Dean's Weekly Newsletter 10-3-2025

Published October 03, 2025

Dear Colleagues,

As October settles in, we are surrounded by beauty here in Laramie. The colors across campus and the crisp air remind us of the traditions that bring our community together, most notably Homecoming week. This Saturday, the Cowboys will take on UNLV in the Homecoming game. Thanks to events like Cowboy Football games, Colleges and organizations across campus take the opportunity to build a community that extends beyond Laramie to the farthest corners of Wyoming. 

 

During these celebrations, I also want to reflect on the purpose of this weekly newsletter. My vision is to see the College of Education grow stronger through enhanced outreach, communications, and advocacy. I am proud of our College’s work to prepare high-quality educators, teachers, leaders, and counselors who are ready to fill critical jobs across Wyoming. At the same time, our growth often depends on how the College is perceived both on campus and across the state. Sharing the good work of our faculty, staff, and students is essential for broadening understanding of our impact.

While reviewing this week’s updates, I invite you to think about what kinds of work have the greatest impact on education, counseling, and leadership in Wyoming. I encourage you to reflect on how your efforts align with our mission to expand the College and improve the lives of Wyoming citizens, as well as the lives of people across the nation. Please consider which stories or highlights might be shared with colleagues, friends, or community members. Every update passed along helps us amplify the excellence of the College of Education.

Here are some of the many updates from recent weeks:

  • Sheridan School District #2 Visit
  • Homecoming Week Events
  • WyoTech Partnership Update
  • Faculty Promotion and Tenure Ceremony
  • College of Education Alumnus Featured in UWyo Fall 2025 Magazine
  • Special Education Partnership Updates
  • Jihyun Lee Selected for EE-ELC
  • Katie Acord Speaks at UW Foundation Board Luncheon
  • Wyoming Classroom Connections Tour
  • Laramie County School District #2 Visit
  • Mia Williams Selected RIE Committee Chair
  • Strategic Plan Meeting Times
  • Information Session: H-1B Executive Order
  • Upcoming Events


Sheridan School District #2 Visit: This week, I had the honor of visiting Sheridan School District #2. I am deeply grateful to Superintendent Scott Stultz, Assistant Superintendent for Administration Rebecca Adsit, and Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Assessment Kristie Garriffa for their productive conversations and for generously taking the time to tour me through their outstanding schools. I had the opportunity to sit in on a PLC meeting, visit classrooms, and speak with students and teachers. I was especially proud to learn that more than 50% of their teachers are University of Wyoming College of Education graduates. It was a wonderful moment to run into several of them and see the impact they are making in their schools. We also discussed ways to better support our student teachers so that more of them will choose Sheridan for their student teaching experiences.

 

I was also privileged to attend the recognition of Clayton Christensen, a 2013 graduate of our Agricultural Education Program and now an Agricultural Education teacher at Sheridan High School. Clayton was named one of only 25 winners nationwide of the Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Skilled Trades Teacher Prize, a tremendous honor that also brought $50,000 to Sheridan High School’s welding program. Congratulations to Clayton on this remarkable achievement. We are so proud of you. Read more here: https://www.ktvq.com/news/local-news/sheridan-welding-teacher-surprised-with-50-000-check-for-program

While in Sheridan, I also had the pleasure of visiting with Kelly and Dave Dunham, longtime friends of our College and strong advocates for our student teachers. As always, I am grateful to them for their generous support, which established the Dunham Family Fellowship: https://www.uwyo.edu/news/2025/04/uw-dunham-family-fellows-train-to-be-wyomings-future-teacher-leaders.html

 

Homecoming Week Events: College of Education Student Ambassadors kicked off the week by handing out donuts and smiles in Sullivan Plaza to build spirit for Homecoming. We also enjoyed a great turnout for the Pokes Pizza Party in the Student Success Center earlier this week. Today, we are looking forward to the Tie-Dye Workshop from 12:00–3:00 PM in front of the Education Building. Here's a picture of some astounding Student Ambassadors, led by Shelby Williams, President, Abby Reardanz, Vice President, Millicent McGinnis, Treasurer, and Laynee Walker, Communications Secretary:

 

WyoTech Partnership Update: Earlier this week, our Assistant Dean of Student Success, Christi Thompson, and I met with colleagues at WyoTech to advance curriculum articulation and alignment between our two institutions. We are thrilled about this partnership, which will allow WyoTech students and instructors to seamlessly transfer to the University of Wyoming College of Education to pursue a BAS in Career and Technical Education (CTE).

Pictured below is our very first student admitted to the CTE program, Brandon McCoy, a WyoTech instructor specializing in Collision and Refinishing. Brandon is very committed to becoming the best instructor he can be, bringing both his extensive background and passion for CTE into the classroom.

A special thank you to Cindy Barlow, Douglas Min, Jim Mathis, and all of our WyoTech colleagues for helping make this collaboration possible. We are excited about the future we are building together to strengthen the CTE teacher pipeline in Wyoming.

 

Faculty Promotion and Tenure Ceremony: Last week, I had the honor of attending the annual ceremony recognizing the promotion and tenure of five outstanding College of Education faculty: Jonathan Carrier, Mark Perkins, Mia Williams, William Cain, and Paul Maddox, Associate Professor of Counseling in Casper.

Promotion with tenure is one of the most meaningful accomplishments in an academic career, and it was a true joy to celebrate this milestone together. Congratulations to each of our colleagues on this well-deserved achievement. We were honored to take a picture with President Seidel and Provost Alexander after the event. 

 

College of Education Alumnus Featured in UWyo Fall 2025 Magazine: Stephen Newton, Superintendent of Laramie County School District 1, was recently featured in the UWyo Fall 2025 Magazine. The profile highlights his path from UW to district leadership, his dedication to supporting teachers and students, and his love for Wyoming. Stephen received his master's degree in Educational Leadership and doctoral degree in Curriculum and Instruction, making him a double alumnus of the College of Education and a triple alumnus of the University of Wyoming. He also spoke about his recent book Breaking Down the Schoolhouse Doors at our College last spring as our Distinguished Speaker. Congratulations to Stephen on this well-deserved recognition and for his remarkable work for Wyoming education. 

Click this link to read more about Stephen Newton on page 15: https://click.engage.uwyo.edu/?qs=a55cc919d98fbdb982415f9dd4fbed399297ca3bad4bab609944db965259cf0293ca041149d7edb6028923bf168d105199b5a26e96724408f1b39be84358d8ae

 

Special Education Partnership Updates: Tiffany Hunt, Assistant Professor in Special Education, recently took the initiative to organize a series of meetings with leaders in Laramie County School District #1. The team met with Amy Kassel, Secondary Math Curriculum Director, to discuss Jihyun Lee’s research-based mathematics interventions for students with math difficulties and disabilities. Jihyun Lee is an Associate Professor of Special Education. They also met with Stacey Kern, Special Education Director, to share recent CoIEP updates and to explore ways to support special educators in developing compliant and high-quality IEPs and specialized instruction. This is a research effort led by Ling Zhang, Assistant Professor in Special Education. In addition, Superintendent Stephen Newton (appearing twice in this week's newsletter!) and Stacey Kern provided feedback on draft endorsement pathways for special educators.

The team also proposed a new partnership model in which education assistants would receive district funding to pursue licensure in special education through UW’s graduate programs. This model would include cohort-based coursework, monthly trainings with UW faculty, access to CoIEP, and structured mentoring support. LCSD #1 expressed strong interest in this proposal, and conversations will continue in the coming weeks.

 

Jihyun Lee Selected for EE-ELC: Jihyun has also been selected for the Experiential Education Educator Learning Community (EE-ELC), sponsored by the Honors College, the Science Initiative’s Learning Actively Mentoring Program (LAMP), the Ellbogen Center for Teaching and Learning, Nevin Aiken (Special Assistant to the Provost for Experiential Education), and Academic Affairs. She will bring her expertise in problem-based instructional design to advance experiential education models across UW. The community will kick off on October 3 and continue through the academic year with meetings and a spring showcase in April. Congratulations to Jihyun and to the entire Special Education team for their excellent work.

 

Katie Acord Speaks at UW Foundation Board Luncheon: Katie Acord, a senior in Secondary English Education and a recipient of the Dunham Family Fellowship (mentioned above), recently spoke at the UW Foundation Board luncheon. She shared how the Fellowship and scholarship support have shaped her experience in the College of Education and will support her as she prepares to student-teach at Laramie High School next semester. As I mentioned earlier, the Dunham Family Fellowship was created in 2022 through the generosity of Dave and Kelly Dunham of Sheridan, WY. What a significant impact this Fellowship makes in the lives of our students!

 

Wyoming Classroom Connections Tour: The Wyoming Classroom Connections Tour group recently visited Carbon 1 and Carbon 2. Five students and four faculty and staff members from the College of Education participated, and we are already hearing from students about how the experience has shaped their perceptions of rural districts. Read more: https://bit.ly/4njvkbw Photo gallery: https://photos.app.goo.gl/k5PjsxxQeMyC8jht8

Laramie County School District #2 Visit: Leadership and school board members from Laramie County School District #2 toured the University of Wyoming last week. Their visit included the High Altitude Performance Training Center, the Arena Auditorium, the new North residence hall and dining center, a walk through Prexy’s Pasture, and an informal meet and greet with me. I had a lovely time meeting with them and greatly appreciated their thoughtful questions about what is needed to support teachers and teacher preparation in Wyoming.

 

Mia Williams Selected RIE Committee Chair: Last month, we sent out a call for applications to serve as the next chair of the Research, Innovation, and Engagement (RIE) Committee. I am pleased to share that Mia Williams has been selected for this role. In her application, Mia outlined a vision for RIE as a dynamic hub supporting the scholarly, creative, and entrepreneurial pursuits of faculty and students. She proposes creating opportunities such as research incubators, student writing support, collaborative grant writing, and interdisciplinary research clusters. She also highlighted the importance of exploring AI in education through an eventual Innovation Lab, and of building partnerships through initiatives such as an Education Futures Summit. Her plan positions RIE to strengthen faculty research, support student success, and expand engagement across Wyoming and beyond. I am looking forward to future updates from the RIE Committee on this important work. 

Strategic Plan Meeting Times: As we continue our work toward a new College of Education Strategic Plan, I invite faculty and staff to join one of the upcoming planning sessions. These meetings, led by Associate Deans Pete Moran and Alan Buss, will provide opportunities to share your perspectives and ideas about the future direction of the College in alignment with the land-grant mission of the University.

  • Session A: October 21 (ED117) and October 22 (ED30)
  • Session B: November 17 (ED117) and November 18 (ED117)

Your voices are vital as we plan for the next chapter of the College of Education, and I look forward to these important conversations and the ideas they will generate.


Information Session: H-1B Executive Order: Some readers may have questions about the recent federal announcement on the H-1B program. Academic Affairs, Global Engagement, Human Resources, and Legal will host an informational Q&A session on Friday, October 3, from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM on Zoom (ID: 95561499500). All employees are welcome to attend.


Upcoming Events:

  • Dean’s Pancake Breakfast: Monday, October 6, 8:30–10:15 AM, Education Building. Join us for pancakes and conversation as we engage students, staff, and faculty while cheering on the Cowboys.
  • College of Education Meeting: Monday, October 6, 12:00–1:00 PM, Union Family Room.
  • District Connections Residency Fair: Thursday, October 9, 10:00 AM–4:00 PM, Wyoming Union Ballroom. This fair is a valuable opportunity for College of Education students to connect with School District officials and learn more about job openings and student teaching placements.

 

Wishing the Cowboys success in tomorrow’s Homecoming game. As always, please continue to send news and highlights so we can share the great work happening across our College. Together we tell our story best when we tell it widely.

 

Go Pokes!

 

Jenna