UW Dunham Family Fellows Train to be Wyoming’s Future Teacher Leaders

The University of Wyoming College of Education has selected five recipients for the latest cohort of Dunham Family Fellows. They recently began their student-teaching residencies preparing to serve as future education leaders in Wyoming schools.

The Dunham Family Fellows are an esteemed group of students recognized for their outstanding leadership, academic excellence and commitment to community service. The program was designed to provide innovative and unique experiences during an impressionable time in a future teacher’s educational journey, says Jenna Shim, the John P. “Jack” Ellbogen Dean in the College of Education.

“The current Dunham Family Fellowship cohort is another exceptional group of student leaders,” Shim says. “Their passion for teaching and dedication to serving Wyoming’s students aligns perfectly with the program’s mission. We appreciate the Dunham family’s continued support and look forward to seeing the students’ positive impacts in schools across Wyoming.”

The 2024-25 fellows represent diverse disciplines and bring innovative ideas to Wyoming schools. They are:

-- Samantha Chernogorec is a secondary English education major from Cheyenne. She teaches at Cheyenne Central High School.

-- Sophia DeStafano, a native of Sheridan, majored in secondary education social studies/history. She teaches sixth grade world history and seventh grade world geography as a student teacher at Laramie Middle School.

-- McKailyn Malles is an elementary education major from Sheridan. She is student-teaching at Meadowlark Elementary School in Cheyenne.

-- Michael Newton is a secondary science-biology major from Mountain View. He teaches sixth grade science at Laramie Middle School.

-- Rachel Sanchez is an elementary/special education major.

About the Dunham Family Fellowship

The fellowship was established through the generous support of Dave and Kelly Dunham in Sheridan. The Dunham family is passionate about creating positive experiences that solidify students’ belief in their decision to enter the teaching profession and provide them with an optimistic view of the opportunities in teaching.

The fellowship provides selected students with unique opportunities for professional development, mentorship and hands-on experience in their fields.

For more information, call Alan Buss, College of Education associate dean, at (307) 766-3145 or email abuss@uwyo.edu.