The Neag School of Education welcomes three new faculty members this fall.
Reginald Blockett joins the Neag School as a visiting assistant professor of higher education and student affairs. (Photo courtesy of Reginald Blockett)
Reginald A. Blockett joined the Neag School Aug. 14 as a visiting assistant professor of higher education and student affairs. He most recently served as a research associate with the National Institute for Transformation and Equity at Indiana University Bloomington’s Center for Postsecondary Research. He previously served at Rutgers University as a residence life coordinator and as an instructor in the women’s and gender studies department. His scholarly interests center on the socialcultural experiences of Black and Brown LGBTQ collegians, Black doctoral students’ socialization, and social justice practice and pedagogies across educational contexts. Blockett earned this Ph.D. in higher education and student affairs from Indiana University at Bloomington. This fall, he will be teaching “Leadership Challenges in Higher Education” (EDLR 5108) and co-teaching “College Student Development: Programs and Services” (EDLR 5122) with Kari Taylor, newly named the program director for Higher Education and Student Affairs.
Clewiston Challenger joins the Neag School as an assistant professor of counseling. (Photo Credit: Shawn Kornegay/Neag School)
Clewiston D. Challenger has been named an assistant professor of counseling in the Neag School, effective Aug. 23. Challenger most recently served as a graduate assistant, academic advisor, mentor, and tutor at Pennsylvania State University’s Morgan Academic Support Center for Student-Athletes. His research interests include college adjustment, sense of belonging, retention, persistence, urban education, and urban school counseling. Challenger received his Ph.D. in counselor education and supervision at Penn State and is a National Certified Counselor as recognized by the National Board of Certified Counselors.
Kari B. Taylor joins the Neag School as the Higher Education and Student Affairs program director. (Photo Credit: Shawn Kornegay/Neag School)
Kari B. Taylor has been appointed the new program director for Higher Education and Student Affairs (HESA) and assistant professor-in-residence in the Neag School, effective July 31. Taylor most recently served as a graduate student researcher at The Ohio State University’s Center for the Study of Student Life, and has seven years of experience in program administration at the University Honors Program at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Her research interests are focused on college student learning and development. Taylor earned her Ph.D. in higher education and student affairs at The Ohio State University. Read more about the HESA program directorship announcement.
In our recurring 10 Questions series, the Neag School catches up with students, alumni, faculty, and others throughout the year to offer a glimpse into their Neag School experience and their current career, research, or community activities.
For the past year and a half, Neag School alumnus Kevin Liner ’10 (CLAS), (ED), ’11 MA has been traveling regularly to Rwanda to help train teachers. (Photo Credit: Shawn Kornegay/Neag School)
Current Ph.D. student and two-time Neag School alumnus Kevin Liner ’10 (CLAS), (ED), ’11 MA is knee-deep in his doctoral studies, focusing his research interests on mathematics education. Originally from East Hartford, Conn., Liner was most recently a secondary mathematics curriculum specialist of magnet schools for the Capitol Region Education Council. He has also served as an educational methodologies instructor for the University of Hartford’s Rwanda Teacher Education Program and as a mathematics educational consultant for Common Core organizations in Maryland and New York.
What have been your favorite roles in education and why? Nothing will ever beat being in the classroom. I recently received an email from a former student that is now in college. This student was a great student, but typically scored just above passing, without showing too much passion for the subject. In the email she wrote, “I have some exciting news: I love math. Next year, I may either switch my major or double major.” There is nothing that will beat receiving an email like this. Knowing that you had even the smallest effect on a student’s life is why being in the classroom will always be my favorite role.
Outside of the classroom, I have had some pretty exciting experiences as well, but one definitely sticks out as a favorite. For the past year and a half, I have been traveling to Rwanda every six months with the Rwanda Teacher Education Program. In this program, a team of teachers work with teacher leaders in Rwanda to help train teachers on cutting-edge instructional strategies in English language learning, educational methodologies, and information technologies. We typically train around 400 teachers per session. I work with the educational methodologies team, and it is an understatement to say that this work is life-changing. Not only is the country of Rwanda beautiful, but also the people are the kindest and most dedicated people I have ever met. There is no doubt I return a better person each time I travel there.
“The biggest skill that the Neag School has given me is the ability to be a lifelong learner.”
— Kevin Liner ’10 (CLAS), (ED), ’11 MA, current Ph.D. student
What would you tell others considering a travel abroad experience in teaching? I would tell them the same thing that anyone I knew who traveled abroad told me: ‘Go.’ Especially working in education, I think it is hard to imagine a situation where it won’t have a dramatic impact on your life. Education is fascinating because although it has inherent universal qualities to it anywhere in the world (people passing along information to the younger people in their society), there can be such wide differences in how that experience happens from place to place. For example, the Rwandan teachers have an exceptional ability to create positive environments for teams that makes the space safe to learn even as a teacher. Being wrong is not criticized or judged, but it is encouraged and supported. This is something I have been trying to improve in my own professional development sessions I offer here home.
How did the Neag School prepare you for this experience? The Neag School has two qualities that I believe set it apart from other programs. The first is that it creates well-rounded teachers. What I have noticed as I have moved from teaching in the classroom to working as a curriculum specialist, and now in my work as a consultant and doctoral student, the Neag School has prepared me to be successful for each of those roles, not just my initial teaching role. It provided me with leadership skills and the skills I need to continue to learn throughout my career. It has made me a lifelong learner. The second quality that I think sets the Neag School apart is the people. I can say with great confidence that if it weren’t for people like Ann Traynor and René Roselle, I would not be working in education today. These people inspired me, guided me, challenged me to become better, and helped me realize the passion I have for working in education.
What are some recent initiatives that you are most proud of? One experience that I have been extremely proud of is the work I do with Student Achievement Partners. This organization does a lot of work to help teachers and coaches work with the Common Core Standards to improve their instruction. Part of their work is a group called Core Advocates, and I am the team leader for Connecticut for the Core Advocates. This past January, we put on a two-day convening with teachers from across the state of Connecticut to engage in discussions around how we can better support the mathematics and English language arts teachers across the state. The convening itself went well, but what is most encouraging about this work is seeing the wonderful things teachers from across the state are doing in their classrooms. As we continue to work with other state organizations, I am constantly inspired by the high quality of teacher leaders we have in our state. As I continue to improve my practice, I am so glad to be surrounded by such a strong group of educators, and I am proud just to be involved in work with them.
How has the Neag School developed you as an educator? I truly believe the biggest skill that the Neag School has given me is the ability to be a lifelong learner. The professors at UConn make such great relationships with their students, and want them to not only learn in their classrooms, but be able to continue their learning once you enter the classroom. As anyone who has been in the classroom knows, teaching is incredibly hard. Having a static set of skills coming out of a university will never be enough to make you successful. You need to know how to look at your own practice, evaluate honestly, and find solutions to your problems. This is where the Neag School has helped me the most.
What led you to choose to pursue the field of education? I actually didn’t go to college wanting to be a teacher. I started in the field of actuarial science. Although I did love the content of this career path, after working a few summer internships with insurance companies, I knew it wasn’t the field for me. I like working with people. I actually wasn’t really sure I wanted to work long term in education until my master’s year in the IB/M program when I worked with some incredible colleagues at Bulkeley High School in Hartford (Conn.). In fact, having René Roselle as a professor and colleague in the work we were doing at Bulkeley is why I decided to work in education. I owe my passion for this field to René.
Why are educators important to the classroom and students? I think it is important to keep asking what is important to the classroom and students as technology and artificial intelligence become used increasingly more in schools. To me, it comes down to a very simple idea … educators inspire. Teachers work an extremely challenging job that is, in my opinion, underpaid and often under-respected, but they do it anyway. They care so deeply about making a difference in students’ lives, and that is where the inspiration often comes from.
What do you believe makes a great educator? There are many different ways to be a great educator. I don’t believe there is one ‘right’ way to be a great teacher. One thing that I think sets great educators apart from good educators is their ability to leverage the relationships they build to support the growth of their students in their specific expertise area. If you walk into their classroom, you notice a sense of urgency for learning in their classroom that is grounded in the relationships that the teacher has with their students.
What’s something most people don’t know about you? I don’t think many people know that I co-authored a paper that was published in one of the AERA’s (American Education Research Association) Special Interest Group (SIG) journals during my first year of teaching with my advisor, René Roselle. Although I was just a supporting cast in the project, I learned a lot from René through that process, and it is something I am proud to be a part of.
What are your future plans? My future plan right now is to finish my doctorate. Getting your Ph. D. is an exhausting process and really makes you question a lot of the assumptions you have, so I don’t quite know where I want to go when it is all finished. I am still narrowing my research down but I am generally interested in how mathematics curriculum shapes both teachers’ understanding of the content and students’ success. Do different curricula help teachers think about math differently? When teachers give summative assessments to their students, how does the curricula help them understand how their student will do? How do the questions we ask students affect their ability to understand certain topics? These are some of the many questions that are rattling around in my head.
Suzanne Wilson shares insights with Neag School doctoral students. (Photo credit: Shawn Kornegay)
Neag Endowed Professor of Teacher Education and AERA Fellow Suzanne M. Wilson has been named head of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction (EDCI) at the Neag School. She takes over for Mary Anne Doyle, who served as department head for 17 years and returned to a faculty role to focus on literacy research.
Wilson, who arrived at the Neag School in 2013 from Michigan State University, was one of 17 new faculty members recruited to the Neag School as part of the University of Connecticut’s ambitious hiring plan.
“I’m filling big shoes, taking over for Dr. Doyle,” says Wilson. “During her tenure, she built a strong department, and I’ll be building on those strengths and taking advantage of the good work that’s been done before.”
In addition to being a University Distinguished Professor at Michigan State University (MSU), Wilson also previously served as chair for MSU’s Department of Teacher Education, where she was a faculty member for 26 years. While at Michigan State, she raised millions of dollars for grants with colleagues. Most notable was a $2.5 million National Science Foundation grant for a research project with the American Museum of Natural History. When she arrived at the Neag School, she secured a grant for another $2.9 million for a project focused on moving the Next Generation of Science Standards into practice, along with several other grants to study mathematics and science teacher learning in early career and professional development programs. She will continue her grant work for another two years and wrap up a book she has been working on about teacher preparation.
“We are excited to have someone with Dr. Suzanne Wilson’s national prominence and insightful perspectives on education join the Neag School of Education leadership team,” says Del Siegle, Neag School associate dean for research and faculty affairs. “Her appointment to department head benefits the entire School, in addition to the Department of Curriculum and Instruction.”
“One mission of the University is service, and being a department chair allows you to support faculty in pursuing their interests while also working on program development and new research and/or outreach collaborations.” —Suzanne M. Wilson
Wilson’s Vision Wilson says she sees the role of department chair as institutional and professional service. “One mission of the University is service, and being a department chair allows you to support faculty in pursuing their interests while also working on program development and new research and/or outreach collaborations,” she says.
Using her experience leading a large department at MSU, Wilson says she will work to advance the Neag School’s strategic plan, including continuing the substantial faculty-led revisions of the Teacher Preparation Program, and work focused on equity and social justice, STEM initiatives, creativity and innovation, and educator quality.
“UConn has a very highly regarded teacher education program, so my experiences being supportive of faculty and staff, and working toward having strong teacher preparation, will hopefully help,” she says.
Wilson’s concept of leadership focuses on enabling the work of others. “I’ll be trying to nurture a departmental culture,” she says, “that is attracting, exciting, and supportive, and a home for students — doctoral, master’s, and undergraduates — and faculty alike.”
Since arriving at the Neag School, Wilson says she has enjoyed getting to know the faculty — long-time and newer additions— and developing cross-generational relationships. “A lot of the new faculty come from different backgrounds and perspectives, and learning from them is very exciting and invigorating,” she says.
Wilson says she looks forward hearing from EDCI faculty and students, and learning about their interests and concerns. She also notes the importance of keeping an eye on the political, intellectual, and economic environment, and anticipates helping the department think about new kinds of programs and services that respond to pressing needs in public education. “I’ll be looking at how we can develop programs and resources that are relevant and appealing to the larger Connecticut public to whom we’re responsible,” she says.
Wilson earned her Ph.D. in education and her master of science degree in statistics from Stanford University, and her bachelor degree in American history and civilization from Brown University.
Editor’s Note: Neag School alumna Jennifer Lanese ’94 (ED), ’95 MA authors this original piece, reflecting on the meaning of privilege, its impact in the classroom, and how educators can work toward fostering a culturally competent learning environment for their students. Lanese, an English teacher at Hall High School in West Hartford, Conn., was recognized as Teacher of the Year by the West Hartford Board of Education in 2015.
“If your family ever had to choose between paying for medical care or buying food, take a step backward.”
“If you have ever been catcalled, whistled at, or sexually harassed, take a step backward.”
“If your school is closed during your major religious holidays, take a step forward.”
“If you can shop in a store and never have to worry about being followed by an employee or security guard, take a step forward.”
Neag School alumna Jennifer Lanese ’94 (ED), ’95 MA is an English teacher at Hall High School in West Hartford, Conn.
On this bright fall morning, we stand side-by-side in a line on a field at YMCA Camp Jewell, a handful of high school teachers with almost 100 of our students. In front of us stand the dynamic and earnest youth program directors employed by the National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ), who are reading these statements to us and watching our reactions as we take our steps away from the starting line. At the far end of the field is “the prize”: this year, an oversized chocolate bar that makes the young people groan with excitement. After 20 minutes of moving forward and backward, falling into our memories of our life experiences thus far, some of us are within arm’s reach of the finish line and its tempting reward, while others are so far back into the edge of the woods as to be almost hidden from view.
This activity is commonly referred to as the “Privilege Walk.” Each year for the past decade, I have had the good fortune to participate alongside my students in this powerful community-building and eye-opening experience. Each year, I am reminded of my place in our society. Each year, I am impressed by the willingness of the young people around me to be honest and vulnerable in front of their peers. Each year, after our thoughtful and emotional debrief on this activity and its meaning, I am humbled, I am grateful, and I am re-energized about taking what I’ve learned back to my classroom.
As a teacher, I feel a responsibility to consider my students’ privileges — or, conversely, the ways in which they may be marginalized — and to determine ways to reconcile this with what and how we learn in our high school English classroom.
So many of life’s circumstances are influenced by what seem like flukes: the randomness of our genetics and our geography. As a white, Christian, middle-class, middle-aged, cisgendered citizen currently in good health, I have so many privileges and so many opportunities to accrue and to exercise my social power. As a woman, and more specifically as a lesbian, there are times when I feel my position on the hierarchy slip. As a teacher, I feel a responsibility to consider my students’ privileges — or, conversely, the ways in which they may be marginalized — and to determine ways to reconcile this with what and how we learn in our high school English classroom.
Recently, we have been calling this idea “cultural competence”: According to the National Education Association, this means “having an awareness of one’s own cultural identity and views about difference, and the ability to learn and build on the varying cultural and community norms of students and their families. It is the ability to understand the within-group differences that make each student unique, while celebrating the between-group variations that make our country a tapestry.”
For some teachers, this is instinct. For others, it must be learned and practiced. For me, and perhaps for many of you, it’s both. In the classroom, I almost always say “family” instead of using the words “Mom” or “Dad.” I work on quickly and consistently using a student’s preferred pronouns. I address the class as “folks” or “friends,” instead of “guys” or “kids.” I offer ways for students to bring their prior knowledge and life experiences into their writing and into their interpretations of our readings. I unabashedly steal great community-building ideas from my colleagues and try to implement them authentically. But these are broad and general practices, and my classroom does not yet reflect the truly culturally competent learning environment that I and my students long for.
Among my many other privileges, I have the privilege of being the person whose name is on a classroom door, and I proudly own all of the responsibilities and opportunities that come along with that. This year, I am recommitting myself to improving my cultural competence within the classroom, both in planning and in instruction. I recommit myself to seeing the young people in front of me for where and who they are at this point in time, and to letting that guide me. I recommit myself to my profession and to my students, both of which never cease to inspire and challenge me. Together, I know that we can all find ways to keep taking a step forward.
Editor’s Note: The following was originally written and published by Blane McCann, superintendent of Westside Community Schools in Omaha, Neb., on his blog.
I recently attended the 40th anniversary of Confratute, sponsored by University of Connecticut’s Neag School of Education. This was the eighth or ninth time I have attended this very special event. As described by founders Joe Renzulli and Sally Reis, the event is a hybrid of a conference, institute and fraternity, or a “Confratutue.”
At each event, I learn so much that I am able to use in my daily work. The following is my reflection of my time learning over the years at Confratutue and the fact that I believe that all teachers must treat all kids as gifted students because they all learn in their own ways.
Superintendent Blane McCann, a longtime Confratute attendee, shares his experiences implementing Joseph Renzulli’s Schoolwide Enrichment Model in his school district. (Photo Courtesy of Blane McCann)
Consider the notion that any student with a commitment to learning is gifted. It is not only intelligence that plays a role, but also creativity and commitment. Giftedness is not just a test score.
How many students have we, as educators, seen who did not have a test score to qualify for a gifted program, but became an expert in an area of passion and interest? I’ve personally seen hundreds of students. I remember one learner vividly who I knew would become a meteorologist. Today, he is considered an expert on the weather of the Great Lakes region and is sharing his research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison with the National Weather Service. Task commitment can take students places they never thought possible.
Consider the notion that any student with a commitment to learning is gifted. It is not only intelligence that plays a role, but also creativity and commitment. Giftedness is not just a test score.
This broader definition of giftedness is one I learned from Dr. Joseph Renzulli, a longtime professor of educational psychology at the University of Connecticut, for whom the Renzulli Center for Creativity, Gifted Education, and Talent Development is named. I met Renzulli at a conference in 1996 and in the more than 20 years since, I have worked in three school districts as a building principal and superintendent, collaborating with him to apply his pioneering ideas about giftedness and personalized learning approaches in PK-12 settings.
Implementing change in public education is not easy. Renzulli understands this. He himself encouraged me to embrace the vulnerability I felt and he provided me with the courage needed to make changes based on what my students wanted and needed to be successful. I was able to help teachers see how student agency and student engagement could be improved along with their test scores. We built a school culture focused on learning and engagement for all students. I observed changes with our teachers as they implemented these practices in their regular education classroom. They took into consideration students’ interests and allowed for more student voice and choice as well as flexibility in their classrooms because they facilitated an enrichment cluster.
In working as superintendent of Westside Community Schools in Omaha, Neb., I wanted to put the joy and wonder back into learning after decades of high-stakes testing had sucked the joy from our classrooms. So I asked our staff the question: What if we could personalize learning for all kids in all classrooms?
Another of Renzulli’s principles — the Schoolwide Enrichment Model (SEM) — serves as an entry point for schools that want to do just this. I want all kids to be able to follow their passions and interests every day. Every one of them could be “gifted” if we could find ways to engage them in their learning. As I learned about personalized learning, I quickly saw the connection to SEM to this evolution of learning.
“I wanted to put the joy and wonder back into learning after decades of high stakes testing had sucked the joy from our classrooms,” says McCann. (Photo courtesy of Blane McCann)
What connections did I make? First, students identify their interests and passions through a survey. Next, SEM is about student ownership of their learning. In a SEM cluster, students drive their learning with the help of the cluster facilitator. Additionally, teachers do not create a lesson plan prior to the cluster meeting but help student determine their own learning path through class discussions, which allows students to choose different learning paths.
From my 20 years of experience with SEM and now personalized learning, my colleague and I have identified five elements to personalize learning. Those elements are:
Know your Students;
Voice and Choice;
Flexible Groups, Spaces and Mindsets;
Data Informed; and
Technology Support.
A teacher must know their students well before they can teach them. A teacher who knows their students well can allow for more voice and choice because they know their interests and their capacities to learn and work. Once students find their voice and make learning choices a teacher becomes more flexible. I had a teacher tell me she was letting go of deadlines because students wanted to make sure they submitted their best work and needed more time.
Data is used to inform our work with individual students. This data is critical for a teacher to map out a learning pathway that is personalized based on student needs, which can extend learning or help relearn content.
Finally, Westside Community Schools is a 1:1 learning environment. Our teachers enhance learning by using technology such as iPads and MacBook Air computers in our classrooms. We do this because we want our students to create personalized content and use individualized applications while they work at their own pace to master our standards and benchmarks through a personalized learning approach.
In working as superintendent of Westside Community Schools in Omaha, Neb., I wanted to put the joy and wonder back into learning after decades of high-stakes testing had sucked the joy from our classrooms. So I asked our staff the question: What if we could personalize learning for all kids in all classrooms?
Yes, I experienced many obstacles and barriers to building this culture. Most issues are about control and trust. We alleviate those issues by focusing on our district’s standards and benchmarks. However, I would hear comments such as “We don’t have time to implement this framework” and staff told me “The cluster did not exactly follow the curriculum” or “Students will miss critical learning time.” I explained that students would be applying district standards in many different, but authentic ways. In each district where I worked, the staff and I altered the daily schedule to accommodate student learning that allowed for this type of deep learning.
Nine of 10 Westside elementary elementary schools, and its middle school, have implemented SEM. (Photo Courtesy of Blane McCann)
The results we now are seeing are definitely worth the journey. Our current results are measured with not only test scores but with engagement, with voice and choice, and with student ownership for their learning. At Westside Community Schools, reading scores are improving, and fewer students are in need of remediation. Further, our Gallup student and staff engagement scores are on the rise, demonstrating that people enjoy the teaching and learning that takes place in our classrooms.
I have seen similar results every time I have implemented these types of learning approaches. For instance, we first implemented SEM in our middle school in 1997. At John Bullen Accelerated Middle School in Kenosha, Wis., I observed an increase in student ownership for learning as well as an increase in student attendance and a decrease in poor student behavior. Achievement gaps closed. Student achievement increased. Students seemed to see the relevance in the subject matter based on their interests. Most importantly, students’ academic confidence grew. They knew they would accomplish their learning goals, especially disadvantaged students who are rarely given an opportunity to experience learning in this manner. SEM leveled the playing field.
Today, Westside has nine of 10 elementary schools and our middle school implementing SEM. In addition, our high school, with the help of a U.S. Department of Labor grant, is implementing a version of SEM through our Center for Professional Studies (CAPS) and other academic departments, such as business, where high school students operate and manage the Colosseum, our school apparel store. All of these students participate in a variety of meaningful, real-world learning opportunities, such as job shadows and meaningful internships.
One group of students recently took part in a CAPS project focused on designing and building a circulation desk using recycled materials from a historic district elementary school that was recently torn down to make room for a brand-new school. One of those students became so engaged that he is now pursuing a major in architecture this fall at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. His excitement and engagement is off the charts, thanks to his involvement in this project.
I strongly urge other educational leaders to consider making this journey. I was able to transform the middle school where I was principal in a two- to three-year period. At Westside, the district is making tremendous progress with staff to transform learning for all students in four short years. It can be done.
Today, with the emphasis on personalizing learning for every student, SEM is a perfect entry to explore and help staff feel comfortable relinquishing classroom control and begin to trust their students. It is my sincere belief that if you commit to this journey that like my former student, it will take your learners places you never thought they could go.
This piece has been republished with permission. To view the original piece, visit Superintendent McCann’s blog. Follow him on Twitter @BlaneMcCann. Learn more about Confratute at confratute.uconn.edu.
Taylor joins the Neag School after most recently having earned her Ph.D. in higher education and student affairs at The Ohio State University (OSU), where she conducted research into the process of developmental growth among undergraduate and graduate students who participated in an international service-learning experience. Her dissertation focused on how a service-learning course helped students develop critical consciousness, which represents a complex way of making meaning of one’s self in relation to one’s social world. In her third year as a doctoral student, she received the Porterfield-Dickens Graduate Research Support Award in support of her dissertation research.
Rising Up the Ranks
Taylor’s interest in the learning and development of students in higher education was ignited during her second year as an undergraduate at the University of Missouri, where she served as a peer advisor for the Freshman Interest Groups, an immersive living-learning experience that creates cohesive communities where students study, take classes, and live together. At the time, Taylor, who majored in journalism and biological sciences, was also working for a local newspaper. While she enjoyed her work as a reporter, she says she always found herself eager to return to her advisees at the end of the day, ultimately prompting her to pursue graduate study in the realm of higher education and student affairs.
“[Kari] deeply cares about students and their development, which will make a meaningful contribution to the experience that our students have here.”
— Milagros Castillo-Montoya,
assistant professor and former interim HESA director
Going on to complete a master’s of science degree in college student personnel at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, in 2006, Taylor began serving as assistant director for academic and co-curricular support at Miami University’s Honors and Academic Scholars programs. In this position, Taylor provided holistic advising for a large group of high-ability students; developed academic, social, and community service student programming; worked with the university’s Office of Residence Life to oversee the Honors Living Learning Community; and assisted in recruiting, training, and supervising instructors for the introductory honors seminar.
By 2011, she had been promoted to senior associate director, developing and supervising academic support policies and procedures for the university’s Honors Plan for Liberal Education, which allows honors students to meet general education requirements through an outcomes-based framework. She also supervised assistant directors; facilitated ongoing refinement of the program’s electronic portfolio process; and implemented training modules for academic advisors as chair of the professional development subcommittee of Miami’s Undergraduate Academic Advising Council.
It was this commitment to student learning and development that led Taylor to her Ph.D. program at OSU. Describing her work as “bringing passion to practice,” Taylor says she looks forward to being a heavily involved leader and mentor for the HESA program.
“I was drawn to the program at UConn because of the sense of community and the opportunity to work specifically with master’s students,” says Taylor, a native of Topeka, Kan. “I was very interested in the system of graduate assistantships and practicums that HESA offers, and am excited to assist graduate students in their development as educational leaders.”
Practitioner and Scholar
“We are excited to welcome Kari Taylor to the HESA program and to the department. She brings a blend of practitioner and scholarly experience with her, as well as a focus on issues of equity that will be a great fit,” says Jennifer McGarry, professor and head of the Department of Educational Leadership.
Taylor succeeds Neag School assistant professor Milagros Castillo-Montoya, who served as HESA’s interim director this past year.
“Kari brings expertise and experience that will be a strong value to the program,” says Castillo-Montoya. “She also deeply cares about students and their development, which will make a meaningful contribution to the experience that our students have here and the strong reputation we have as a program for supporting the development of higher education and student affairs administrators.”
Learn more about the Neag School’s HESA program at hesa.uconn.edu.
