School of Education | EdLine | 2023

Letter from the Dean

THE YEAR AHEAD PROMISES TO BRING CHANGE AND NEW OPPORTUNITIES to the School of Education and to our students.

As we announced last year, the School of Education is joining the Helen Bader School of Social Welfare and the School of Information Studies as part of a new College of Community Engagement & Professions (CCEP). The change, part of a realignment of a number of UWM schools and colleges, becomes official July 1, 2023.

Faculty and staff in the three schools have already begun working together to see how they can collaborate to improve teaching, research and community outreach.

The School of Education will continue to focus on its key mission of preparing educators and counselors for schools and community organizations, and the new alignment offers opportunities to broaden the skills students bring to that effort.

One key change in leadership is the retirement of Hope Longwell-Grice, senior associate dean and head of school. She has been integral to the School of Education’s work for more than 20 years. In addition to serving as an associate professor in Teaching & Learning, she works closely with teacher candidates to prepare them for their careers in urban schools. Her research has focused on multicultural education, social education and the challenges faced by first generation students. Her experience has been invaluable as we work toward this new alignment.

Fortunately for us, she has agreed to stay on through the summer to help a new senior associate dean/head of school with the transition. Andrew Davis will be joining us in this position in mid-July. (See page 9 for more details on the transition.)

The stories in this issue highlight the work that our students and alumni are doing in the community.

Brice Christianson, who graduated from the School of Education’s Interpreter Training program, has developed a successful business making sports more accessible to Deaf fans.

Justice Grau, who took part in the university’s Parent Success program for students with children, earned her master’s degree in cultural foundations of community education and now works for the American Civil Liberties Union as a community engagement director.

Our faculty continue to develop new and innovative ways of improving education. Four faculty members received a $2.87 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education for an inclusive early childhood education program, scheduled to start in the fall of 2023.

As always, we are thankful for the generous donors listed and highlighted in this issue who provide needed financial aid to students as they prepare to become the educators of tomorrow.

Mark Mone, Chancellor

Scott Gronert, Interim Provost

Tina Freiburger, Dean

Hope Longwell-Grice, Senior Associate Dean

Jeremy Page, Assistant Dean

Jessica Russell, Assistant Dean

Kathy Quirk, Editor and Writer

Rebecca Hall, marketing director, College of Community Engagement & Professions

Tina Freiburger Dean, UWM School of Education

Alissa Mathison, communications manager, College of Community Engagement & Professions

Contributor

Shavonn Montgomery Brown

Photographers

Troye Fox

Elora Hennessey

Graphic Designer

Allie Kilmer

On the cover Campus is abloom! The School of Education faculty and staff are looking forward to an exciting year ahead. In addition to SOE’s new projects and people, we will also be joining the new College of Community Engagement & Professions this summer.

Electa Quinney program boosts American Indian education

JASON DROPIK IS A SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR working on a school superintendent certification.

Holly Lebeck, a junior, is earning an education degree in social studies, preparing to work with fourth- through eighth-grade students.

Elizabeth Hennessey, also a junior, is pursuing a degree in English education, with a focus on middle school.

All three of these UWM School of Education students are benefiting from funding and support through an Electa Quinney Institute program designed to prepare American Indian teachers and administrators. The program, Leaders from the Good Land: Electa Quinney Indian Education Development, began more than a dozen years ago with funding from the U.S. Department of Education’s Bureau of Indian Education.

Currently, a fourth round of funding is supporting three administrators and five future teachers, including two from UW-Superior, and a sixth is about to start. (In the most recent grant period, UWM received two grants –$1,044,850 for preparing teachers and $358,533 for preparing administrators.) The teacher program is open to approved UW System students outside Milwaukee.

The program provides five-year professional development awards with a possible one-year extension. It is designed to support up to three years of training and two years of induction services to help students obtain education licenses and job placements, as well as retain American Indian educators in the field. Students who receive the funding are expected to work in American Indian schools or in districts with a high proportion of American Indian students.

Jason Dropik, a School of Education alum and head of school at the Indian Community School, took part in the Leaders from the Good Land: Electa Quinney Indian Education Development Program.

WHAT IS GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO IN AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE?

All you have to do is fingerspell “Giannis” and everybody understands that you mean the world-famous Milwaukee Bucks player, Brice Christianson says.

Christianson is an alumnus of UWM’s Interpreter Training Program in the School of Education, now a stand-alone degree program in American Sign Language English Interpreting. He launched his business, P-X-P (which stands for “play by play”) two years ago, focusing on interpreting for entertainment and sports.

He has interpreted news conferences and ceremonies for the Milwaukee Bucks, and the state of the league address before the 2022 Stanley Cup finals. P-X-P signed an agreement in December to do behind-the-scenes work for the Stanley Cup finals as well as future seasons. P-X-P also does post-game conferences for the OL Reign, a Seattlebased professional women's soccer club.

“Brice has been and continues to be an incredible resource to the Deaf community,” said Barry Baum, chief communications officer of the Milwaukee Bucks and Fiserv Forum. “Fans in the Deaf community have shown incredible appreciation of having him sign our press conferences for the coach and players, pre-game and post-game.”

Christianson’s career grew out of his family background. Both of his parents are deaf and he grew up with ASL.

He started college in nursing, but found that wasn’t the right path for him. When he connected with a deaf patient while working as a phlebotomist, he decided to switch careers.

However, when he initially applied to UWM’s interpreter training program, he was turned down. “My grades sucked,” he says candidly. He wrote an appeal letter explaining how passionate he was about becoming an interpreter and was accepted.

“Whoever read my appeal believed in my passion and what I had to say. I never met this person, but when I came here to school, there was always this obligation to make sure that person made the right choice.”

Podcast sparks interest

His interest in sports interpreting initially grew out of a podcast he started about the Green Bay Packers five years ago. A good friend, who is now his business partner, is deaf. That friend suggested he provide interpreting for the podcast.

“That’s when it clicked. I thought about my dad growing up and from there I really started looking at the inaccessibility of sports within the Deaf community.”

While closed captioning is accessible, Christianson said, providing deaf and hard of hearing fans access to their own visual language conveys more of the emotion, inflection and tone of what is being said.

“When I came here to school, there was always this obligation to make sure that person made the right choice.”

SOE alum makes a business out of interpreting sign language in sports and entertainment

Business expands

P-X-P recently celebrated its second anniversary. P-X-P is operated and managed by Christianson, CEO, and Jason Altmann, COO.

“We hope more teams hire him for his services because it’s very meaningful to a huge community in Milwaukee and beyond,” Baum said. “We hope the work he’s doing with us is noticed by teams all over the country because he is excellent at what he does. We’re thrilled to have him.”

NEW DEGREE IN ASL/ SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETING

The School of Education is introducing a new bachelor’s degree in American Sign Language/English Interpreting.

Formerly a submajor under the bachelor’s degree in education, the program has graduated more than 300 students since 1993. The Board of Regents approved the new degree in December, making it the only ASL/English Interpreting bachelor's degree in Wisconsin.

One of the goals of the change is to increase the visibility of the degree, according to Pam Conine, clinical professor and director of the program. The elevation of the program to a major will also make it easier to prepare students for professional work in a variety of education and community settings, she added.

ALUMNA STARTS HER OWN TUTORING BUSINESS AND BOOKSTORE

When Ashley Valentine was a child, she loved to read but was disappointed that few of the characters in books looked like her.

“Books were kind of a haven for me,” said Valentine, a UWM alumna who opened her own bookstore and tutoring center, Rooted MKE, focusing on the needs of Black, Indigenous and people of color.

Valentine, who earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology, her teaching certification and a master’s degree in exceptional education from UWM, opened the store in March 2022.

Rooted MKE won the 2023 Diversity in Business award (micro business category).

UWM’s School of Education helped shape her career path, Valentine said.

After consulting with her advisors –Judy Winn, now associate professor emerita, and Liz Drame, professor of teaching and learning – Valentine focused her thesis on developing a literacy program that was communitybased rather than school based.

Children come into the bookstore with their parents and grandchildren and get excited about books featuring, for example, superheroes who are all brown. The adults tell Valentine, “I wish we had something like this when I was growing up.”

The adults tell Valentine, “I wish we had something like this when I was growing up.”

Above: Christianson works with Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo at a post-game news conference.

Left: Christianson interpreted the state of the league address for National Hockey League commissioner Gary Bettman last year before the Stanley Cup finals.

Ashley Valentine’s bookstore focuses on books for children of color.

Thank you to our donors

Thank you to the many donors whose support allows for continued research, improved teaching and learning, and the education of the very best future teachers and education leaders. We welcome gifts of any size, though space only permits listing gifts of $100 or more for the most recent fiscal year – July 1, 2021-June 30 2022. Pledges are included in the year they are made. This listing includes only gifts to the School of Education. Our generous donors may also make other gifts to the university.

$10,000+

Greater Milwaukee Foundation, Inc.

Marsha Ernst Krueger Charitable Fund *

Donald P. Timm Scholarship Fund*

Michael D. Gordon, MD *

Jean Hoffmann

Dr. Henry S. Kepner, Jr.*

Marsha Krueger+*

Christine Lesniewski*

Dorothy Maxcy*

Walter Mundschau+ *

Russell D. Robinson Revoc Trust*

Stackner Family Foundation, Inc.*

Anne and Bruce Walker*

Ward Joint Revocable Trust*

$1,000+

Rebecca Bartlein*

Joseph and Mary Jo Billmann*

Chicago Community Foundation *

Robert E. Gallegos Fund*

Marlene Cory*

Maria Cruz*

Dorothy Dieter*

Robert Ferriday*

Barbara Elwood-Goetsch*

Ann and Leonard Fabos*

Dr. Nancy File*

Maria Flores*

David Flores*

Maria Gallegos*

Greater Milwaukee Foundation, Inc.

Benita D and John Clark*

Cecile M. Foley Scholarship*

Karleen Haberichter*

David Halbrooks and Elizabeth Bartlett*

Jean Hoffmann*

Elinor Ihlenfeldt*

Julia A. Ihlenfeldt*

Lorena Jacobson*

Lois Kalmbach*

Rea Katz*

Terrence and Mary Krall*

Barbara McMath*

Barbara Michaels+*

Joanne Neusen*

Ivy Nevala*

Bebe & Bob O'Toole Foundation*

Ruth and Robert O'Toole*

LOVE STORY LED TO CONTINUING SCHOLARSHIPS

Earl and Kathryn Henry shared a love story that started at the School of Education and lives on in the form of scholarships that have benefited dozens of education students.

The two met at Milwaukee State Teachers College, one of UWM’s predecessor institutions. They graduated in 1935, were married 71 years and

Emily Robertson*

Judith Salinsky+ *

Carlen Schenk*

Jeannette Seloover-Johnson*

Jack Simpson*

Sorenson Communications, LLC *

James Sweet*

Leslie and Mark Temkin*

Terrie Temkin*

Diane Thieme*

Bruce and Margaret Weber*

$500-$999

Elliot and Karen Berman

Jenice M. Burrell

Cathy Callaway

James and Barbara Fisher*

Susan Hansen*

John Harrits

Milwaukee Lincoln High School Alumni Association, Inc.

David and Lisa Misky

Patty Lou Pohlmann

Lynne M. Ptacek

Professional Interpreting Enterprise

Mildred and Allen Salomon

contributed a combined 55 years of service to the Milwaukee Public Schools. Kathryn, who died in 2007, was a kindergarten teacher and Earl, who died in 2013, was a teacher and administrator.

In 2003, their family surprised Earl and Kathryn by setting up a scholarship fund for School of Education students in their honor, and family members have been adding to it over the years. Earl Henry was a

Kristopher Thomas

Mary M. Walker*

Daryl Wunrow and Bonnie Basting

$250-$499

Jenice Burrell

Dr. Simone Conceicao

Robert Gundrum

Teretha Harper

Mary Hauser

Julie S. Hedgecock-Jacobson*

Judith and Richard Herbst

Kathleen Knutsen

Debbie Konings

Christine Kosma

Chad Lehman

Donald Lodzinski

Pachoua Lor

Patricia Luebke

James Mather

Joan Prince

Lynne Ptacek

Emily and Mike Robertson

Dr. Lois J. Seefeldt

Karen Ann Vandesand

longtime baseball fan, so in 2013, granddaughter, Jill Finlayson, set up a 99th birthday/fundraiser at a Brewers game to raise money to add to the scholarship.

When the Henry’s daughter, Pat Finlayson, died earlier this year, Jill Finlayson asked that friends and family remember her with donations to the Earl and Kathryn Henry Scholarship fund.

Andrea and Gerald Vigue

Cathy Wegner

Joan Wells

Wisconsin Rid Registry of Interpreters

Joan Yuen

Dr. John A. Zahorik

$100-$249

Dr. Christine Anderson

Preston Baity

Donna Bartolone

James R. Belland

Gisela Benning

Karen Bradley

Susan Bremer

Richard Brigham

Marie Campos

Dr. Evonne B. Carter

Joan S.Cecil

Mrs. Arlene L Collison

Janet Conti

Vivien M. Deback, Ph.D

Larry Debbert

Susan DeFrancesco

Patricia Delmenhorst

Ann Slayton Demorest

Mary Domer

John Donovan

Janis Fabiano

Laura Fitzsimmons

Gary Fritz

Marshall Gallant and Rachel Gray-Gallant

Paul Gunderson

George Hanneman

Irene Hansen

Nancy Harrison

Julie Hedgecock-Jacobson

Luaine Herzog

Beverly Hess

Ruth Holst

Raymond Horvath

Nancy Hyndman

James Janicki

Janet Jenness

Ellen Johnson

Martha Koepke

Kerry Korinek

Dr. William J. Kritek

Robin Kroyer-Kubicek

Ann Krueger

Pat Flood and Blanche Kushner

Cynthia Larsen

Bonnie Larson

Yvonne Lemmerhirt

Carla Lenk

Janice Liebenstein

Dr. George P. Longo

Rob Longwell-Grice

Ann Marlier

Joan McCarthy

Michael McElwee

Jennifer McKanry

Diane McNally Tews

Ronald Mejia

Andrew Meyer

Joyce Mielke

Anna Miller

Robert Miller

Carmelo Minessale

Shavonn Montgomery Brown

SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE

Sherman N. Moore, Jr.

Doug Oitzinger

Mary Lynn Oliver

Mary Ann Ortmayer

Carol Persohn

William Pfeifer

Helen Proffit

Karen Rasmussen

Janice Reed

Jean Reif

Kathleen Rogers

Steven Schmidt

Harold Schneider

Terry Schubert

Mrs. Zora S. Shinn

Joan Simuncak

Mary Skare

Bradley Smith

James Sorensen

James R. Stark, Jr.

Gary L. Streaty

Richard Stuhlmacher

Marianne Thompson

David Tomczyk

Paula Touhey

Lee Van Landuyt

Karen Vandesande

Sharon Wegner

WI Association of the Deaf, Inc.

Dr. Stephen Zanskas

Dr. Dennis Zuelke

Chancellor’s Society* Deceased+

WOMEN’S GIVING CIRCLE GRANTS

The Women’s Giving Circle was founded in 2006 to bring together women alumni and former and current teachers of all ages to pool their giving for the greatest impact. The group funds projects that directly impact student success, support faculty excellence and advance programming in the School of Education, the field of teaching and curriculum development.

In 2023, one-year awards went to the following projects and research.

Teacher Candidate Retention in the Elementary and Middle Education Program. Liz Daniel, teaching faculty, and Angel Hessel, distinguished lecturer.

Bringing Theory to Life. Tara Serebin, teaching faculty and program director.

In October, the UWM African Diaspora Council collected school supplies for LaFollette Elementary School, an MPS school about two miles west of campus in the 53206 ZIP code.

The African Diaspora Council is an employee resource group composed of Black faculty, staff, retirees and alumni of UWM. The group helps the surrounding community through professional, academic and community development. The School of Education’s Diana Borders, assistant director of business services, is chair of the council for 2022-2023 and has been one of the leaders of the supply drive since it started six years ago.

The African Diaspora Council ran the supply drive in collaboration with the UWM Police Department and the UWM School of Nursing. The Walmart on East Capitol Drive also contributed.

Supporting and Mentoring UWM Teacher Candidates. Anna Bierce, clinical experience coordinator, and Jenny Brownson, teaching faculty.

SOE Jumpstart First Year Experience. Jeremy Page, assistant dean for student services.

English Program Redesign. Kristine Lize, English and Language Arts 4-12 education program director.

From left: Joanne Neusen, Karleen Haberichter, Emily Robertson, Diane Thieme, Mary Domer

Support gives UWM students who are parents a crucial boost

WHEN SHE ARRIVED ON THE UWM CAMPUS, JUSTICE GRAU WAS PREGNANT WITH HER SON, JAXSON. Grau knew the importance of obtaining a degree, she said, and understood that this wouldn’t be an easy accomplishment.

“We don’t have family in Milwaukee, and we were new to the area. I knew I would need support navigating higher education as a first-generation student and soon-to-be parent.”

She found her answer at UWM through the Life Impact program, which later transitioned into the Student Parent Success Program in 2021. With the support those programs provided, Grau was able to earn her bachelor’s degree in community education, then graduated in December 2022 with a master’s degree in cultural foundations of community engagement and education and a certificate in racial and social justice in education.

Jaxson is now 4 years old, and Grau works for the American Civil Liberties Union as its community engagement director.

The Parent Support and Life Impact programs were invaluable to her, she said. “Whenever I was having a hard day, juggling all my responsibilities as a first-generation student parent, their offices were always open,” Grau said. “It made me feel seen and recognized. I don’t think I would have graduated without that support, to be honest.”

She found that the School of Education’s program in community education matched her interests. She particularly remembers the support she received from Agnes Williams, lecturer in educational policy and community studies.

“She was my first-ever Black woman teacher in my entire life,” Grau said. “She was so supportive. It was so encouraging

to see someone that looks like you and understands.”

In her job at the ACLU, Grau promotes and protects the civil liberties and civil rights of all residents of Wisconsin through education, outreach, organizing, direct action and educational programming for adults and youth. She tells parents about her own experiences at UWM. “I want to let people know they can feel supported as I felt supported when I found UWM’s program.”

NEW GRANT FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

Faculty members from the School of Education have received a $2.87 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education for an inclusive early childhood education project. The five-year grant from the department’s Office of English Language Acquisition will support an inclusive early childhood program titled Preparing Inclusive Early Childhood Educators (PIECE). The program offers dual certification in early childhood education and early childhood special education along with add-on certifications (if students choose) for English as a Second Language and/or Bilingual Education.

The principal investigator for the project is Tatiana Joseph, assistant professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning’s second language program. Co-principal investigators, all in the Department of Teaching and Learning are: Maggie Bartlett, associate professor, early childhood special education program; Leanne Evans, associate professor, early childhood education program; and Sara Jozwik, associate professor, exceptional education program.

The PIECE grant team is anticipating a program roll-out in Fall 2023.

Justice Grau with her son, Jaxson

TRANSITIONS: WELCOME AND FAREWELL ANDREW DAVIS JOINS THE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

The School of Education will have a major transition in leadership this summer.

Hope LongwellGrice, who has served as head of school and associate dean, is retiring, and Andrew Davis will join the school July 17 in that position. Longwell-Grice has agreed to remain with SOE for several weeks after Davis’ arrival to assist with the transition.

As the head of school and associate

dean, Davis will be responsible for overseeing all day-to-day operations in the School of Education. In this position, he will also be responsible for community engagement efforts and serve on the leadership team for the College of Community Engagement & Professions.

Before accepting the position at UWM, Davis was chair of the Department of Educational Psychology at Ball State University and was director of the Ball State University Neuropsychology Laboratory.

ASSOCIATE DEAN RETIRING AFTER 20 YEARS

Hope Longwell-Grice first became interested in education when she was very young.

“Some people say teachers come to their work because they have a calling. I always imagined I would be an educator. Throughout my life people around me encouraged me to go into education.” Although she gave theater a try when she first started college, “It was in the stars that I was going to be in education.”

Longwell-Grice is retiring as head of school and senior associate dean this summer after 20 years at UWM.

She came to UWM from the University of Louisville after she met some of the School of Education faculty at a conference and listened to their presentations.

“I was just wowed by the work that was going on here with the focus on equity and social justice in an urban context. Milwaukee was such a hotbed of what was at the forefront of education. There was just an energy that drew me to UWM.”

After starting as an assistant professor, she became the program director for the elementary/middle school program, then a department chair and, 11 years ago, associate dean.

She still feels that passion for the work despite the challenges of declining enrollments and budget cuts that have impacted the School of Education over the past decade.

The school’s success, she says, is a tribute to people she works with.

“The fact that faculty and staff continue to do what they do at the quality they do it at is just so impressive.” Faculty and staff do a great deal of work, spend time and make personal connections to ensure that students are successful. LongwellGrice also credits SOE’s strong alumni base and the positive energy that the new dean, Tina Freiburger, brings to the

He has experience in administration, leadership, mentorship, teaching, research and clinical service provision in educational and health care settings. He also brings an extensive research record, with more than 50 peer reviewed publications, four edited books and numerous published book chapters, presentations and funded research projects. He was the founding editorin-chief of the Journal of Pediatric Neuropsychology.

In addition to his leadership duties, Davis will also be a professor in the Department of Educational Psychology.

school and the college as significant factors in the School of Education’s continued success.

Even with fewer students in the pipeline, the need for high quality teachers, community educators and educational counselors and psychologists is greater than ever because of the challenges of COVID-19 and other factors, she said.

Her own long-time interest in social justice and diversity grew out of her experiences many years ago working with her husband, Rob Longwell-Grice, on the Rosebud Indian Reservation.

“Living on the reservation was life changing in the sense of understanding my own privilege. It made me even more aware of the diversity of our country and the experiences of people who live in the United States. It helped me think about education in different ways.”

In addition to her other research and publications, she also wrote a children’s book, along with Donna Pasternak, professor emeritus, about the adventures of UWM mascot Pounce.

“One of the memories I will take with me was my opportunity to co-author the 'Hello, Pounce' book. It has been exciting to see how the book has been used with the community. The chancellor’s reading it to children at the day care my grandson attends was a highlight.”

After she retires, she plans to do some traveling, take up some long-neglected hobbies and spend more time with her family, including her 4-year-old grandson.

While both Longwell-Grices will be retired, a little bit of them will always be part of UWM and the School of Education through their scholarship. The Robert and Hope LongwellGrice Scholarship supports first-generation graduate students pursuing a career in higher education. “It is an honor to be an ongoing part of the university’s and school’s missions,” according to Hope and Rob Longwell-Grice.

Honors and Awards

The American Psychological Association Committee on Women in Psychology honored UWM’s NADYA FOUAD as a Distinguished Leader for Women in Psychology at its 2022 convention in Minneapolis.

Fouad is university distinguished professor & Mary and Ted Kellner Endowed Chair of Educational Psychology in the School of Education.

The award was given to Fouad “in recognition of her longstanding and sustained commitment to advancing women’s issues and her professional contributions to the scholarship, mentorship, and empowerment and leadership development of women in psychology,” according to the citation. Fouad is a leading scholar on the career decisions of women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields.

“Across all of her professional activities, Dr. Fouad’s dedication to the advancement and inclusion of women, particularly women of color, in STEM, professional psychology, and academia has been notable and influential,” the awards citation said.

JACQUELINE NGUYEN , associate professor of educational psychology, was one of 36 UWM faculty and staff members recognized at the first International Advocate Award Ceremony in November. The awards honored faculty and staff members who have made a difference in the lives of UWM international students and students who have pursued studying abroad. Nguyen was honored for her work with School of Education and educational psychology students.

Earlier this semester, UWM international students and study abroad participants nominated the faculty and staff members who showed them exceptional support and assistance.

GETTING A HEAD START ON COLLEGE

Kayla Jackson is graduating from UWM in May with a B.S. and a double major in psychology and neuroscience on the pre-med track.

She is one of the first UWM graduates who benefited from the M³ College Connections program, a partnership involving UWM, Milwaukee Area Technical College and the Milwaukee Public Schools. The program allows high school students to earn up to 20 college credits before coming to a university.

Jackson credits the Educational Psychology course she took through the M³ program with giving her the tools she needed to make a smooth transition from high school and succeed in college.

Since the pilot courses started in 2019, 325 high school students have gone through the program, with 87 currently enrolled.

“It was great to get those credits and save some tuition money,” said Jackson,

New Faces

SUNNY BRYSCH

joined the School of Education in July to lead the university’s American Sign Language program. She is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning.

Brysch’s career started out in a totally different direction from education. She originally planned to work in clinical mental health, planning to focus on families and children. She earned a master’s degree in social work from Augsburg University in Minnesota.

While working on a certification in ASL Studies at Saint Paul College in Minnesota, she did an internship with a high school ASL program. “That experience really impressed me and was the first step in a new direction.”

She moved on to teaching first at the high school level, then as an adjunct professor at the university level. Before joining UWM, she taught ASL and coordinated the University of Minnesota Duluth’s ASL program.

ANDREW DAIRE, who will become UWM’s provost and vice chancellor of academic affairs June 1, will also be a professor in the Department of Educational Psychology. Before joining UWM, he was dean of the School of Education at Virginia Commonwealth University starting in 2016. Prior to joining VCU, he also served associate dean for research in the College of Education at the University of Houston.

MEGAN GILBERTSON will be joining the Department of Educational Psychology this fall as an assistant professor.

She earned her bachelor's degree from UW-Madison and her master’s degree and specialist in school psychology from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. She will be receiving her doctorate from Northern Illinois University in July and is currently completing a predoctoral internship at Academy South in Township District 211 within the Illinois School Psychology Internship Consortium. Her research interests focus on student social emotional skills, particularly centered on well-being, school climate and social support for students, who are culturally, linguistically and gender diverse – and who have historically been underrepresented in school psychology.

KATE JIANNACOPOULOS

joined the School of Education as course scheduling and curriculum development specialist for the Office of Academic Affairs in the Department of Teaching and Learning. She earned her B.S. in Community Education and Engagement from UWM and has prior experience working in higher education.

NATHAN ROEHRIG joined the School of Education as outreach specialist for the Professional Growth Programs for School Mental Health Professionals program in Educational Psychology.

ASHLEY N. SCHMIDT will join the School of Education as an assistant professor of mathematics education. Her research interests include educational policies related to K-12 mathematics, mathematics

standards and related components, and relations of policy and practice in the instructional improvement of mathematics education.

She currently serves as a member of the conference committee for the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (AMTE).

She taught elementary and middle school mathematics and earned her doctorate in mathematics education from the University of Central Florida.

CRYSTASANY R.

TURNER is joining the School of Education as an assistant professor in teaching and learning in the fall of 2023. Turner, who earned her doctorate at UWM, joins UW-Milwaukee as an assistant professor from Erikson Institute in Chicago. Her teaching and research focus includes early childhood education for social justice, culturally responsive and sustaining pedagogies, and Black feminist epistemologies. She was awarded the American Education Research Association Early Education and Child Development special interest group outstanding dissertation award for her study of Black women family childcare providers’ roles as community mothers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

CINDY (TXONG)

YANG is the administrative assistant for Academic Affairs: Teaching & Learning. Before joining the School of Education she worked for Waukesha County Technical College and Madison Area Technical College as well as in business and industry. She earned her administrative professional associate degree at Madison Area Technical College.

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SCHOLARSHIPS IMPACT ACADEMIC SUCCESS

In the 2022-2023 school year, four students benefited from the Earl and Kathryn Henry Scholarship. Among them was Alissa Breen, who will graduate in December 2023 with her degree in early childhood education.

The scholarship made a real difference to her and contributed to the success of her education, said Breen. She is deaf and has two cochlear implants. “The scholarship helped me because I was able to use some of my budget for tuition towards funds to help me upgrade my cochlear implants.” The scholarship has contributed to her academic success, she added. “This allowed me to work less and focus on my schoolwork to make sure it was the best possible before turning it in.”

Receiving the Earl and Kathryn Henry Scholarship not only impacted Alissa’s journey towards becoming a teacher, but fulfilled the passions of Earl and Kathryn, who graduated in 1935 from Milwaukee State Teachers College, one of UWM’s predecessor institutions.

Their love story lives on in the form of scholarships that have benefited dozens of School of Education students.

Prior to Earl and Kathryn’s passing, their daughter Patricia Finlayson and their grandchildren Jill and Andrew Finlayson established the scholarship fund in 2003, in honor of their combined 55 years of service to Milwaukee Public Schools.

Patricia, who graduated from the School of Education in 1962, died earlier this year. In lieu of flowers the family asked that she be remembered for her dedicated career to education, with donations to the Earl and Kathryn Henry Scholarship. These gifts — along with the family’s years of continued support — will benefit students for generations. Scholarships like the Earl and Kathryn Henry Scholarship show that giving matters! Establish your legacy scholarship today by contacting Shavonn Montgomery Brown at 414-251-8214 or montgoms@uwm.edu

Shavonn

Montgomery Brown Director of Advancement

University Advancement 414-251-8214

montgoms@uwm.edu

If you would like to support School of Education scholarships, please send your gift to:

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Office of of Advancement and Alumni Relations P.O. Box 413 Milwaukee, WI 53201-0413

Attn: Shavonn Montgomery Brown

Please make checks payable to the UWM Foundation.

is published for alumni and friends of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Education. Send correspondence and changes to UWM Alumni Association, P.O. Box 413, Milwaukee, WI

53201-0413.

Phone: 414-229-4290, Email: alumni@uwm.edu.