs (HESA) Professional Development Fund, and the Neag School Dean’s Fund.
Instructors across Connecticut, certified to teach Neag School’s EDLR 2001: Contemporary Social Issues in Sports, gathered for an annual Early College Experience (ECE) Instructors workshop last month. The workshop, hosted by Danielle DeRosa, welcomed Eric Schneider from UConn Athletics, who shared his expertise about the ever-evolving landscape of college athletics. Read more about the visit.
The Neag School hosted a recognition ceremony for the Connecticut Letters About Literature contest winners at the State Capitol in Hartford in April. Co-sponsored by the Neag School, UConn’s Department of English, and the Connecticut Writing Project, the 32nd annual Letters About Literature winners for the 2024-25 academic year were announced last month. The three top prize winners, one from each category, were invited to read their letters at the ceremony. State Sens. Derek Slap and Matt Lesser gave remarks during the event and provided citations to the winners. View photos from the event.
The Neag School was a table sponsor for the 8th Annual Gala for the Connecticut Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (CALAS). Alumnus Orlando Valentin Jr. ’15 (ED), ’16 MA, ’21 6th Year was among six Latino educational leaders recognized at the event.
Department of Curriculum Instruction (EDCI) and Office of Teacher Education
Fifth-year music education students in Joseph Abramo’s Popular Music course performed at Hops 44 in Mansfield, Connecticut, in May. The faculty band, the Vygotskys, featuring the Notorious ZPD, opened for the students. View photos from the event.
The Neag School hosted a music education alumni reception before the Connecticut Music Educators Association (CMEA) Conference in April. The reception at UConn Hartford reunited alumni and friends attending the conference. View photos from the event.
The Neag School math education juniors shared their innovative work with school-based partners, faculty, and special guests during two inspiring sessions at UConn Storrs in April. Special thanks to Mary Lee Geary – longtime program supporter and retired Mansfield teacher – for mentoring the students, who were also deeply grateful to the math coaches and classroom teachers who went above and beyond in partnering with the students for their research studies. Check out photos from the celebration.
Leadership in Diversity (LID) held its annual conference at UConn Storrs in April. The LID conference provides a space for dialogue and discussion among educators across Connecticut. Founded in 2014 by two Neag School students, LID aims to equip aspiring educators with the necessary tools, networks, and knowledge to become competitive, well-rounded, and culturally responsive professionals. Read more about the conference.
The Office of Teacher Education welcomed participants from 77 school districts across the state for the annual Education Career Fair at UConn Storrs in late March. In addition to connecting with district recruiters, approximately 350 graduating students had the opportunity to interview with school district representatives for teaching, counseling, and school psychology positions. Check out photos from the event.
Department of Educational Leadership (EDLR)
The Higher Education and Student Affairs (HESA) Master’s Program Class of 2025 hosted a pre-graduation celebration in the UConn Student Union in early May. The students officially graduated during the UConn Graduate School Ceremony on May 12. View photos from the celebration.
UConn Husky Nutrition & Sport was recognized with one of the Provost Awards for Excellence in Community Engaged Scholarship in the Staff Team category.
UCAPP hosted the 13th Annual Change Project Day in April at UConn Storrs, focusing on the students’ capstone projects. The students came together to discuss school improvement projects, either completed or in progress. Three alumni working in school or district leadership roles served as guest speakers and breakout session facilitators.
The Sport Management Program hosted Jane McManus, author of “The Fast Track: Inside the Surging Business of Women’s Sports,” in March. The talk was moderated by Risa Isard and drew a cross-disciplinary audience including faculty and students from the sport management, communication, and journalism programs. Read more about the event.
Danielle DeRosa, Jennie McGarry, and Patricia Bellamy-Mathis developed a presentation, Emerging Sports and Grassroots Development, which was delivered as part of the Strong Women, Strong Sport think tank at Temple University in February.
Adam McCready and Kathy Rohn submitted testimony in January to the Connecticut General Assembly Committee on Education for HB 6923, AN ACT CONCERNING THE USE OF SMART DEVICES IN SCHOOLS. And HB 5474 AN ACT CONCERNING THE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS BY INDIVIDUALS SIXTEEN YEARS OF AGE AND UNDER.
Department of Educational Psychology (EPSY)
The Department of Educational Psychology hosted the 13th annual Learning and Teaching with Technology Conference at UConn Storrs in May. This conference for educators provides insights on integrating iPads, Chromebooks, artificial intelligence, and cloud-based computing devices into the teaching and learning process. In addition, the learning-filled day allows for educators to share how they use technology to promote student learning. View photos from the Conference.
Over 400 educators attended the 14th annual Northeast PBIS Network Leadership Forum in Mystic, Connecticut, this month. The event was organized by faculty and staff from the Neag School. The conference was a regional opportunity for Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) leaders and implementers in the Northeast to learn, share, refine, and discuss their implementation experiences to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and equity of schools. Support from the OSEP National Center on PBIS and the Neag School allowed the forum planning team to focus on presenters who were teachers, administrators, researchers, families, and students interested in freely sharing ideas, materials, practices, and systems.
UConn researchers met with undergraduate students in the UConn Public Health House Learning Community in April to celebrate Public Health Week and as part of a long-running collaboration between the community and the UConn Collaboratory on School and Child Health (CSCH). Researchers included Sandra Chafouleas, co-chair of CSCH, Jessica Koslouski, Jaci VanHeest, and others. Read about the public health collaboration event.
Faculty/Staff
Joe Abramo was named co-editor of the Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, while Cara Bernard has moved from associate editor to senior editor for Visions of Research in Music Education.
Melissa Bray was a 2025 Digital Health Special Interest Group Poster Award winner.
Todd Campbell co-authored “Modern-Based Inquiry in Chemistry” (NSTA Press 2025).
Tutita Casa and Katherine Mack presented “Equity in Expression: Using the Board to Transform Math Talk Into Confident Writing” at the Associated Teachers of Mathematics in Connecticut Annual Conference in March in New Haven, Connecticut.
Milagros Castillo-Montoya has been promoted to senior associate editor at the Review for Higher Education and is co-leading the development of a new section for the journal.
Sandra Chafouleas wrote an article for Psychology Today on the emotions of our times.
Justin Evanovich co-authored “Shifting from the Status Quo: A Conceptual Framework to Enhance the Field of Sport for Development Integrating the Capabilities Approach and Critical Pedagogy” for the journal Youth.
Rachael Gabriel and a colleague were featured on the APA Div 15 Podcast for their Educational Psychologist article, “The Role of Asset-Based Pedagogy in an Interactive View of Reading.”
Preston Green was recognized as a 2025 RHSU Edu-Scholar and served on the 2025 AERA Presidential Panel “Toward Sustainable Civil Rights Remedies” for the AERA Annual Meeting in Denver in April. He also co-published “A Framework for Evaluating and Reforming School Vouchers” for the Annenberg EdExchange Working Papers.
Robin Grenier was awarded a UConn Common Curriculum Grant for the course: Learning in the Wild: Shaping Society and Social Change Through Public Pedagogy (TOI 1).
James Kaufman was interviewed for an article, “Cómo Snoopy ha seducido a los jóvenes 75 años después: “Si tenemos que soportar este mundo, al menos tengamos licencia para soñar” (English translation: “How Snoopy has seduced young people 75 years later: ‘If we have to endure this world, at least let’s have the license to dream.’”), for El Mundo. He was interviewed for an article, “50 Fun Facts to Feed your Hungry and Tired Brain (New Pics)” for BoredPanda, and he co-authored “Creativity Studies Continues to Evolve: A New Generation of Rising Stars, a New Special Issue” for the April issue of Creativity Research Journal.
Kathleen Lynch co-authored, “The Effects of Summer Learning on Social-Emotional and Behavioral Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis,” for the June issue of Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy.
Alan Marcus was nominated for Undergraduate Career Mentor of the Year as part of the Center for Career Readiness and Life Skills’ Career Everywhere Awards for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Betsy McCoach was appointed associate editor for the journal Psychological Methods and was elected to a three-year term on UConn’s Senate Executive Committee.
Joseph Renzulli was recognized by ResearchGate with a 9,622 research interest score; 349,715 reads; 14,257 citations; and 190 recommendations.
Sally Reis served as a panelist for the UConn’s annual Waterbury Innovation, Sustainability, and Health Festival (WISHfest), held at UConn Waterbury in March. Read more about the event.
John Settlage organized and led a Crossroads Conference in Denver in April.
Suzanne Wilson was nominated for Graduate Career Mentor of the Year as part of UConn’s Center for Career Readiness and Life Skills’ Career Everywhere Awards for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Students
Meredith Keyt ’25 (ED), ’26 MA, niece of faculty members Sally Reis and Joseph Renzulli, gathered with extended family members in the Gentry Building next to the portrait of Ray Neag after the Neag School’s Undergraduate Commencement ceremony in May.
Jainat Akther ’25 MA, a TCPCG Stamford teacher candidate and Sueños Scholar, was selected by the Connecticut Council for the Social Studies as the recipient of the Pre-Service Excellence in Social Studies Education Award. This recognition highlights her exceptional contributions to social studies teaching and dedication to student success. Akther will be recognized at the Connecticut Council for the Social Studies Spring Social.
Carter Newman ’24 (ED), ’25 MA has been selected as a 2025 awardee of the Alma Exley Scholarship program, which promotes greater diversity in the teaching profession. Violet Jiménez Sims ’02 (SFA), ’05 MA, ’11 6th Year was recognized as this year’s Alma Exley Diversity Champion. They were recognized at a ceremony at the Carter Oak State College in New Britain, Connecticut, last month. Read more about Newman and Sims.
Kaitlyn LaRose ’25 (ED), ’26 MA was one of 46 UConn undergraduate students recognized with a SURF Award to support her summer undergraduate research project.
Xiaochen Liu, an educational psychology doctoral student, co-authored with Donald Leu, James Kaufman, and another author, “Two’s Company: How Academic Diversity in Dyads Enhances Divergent Thinking,” for the February issue of The Journal of Creative Behavior.
Taylor Strickland, an educational leadership doctoral student, won the Outstanding Graduate Student Award for the Educational Change SIG at AERA.
Sierra Trudel, an educational psychology doctoral student, co-authored with Melissa Bray, D. Betsy McCoach, James Kaufman, along with others, “Shifting From ‘What’s Wrong’ to ‘What’s Strong’: Developing a Trauma-Informed Assessment of Student Character Strength Usage,” for the March issue of Contemporary School Psychology.
Alumni
Four alums, Jessica Stargardter ’16 (ED), ’17 MA; Gabriel Castro ’14 (ED), ’15 MA; Nicole Holland Kew ’09 (ED), ’10 MA; and Yurah Robidas Emmenegger ’09 (ED), ’09 (CLAS), ’10 MA, were featured about their teaching careers abroad. Read more about their stories.
Miguel Cardona ’01 MA, ’04 6th Year, ’11 Ed.D., ’12 ELP, who served as the 12th U.S. Secretary of Education, gave the keynote speech for the UConn Hartford Senior Gala Distinction and Recognition Ceremony, held in May.
Sarah (Burdick) Isaacs ’06 (CLAS), ’07 (ED), ’16 6th Year has officially been named principal of West Hartford’s Hall High School. Before holding the interim role, she served as the assistant principal.
Evagelia “Evelyn” Bilias Lolis ’06 Ph.D. was appointed dean of the School of Education and Human Development at Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut.
Jeffrey S. Wihbey ’95 (CLAS), ’06 6th Year, was appointed superintendent of schools by the Wethersfield Board of Education. He previously served as the superintendent of Regional School District 17.
Zato Kadambaya ’99 MA, ’03 MA authored “Teacher’s Assault by Students” (Amazon 2025).
In Memoriam
Peter J. Cathey ’76
Marilyn L. Eliason ’66
Robert R. Faber ’74
Susan W. Gilliam ’71
Maureen M. Hanley ’77
Mary D. Healey ’93
Lionel S. Jackowitz ’62
Harold C. Karsten ’73
Stewart H. Kristiansen ’71
Stacey J. McCann ’11
Loretta R. Nelson ’73
Bernard E. O’Keefe ’59
Hunter W. Passmore ’72
Beverly A. Raymond ’75
Joseph P. Robitaille ’59
Dorothy A. (McDermott) Rose ’77
Chester W. Yacek Jr. ’52
Congratulations to our Neag School alumni, faculty, staff, and students on their continued accomplishments inside and outside the classroom. If you have an accolade to share, we want to hear from you! Please email neag-communications@uconn.edu with any news items.
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