Cato College of Education

South Africa is relying upon the expertise of College of Education faculty member David Test to develop and implement an ambitious plan to revamp that nation’s special education system.

Test, a professor of special education, recently returned stateside after traveling to South Africa as part of an envoy to assess how the country educates its special needs students.

College of Education professor Chance Lewis is the 2016 recipient of the Harshini V. de Silva Award. This annual honor is presented to a faculty member who best exemplifies the commitment de Silva, a former UNC Charlotte professor, displayed to graduate student mentorship.

The Carol Grotnes Belk Distinguished Professor of Urban Education and executive director of the Urban Education Collaborative, Lewis began his tenure at UNC Charlotte in 2011. Since then, colleagues consistently have noted his impact on the student experience.

A report co-authored by Mark D’Amico, an associate professor in the Department of Educational Leadership, reveals community colleges across the country continue to feel economic pressures following the Great Recession, pressures that can make it more difficult for students to gain access to higher education.

These conclusions came as part of the 2015 survey of the National Council of State Directors of Community Colleges.  The poll of 49 statewide leaders has been published by the Educational Policy Center at the University of Alabama since 2007.

A new UNC Charlotte College of Education partnership under way in Union County is allowing a group of teachers to earn a master’s degree in education through a new model that brings that graduate classroom to them.

The pilot program offers 16 teachers in high priority middle and high schools the opportunity to earn a Master of Education at a significantly reduced rate, while collaborating with College of Education professors on site near their home schools.

An upcoming free event will examine the story of Latino education in the Carolinas during the last two decades. “Latinos and Education: Success and Challenges,” scheduled for 6 p.m., Monday, Feb. 1, at the Levine Museum of the New South, is presented by the UNC Charlotte College of Education in conjunction with the museum’s exhibit “¡NUEVOlution! Latinos and the New South.”

It’s lunchtime on a Tuesday and 220 North Carolina science and math teachers are listening to a man talk about shoveling lemur poop.

Though this portion of National Geographic conservation scientist Luke Dollar’s keynote presentation may not have been the most appetizing of mealtime conversations, his larger message was lockstep with the Center for STEM Education’s mission to reshape how teachers teach and students learn those subjects.

Sejal Foxx, associate professor and director of the School Counseling program, and Clare Merlin, assistant professor of counseling, will be the guests on the Dec. 18 edition of “The Live Wire,” Inside UNC Charlotte’s streaming webcast. Starting at noon, they will discuss how school counseling has changed and where they see the profession going and why it matters in today’s turbulent times.

Third-year special education master’s student Maureen Mensing was one of two individuals honored by the National Association for Gifted Children. She received the association’s Master’s and Specialist Award for Exceptional Contributions to Gifted and Talented Education. This honor recognizes professionals who have contributed to the field in a host of manners, including through teaching, writing, advocacy, curriculum development and community service in gifted education.

The North Carolina School Counseling Association (NCSCA) has named College of Education professor Sejal Foxx its Counselor Educator of the Year.

Foxx, who leads the college’s School Counseling program, received tenure earlier in 2015 after only a year at UNC Charlotte.  She currently teaches a variety of master’s and doctoral counseling courses.

Department of Educational Leadership professor Rebecca Shore is the North Carolina Art Education Association (NCAEA) Art Educator of the Year for higher education.

Shore, who was among the honorees at the NCAEA’s recent professional development state conference, received the award given to exemplary art educators and advocates in a variety of educational levels and fields.