Dean’s Weekly Newsletter 4-10-2026

Published April 10, 2026

Dear Colleagues,

 

As spring progresses, I continue to be struck by the excellence that defines our College of Education community. Over the past week, I have been reminded again and again that the strength of this college comes not only from the scope of its work, but from the people who make that work possible through their creativity, professionalism, and investment in students, colleagues, and partners across Wyoming and beyond. This week’s updates reflect that spirit clearly, from faculty awards, achievements, student research, outreach, collaboration, and professional learning. Thank you for all that you do to make this such a thoughtful, vibrant, and mission-driven community.

 

Here are some updates that I have the honor to share:

  1. Faculty Recognition: Miriam Sanders
  2. Faculty Recognition: Nikki Baldwin
  3. Teacher’s Table Continues to Make a Difference
  4. Education Research Forum Poster Winners
  5. Three Minute Thesis Showcased Doctoral Research
  6. Special Education Partnership Expands Through CoIEP Collaboration
  7. New Student Days Welcome Future Education Students
  8. edTPA Information Session
  9. Faculty Insights Supported Review Preparation
  10. SMTC April Newsletter
  11. STE April Meeting
  12. New Faculty Fellowship Opportunity
  13. April AI Faculty Development Series
  14. CGS International Research Funding Opportunity
  15. Update on University Budget Footnote Working Group

 

Faculty Recognition: Miriam Sanders: Miriam Sanders, Assistant Professor in Secondary Mathematics Education, has been selected as the 2025-26 recipient of the UW Early-Career Graduate Faculty Mentor Award, one of the University’s highest faculty honors for graduate mentoring. This recognition reflects the excellence that faculty like Miriam in our College bring to graduate student success. Congratulations to Miriam on this well-deserved honor.

 

Faculty Recognition: Nikki Baldwin: Nikki Baldwin, Senior Lecturer in Early Childhood Education and Director of the Wyoming Early Childhood Outreach Network (WYECON) and the Wyoming Early Childhood Professional Learning Collaborative (WYECPLC), was selected as the College of Education’s recipient of a UW Excellence in Experiential Education Award. This university-wide recognition honors exemplary teaching, mentoring, and service that create transformative experiential learning opportunities for students. Congratulations to Nikki on this well-earned recognition of her outstanding work and the reputation she has garnered for her programs and the College.

 

Teacher’s Table Continues to Make a Difference: March’s Teacher’s Table, an initiative led by Stefan was another strong example of student support. With students in attendance from sophomore to senior year, Barbara Hickman’s presentation was especially appreciated for its practical value. One student captured the session best: “This is literally the most helpful thing I have needed to know this entire semester.” 

 

Education Research Forum Poster Winners: The inaugural College of Education Research Forum highlighted research excellence, including outstanding undergraduate work. Congratulations to the student poster award winners: Claire Edman, first place; Maci Lopez, second place; Ryan Reichert, third place; Kaylee Brown, People’s Choice; and honorable mentions Melissa Schantz and Myah Hammerquist and Dodge Normington. Thank you as well to the faculty and community partners who gave their time to attend, lead research booths, and facilitate roundtable conversations. 

 

Three Minute Thesis Showcased Doctoral Research: On Thursday, April 2, the College of Education hosted its second annual Three Minute Thesis competition, organized and emceed by Jake Orr. Doctoral students presented their research in just three minutes for a non-specialist audience, demonstrating both the strength of their scholarship and their ability to communicate it clearly. Congratulations to Amanda Tracy, who earned first place, Jana Penders, who earned second place, Thilina Wickramaarachchi, who earned third place, and Mandy Hill, who received the Audience Choice award. We are grateful to everyone who helped make this event's second iteration a success, and we are proud of all ten students who participated.

 

Special Education Partnership Expands Through CoIEP Collaboration: Tiffany Hunt and Ling Zhang recently met with leaders and special educators at Coyote Ridge in Laramie County School District 1, where the conversation resulted in a sustained collaboration plan for the 2026-27 school year. The partnership will begin with a half-day professional development session and continue through monthly PLC meetings focused on CoIEP, AI literacy, high-quality IEP development, and evidence-based instruction aligned to student goals. Coyote Ridge has also expressed interest in hosting a PrePARE student next year. Nice work, Tiffany and Ling!

 

New Student Days Welcome Future Education Students: Over the past two weeks, the Student Success Center led New Student Days events that welcomed prospective Education students still in high school to campus to learn more about the College and its programs. These visits introduced students to the possibilities within educator preparation at UW and helped them begin imagining their future here. Thank you to the Student Success Team and to everyone who focused their efforts to present and connect with these students. This kind of outreach is an investment in the future of our College, and I am hopeful it will bear fruit in the years ahead.

 

edTPA Information Session: Jody Mitchell, Program Coordinator Senior for Recruitment and Retention in the College of Education, is helping create another thoughtful opportunity for students as they prepare for an important milestone in their professional journey. An upcoming Zoom presentation on Thursday, April 23 at 5:30 PM will help students learn more about the edTPA process, hear from students currently completing their edTPA, and get questions answered. See the attached flyer for details.

 

Faculty Insights Supported Review Preparation: Faculty Insights took place this week on Wednesday as a resource for colleagues preparing for third-year review or promotion review ahead of the September cycle. These sessions are valuable sources of information for new faculty, and I encourage continued attendance. Thank you to School Directors Courtney McKim and John Kambutu for their mentorship.

 

SMTC April Newsletter: The Science and Mathematics Teaching Center has released its April newsletter, which includes updates on the next Teacher Research Knowledge Exchange cohort, a recent podcast on STEM and early childhood education, and an upcoming May 2 showcase in Lander. You can read the newsletter here: https://shorturl.at/Y4ucw and subscribe here: https://gopokes.formstack.com/forms/smtc_newsletter

 

STE April Meeting: The School of Teacher Education will hold its April faculty and staff meeting on Tuesday, April 14, from 12:00 to 1:00 PM in the Engineering Education & Research Building, Room 251.

New Faculty Fellowship Opportunity: Faculty may be interested in a new opportunity through the Jay Kemmerer WORTH Institute, which has launched the Kemmerer Faculty Fellowship Program to support applied research, workforce development, and statewide engagement connected to Wyoming’s outdoor recreation, tourism, and hospitality economy. The fellowship is open to tenure-track, tenured, and non-tenure-track faculty, with applications for the 2026-27 cycle due April 17. More information is available here: https://www.uwyo.edu/worth/about-us/faculty-fellowship.html and the application can be accessed here: https://shorturl.at/5AVgv

 

April AI Faculty Development Series: Faculty are invited to a series of April professional development sessions hosted by the UW AI Committee on Teaching & Learning, focused on practical AI integration in higher education. Topics include getting started with AI in the classroom, data analysis, course design, NotebookLM, and future planning for AI-ready teaching and learning. Registration is available here: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/bBaVnFGc68

 

CGS International Research Funding Opportunity: The Center for Global Studies has announced a Faculty and Staff International Research Funding opportunity for summer and fall 2026 projects, with awards of up to $2,500 per project. The call supports internationally oriented research and creative activity, particularly work that expands UW’s international partnerships, advances the University’s global engagement, and positions projects for future external funding. Applications are due by 5:00 PM on May 15, 2026, with funding notifications expected by June 5. See the attached call for details.

 

Update on University Budget Footnote Working Group: Earlier this week, I shared an update regarding the University’s 2026 Budget Footnote Working Group for those who may have missed it. This working group has been charged with reviewing the University’s organizational structure, staffing patterns, and operational efficiency in response to legislative direction and required budget reductions. At this stage, the process is focused on review and recommendation, and no immediate decisions have been made. I will continue to share updates as more information becomes available. Attached is the letter from Trustee Kermit Brown, and additional information is available here: https://www.uwyo.edu/trustees/trustee-committees/budget-footnote-working-group.html

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This week’s updates were great examples of the valuable work happening in our College. They reflect the strength of our people, the quality of our work, and the many ways we continue to serve students, schools, and communities with care and purpose. Thank you for all that you do!

Keep up the momentum, and I hope everyone enjoys your weekend.

Jenna