Student Success Showcase

STUDENTSUCCESSSHOWCASE

Students Attend National S CEC Convention Graduate Student Starts Business to Support At-Home Learning

In early February, special education majors Mary Luz Heidtmann, Jessica Maier, Veronica Bennett and Meaghan Reilly accompanied Dr. Kara Faraclas, Chair of the Department of Special Education, to the Council for Exceptional Children Convention in Portland, Oregon. Students had opportunities to meet and learn from national experts in the field of special education about innovative, research-based strategies for working with individuals with exceptionalities.

Valerie Lewis, a graduate in the MS/EBD program, started a business this spring to support families in engaging their young children in fun, educational activities at-home learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. She created, sold and handdelivered over 200 sensory learning kits to families. Each kit comes complete with easy to follow step-by-step directions and materials to engage young children in early math, reading, and motor activities.

Special Education Majors Volunteer at ACES Whitney Academy

Matt Osoro, Arielle Eighmy, Leah Patterson, Heather Natter-Gauthier and Mary Luz Heidtmann volunteered at ACES Whitney Academy in the spring of 2020. This volunteer program coordinated by Dr. Kara Faraclas gives students practical, hands-on experiences working with adolescents with a range of disabilities in a therapeutic school setting.

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Megan Garner received the Outstanding Senior Award in recognition of her outstanding academic performance and her research in the area of inclusion for learners with disabilities. Garner's honors thesis, completed under the direction of thesis adviser Dr. Judith Terpstra in the Department of Special Education, is related to increasing inclusion in high school sports. Garner interviewed coaches and teachers to gather information about strategies and opportunities for students with disabilities to participate in this aspect of after-school activities.

Anna Cullen received the Millie McDermot Service Award in recognition of her excellent academic standing in the Department of Special Education and her dedicated service work in the Best Buddies club, where she served as president. Cullen will be starting graduate school at SCSU in the fall.

School of Psychology graduate student Megan Viento, '20, presented her poster series A Multicultural Competence Assessment: Do Training Programs Teach Enough? at the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) in 2020 and the 4th Annual Graduate Student Research and Creative Activity Conference at SCSU.