Student and Alumni Stories Julius Moore, a doctoral student in the Department of Education Leadership, Management and Policy, came to the University with full military career experience to provide instruction and guidance to ROTC students, and went on to earn his first bachelor’s degree, a second associate degree and then his master’s, all while teaching. As a retired Army sergeant first class and former drill sergeant, he is writing his dissertation on student-veteran persistence.
Sofia Pertuz, Ph.D. ‘17 now serves as managing director for diversity, equity and inclusion for Billie Jean King Enterprises as well as senior adviser for the Jed Foundation, a nonprofit that protects emotional health and prevents suicide for youth. Pertuz also works as a speaker, sharing with international audiences on topics of leadership, change management, social justice, and LGBTQ+ advocacy in both English and Spanish. She is also the founder and lead strategist for Mainstream Insight, LLC, which provides educational training and workshops to organizations on achieving inclusive excellence. Tim Purnell, Ed.D. ’08, executive director of the New Jersey School Boards Association, was named to serve on the Governor’s Task Force on Public School Staff Shortages in New Jersey. The task force recommends ways to recruit and retain the state’s teaching staff, taking on the challenges education faces in the post-pandemic world.
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