Robot Speaks the Language of Kids

Posted on September 21, 2011February 16, 2023 by

A robot delivers a karate chop or makes drumming motions and a child imitates the robot, taking delight in a novel playmate. But if a child with autism imitates the robot, much more than that may occur.

Two researchers with the Center for Health, Intervention, and Prevention (CHIP) at the University of Connecticut are studying whether a small robot with a big personality holds the potential to help children with autism improve both their motor and their social communication skills.

“Anecdotal evidence suggests interventions using robot- child interactions may enhance motor and social communication skills of children with low- and high- functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), but there are very few clinical trials currently testing robot-child interactions as therapy for ASD,” says Anjana Bhat, a principal investigator with CHIP.

Bhat, an assistant professor of kinesiology in the Neag School of Education, recently received a two-year, $404,639 grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) to design a series of robot-child interactions that would help improve the gross motor skills and the imitative and turn-taking abilities of children with ASD. The second two-year phase of the project will include a clinical trial of the intervention with 20 children with ASD and 20 typically developing children between the ages of four and eight.

During her post-doctoral work in the field of autism, Bhat learned about the motor impairments of children with ASD, such as poor motor coordination, balance, and difficulty imitating complex movements. She became particularly interested in this area because research suggests impairments in these areas contribute to the social- communication impairments of children with ASD.

Before applying for the NIMH grant, Bhat and her co-investigator, Timothy Gifford, director of CHIPʼs Advanced Interactive Technology Center and a robotics lab in UConnʼs psychology department, conducted a pilot study using a seven-inch robot they bought off the shelf and programmed themselves.

For the federally funded project, Bhat and Gifford have purchased a two-foot-tall robot named Nao from Aldebaran Robotics in France, using internal equipment grant funds.

Nao introduces himself, extends his hand for a shake, announces that children like to play with him, and takes a bow. Nao even performs elaborate Tai Chi routines with accompanying music. But, most importantly for the researchers, the robot can be programmed to incrementally increase the complexity of its routines over time, as the children progress through therapy.

Bhat and Gifford have begun using Nao in sessions with children in Bhatʼs Infant and Child Development Laboratory on campus. As part of the first phase of the study, the researchers will have five children with ASD and 16 typically developing children interact individually with Nao during eight separate sessions. Each session will include four or five robot actions to imitate.

“So far, our data suggest that robot-child interactions are a highly motivating context for children, those with and without autism,” Bhat says. “Children not only connect with the robot but also with the tester who controls the robot, as they both share the novel experience together.”

Bhat says that children with ASD typically feel more comfortable with robots than with other people initially, because robot interactions are simpler and more predictable and the children are in control of the social interaction. “Robots also are fully-embodied beings that encourage children to engage in whole body interactions,” she adds. “Children with ASD typically enjoy playing with them, and respond with imitative behavior often delayed during interactions with other people.”

Bhat says robots could initially serve as intermediaries between therapists and children with ASD, until a connection is made, and may help extend the reach of clinicians. “Often children with ASD have intense therapy needs – often 30 to 40 hours per week – and a robot could perform some of the tasks typically performed by an untrained individual and could support the clinician by delivering more standardized interventions,” she says.

Gifford says that eventually, robotics systems will have the potential to collect video and kinematic data of a childʼs fine and gross motor performance and may further reduce the human resources required to deliver intensive interventions and perform frequent assessments.

“The ultimate goal will be to extend the capabilities of therapists and bring this technology to the target population in a useful, affordable way,” he says. “Someday perhaps, robots could be used in a variety of settings, such as schools and homes, as well as cliniciansʼ offices.”

Kerry Marsh, an associate professor of psychology and PI with CHIP, and Deborah Fein, Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of Psychology and CHIP affiliate, are collaborators on this project.

The researchers are currently recruiting typically developing children and children with autism between the ages of 3-11 to participate in the study. The study involves 12 visits. Participants will be paid $50. If interested and for more information, please contact Anjana Bhat at 860-486-0019 or e-mail her at anjana.bhat@uconn.edu.

Educators. Illuminating the Path to Success.

Posted on September 21, 2011December 9, 2016 by

The UConn Neag School of Education’s reputation is well known nationally for its outstanding teacher education training program that continues to foster student success and produce educators that will teach the students of tomorrow. The UConn Alumni Association is proud to showcase some of our top notch Neag School of Education graduates from Connecticut whose passion, drive and knowledge are influencing the lives of those they work with every day.

Encouraging Students of Tomorrow

Vanessa Rodriguez

Vanessa Rodriguez ’05, ’06 M.A. (Neag) is thankful for the many opportunities she received from some of her teachers when she was in grade school. She credits her fifth and eighth grade teachers with helping her understand the value of education in light of adversity and the potential of how a teacher can breathe life and possibility into the most struggling student. Those types of values are instilled in Vanessa’s memory, and she now carries the torch in lighting up her students’ lives.

As a tenth-grade geometry and algebra teacher for inner city children at the Bulkeley High School in Hartford, Conn., Vanessa sees potential in every student she encounters. “One of the greatest challenges I face is motivating my students to learn mathematics despite their prior difficulties with it,” says Vanessa. Though these challenges pose great difficulty to students from time to time, Vanessa’s role is to teach her students that education is to learn how to learn, not just what to learn. “Both my students and I can focus on how we’re learning as opposed to the difficulty of the material with belief that learning is a lifelong process”. This year, Vanessa was instrumental in working with educators in Connecticut as a member of the state’s Rigorous Curriculum Design Team. The team meets to prioritize and support curriculum alignment in mathematics. She is also active in the Math Leadership Academy, sponsored by the Neag School of Education and state Department of Higher Education. The academy is comprised of thirty teachers from four Connecticut school districts who are learning new math concepts and shaping a pedagogy that will enhance justification and higher order thinking skills for their math students.

Each day, Vanessa sets new challenges for herself concerning her students. Including making them feel important and special. “I believe one of the greatest ways to meet the challenges of teaching is to make students feel important. If they believe they are extraordinary, then their actions will follow.”

When asked about how she felt about the difference she makes in the lives of children she teaches every day, she candidly said, “Teaching is often described as a roller coaster of highs and lows filled with excitement, thrill and laughter, mixed with frustration, disappointment and helplessness,” says Vanessa. “Some develop a more positive attitude toward school. Others demonstrate improved effort because they realize the relationship between hard work and success. Then there are moments when a student’s face will glow with job because he gets it, and math doesn’t seem so hard anymore. I think the question isn’t whether teachers are making a difference, but instead how much a difference we’re making.”

Advocating for Change

Margaret “Peg” Beecher ’91, 6^th year (Neag) is just one of those educators advocating for change. As an accomplished educator, former principal, and author, Peg has taught at elementary and middle schools as a classroom teacher and was a program director in the areas of reading and the gifted and talented. Known for being an innovator in the classroom, Peg has spent the past fifteen years developing and implementing a curriculum designed to meet the needs of all children in the classroom.

Specializing in closing the achievement gap in schools, Peg made it her mission as a former principal at Charter Oak School in West Hartford, Conn., to better improve literacy programs through standardized test scores, effective curriculums and targeted teacher training. She also made this program successful through parental involvement in community programs and engagement with school activities. With the unending support of a well-trained, creative and committed staff, there was a significant improvement in student performance, and a dramatic reduction in the achievement gap.

Peg believes that effective school improvement requires a comprehensive action plan that is responsive to the unique needs of your population. “Students need sustained, systematic and explicit instruction as well as opportunities to extend learning beyond the parameters of the classroom. . .most importantly, they need dedicated, knowledgeable, creative teachers that really believe that they can learn and succeed.”

Now semi-retired, Peg is the site-facilitator at West Side Middle School and Washington Elementary School in Waterbury, Conn., for the CommPACT program, and organization that focuses on improving the performance of students in urban schools. It takes schools as they are and transforms them through a culture of collaboration suing research-based instructional strategies and leadership provided by UConn’s Neag School of Education. Peg’s role is to guide the school improvement process by working with the faculty and community to analyze a school’s strengths and challenges, establish a school vision and develop action plans in order to provide a structure of success. She continues to use the same successful methods from her experience and apply them to the programs she facilitates today.

Focusing on Quality

When it comes to hiring the best and brightest teachers to work with students, David B. Erwin ’75 (Neag) is the front runner behind selecting the best educators. With over 35 years of educational experience, David has made it his life mission to increase the quality of education in several school districts and innovate change among his peers. Serving several different roles throughout his career teaching in elementary education, David served as principal and superintendent in five school districts throughout Connecticut. Currently, as the superintendent at Berlin Public Schools in Berlin, Conn., David is setting the bar higher for the academic curriculum and encourages students to achieve their highest potential.

David ensures that his administrators hire the best and brightest teachers to work with their students. He also works hard to make certain that his staff remains current and up-to-date with significant issues in education to deliver high-quality programs to students. “My experience teaching at the graduate level affords me the opportunity to meet high caliber individuals that we can consider for positions in our district.”

When asked about how the classroom has changed in the past 10 years, David says, “The classroom of today is certainly one where technology can play a greater role. The world is really flat. . . students and their teachers can connect to nearly anyone in a seamless fashion.” As a leader, David sees the potential behind his school district and provides the tools necessary to ensure his school succeeds in producing quality students. “Each day is exciting to me. I always look forward to the start of each school year when I address staff one day and greet students the next. It makes me proud to know that I have a hand in the education [they] are receiving.”

Another Successful Year of Confratute Concludes

Posted on September 21, 2011April 23, 2020 by

Two Confratute attendees participate in math game. Photo credit: Shawn Kornegay

For the past 34 years, Storrs, Connecticut has attracted thousands of educators worldwide for a highly acclaimed, weeklong program sponsored by the Neag Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development. Attended by over 550 educators from 34 states and 13 countries, this year’s Confratute was a blending of educators interested in gifted education, differentiation of instruction and curriculum, and creativity and innovation in education.

Confratute, founded in July of 1978 by Neag School of Education professor Joseph Renzulli, is the longest-running summer institute of its kind in gifted education. Through exposure to differentiation, talent development and enriching learning experiences, the community of adult learners is able to share similar interests, as well as foster professional growth.

“A unique part of the Confratute concept is that it is more than a summer course, more than formal instruction, for it is a careful blend of a conference and an institute with a good deal of fraternity in the middle,” said institute director, Dr. Sally M. Reis.

“Confratute is total immersion and involvement in enrichment, teaching and learning,” she said. “It is the excitement of new ideas, the satisfaction of hard work, the joy of creating and producing and the happiness that comes from making new friends, having fun and learning a little bit more about themselves.”

The informal learning environment provided in over 50 hands-on class strands fuels interaction between passionate participants, keynoters and faculty members alike.

Dr. Reis attributes much of the program’s success to the enthusiastic and dedicated participants who collectively have brought thousands of years of diverse experience in education. It is the acknowledgement and celebration of differences that make Confratute so memorable and special.

For more information on the program or to learn more about the 35^th Annual Confratute, check out http://www.gifted.uconn.edu/confratute/.

Homecoming 2011

Posted on September 21, 2011December 9, 2016 by

homecoming-rotating Before going to the big football game, join fellow alumni at the Homecoming Barbeque on Saturday, October 15, 2011. Say hello to your favorite mascot at the UConn Alumni Association’s Homecoming Barbeque. Enjoy grilled eats and UConn pride at the #1 location to get ready for the game. Also, the Neag Alumni Society will have a tent in Spirit Village. Be sure to stop by to say hi … we will have great prizes and drawings for cool Neag School gear. For more information on Homecoming Week, visit www.uconnalumni.com/homecoming.

Dr. Del Siegle Promoted to Lead Neag’s Dept. of Educational Psychology

Posted on September 21, 2011December 9, 2016 by

Del Siegle has been promoted to Department Head of the Department of Educational Psychology in the Neag School of Education at UConn. Dr. Siegle has been a member of the Dept. of Educational Psychology for the past 12 years and is taking over the role from Dr. Swaminathan, who is returning to a teaching and researching role.

“We are proud to have Dr. Siegle in the role to lead the department,” said Dr. Tom DeFranco, dean of the Neag School. “He has an exceptional reputation and career here at the Neag School. His expertise and leadership experience will, no doubt, help elevate the faculty and department to the next level.”

“I am honored to be working with the talented and productive faculty in the Department of Educational Psychology as we improve educational opportunities for not only Connecticut students, but students around the country,” said Dr. Siegle.

As a faculty member Dr. Siegle has gained a national reputation for his research in the area of motivation of gifted students and teacher bias in the identification of students for gifted programs. He is past president of the National Association of Gifted Children and on the board of directors of The Association for the Gifted.

Dr. Siegle is co-editor of the Journal of Advanced Academics. He also writes a technology column for Gifted Child Today. He has been recognized as a University Teaching fellow for his outstanding teaching and has served on numerous committees on a national, state, and university level.

He earned his Ph.D. in special education from the Neag School, University of Connecticut, his M.Ed. in curriculum and B.S. in elementary education from Montana State University—Billings. Prior to earning his Ph.D., Dr. Siegle worked as a gifted and talented coordinator in Montana.

Neag Alum Dr. James Lyons Chosen as Dillard University’s Interim President

Posted on September 21, 2011April 6, 2016 by

Neag alum, Dr. James E. Lyons Sr., was named Dillard University’s interim president in July, further developing his well-accomplished career in higher education. The three-time university president, who was honored in 2000 with the Neag School of Education Distinguished Alumnus Award, attributes much of his success to the University of Connecticut.

Dr. Lyons attended UConn as an undergraduate, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish, and continued his graduate studies through the Neag School, earning a Master of Arts in Student Personnel and a doctorate in Professional Higher Education Administration.

According to Lyons, it was the Neag School’s distinguished reputation that played an integral role when choosing a university. After moving to Kentucky post-graduation, Lyons found he was confident and often better equipped in certain work circumstances than his colleagues who attended other universities. “I felt very comfortable in my work and there were many instances in which I was able to respond when others could not,” said Lyons. “Both the formal and informal education that I received at Neag allowed me to go directly into the position of director of institutional research and assistant to the vice president for academic affairs.”

The Neag School has meant far more to Lyons than prestige or diplomas. Professors like Dr. Glen Atkyns, Dr. Mark Shibles, Dr. John Karnes and Dr. William Brazziel, as well as advisor, Dr. Floyd Bass, encouraged Dr. Lyons’ passion for what he says is “one of the most important and rewarding careers there is.”

“I feel very blessed to have had a very good relationship with some outstanding professors, who really wanted to see me complete my graduate programs and move on to a significant position in higher education administration,” said Lyons.

One of Lyons favorite moments in the classroom was a family affair involving another Neag alum, his wife, Jocelyn, and their son, Jimmy. “There was one semester when our graduate classes overlapped; however, we decided not to hire a babysitter because if my class ended on time, Jocelyn could ‘pass Jimmy off’ to me and go upstairs to her class. Our entire plan was based on the assumption that Dr. Mark Shibles would end his class on time. Well, that was wishful thinking; he didn’t end one class on time that semester,” said Lyons.

Lyons would sit near the door each class so his three-year-old toddler could sneak in and sit on his lap for the remainder of the lecture. Lucky for Dr. Shibles, Dr. Lyons and the other students, Jimmy cooperated, remaining silent for the duration of the lesson.

“I’ve often felt that Jimmy could boast about attending a graduate class at age three,” he said.

Since 2007, Dr. Lyons served as secretary of the Maryland Higher Education Commission. Prior to this position, he was the president of California State University at Dominguez Hills, Jackson State University and Bowie State University.

Lyons believes pursuing a profession in education provides an opportunity “to shape young minds,” inspiring them to go out into the real world and do great things, all the while influencing policy decisions and development.

“Our nation now ranks tenth among industrial nations in the percentage of young adults with college degrees. If we are going to regain our leadership in this area, we will need the help of professional educators,” said Lyons.

Neag Alums March to the Beat of Success in the 7th Regiment

Posted on September 21, 2011December 9, 2016 by

Pictured L-R: Thomas Sulzicki (Music Education, 2009), Michael Blancaflor (Music Education, 1999), Daniel Wyman (Music Education, 2009), Kevin Lam (Music Education, 2009), Barbara Bauer (Math Education, 2009). Not pictured: Dana Lyons (Music Education, 2006).

Six Neag School of Education alumni have combined their shared passions for education and music outside the classroom on the instructional staff of New London’s 7th Regiment Drum & Bugle Corps. This year, the drum corps placed 7th overall at the Drum Corps International Championships at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN and were Open Class Finalists for the third year in a row.

Michael Blancaflor, Kevin Lam, Dana Lyons, Thomas Sulzicki and Daniel Wyman, graduates of both the Music Department in the School of Fine Arts and the Teacher Preparation Program in the Neag School, along with Barbara Bauer, Neag School graduate in math education, all contributed to this successful season by providing the program quality training and experience. With their teaching backgrounds and participation in ensembles or instrumental instruction, the cohort has enjoyed working together to better the corps, while reconnecting with their UConn roots.

Being with the 7th Regiment is a commitment with long hours of preparation, practice and traveling during the summer months. High school and college students, ages ranging from 14 to 21-year-olds, make up the 80 member group. Many of the members are student leaders back at their respective programs and bring their drum corps experience to their high school or college marching music ensembles.

The instructor team has enjoyed watching their students’ hard work pay off in recent competitions yet find that the most rewarding accomplishment is the overall progression in technique and production during the three month competitive season.

“The best part is when I get to stand back while the students play and observe all of the work that they have put into the performance,” said Sulzicki, a pit percussion instructor who graduated from the Neag School in 2009 with a degree in music education. “After a long day of 12 hour rehearsals in 90 degree weather, seeing the sense of accomplishment on their faces makes it all worth it.”

Sulzicki was contacted by a 7th Regiment staff coordinator in 2007 with a percussion technician job inquiry and immediately accepted the position. After working with various high school marching bands, Sulzicki had always dreamed of instructing a drum and bugle corps.

“I enjoy helping students perform at a higher level then they ever have before, which creates individuals that are more self-confident, self-aware, and enables them to work alongside others to create one work of art,” said Sulzicki, who is entering his third year as an elementary instrumental teacher in Danbury, CT.

Like Sulzicki, Lam admires the high level of intensity the 7th Regiment nurtures. After his involvement in the marching arts during high school, Lam furthered his experience with the Crossmen in 2005 and the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps in 2007. Lam began working on the brass staff of the 7th Regiment in 2008 through a referral from his roommates, Wyman and Sulzicki, before graduating with a Music Education degree in 2009. Lam is entering his first year of teaching as the band director at Valley Regional High School in Deep River, CT.

“The students that take part in this activity do it because they truly enjoy it,” said Lam. “The ability to put together four very different musical and visual aspects of the drum corps together is an exciting process to watch and when these students get to perform, it is entertaining while providing them with skills and knowledge they will use for the rest of their lives.”

Colleagues Bauer and Lyons both currently work with the color guard, after marching together in the Connecticut Hurricanes Drum and Bugle Corps in the summer of 2007. During the fall, both Bauer and Lyons teach the Cheshire High School Marching Band with many members of the 7th Regiment staff. Bauer is entering her third year in Southbury, CT at Pomperaug High School, teaching in the math department while Lyons continues to work with East Hartford Public Schools in their instrumental string program.

“The other members of the instructional staff are talented, creative and fun people. I love working with them and have many fond memories with everyone on staff,” said Bauer.

Each of the 7th Regiment instructors had two years of experience participating in UConn’s Marching Band, an experience that added to their love for marching band techniques and music.

“We lend our experiences and abilities because we love the art form and we enjoy instructing our students,” said Lam.

For more information on the 7th Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps, check out their website at http://www.7thregiment.org. Also, visit a photo album of the instructional staff and students practicing this summer.

Dorothy’s Story: a Mother, a Student, a Friend and a Leader

Posted on September 21, 2011December 9, 2016 by

Dot Pierson Dorothy Pierson Hubeny, (Ph.D. ‘84) passed away in August after losing a courageous battle to cancer, but her legacy with the Neag School of Education lives on.

Dorothy, more commonly known as “Dot” by her friends and loved ones, was the quiet heart and soul of the Neag Alumni Society from its inception. She was instrumental in developing and launching the society and the annual Neag Alumni Awards Dinner. She spent years helping to build the group, including serving on the board for six years and two terms as president.

Dot first became connected to the Neag School as a graduate student in the doctoral program. She had selected the program due to the impressive curriculum, along with cost and location. Her research focus was on teacher stress and burnout, which contrasted with her calm, quiet demeanor. She collaborated with Dr. Richard Schwab (MA ’79, Ph.D. ’81), then a fellow doctoral student (now dean emeritus of the Neag School), publishing a paper on job stress and burnout. After graduation, Schwab went on to UNH to teach but they stayed in touch.

Dot connected with fellow graduate students, including Dr. Barbara Helms (MA ’79, Ph.D. ’85). Their friendship grew into a lifelong bond, filled with studying, giving back to the Neag School through the Neag Alumni Society, numerous lunches at the Whispering Swan restaurant in Sturbridge and frequent chats about books over coffee at the Manchester Barnes & Noble.

Helms first met Dot in July of 1980, while attending the doctoral defense of a classmate of theirs. “She was starting her residency year, I was moving up to campus, we were both going to be in the same department and we connected,” Helms recalled.

Dot was taking a lot of classes that Helms had already taken – statistics courses mostly – so they had a lot to talk about. Helms described Dot as always being “very warm, and friendly; always happy to see me, but private too.”

Dot came to Storrs with her young daughter, Anne, having recently lost her first husband to cancer. Dot could always be found with her daughter in tow, either in class or in study sessions, where Anne sat quietly reading a book. The love of reading was something passed from mother to daughter, as Dot loved books, and the Manchester Barnes & Noble was her second home.

“My mom had many interests and hobbies, including being an avid reader,” said Anne (Miller). “She loved reading books about historical events, as well as biographies.”

After retirement, Dot joined several book clubs, and particularly enjoyed her association with a group that studied the Great Books. “She always wanted to expand her knowledge, learn more, and share ideas with others. She loved the give and take of an active book discussion and enjoyed learning what other people thought about issues raised in literature,” noted Miller.

“She was also a wonderful quilter, and loved to sew and work on her needlework. There was also a period where she learned to paint, and we are fortunate to have some of her wonderful paintings to remember her by,” recalled Miller.

Miller followed her mother’s lead in pursuing educational interests by earning a Bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University, followed by a Master’s degree from Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism. She’s currently a TV news writer and producer in New York.

Dot’s classmates and professors became her extended family. In addition to Barbara, she met fellow doctoral student Dr. Larry Fenn (MA ’70, Ph.D. ’83). Together they later became quite the dynamic Neag group. She also stayed in touch with Schwab, along with being close one of her advisors, Dr. Fran Archambault (MA ’69, Ph.D. ’70), who fondly recalled Dot.

“Dot had the courage and tenacity to fulfill her dreams despite facing significant setbacks. She was gentle, considerate, and dedicated to her family and work,” said Archambault.

Archambault continued, “She was very professional and she was principled as well, but didn’t impose her view on others. She was very much a lady, but also a woman who was tough when she needed to be.” He had first met Dot when she applied to graduate school, and was impressed with her commitment to her family and to advancing her career.

He also knew she was going to have an impact. “Dot was a very caring and kind person, but she was focused as well,” he said. “I knew from the moment I met her that she was special. Dot didn’t sit on the sidelines; she rolled up her sleeves and dug in.”

“She knew UConn provided an opportunity for her to make significant contributions to education, and she seized that opportunity. I think she made many friends at UConn, and she felt that the faculty cared about her and wanted what was best for her,” he continued.

Schwab was equally impressed with Dot’s quiet, but strong-willed demeanor. “She was kind and would do anything to help. She was an excellent educator.” During her career, Dot worked with students of all ages, from elementary school to the college level. Most notably, she was the dean of students at Naugatuck Valley Community College.

In addition to working on the job stress and burnout paper, they presented together at national conferences and published a journal article. Schwab noticed the connection she had with her fellow students. “We supported each other and these relationships greatly enhanced our personal and professional lives.”

During his tenure as dean of the newly named Neag School of Education, Dean Schwab envisioned the need for an alumni group focused on the Neag School. “I wanted to build an association that reconnected our alums back to our school and to each other. We wanted to build a community not for fund raising but for ‘friend raising’ and support.”

He called on his favorite fellow students, Helms and Dot, a colleague Archambault, to meet one Saturday morning on campus to discuss starting an alumni society. The group had stayed friends since their days of books and late-night study sessions and they all had an equal passion for the Neag School and giving back. He had also invited Jerry Spears (MA ’71, Ph.D. ’82) and Tom Gillung (Ph.D. ’75) to the meeting.

The group was thrilled to learn Schwab returned from Drake University to the Neag School as dean, so when he came calling to get them involved with starting an alumni group, they were thrilled and responded, “Of course!”

After the Saturday meeting, Dr. Schwab invited the group, along with Fenn and Ann Rash (Sixth-Year Diploma ’02), to become members of the “founding board.” Schwab would later describe the group as taking the concept and making the society into what it is today. For the next year, they attended meetings to plan and strategize on what the alumni society was going to look like. Fenn took the reins as president (along with being the main organizer of the successful golf tournaments), Dot was vice president and the rest were founding board members.

Pictured L-R: Andy Hubney, Dorothy Hubnery, Barbara Helms and Ben Stuit. — Pictured L-R: Andy Hubney, Dorothy Hubney, Barbara Helms and Ben Stuit.

Fenn recalled the founding board with Dot in the role as vice president; “(With her in the role) it certainly made my job easier. Dot, Lynne Allen (the alumni society coordinator) and I organized our first annual alumni awards ceremony and golf tournament. Dot kept me on task and worked like crazy knowing our future students would benefit from our efforts.”

Fenn also fondly recalled her warm, accepting demeanor and empathy for everyone she worked with and noted how she was integrally involved in all major events. He described her as, “Kind, warm and extremely intelligent. She was perhaps one of the best collaborators and team-oriented women I ever had the privilege of working with.”

According to Helms, “Dot worked so hard. She really put her energy into it and was the second person to serve as president. She served for two years and even after her term, she was still an active board member.”

Helms would always come down to Storrs for the alumni awards dinner – another major project that Dot helped launch – and admired how Dot was “busy making sure everything was just so.”

“The alumni society was an extension of that whole School of Education experience that Dot was so passionate about,” she recalled.

As much energy and passion as Dot put into the Alumni Society, she also put into being a mom. Helms described Dot as being an “extraordinary mother” a phrase about Dot, but also directed towards her daughter, Anne Miller. “I said that in a message to Anne and I think she totally understood what I was saying. Dot not only loved and cared about her daughter, she admired her and supported her and would do anything for her.”

“She wasn’t a pushover – but she didn’t have to be one with a daughter like Anne. Both Dot and her husband Andy (her second husband) adored Anne and are very proud of the young woman she is – so much like her mom,” said Helms.

“(My mother) set a wonderful example in everything she did,” said Miller. “She was loving, supportive, and always put her family first. She instilled the values of hard work and perseverance, as well as kindness and compassion.”

“I can’t imagine a better role model,” continued Miller.

Schwab also admired the mother/daughter relationship, “they had an incredible bond. She was a delightful young woman, and I am not surprised she grew up into such a professional and successful mom herself.”

According to Miller, “(My mom) was passionate about education. She knew the difference it could make in people’s lives. She felt that the more she knew, the better she could serve her students.”

“In terms of the School of Education in particular, she had great respect for the fellow students, colleagues, mentors, and administrators who guided her through the doctoral process,” continued Miller.

“She believed it was important to support and foster an alumni association that would provide current Neag students and graduates with a valuable professional resource.”

Dot believed in all the right things – education, family, working hard and building an alumni association that would have an impact. She helped to build a lasting legacy that continues to impact the Neag School of Education’s alumni and will for years to come.

Letter from the Dean

Posted on September 21, 2011June 9, 2021 by

Dear Neag Alumni and Friends,

On behalf of the Neag School of Education, we hope the fall season is treating you well. Whether you’re teaching in the classroom, providing physical therapy to a patient, leading a school as the principal, marketing a sports team, lecturing on a college campus, studying hard as a Neag graduate student, or excelling in any one of the numerous career paths our alumni move on to … the Neag School wishes you a happy and productive fall 2011.

We also welcome you to become active with the Neag School and the many activities held throughout the academic year. There are numerous ways to find news and events about the Neag School. The Spotlight electronic newsletter, which comes out every other month, covers a lot of news about our alumni, faculty, staff and students. In particular, Homecoming is coming in October, and we invite you to stop by the Neag School tent in Husky Village. In the spring, we will hold our Neag Alumni Awards Dinner, followed by Alumni Weekend in June. To learn more about these and other Neag events, visit our calendar.

If you have any story ideas – or news to share – please contact us at neag-communications@uconn.edu. We also have the Neag School website, which features a lot of information about our programs, centers, faculty, and staff. If you haven’t “liked” us yet, visit our Facebook page or “follow” us on Twitter.

Lastly, but certainly not the least, is our Neag School video. You may have already seen it, but here it is again just in case. We invite you to share the video with your friends and fellow Neag grads. We are proud of the work of our faculty, staff, and students and the video highlights the important work they are currently doing and hope to accomplish in the future!

Warmly,

Thomas C. DeFranco

Dean

Neag School of Education

Neag Professor Leads European Embarkment on World War II Studies

Posted on September 21, 2011December 9, 2016 by

Neag students show their excitement to be in Paris. — Neag Students Show their excitement to be in Paris. Photo credit: Alan Marcus

This past May, Neag School of Education faculty member, Alan Marcus, paid tribute to the school’s mission of embracing worldwide diversity by leading a global leader study abroad program as part of a course titled: “Teaching World War II: Multiple Perspectives on the War in Europe.”

The two-week program was designed to immerse students into rich historical and culture experiences, enhance their understanding of international perspectives and facilitate productive teaching strategies for their professional lives. The trip established a foundation for the exploration of teaching history through film and museums, a course the students are enrolled in for this fall.

The Secondary Social Studies Program invited graduating seniors and fifth year integrated bachelor’s/master’s students with concentrations in history to embark on the Western European trip. Dr. David Moss, associate professor in the Neag School of Education, also accompanied the students.

“I learned how to be a culturally aware, sensitive and curious,” said Gabrielle Lataille. “Nothing is free of bias and there are always more questions, details and perspectives that need to be explored…The same event can be interpreted and analyzed in thousands of different ways, depending on who you are, where you live and your surrounding influences and interests.”

The summer experience enabled students to visit historical sites and museums in Great Britain, France and Holland where they investigated the different European perspectives of WWII. The students looked at the museums’ different narratives, interviewed museum staff and critically evaluated historic films to better grasp the war’s impact on global affairs.

“The European perspective of the war is very different from the American perspective,” explained Michael Stroneski. “Americans tend to focus on the battles, the statistics of the war and strategy and machinery. Europeans focus on the humanity of the war. By that I mean they look at the effect the war had on soldiers, families, children and everybody in between. It seems to be more about understanding ‘why’ rather than ‘how.’”

The trip abroad was an eye-opening experience for the 15 Neag student participants, providing them more insight than textbooks or online sources could deliver. Collectively, the travelers attest that their acquired personal anecdotes will be the most powerful classroom reference.

“Passion and the potential for passion in what you teach is the single most incredible tool teachers have in their tool box. Teachers have to bring what they love into the classroom because that honestly is something that students truly do latch on to,” said Adam Nemeroff.

For the students, visiting the WWII sites manifested an appreciation of history, further developing their overall cultural understanding of information and education, alike. For Lataille, it was physically setting foot in Anne Frank’s home where her senses of history and reality aligned.

“After reading the Diary of Anne Frank, I was both in love with the main character and devastated with the outcome of her story. However, it was the actual presence at the house in which she hid for two years that left me with the deep feeling of historical empathy,” she said. “I was able to feel and touch the place in which she experienced love, hope and suffering throughout WWII and the Holocaust, and immediately preceding her tragic torment and death at the concentration camps.”

This particular international experience, alongside other Neag student scholarship and faculty, has been made possible thanks to the generous financial support of Robert E. (M.A. ’51 Ph.D. ’55) and Gladys Dunn. The couple, who has devoted their lives to serve their passion for international studies, granted $100,000 to Neag to assist study and travel abroad for educational development. Some of these funds supported students participating in Marcus’ program.

“Over the years we have had opportunities to travel to all corners of the globe and realize how broadening our experiences have been. The many friendships and memories have enriched our lives, and we think of them every day. Our scholarship is intended to afford Neag students the chance to see first hand what is out there in this amazing world beyond U.S. shores,” said Mrs. Dunn.

Whether their favorite part of the experience was standing on the beaches of Normandy or picnicking in front of the shimmering Eiffel Tower, the trip had an enormous impact on the Neag students.

“We were invited to meet and hear a few of them,” Mr. Dunn said. “It was clear from their remarks that the outcomes that they experienced made as much of an impact on them as we felt. Their backgrounds of mutual understanding and respect earn them the role of citizens of the world who contribute to peace. They are unofficial ambassadors of good will.”

According to Marcus, the trip will change how his students will teach WWII by affecting their approach to teaching empathy across all topics, incorporating their own lessons along the way. To further reinforce the goals of the course, the students will participate in a follow-up journey to Washington D.C. where they will visit the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, the WWII Memorial, and the National Archives.

“I am optimistic that as teachers they will include field trip experience in the curriculum for their own students and will design effective activities for these trips,” said Marcus. “They certainly understand the power of a successful field trip.”

“This trip opened my eyes, my heart, and my head to so much about the world, education, history, learning, memory, the future, people, diversity, and even happiness. I was challenged in ways I never have been before and I experienced what most do not get to experience in a lifetime,” said Meaghan Davis. “I was constantly learning, thinking, and asking questions. I reflected on this trip as a student, as a future teacher, as an American, as a 21-year-old, as a woman, as a history dork, as a human being and more.”

For more information on “Teaching World War II: Multiple Perspectives on the War in Europe,” contact Professor Marcus at alan.marcus@uconn.edu.