Five decades of friendship lead to giving

May 22, 2023

The new home of the Institute of Child Development, Carmen D. and James R. Campbell Hall, is ushering in a new era for ICD’s hallmark programs—human development and early childhood education. But buildings are only as good as the people working inside them, and a cohort of ICD alumni has come together to help ensure top doctoral students continue to choose the U of M. Dana Fox (PhD ‘85) wasn’t expecting to attend Minnesota, despite ICD’s high ranking, but visited on the advice of an undergraduate mentor. She was impressed by how she was treated by faculty, saying, “The level of respect and interest in graduate students really stood out. I realized the importance of this kind of support and decided this was where I wanted to be.”

Fox quickly bonded with her peers. She recalls many late nights studying and having fun with her classmates in the Florence Goodenough Library and the influence of advisers such as Michael Maratsos, W. Andrew Collins, and Richard Weinberg.

While in school, Fox received a fellowship that enabled her to focus on her dissertation research without needing a job. Fox went on to spend several years at Washburn Center for Children, creating a team that transformed the organization into a state leader in children’s mental health. A few years ago, while reviewing her estate plans, she recalled the financial award, which included encouragement to give back in the future. After talking with the CEHD development office, she decided to establish a fund specifically for ICD students.

With the goal of creating a larger endowment, she approached others who had been at ICD with her. Many were excited about helping establish the ICD Alumni Doctoral Fellowship. Other founding donors are Nancy Hazen (PhD ‘79), Bruce Bobbitt (PhD ‘79), Emily Bushnell (PhD ‘79), Jeffrey Lockman (PhD ‘80), Amy Lederberg (MA ‘77, PhD ‘81), and Celia Brownell (PhD ‘82). To date, they have raised over $50,000; several also are making estate commitments. They intend to grow the fellowship to eventually provide full funding for a student.

Fox hopes future students will be inspired to give back, advising them to “work hard, be true to yourself, and after you achieve success and stability, remember to donate to the ICD Alumni Doctoral Fellowship.” Visit z.umn.edu/ICDAlumniDoctoralFellowship for more details.

Fox shared some of her memories about ICD in the following Q & A:

Why did you decide to attend U of M? Pursue a child psychology degree?

The Institute of Child Development (ICD) was one of the top programs in the country. One of my undergraduate mentors at [University of] Penn strongly urged me to apply, even though I really expected to go to a school on the east or west coast. I made some on-campus visits to graduate programs that offered me admission and decided to visit Minnesota, just to please her, even though I was not seriously considering it. The difference in how I was treated here compared to the other schools during those visits was remarkable. The faculty of ICD went out of their way to spend time with me, not to mention providing airport transportation, home hospitality, and a tour of the Minneapolis lakes. The level of respect and interest in graduate students really stood out. I realized the importance of this kind of support and decided this was where I wanted to be.

What’s a favorite memory from your time in ICD?

Many late nights studying and having fun together with classmates in the Florence Goodenough Library at ICD.

What about your degree do you find useful today, and/ or how did it help you in your career in child mental health?

The foundations and perspective on typical development and developmental paths inform my work. I find it is more powerful than starting with the lens of deviation or pathology. Later in my career, I added competencies in caring for adults and older adults, and the developmental framework continues to be very valuable in that work.

Of what contribution or achievement from your career are you most proud?

After getting my doctoral degree, I went to work at what was then Washburn Child Guidance Center. I was part of a team that transformed the organization, bringing in developmental perspectives on assessment and mental health treatment. I started a doctoral psychology internship and led the creation of their school based and in home treatment programs. As a result, Washburn Center has grown exponentially and is truly a state leader in children’s mental health.

Who are key mentors or people who deeply influenced you (faculty and/ or other students) from your time at UM?

Advisers at various points of my graduate studies — Andy Collins, Rich Weinberg, Michael Maratsos, and Norman Garmezy. David Weiss whose class in psychometric theory solidified my understanding of science. Helen Dickason, long-time assistant to the ICD director, also played a big role in supporting all of the grad students in finding our way in Minnesota and the field.

What advice do you have for current students?

Work hard, be true to yourself, and after you achieve success and stability, remember to donate to the ICD Alumni Doctoral Fellowship.

I know part of your motivation for giving back is that you received the Stanwood Johnston Fellowship while on campus. What inspired you to actually make the gift at this particular moment in time?

I had been reviewing my estate planning to include legacy gifts and remembered the request that came along with that fellowship, to contribute back to the fellowship fund if financial circumstances later in life allowed. I wanted to do that for a while but was not sure where to start. I had searched online and did not find evidence that this fellowship was still being awarded. As luck would have it, one of the staff of the CEHD Development team became a tenant in my duplex. I sought out her advice, and she put me in touch with her colleague who helped me begin the process. As we researched the situation, it became clear that starting a fund dedicated to ICD students was the preferred way to pay it forward.

Share a bit about your cohort who have come together to support the ICD Alumni Doctoral Fellowship: memories from campus, how you stay in touch, how you developed and implemented the plan for a group gift.

Our class of ten began graduate school in 1974. We bonded particularly well and enjoyed our years together at ICD. When I got the idea of beginning a fellowship, I also gave thought to how to set it up so that it would eventually have sufficient funds to make large grants. I hope that my legacy gift will be substantial but knew that more would be needed. I approached my close friend Jeffrey Lockman (PhD ’80) and asked him if he would join me in establishing the fellowship, and he agreed.

Jeff and I had been housemates and have stayed close over all these years while he was teaching at Tulane. I had less frequent contact with most of the others since I did not continue in an academic career but always enjoyed catching up when the Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) held its meetings in Minnesota. We had been looking forward to getting together at SRCD 2021, but the pandemic interfered with an in-person event. Jeff hosted a zoom “party” for all of us instead. Toward the end of the party, I shared the plan and asked if others might be interested in participating and several were. Since then, we have had a few meetings and together have raised over $50,000 to establish the fund. There will be a small award made in the 2023-24 academic year. We have a goal of ultimately raising at least $1,000,000 to achieve the goal of fully funding a graduate student. The guidelines for the award encourage consideration of support for students with financial need or who will enhance the diversity of the field.

In addition to myself, the founding donors of this fund are: Jeff Lockman, Amy Lederberg (MA ’77, PhD ’81), Nancy Hazen (PhD ’79), Celia Brownell (PhD ’82), Bruce Bobbitt (PhD ’79), and Emily Bushnell (PhD ’79). I want to especially thank those who have also made a legacy pledge and the others who are considering doing the same.

Is there anything else that you’d like to mention?

The Stanwood Johnston Fellowship was extremely helpful, as it enabled me to focus on my dissertation research without needing to simultaneously work as a research or teaching assistant.

2023 Spring Assembly recognizes the college’s best

May 19, 2023

At the 2023 CEHD Spring Assembly, 12 collegewide awards were presented. Not only do these awards acknowledge outstanding work, but they offer an opportunity to inspire others who see how the work of those in the college makes a difference in the lives of others.

CEHD award winners this year include:

Mimi Choy-Brown (School of Social Work) New Career Excellence

Lucy Evans (Institute on Community Integration) CS/BU Operational Excellence Award

Alex Evenson (Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development) Outstanding P&A Achievement Award

Tracey Hammell (School of Kinesiology) Excellence in Academic Advising

Margaret Kelly (Department of Family Social Science) Distinguished Teaching Award

Jennifer McComas (Department of Educational Psychology) Distinguished Teaching Award

Jennifer McGuire (Department of Family Social Science) Excellence in Research

Tai Mendenhall (Department of Family Social Science) Marty and Jack Rossmann Award

Emily Prisland (Student Services) Jeanne T. Lupton Civil Service/Bargaining Unit Outstanding Service Award

Miguel Quiñones (Department of Family Social Science) Outstanding Student Employee Award

Kaylina Smith (Department of Family Social Science) Outstanding Student Employee Award

Frank Symons (Department of Educational Psychology) Educational Leadership Award

Two ICD PhD students win PEO Scholar Award

May 16, 2023

Lauren Eales, a PhD student in developmental psychopathology and clinical science, and Mariann Howland, a PhD student in developmental and clinical psychology, both in the Institute of Child Development (ICD), are two of 110 doctoral students within the U.S. and Canada selected to receive a prestigious $20,000 PEO Scholar Award from the PEO Sisterhood.

Eales has authored multiple articles in prestigious scientific journals and is active in leadership and advocacy in her graduate program. Her PhD research focuses on how youth mental health develops in multiple contexts. She studies both problematic and screen media use in children and their correlates with child and parent mental health, how acculturation is related to media use behaviors and physical and mental well-being in youth, and how white parents use media to initiate race socialization.

Howland has seven first-authored and 13 co-authored articles in prestigious scientific journals. Her PhD research aims to further understanding of the prevalence, consequences, and biological underpinnings of maternal symptoms of mania and psychosis over the pregnancy to postpartum transition. These symptoms have been relatively neglected in research and clinical practice. she aims for findings from this and future work to accelerate progress in developing optimal interventions for perinatal mental health.

The PEO Scholar Awards program, established in 1991, provides substantial merit-based awards for women of the U.S. and Canada who are pursuing a doctoral-level degree at an accredited college or university.

In memoriam: Terence G. (Terry) Collins

May 16, 2023

Terence G. (Terry) Collins, who served as interim dean of CEHD when it was first formed, died on May 11, 2023. He was 77 years old. Terry received his undergraduate and PhD degrees at the University of Minnesota and worked at the U for more than three decades as a faculty member and administrator. He was a professor of writing and literature and director of academic affairs in the General College before serving CEHD as interim dean. Terry was a first-generation college student and spent much of his career committed to creating access and equity for students to receive the same high-quality education he had enjoyed. He felt he was joyously lucky in his three daughters, including Molly Rojas Collins, currently a senior teaching specialist in the School of Social Work. Read the full obituary.

Tseyone Bogale TRIO celebration speech

May 9, 2023

Hello everyone, thank you for being here today to celebrate everyone in TRIO and highlight graduating senior voices. I’m excited that I have the chance to speak to everyone in this room, because there are people here that have had such important roles in my life and I know that even if I leave, we’ll stay connected because once you’re in TRIO, you’re always in TRIO.

In my freshman year, I came here with zero expectations. I didn’t know what I wanted to major in or what I wanted to do but I did have fears. Fear that I wouldn’t create this community that they tell you to find in your freshman orientation or the fear of not building your network because I didn’t know what that meant. All I had behind me was my parents’ trust that I would do the right thing. And even though I had just come back from spending a week at 17th, getting to know amazing people that I didn’t know would end up being my friends these past four years, I was under the impression that I was going into this alone. And obviously, I wouldn’t be here today if all of that was true. I wouldn’t be here today without my teachers, mentors, coaches, friends, and advisors.

The first person that helped me realize this was my first-year teacher Rashné Jehangir. In my first-year CEHD class, she introduced an article called “Higher Education and Habits of the Heart: Restoring Democracy’s Infrastructure” by Parker J. Palmer. She had the idea that it would help us create our own norms in the classroom, set our own expectations for ourselves and our peers, and by doing that it would allow us to feel more comfortable. There was this section titled “Habits of the Heart.” I’m going to use these habits as important lessons I’ve learned and am continuing to still work on.

The first habit is that “We must understand that we are all in this together.” In my freshman year during spring break, TRIO took some of us to the Capital for a TRIO day, advocating for this program and others across MN. I remember being on the bench with my friend Brandon when he told me that his friend at Harvard was told to move out because of COVID-19. I was naive and thought it was never going to get here, nothing big happens in MN and then our spring break gets extended for another week or so, and then we never came back that year and the next year. The one thing I was consistent with was TAG. I went to those TAG meetings every Friday, I even got the best TAGger last year. I remember texting my friends “Are at TAG?” “Are you going to TAG this Friday?” It was a nice place to unwind, meet and laugh with other people I hadn’t met. Coming to the school with the fear that I would build a community, I was attached to TAG. So when we didn’t come back after spring break, I was like “What’s going to happen to TAG?” It was still there, the TRIO advisors made it work. We still met, it was just through Zoom but I saw the same people, met new ones, laughed but above all else we stayed connected, which is what I needed at that time. I felt connected to a community where I knew the people around me wanted to help me.

The second habit is that “We must develop an appreciation of the value of “otherness.” This wasn’t a hard habit or lesson to learn, because we are often the “other,” being a person of color, being first-generation, not seeing anyone that looks like you in your classes is an experience we all relate to. It can be hard to be in those spaces and not think about why it is the way it is, but if I could talk to my freshman self, I would tell her to embrace the “otherness” and take pride in being the first. Take pride in being the first in your family to go to college, first to get a scholarship, and first to be recognized for all the hard work you put in to get to where you are now.

The third one which was the most tough for me but it’s that “We must cultivate the ability to hold tension in life-giving ways.” Even though I came here not knowing what to major in, I knew I was done with the competition. I had enough of that in High school, I wanted to be in a space that builds community and fosters growth. I started out in elementary education. I was in a classroom where the teachers were kind, there was no curve, the foundation was collaboration and everyone had the same goal. I started telling myself that I had found my people, that this is where I belong until I told my parents that I was studying to become a teacher, and that’s when the tension started to grow. You hear it a lot from immigrant parents “Become a doctor, or lawyer, get a good paying job.” They want to see your success and for it to be reflected back on the family. Another thing I heard a lot from my parents was that my only job was to be a good student. It was tough love but I learned that just as I came into college with fears, my parents were afraid too. This wasn’t an area they could give me guidance on, they were scared to tell me the wrong thing, which is why all they had was trust that I would do the right thing.

They never told me their feelings, but growing up I began to understand them more and myself. It was the first time I really began to take ownership in my education. I had to be honest with myself and recognize that there were interests that I hadn’t yet pursued and began just doing that. There was a time when my education wasn’t something I claimed for myself, it was something that I was doing for my parents in the hope that they would see that their efforts were worthwhile. Just know that can still hold true for you while you begin to discover the value in your education.

The next two lessons became the most important for me, they were that we must generate a sense of personal voice and agency and that we must strengthen our capacity to create community. Personal voice has always been a challenge for me, being confident that my voice has the power to make a difference. I can’t pinpoint an experience where that flipped for me because it’s something I’m still learning but what I can confidently say is that “no one tells me when I’m done.” I own the finish line, you own your finish line, don’t let anyone tell you when you should be done with your education or what the expectations are because you set them yourself and set them high because you all have the capacity. And if you don’t believe in that now, you will because you have people around you that are going to help you discover it. Because it’s impossible to create a sense of personal voice without creating a community. It took a village for me to get to where I am today, to have pursued the opportunities other people had to push me to say “yes” to.

I was recently asked by a friend whether I can say that my 4 years here have been a success and I said yes. Because of everything I’ve done, all of my successes, and everything I’ve failed at, whether it was a class or an exam, I came back from it and I wasn’t by myself. That community was TRIO, PES, my friends, and my advisors that have changed my outlook on life and my pursuits.

Lori Ann Laster receives PEO Scholar Award

May 5, 2023

Lori Ann Laster, a PhD candidate in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction with a graduate minor in human rights, is the winner of the prestigious PEO (Philanthropic Educational Organization) Scholar Award. Laster is one of 110 scholars within the U.S. and Canada to receive this award. She is also the recipient of a new award from the Center of Jewish Studies, the Jerome L. Joss Graduate Student Research Grant. Laster also recently won the CEHD Seashore Graduate Fellowship Award.

Last year, Laster received the Ruth Eckert Scholarship and Theresa and Nathan Berman Graduate Fellowship in Jewish Studies from the University of Minnesota’s Center for Jewish Studies (CJS).

Laster’s current research focuses on the intersection of religious literacy, cultural identity, and education. She feels incredibly lucky to benefit from the continued support and mentorship of her co-advisors in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Lori Helman and Susan Staats, and her human rights and Jewish studies advisor, Bruno Chaouat.

2023 Spring Assembly honors faculty and staff retirees

May 5, 2023

At the 2023 Spring Assembly, CEHD saluted those faculty and staff members who are leaving us. We thank them for their service and wish them well in the next chapter of their lives.

Karen Anderson retired in October 2022 as project and program specialist in the Center for Early Education and Development (CEED) in the Institute of Child Development, where she provided administrative and technical support that touched all aspects of CEED’s work. Karen was instrumental in assuring a smooth technology experience for instructors and students participating in the professional development opportunities presented by CEED. If you’ve “liked” a post from CEED on social media, chances are it was Karen’s handiwork. If you’ve visited CEED’s website, it was Karen who made it function smoothly for users, with a special focus on accessibility. Over the past 28 years, whenever you’ve connected with CEED, you’ve connected with Karen! Recalling her career at the University, Karen shared, “The thing I’ll miss the most about CEED is the exceptional group of people comprising CEED’s efforts and the feeling of ‘belonging.’ They allowed me to feel part of this community for all these years, and the opportunity to learn new skills and grow in relationship with others was immeasurable. I will always remember my time with CEED and the University with great fondness and gratitude.”

Julie Bishop-Hogan had been with the University of Minnesota since October 2000. She served as the full-time receptionist and face of the Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development before taking on the large task of scheduling for the whole department. Julie was instrumental in keeping things flowing with scheduling, textbook orders, and student feedback forms. She was always kind and caring to those around her and was always able to make work feel less like work through her positive working relationships with her colleagues. In retirement Julie has been able to spend more time with her spouse.

Carol Carrier was a professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction before serving the University as Vice President of Human Resources. In 2018, she started in the Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development (OLPD) with a split appointment of professor in its higher education program and as special assistant in the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost. During her time in OLPD, Carol played significant leadership roles in co-leading the process to review and revise the department tenure and promotion statements. With her OLPD colleague, and also former Vice President of Human Resources Kathy Brown, Carol designed and launched a new online training program during the challenging COVID period, aimed at helping OLPD faculty consider and apply for leadership positions at the OLPD, CEHD, and University levels. In addition, she developed and executed a rigorous peer-review processes for teaching observation for post-doc colleagues to provide feedback for both their career development and tenure and promotion cases. She also advised several graduate students and was an active member of the higher education program faculty. In retirement, she and her husband have plans for long walks and time spent in nature at their property in Afton.

Dante Cicchetti, the McKnight Presidential Endowed Chair of Child Psychology and Psychiatry in the Institute of Child Development, is one of the founders of the field of developmental psychopathology. This field revolutionized child psychiatry through understanding that the roots and pathways to psychological problems had to be understood through a developmental lens and not by treating children through a downward extension of adult pathology. Dante has shaped the field through his own research, which has been prodigious and seminal, and through founding and serving as editor of the main journal in the field, Development and Psychopathology, and through publishing four editions of the field’s standard reference work, Developmental Psychopathology, which is now a four-volume set. He has published over 500 articles and is the recipient of almost every major honor in the field of developmental psychology. Dante’s lifetime achievement awards include the G. Stanley Hall Award from the American Psychological Association, the American Psychological Association’s Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award, and the William James Fellow Award from the Association for Psychological Science, among many others. In 2015, Dante was inducted into the American Academy of Arts & Sciences.

MJ Gilbert was a practicum coordinator in the School of Social Work. She graduated from our MSW program in 1990, following a career as a Jewish educator and youth worker. She practiced for 16 years as a direct social work practitioner and supervisor at Mental Health Resources, serving adults in the community living with serious mental illness, before joining the school of social work in 2004 as a field coordinator. In 2013, she became the director of field education for the MSW program, a role she continued until September 2022, when she reduced to half time to concentrate on serving MSW students in practica, the work that was always closest to her heart. MJ was one of the first out trans social workers in the Twin Cities, and one of the first out trans social work educators in the country. While at the U, she served as co-chair for what at the time known as the U of M Trans Commission. During her time in that role, the U expanded its non-discrimination statement to include gender identity and presentation.

Frances Lawrenz will retire as Associate Vice President for Research at the University and Professor in Quantitative Methods in Education in the Department of Educational Psychology this May after 37 years at the U. In her academic work, she specializes in science and mathematics program evaluation. She uses a variety of techniques to best fit the needs of a given situation, including mixing methods in a variety of ways. She has been involved in the evaluation of several national science and mathematics programs. She has published well over 100 research papers and over 200 evaluation reports in addition to other scholarly work. She has held departmental and college leadership positions and is an award-winning researcher, teacher, and leader. Her distinguished work has earned her the Research on Evaluation SIG Distinguished Scholar Award from the American Educational Research Association, the National Association for Research in Science Teaching Distinguished Contributions to Science Education through Research Award, and an appointment to the University of Minnesota Academy of Distinguished Teachers. She is looking forward to spending her retirement time with her family and new grandson.

Department of Educational Psychology Professor Geoffrey Maruyama will retire in August 2023 after 47 years at the University. As a professor in the psychological foundations of education, his primary research has focused on achievement processes in schools. He has written three books, Basics of Structural Equation Modeling, Research in Educational Settings with Stanley Deno, and, most recently, Research Methods in Social Relations, with Carey Ryan. He has been PI or co-PI on eight federal grants, as well as having a co-I role on several other federal grants. The most recent was a $2.8 million grant to study community engagement of college students from backgrounds under-represented in post-secondary education. Geoffrey has held administrative roles as the Chair of the Department of Educational Psychology, Director of the Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, Assistant/Associate Vice President for Multicultural and Academic Affairs, and Associate Vice President for System Academic Administration. He is a Fellow of the American Educational Research Association, the American Psychological Association, and the American Psychological Society. In retirement, he looks forward to continuing golfing, yoga, traveling, and spending time with grandkids and other family members.

Maria Sera retired from the Institute of Child Development (ICD) in December following 33 years in CEHD. Maria joined ICD as an assistant professor in 1989 and quickly established herself as a leading scholar in research on language and cognitive development. She was awarded a McKnight Land-Grant Professorship in 1992 and continued to rise through the ranks to associate and full professor. Throughout her career, Maria examined how specific characteristics of the language or languages that we use can impact the way we think about and understand the world around us. For example, she conducted work showing that differences in grammar across languages are associated with differences in spatial cognition and categorization. In addition, Maria made significant contributions to the literature on second-language learning and bilingualism and was awarded the University’s Faculty Multi-Cultural Research Award in 2006. She was a passionate champion of students. She served as ICD’s Director of Undergraduate Studies from 2014-2017 and actively mentored both graduate and undergraduate students in research throughout her career. She has left an indelible mark on her department and the field of language development.

Joyce Serido is a professor and extension specialist in the department of Family Social Science. She has made a lasting impact on families in Minnesota and beyond since joining CEHD in 2014. She was the Primary Investigator of the first-ever multidisciplinary initiative to study the association between early adult financial behaviors and adult life success. Joyce also has created multiple programs to teach college undergraduates, emerging adults, and families strategies for improving financial decision-making skills, including efforts to reach diverse communities of learners from low income, immigrant, American Indian, and rural populations. Her research has been published extensively in journals and featured in media, and her work has also been used to inform policy conversations related to families and finances at the national level, including efforts with the Federal Reserve, Department of Defense, and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Her research on understanding how families communicate about finances along with her outreach efforts to educate communities on family financial behavior have improved the economic well-being of families in Minnesota and across the nation.

Terri Vandercook is retiring as assistant director of the TIES Center in the Institute on Community Integration (ICI). Terri was a special education teacher in the 1980s and saw students with significant cognitive disabilities attending separate schools or separate classrooms within neighborhood schools. Watching these students languish amid low expectations spurred her to earn a PhD in educational psychology from the U of M. She worked at ICI in its early years and co-directed the “Together Were Better: Inclusive School Communities in Minnesota – Partnerships for Systems Change” project, as well as many other grants and projects focused on special education. Terri left ICI to be a faculty member at the University of St. Thomas and later chair of its special education department. In 2018 she returned to ICI and was assistant director of the TIES Center. TIES provides technical assistance to states, districts and schools to support the movement of students with significant cognitive disabilities from less inclusive to more inclusive environments. At TIES, her leadership and understanding of creating inclusive communities was integral to supporting educational systems change.

Professor Michael Wade served the School of Kinesiology for nearly 37 years. He joined in 1986 as director for what was known then as the School of Physical Education and Recreation. During his 20 years as director, Michael saw the school through a name change to the “School of Kinesiology and Leisure Studies” in 1991, which established two primary divisions: “Kinesiology” and “Recreation, Park, and Leisure Studies.” In 2003, he worked to consolidate the school’s efforts under one name, the “School of Kinesiology,” with the goal of creating more grant opportunities. Recognized by former U President Robert Bruininks for his fine efforts, Michael helped promote the research of faculty and bring positive attention to the University. In 2005, he returned to the classroom full-time. Throughout this next chapter in his career, he became one of the most beloved educators in their school. Michael’s students appreciated his experience and his expertise, summed up nicely by a student in his final semester: “Excellent expertise paired with impeccable articulation, a pinch of theater, a dash of humor, and a heap of professionalism made Professor Wade unforgettable.”

**CEHD ranks #16 on U.S. News & World Report’s best graduate schools list**

April 25, 2023

CEHD once again had a strong showing on the 2023-24 U.S. News & World Report’s Best Graduate School annual rankings. Staying in the top 20, CEHD placed 16^th among all public education graduate schools in the nation. Among the entire list of 272 schools, both public and private, CEHD ranked in 25^th place.

The Institute of Child Development (ICD) has continued its long-standing ranking as the #1 developmental psychology program in the nation. ICD was rated along with other psychology programs as part of the 2023 U.S. News & World Report’s rankings of the Best Social Sciences and Humanities Schools.

The Department of Educational Psychology continues its legacy of a strong showing, with its special education program named the eighth-best in the nation, while educational psychology was listed in 11^th place. Specialty program rankings are based on nominations by education school deans and deans of graduate studies at education schools.

Overall rankings are derived by scoring each school on several distinct factors, including faculty resources, research activity, student selectivity, and quality assessments from peers and other educational professionals.

Joseph Rios receives Promising Measurement Scholar Award

April 11, 2023

Joseph Rios, Department of Educational Psychology, is the winner of the 2023 Jason Millman Promising Measurement Scholar Award. Rios, an assistant professor of quantitative methods in education (QME), was recognized for his contributions to the field and service to the National Council on Measurement in Education.

Rios was nominated for the award by Dean Michael C. Rodriguez, who, as a graduate student, worked with Millman. In his nomination letter, Rodriguez stated that Rios works in the Millman tradition, to improve the practice of educational measurement and the use of tests, especially on behalf of communities where such information is often misused or misunderstood. Rios is a perfect recipient for this high honor, particularly now—the 25th anniversary of Millman’s passing.

Millman was a Cornell professor of education and an expert on standardized testing methods. The Promising Measurement Scholar Award is designed to honor Millman’s work by recognizing a scholar at the early stages of their career whose research has the potential to make a major contribution to the applied measurement field.

Announcing Research & Innovation Day 2023 poster winners

March 28, 2023

CEHD’s annual Research & Innovation Day took place March 23 at McNamara Alumni Center. There were 61 poster presentations, the most in the event’s history. Here are the award winners:

Best Undergraduate Student Presenter: “Time to Award Some Medals: A Comparative Social Media Analysis of Olympic Coverage in Australia and the United States”—Meg Messer, Sam Dreher, Hannah Marshall, Kelsey Slater, and Dunja Antunovic

Best Graduate Student Presenter: “Effects of Gaming-integrated Physical Activity Interventions on Physical Health and Development in Healthy Preschoolers: A Systematic Review” —Wanjiang Zhou, John Oginni, Juan Jose Palos Perez, and Zan Gao

Most Effective Design: “Inference Galaxy”—Pani Kendeou, Kristen McMaster, Joseph Burey, Jasmine Kim, Susan Slater, Rina Harsch, Emily Reno, Kyle Stagnaro, HyeJin Hwang, and Seohyeon Choi

Successful Collaboration: “Community-Based Youth Mentoring for Autistic Adolescents by Autistic Adults”—Lila Khan, Zeba Ahmed, Emma Worthley, Meredith Gunlicks-Stoessel, Rebekah Hudock, and Lindsey Weiler

Potential Community Impact: “Barriers and Facilitators of Physical Activity for Gender Diverse Persons”—Michael Urgiv and Daheia J. Barr-Anderson

Innovative Use of Technology in Research: “Identifying Patterns of Parent-Adolescent Communication in Person and Using Technology”—Eunyoung Park, Samantha LeBouef, and Jodi Dworkin

Most Accessible to a Layperson: “Siblings and Social Interaction Development of Autistic Individuals: A Systematic Review”—Qichao Pan, M. Y. Savana Bak, LeAnne D. Johnson, Lalinne S. Bell,and Natalie Dumas

Consuelo Gutierrez-Crosby named TRIO SSS interim director

March 15, 2023

Consuelo Gutierrez-Crosby has been named interim director for the TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) program at CEHD. She has served as the assistant director for TRIO SSS since the fall of 2020, providing strong leadership for many of its signature initiatives.

Gutierrez-Crosby is replacing Minerva Muñoz, who is stepping down as director to take a position as dean of institutional equity at Macalester College. Muñoz has led TRIO SSS with distinction for the past six years.

TRIO SSS is in capable hands with Gutierrez-Crosby aboard. She has a 20-plus-year career in program development, implementation, and management in non-profit, higher education, and philanthropic sectors. She has a passion for first-generation college success and is energized by opportunities to maximize and build on student strengths.

Gutierrez-Crosby is an alum of Macalester, where she majored in international studies and sociology with a minor in political science. She is also a University of Minnesota Humphrey Institute for Public Affairs alum, where she received a master’s degree in public policy with a concentration in nonprofit management.

TRIO SSS strives to ensure access to equal opportunity education for U of M students who are first-generation in college, low-income, with disabilities, or for whom English is not their first language. Through inclusive and accessible services, including academic support, counseling, teaching and advocacy, TRIO SSS seeks to remove institutional and cultural barriers, foster a climate that values the social and cultural capital of students, and promote retention to graduation.

Tania D. Mitchell named new chair of OLPD

March 14, 2023

The Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development (OLPD) has announced that Tania D. Mitchell will serve as the next chair of the department, effective this summer. As chair, she not only will oversee the administration of the department but will guide ongoing development and implementation of department programs, initiatives, policies, and goals.

“I am excited that Tania will serve as OLPD Chair and join the academic leadership team,” said CEHD Dean Michael C. Rodriguez. “She brings scholarship and expertise in student development, civic identity, and community engagement, that will contribute tremendously to department and college goals. Having worked with her on a number of projects over the years, I am fully confident in her abilities to be an effective scholar leader.”

Mitchell is an associate professor of higher education in the department and serves as the coordinator of graduate programs in the Higher Education track in OLPD. Her teaching interests include social justice theory; civil discourse; public service; leadership; college student development; action research methods; and the pedagogy, philosophy, and practice of community engagement in higher education.

An internationally recognized scholar in service learning and community engagement, Mitchell was recognized with the 2019 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award and the 2022 Publication of the Year Award from the International Association for Research on Service Learning and Community Engagement. Mitchell’s research also explores leadership education and development, and the experiences of minoritized students. She serves as an associate editor of the Review of Higher Education and the U of M included Mitchell in the first class of McKnight Presidential Fellows (2017-20).

Mitchell is a scholar-practitioner who has taught at Stanford University, Mills College, California State University Monterey Bay, and the University of Massachusetts. In her time at the U of M, she has been an active member of the Faculty Consultative Committee of the University Senate, a member of the Core Curriculum 2025 committee considering the redesign of the undergraduate general education curriculum, and served as chair of the Faculty Steering Committee for the University’s undergraduate leadership minor. She holds a BA in political science and communications from Baylor University, an MS in higher education and student affairs from Indiana University, and an EdD in student development from the University of Massachusetts.

“I’m very excited about the opportunity to serve the department and the college as the next chair of OLPD,” Mitchell said. “We are a diverse and dynamic department that makes significant impacts in the college, University, community, and our respective disciplines through leadership, scholarship, and our work preparing students for leadership in various organizational contexts. I look forward to working with my colleagues across the department to continue to strengthen our programs, support our students, and contribute to knowledge building that shapes organizational change.”

Civil rights icon Dr. Josie R. Johnson receives high honor

March 14, 2023

Minnesota civil rights icon Dr. Josie R. Johnson was honored with a special luncheon on Monday, March 13, to celebrate her receiving a 2022 University of Minnesota Regents Award, one of the highest honors the U bestows. The award recognizes those who demonstrate exceptionally valuable and meritorious service to the University.

CEHD nominated Dr. Johnson and led the process to secure supporting letters from the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs, the College of Liberal Arts, and Governor Tim Walz. Several media outlets covered the event, which was organized by a cross-college committee led by Ryan Warren of CEHD and Serena Wright from the Office of the President and Office of the Provost. The Regents Award citation reads:

“In recognition of her lifelong commitment to working in mind, body, and spirit for the betterment of humanity and justice for all people, the University of Minnesota is pleased to bestow the Regents Award to Dr. Josie Robinson Johnson.

“Over the course of her life, Dr. Johnson’s commitment resulted in the passing of the fair housing bill in Minnesota, which was the first in the state and the country; and she led and built coalitions to win voting rights, civil rights, and to expand freedom for Black communities nationwide. The courage of her activism is evident in her proximity to the issues, as Dr. Johnson led the Minnesota delegation to the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom and participated in the 1964 Freedom Summer campaign in Mississippi, amongst many other examples.

“Dr. Johnson has made the University of Minnesota a more equitable and inclusive institution, having served as the first African American Regent, having contributed to the founding of what is now the Department of African American and African Studies, the Common Ground Consortium, and to creating the All-University Diversity Forum, from which subsequent efforts established the infrastructure of what is now the University’s Office for Equity and Diversity. Dr. Johnson’s efforts inspire us to this day to make the University of Minnesota a global university for ALL Minnesotans.

“This Regents Award acknowledges Dr. Johnson’s direct contributions to the University and society at-large, contributions that have lasted and that continue to guide the University community to never waver in establishing more just, equitable, and welcoming communities.”

Two special videos were created by CEHD’s own Jairus Davis for the luncheon: Hope in the Struggle I and Hope in the Struggle II.

C&I PhD candidate receives excellence in research award

March 13, 2023

Darren LaScotte, a PhD candidate in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction (C&I), was recently honored with the 2023 TESOL Award for Excellence in Research for a paper on second language teaching and learning. The paper was written with Professor Emerita Elaine Tarone, a former faculty member in the MA TESOL program in C&I.

The award recognizes excellence in research on language teaching and learning and is given for empirical research that advances English language teaching policies, programs, or practices, or generates new knowledge about additional language acquisition.

LaScotte will receive the award at the upcoming TESOL International Conference in Portland, Oregon. He is the keynote speaker for the TESOL Graduate Student Forum on March 21, and will receive the award later that day at the opening plenary presentation. He will give a second featured presentation on March 22.

The award-winning paper, “Channeling ‘voices’ to improve L2 English intelligibility,” was published in The Modern Language Journal last year. The article documents ways that seven adult second language learners in an intensive English program improved their English intelligibility, while some of them also improved their delivery, as they all mirrored and subsequently channeled the voices of model speakers in rehearsed oral presentations over the course of seven weeks.

In memoriam: Dave Christesen

March 1, 2023

Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development Lecturer Dave Christesen passed away on Thursday, February 23. He was a core member of the department with a distinguished record of teaching, advising, and service. He taught three graduate and undergraduate classes per semester in Business and Marketing Education and Human Resource Development. He had been a member of the CEHD community since 2006.

Dave called himself a practitioner turned academic. His experience ranged from working on investment and staffing models as a mathematician to vice president-level positions leading multiple corporate functions and multi-billion-dollar mergers. He also worked in consulting across numerous industries as a project manager, change consultant, and leadership coach. But after more than 30 years working in industry, including 20 as an executive at Travelers Insurance Company, he decided to focus his energy and curiosity in the academic realm. Already armed with a BSB concentrated in finance and information systems, he picked up an MEd with a concentration in human resources in 2006 and a PhD in work and human resource education in 2008, all from the U.

Dave spent the rest of his career at the U, first as a graduate studies coordinator and then as a senior fellow in the Technological Leadership Institute before becoming a lecturer in OLPD. Dave said his goal in teaching was to share his experiences in a way that tells a story about the topic. He had a significant well to draw upon.

Keitha-Gail Martin-Kerr visits Jamaica as part of teacher exchange program

February 27, 2023

Keitha-Gail Martin-Kerr, an associate teaching professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, recently co-led a fully funded week-long Jamaican Exchange in Teaching program (JET) immersion experience. In February, four teachers from Highland Elementary School in Columbia Heights were immersed in Jamaican schools, culture, and community. The teachers visited Liberty Hill Infant School, Brown’s Town Model Infant School, and Lime Tree Gardens School in the parish of St. Ann, Jamaica. Martin-Kerr visited three primary schools in the parish of Trelawny to forge partnerships for the next school year.

The JET program is designed to build a sustainable partnership with the Ministry of Education in Jamaica. Last year, teachers from Jamaica visited the University of Minnesota campus and five metro schools.

Jehanne Beaton receives Tate Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Advising

February 8, 2023

Jehanne Beaton, the coordinator of the DirecTrack to Teaching Program in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, is a recipient of a 2022-23 John Tate Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Advising.

Beaton’s areas of interest include urban teacher preparation, practice-based teacher preparation, and social studies education. Her dissertation research took up arts-based research to explore the complexities of learning to teach in a university partnership high school. As the coordinator of DirecTrack to Teaching, she helps students receive early exposure to the culture of teaching and schools through in-school experiences to prepare them for MEd and teaching license programs.

The Tate Award serves to recognize and reward high-quality advising at the University. It calls attention to the contributions that academic advising and career services make in helping students formulate and achieve their intellectual, career, and personal goals. By recognizing professionals for their outstanding commitment to students, the Tate Award celebrates the role that academic advising and career services play in the University’s educational mission. The award is named in honor of John Tate, professor of physics and first dean of University College (1930-41).

Sandra Christenson receives University’s Outstanding Achievement Award

February 7, 2023

Pictured with Sandra L. Christenson are Professor and President Emeritus Robert H. Bruininks, Professor and President Emeritus and David R. Johnson, Professor of the Department of Organizational leadership, Policy and Development.

Department of Educational Psychology Professor Emeritus Sandra (Sandy) Christenson is the recipient of the University’s prestigious Outstanding Achievement Award. This award is conferred only on graduates, or former students of the University, who have attained unusual distinction in their chosen fields or professions or in public service, and who have demonstrated outstanding achievement and leadership on a community, state, national, or international level.

Christenson is well recognized for her research and leadership in the field of school psychology. Her research on family-school partnerships, student engagement, dropout prevention, and related interventions has had a significant impact on middle and high school students with disabilities and related risk factors at the local, state, national and international levels. Check & Connect (C&C) the student engagement and dropout prevention intervention, is one of her key accomplishments. She led the research and development of the C&C intervention with colleagues at the Institute on Community Integration (ICI).

The broad implementation of C&C is highly impressive. C&C with staff support from ICI is being implemented nationwide and internationally. C&C training has been provided in all 50 states, with nine states (Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Utah) currently scaling up the model statewide. Overall, C&C is being implemented in more than 1,000 elementary, middle, or high schools, with 455 schools utilizing the C&C app as a tool to support implementation. More than 300 certified C&C trainers and coaches are in place across the U.S. and internationally to support local implementation. More than 20,000 professionals have received training to become C&C mentors or coordinators. In addition to its traditional application in K-12 schools, C&C has also been adapted to support students transitioning out of foster care (e.g., Utah statewide initiative), in managing the school and community reentry of youth from juvenile corrections facilities (e.g., Ramsey County Community Corrections, MN), and to support students at the community college level (e.g., Central Lakes College, MN). C&C is one of the nation’s most widely recognized interventions, benefiting thousands of students, families, and professionals.

ICI’s Barbara Kleist honored for advancing the field of IDD

January 31, 2023

Barbara Kleist of the Institute on Community Integration (ICI) is a recipient of a 2023 Policy Award from the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD). The award honors Kleist for significant contributions to public policy that has advanced the field and resulted in positive outcomes for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Kleist will receive the award at the 147th AAIDD Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh in June.

Kleist is the program director for entrepreneurial and development programs at ICI. Her work focuses on state and federal projects to improve community services for children and adults with IDD and their families. She is currently working on leading training and technical assistance efforts in federal and state policy development to identify best practices for improving direct support workforce stability across LTSS- (long-term services and supports) and Medicaid-funded systems.

AAIDD is the oldest, largest, and most influential membership organization concerned with IDD. It has members in the United States and more than 50 other countries.

CEHD News Kevin Moe

CEHD News Kevin Moe