Dean's Weekly Newsletter 2-13-2026

Published February 13, 2026

Dear Colleagues,

 

As I mentioned in an earlier email to the College, the 2026 budget session is well underway at the Capitol in Cheyenne and will remain a primary focus for the University. If interested, you can follow the sessions live here: https://www.wyoleg.gov/.


Even during this busy season, our faculty, staff, and partners continue advancing important work across Wyoming and beyond. I am pleased to share several updates that reflect the strength of our programs, the impact of our partnerships, and the continued success of our students and colleagues:

 

  1. Rob Hill Receives AGC of Wyoming Civic Achievement Award
  2. Green River Teachers Highlight Play-Based Learning Through WYECON Partnership
  3. Call for Proposals: Wyoming TeacherCon 2026
  4. WSUP Lunch and Learn Registration Closes Today
  5. UW Representing at AMTE 2026
  6. Call for Nominations: 2026 College of Education Awards
  7. Call for Proposals: 2026 Patricia McClurg Education Faculty Fellowship
  8. Faculty Search Updates

 

Rob Hill Receives AGC of Wyoming Civic Achievement Award:  Rob Hill, Professor of Practice in Career and Technical Education (CTE) in the School of Teacher Education (STE), was honored by the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Wyoming with a Civic Achievement Award. Also serving as the Public Policy Chair for the Wyoming Association of Career and Technical Education (WACTE), the ACG described Rob’s work as having a significant impact on CTE programs across every corner of Wyoming through his hard work and tireless advocacy.We are proud to have Rob as a member of our faculty. His dedication to Wyoming’s students, educators, and communities makes an impactful difference. Congratulations, Rob, on this outstanding and well-earned recognition of your remarkable contributions across our great state!


Green River Teachers Highlight Play-Based Learning Through WYECON Partnership: Nikki Baldwin, Senior Lecturer in Early Childhood Education in STE and Director of the Wyoming Early Childhood Outreach Network (WYECON), recently shared an update about Green River educators who presented their expanding play-based learning initiative, Eagle Play, to the Sweetwater County School District No. 2 Board of Trustees. The work, supported through the Wyoming Early Childhood Professional Learning Collaborative (WYECPLC), a statewide network within WYECON and aligned with the University’s Trustees Education Initiative (TEI), integrates intentional, hands-on experiences to strengthen early literacy, math, and STEM learning. The collaborative connects educators to coaching, coursework, and shared practice to elevate early childhood instruction across Wyoming (https://www.wyecplc.org/). The Sweetwater Now feature highlights how these teachers are modeling research-informed strategies that advance student engagement and success for young learners (https://www.sweetwaternow.com/harrison-elementary-highlights-play-based-learning-at-scsd-no-2-meeting/).


Call for Proposals: Wyoming TeacherCon 2026: The Wyoming Department of Education invites faculty to submit session proposals for 2026 TeacherCon, with the proposal window open through March 15, 2026. This statewide conference provides an important opportunity to share research, instructional practices, and partnership work with educators across Wyoming, and we encourage colleagues to consider presenting or hosting a program table. Learn more and submit proposals here: https://edu.wyoming.gov/educators/conferences/teachercon26/

 

WSUP Lunch and Learn Registration Closes Today: Registration closes today for the Wyoming School-University Partnership Lunch and Learn with Sheridan County School District #2 on Tuesday, February 24 from 11:45 AM to 1:15 PM in Education Annex Room 229. Participants will hear directly from Superintendent Scott Stults about how Professional Learning Communities are implemented across Sheridan schools, including district collaboration, curriculum alignment, and instructional practices. Free lunch is provided. Register here: https://bit.ly/LandLWSUP

 

UW Representing at AMTE 2026: Miriam Sanders and JP Han, Assistant Professors of Secondary Mathematics Education and Elementary Mathematics Education, respectively, in STE, represented the College at the 2026 Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (AMTE) Conference in Portland and hosted a breakfast gathering for four doctoral students in our mathematics education programs. For students who complete much of their coursework at a distance while teaching full time, the opportunity to connect in person with faculty and peers strengthened their sense of scholarly community and professional direction. College of Education faculty and doctoral students contributed to multiple sessions, including report presentations, a professional development session, and a poster presentation, reflecting the quality of our research and preparation of future mathematics teacher educators.We are so grateful to Miriam and JP for the care, energy, and mentorship they pour into our graduate students. Their commitment to opening doors through national engagement not only elevates our students’ success, but also amplifies the reach and reputation of our College


Call for Nominations: 2026 College of Education Awards: We invite nominations to recognize the outstanding contributions of our faculty, staff, and students across the College of Education. These awards highlight excellence in teaching, service, research, and the many ways colleagues advance our mission and support students throughout Wyoming. Please review the attached call for details and criteria or access it here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qwrmjL8dQ_pu9x8u9uBn2E9KGTIK20Oo/view. All nominations should be submitted to Jake Orr at jorr2@uwyo.edu in the Associate Dean’s Office by 5:00 PM on March 31, 2026.

 

Call for Proposals: Patricia McClurg Education Faculty Fellowship: The Patricia McClurg Education Faculty Fellowship supports colleagues at the rank of Associate Professor in advancing their scholarship and professional growth in alignment with the College’s mission. We encourage eligible faculty to review the attached call and consider applying for this opportunity. Proposals should be submitted to Jake Orr at jorr2@uwyo.edu in the Associate Deans' Office by 5:00 PM on March 31, 2026. View the call here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CuOKtocg9kQaIFqL4odlYjSKXdmU_B1_/view

 

Faculty Search Updates: Last week, we welcomed Ashli Tomisich to our College as a candidate for the Assistant Professor of Higher Education Administration search. We had also planned to welcome John Wheeler as a candidate for the Wyoming Excellence Chair of Special Education search, but the trip was cancelled due to extreme weather. We are now planning to bring him back on Tuesday, February 24. 

 

Other upcoming visits:
February 25: Assistant Professor in Counseling, Regin Dean
February 27: Assistant Professor in Higher Education Administration, Julia Davis
March 3: Assistant Professor in Counseling, Amanda Tracy
March 5: Assistant Professor in Counseling, Zachary McInerney

 

I appreciate everyone's support welcoming these candidates to our College.

 

I would also like to announce the launch of two additional searches this academic year: 

 

Assistant Professor in Education Research (Committee: Courtney McKim, Chair; Scott Chamberlin; William Cain)

 

Assistant Professor in English as a Second Language (Committee: Pete Moran, Chair; Tracy Spies; Ling Zhang)

 

As we head into Valentine’s Day weekend, a time to celebrate those we love and our communities, I am reminded that our work truly matters. By preparing well-qualified educators, counselors, and leaders, we help shape the experiences of Wyoming’s children and the future of our communities. I appreciate all you do to advance this mission.

 

Best regards,

Jenna