Category: Alumni


Read stories about Neag School of Education alumni.

Julie Wood typing on manual typewriter.

Neag School Alumna Sets Up Planned Gift for Literacy Research

November 11, 2020

Julie M. Wood ’71 (ED), ’72 MA, grateful for the safe haven that UConn gave her during the turbulent 1970s, recently decided to leave a planned gift to UConn to support research in an area close to her heart: children’s literacy. She has set up an endowment that will generate funding every year for a faculty member in the Neag School of Education to conduct research in effective practices to support children’s literacy development.


Neag Alumna Sets Up Planned Gift for Literacy Research

November 11, 2020

Julie M. Wood ’71 (ED), ’72 MA, a renowned educational consultant, decided to leave a planned gift to UConn to support research in an area close to her heart: children’s literacy. She has set up an endowment that will generate funding every year for a faculty member in the Neag School of Education to conduct research in effective practices to support children’s literacy development.




Everyone is Doing Their Part to Continue Schooling in Connecticut

November 9, 2020

“We all know remote learning will never replace the classroom experience. We also know that the health and safety of our students, staff, and their families must be the primary consideration when making decisions about school operations. The two are not mutually exclusive. In an effort to promote the best continuity of education in Connecticut, whether in person or remotely, we must use the resources available, plan accordingly, and act responsibly,” writes Miguel Cardona.


‘I’m a Caretaker First: I’m Making Sure These Kids Are Safe:’ Connecticut Teachers Adapt to a New Normal of Educating Amid Coronavirus

November 2, 2020

When Valentin closed on a new home in mid-March, he never thought schools would be shut down before the end of the week. Valentin, one of five fourth grade teachers at his school, began teaching in-person classes again this fall. He said he is “pleasantly surprised” that in-person learning has remained possible through October.


Cartoon graphic of two diverse males

Justis Lopez: Celebrating Inclusion, Joy in Education

November 2, 2020

On the way home from a hip-hop education conference last year, Justis Lopez ’14 (ED), ’15 (MA) and his colleague Ryan Parker were unpacking what they had learned and what they were feeling that day. They started to freestyle rap and found themselves filled with joy, repeating the verse ‘I’m feeling so happy.’ Their freestyling turned into a song called “HAPPYVISM” that is now part of a greater initiative they have named Project Happyvism.



Joseph Renzulli 2016 Confratute Keynote Address

The Renzulli Center: A Worldwide Leader in Gifted Education

October 27, 2020

Joseph Renzulli served as founding director of the Neag Center, the Lynn and Ray Neag Endowed Chair for Talent Development, as well as the first director of the National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented (NRC/GT), then one of a dozen centers in the U.S. focused on addressing significant issues in the education of gifted and talented students, and enrichment education. Under Renzulli’s guidance, the Neag Center evolved into one of the leading centers in gifted education and talent development in the world.


Soak in Empowerment Through a Colorful Conversation as ‘Women of Color Unite’

October 8, 2020

On Oct. 7, the University of Connecticut’s Women and Philanthropy Network hosted an event centered around the conversations of six panelists and how their different groups and backgrounds affect them in their areas of expertise. The discussion was moderated by Manisha Sinha, the Draper Chair in American history at UConn, and included panelists Socheth McCutcheon (UConn Law ‘06), Meghana Shah (UConn Law ‘04), Chauntay Mickens (UConn CLAS ‘10), Amy Lin-Meyerson (UConn Law ‘94) and Luz Burgos-Lopez (Neag School of Education).