Dean’s Weekly Newsletter 5-1-2026

Published May 01, 2026

Dear Colleagues

Happy May 1, and congratulations to everyone on nearing the end of the semester. Across the College of Education, students, faculty, and staff are completing final projects, preparing for exams, gathering feedback, and participating in end-of-semester events and celebrations. This week’s updates highlight work underway across the college to support students, recognize faculty and staff contributions, and continue serving Wyoming’s education communities.

Here are a few updates from the week:

 

  • Assistant Professor in ESL Education
  • Education Burrito Station
  •  Ag Ed Prospective Student Visit
  •  Wyoming Rural Teacher Corps Capstone Fair
  •  Teacher’s Table Highlights for Spring 2026
  •  College of Education Ambassadors Spring Event
  •  LRCC and SMTC Partner to Deliver Model Literacy and Science Lessons in Sheridan
  •  Faculty Job Descriptions
  •  End-of-Semester Trivia in the Education Annex
  •  Upcoming: Spring 2026 Commencement
  •  Upcoming: College of Education Meeting
  •  Reminder: College of Education Advocacy Board Reception
  •  Reminder: Ellbogen Excellence Ceremony
  • Reminder: Leslie Rush Retirement Celebration

 

Assistant Professor in ESL: I am pleased to announce that Dr. Amin Davoodi has accepted our offer for the position of Assistant Professor in ESL Education. The hiring process is now moving forward. Many thanks to everyone who participated in his campus visit, and special appreciation to the search committee for their time and service. We look forward to welcoming Amin to the College of Education.

 

Education Burrito Station: The Dean’s Office hosted an Education Burrito Station on Tuesday morning in Sullivan Plaza to mark the final stretch of the semester. Students, faculty, staff, and friends of the college gathered for breakfast burritos and informal conversation despite the chilly weather. We were also pleased to welcome Dave and Kelly Dunham, whose support established the Dunham Family Fellows program, which provides financial assistance to outstanding College of Education students during their student teaching semester. Mary Garland also stopped by to show her support for both our students and the College. Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped bring the College of Education community together ahead of finals week.

 

Ag Ed Prospective Student Visit: The College of Education welcomed 10 Casper College students for an Ag Ed prospective student visit this week. The visit included breakfast, a campus tour, conversations with current Ag Ed students, and a tour of the Ag Ed/CTE Lab with Rob Hill and Lucas Dow. Students also met with Ty Berry to learn more about Ag Ed pathways. Notably, three students have already committed to enrolling in our program this fall. Thank you to Heath Hornecker, Ty Berry, and everyone who helped coordinate and support the visit, which also advanced continued work on a draft 2+2 agreement between Casper College and UW for Ag Ed.

 

Wyoming Rural Teacher Corps Capstone Fair: The Wyoming Rural Teacher Corps will host its Capstone Fair on May 5, from 5–6 PM in the atrium of the Education Annex. The event will include story sharing about Wyoming rural education, poster presentations highlighting Rural Teacher Corps experiences, and opening remarks at 5 PM. Faculty, staff, students, and community partners are invited to attend and celebrate with us as Rural Teacher Corps participants share their work and experiences. Please RSVP at https://shorturl.at/DMOlv, and see the attached flyer for additional details.

 

Teacher’s Table Highlights for Spring 2026: The Teacher’s Table, a student engagement program facilitated by Stefan Robinson through the John P. “Jack” Ellbogen Dean’s Distinguished Staff Award for Student Success, has served 57 attendees across five spring sessions, averaging about 10 students per session. Spring topics included Advocacy Today, PRAXIS Success, How to Get a Job, Having Fun in Our Classrooms, and Building Your Professional Packet. Seven faculty and staff experts contributed to the sessions, helping students connect with one another while gaining practical information to support their preparation as future teachers. Congratulations to Stefan on building a strong student-centered program and to the faculty and staff contributors who helped make the spring sessions a success. Upcoming sessions will continue through the summer and fall with topics including What’s Next?, Support Systems 101, Success in Your Future, How to Find and Build Allies, When Classrooms Go Sideways, What Do We Do?, and Lifelong Learning.

 

College of Education Ambassadors Spring Event: The College of Education Student Ambassadors hosted a spring event on Wednesday, April 29, in the Education Art Room. The event featured a potluck-style snack bar and brought together members of the College of Education community for an informal end-of-semester gathering. Thank you to the Student Ambassadors for organizing the event and helping create another opportunity for students, faculty, and staff to connect during the final weeks of the semester.

 

LRCC and SMTC Partner to Deliver Model Literacy and Science Lessons in Sheridan: The Literacy Research Center and Clinic and the Science and Math Teaching Center came together this week to lead literacy and science model lessons for students and teachers at Holy Name Catholic School in Sheridan, Wyoming.

Faculty Job Descriptions: The 2026–2027 faculty job description process will take place this month. School directors will work with faculty to review the faculty job description form, discuss any needed updates, and complete the acknowledgment process. Faculty may also refer to last year’s job descriptions in WyoVita as a reference point. Please watch for follow-up communication from your school director and complete any requested review or acknowledgment steps when received.

 

End-of-Semester Trivia in the Education Annex: The College of Education hosted an end-of-semester trivia pop-up on Thursday, April 30, in the Education Annex. The event was led by KaLee Bohnet, Jaydee Asay, and Kayla Rossi and featured College of Education-themed trivia, free pizza, candy, and swag for winners. Students participated throughout the event, with strong engagement and all pizza claimed by the end of the hour.

 

Upcoming: College of Education Meeting: The College of Education will meet on Monday, May 4, from 12-1 PM in the Student Union Family Room to recognize internal and external awards from the spring semester. This meeting will provide an opportunity to discuss the accomplishments of faculty, staff, students, alumni, and partners whose work has strengthened the college and contributed to education across Wyoming. A reminder that faculty and staff are expected to attend in person unless they have an approved reason for remote attendance in consultation with their school director or supervisor.

 

Upcoming: Spring 2026 Commencement: The University of Wyoming Spring 2026 Commencement ceremonies will be held Saturday, May 16, in the Arena-Auditorium. College of Education faculty should plan to attend both the graduate and undergraduate ceremonies. Faculty and staff participating in the graduate ceremony should arrive by 11:30 AM for the 12:30 PM processional, and those participating in the undergraduate ceremony should arrive by 2:30 PM for the 3:30 PM processional. Participants should gather in the Fieldhouse for line-up, and faculty must wear regalia if participating in the processional. Faculty hooding master’s students should arrive at the Fieldhouse by 10:30 AM for formal hooding and photographs before the ceremony. I look forward to seeing everyone there.

 

Reminder: Ellbogen Excellence Ceremony on May 12: Faculty, staff, and other stakeholders are invited to join us for the 2nd Annual Ellbogen Excellence Ceremony on Tuesday, May 12, from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM in the UW Conference Center Ballroom. This event will highlight the impact of Ellbogen Foundation support across the College of Education through presentations from Mary Garland Distinguished Fellows in Education, Outstanding Dissertation Award recipients, and participants in the John P. “Jack” Ellbogen Dean’s and Trustees Education Initiative Peer Mentoring Program. A reception with light refreshments will follow the formal program. RSVP here: https://uwyo.sjc1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cIs7vODVWc5ctnw

 

Reminder: Advocacy Board Reception on May 7: Faculty, staff, and other stakeholders are also invited to join the College of Education Advocacy Board Reception on Thursday, May 7, at the Wyo Sports Ranch Club and Loge on the west side of War Memorial Stadium. The reception will provide an opportunity to connect around the important work underway across the College and help set the stage for the Advocacy Board’s spring meeting on May 8. The College Advocacy Board hopes you will consider joining us for the evening. RSVP here: https://uwyo.sjc1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8ueDvDtY45GGd2S

 

Reminder: Leslie Rush Retirement Celebration: The Dean’s Office is planning a retirement reception in honor of Leslie Rush, Wyoming Excellence Chair in Literacy Education, on May 14 from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM in the Art Museum Lobby. Please see the attached flyer. This gathering will offer colleagues and friends an opportunity to come together to celebrate Leslie’s remarkable contributions to the College of Education and her impact on the field of literacy education. We extend our sincere congratulations to Leslie on her upcoming retirement and our appreciation for her years of dedication, leadership, and service. Follow the link to RSVP for the event and help us plan for refreshments: https://tinyurl.com/ywhamsvd

 

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The closing weeks of the semester can be demanding, but they also give us an opportunity to reflect, encourage our students, and recognize the teaching, research, service, advising, mentoring, and partnership work that has carried the College through another academic year. Let’s continue supporting one another, staying focused, and bringing our best effort to the final stretch. Go pokes!

 

Jenna