Professional Reflections 2022

PROFESSIONAL

REFLECTIONS LEAVING A LEGACY CEHD says goodbye to Dr. Ming Li, one of the college’s most influential deans, as his tenure ends this summer. His impact will continue to be felt as the college moves toward the future.

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AT WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY.

4 | MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN 5 | COLLEGE RANKINGS 6 | MOTOWN WITH MODA 8 | BRONCO IN THE BIG APPLE

TABLE

10 | I T ’ S A L L I N A P R O M I S E 12 | A P R O M I S E T O G R A N D R A P I D S 14 | T H R I V E T O T R A I N 16 | S T U D E N T S I N T H E N E W S 18 | P R I O R L E A R N I N G A S S E S S M E N T 20 | F A C U L T Y I N T H E N E W S 22 | C E H D A W A R D S

MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN

4

Dean Li reflects on the past year and highlights the accomplishments of our faculty, staff and students.

24 | A L U M N I I N T H E N E W S 26 | L E A V I N G A L E G A C Y 30 | S T A Y C O N N E C T E D

This magazine is a publication of Western Michigan University’s College of Education and Human Development in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

IT’S ALL IN A PROMISE

10

Lead Editor and Designer Nicole Leffler, Marketing Specialist Senior College of Education and Human Development

Editors

The Kalamazoo Promise comes full circle as recent early childhood education graduate Hailey Timmerman begins teaching second grade at Washington Writers’ Academy in Kalamazoo this summer.

Caryn Davidson, Graduate Assistant Evaluation, Measurement and Research Tayler Boelk, Manager of Recruitment and Outreach College of Education and Human Development Val Horwath, Manager of Recruitment and Outreach College of Education and Human Development Tyler Sonnenberg-Ward, Web Content Specialist College of Education and Human Development

Photography

A PROMISE TO GRAND RAPIDS

12

A $29.5 million U.S. Department of Education grant will help two faculty members expand educational opportunities for thousands of children and their families in the Grand Rapids area.

Mark Bugnaski, University Photographer Marketing and Strategic Communications Tyler Sonnenberg-Ward, Web Content Specialist College of Education and Human Development

@wmucehd

PRIOR LEARNING

18

Committed to making learning accessible and affordable, CEHD announced a new academic initiative, Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) Opportunities.

Students may now apply for potential credit for their prior knowledge and experiences for various programs within CEHD.

OF CONTENTS MOTOWN WITH MODA

6

Student clothing designers and fashion aficionados revved up their creative skills for a cause, raising $2,000 for the Ford Warriors in Pink initiative with its Motown Fashion Show at the Gilmore Car Museum.

BRONCO IN THE BIG APPLE

8

Samantha Morehead, president of MODA, experienced Times Square for the first time during a one-of-akind trip to the Big Apple for New York Fashion Week, sponsored by WMU.

THRIVE TO TRAIN

14

Taylor Gaines, who graduated from Western with a bachelor’s degree in athletic training this spring, has dreams of becoming a physical therapist and opening a free clinic for patients in need.

LEAVING A LEGACY

26

CEHD says goodbye to Dr. Ming Li, one of the college’s most influential deans, as his tenure ends this summer. His impact will continue to be felt as the college moves toward the future.

MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN Dear CEHD Community, Welcome to the 2022 Edition of Professional Reflections, the official magazine of the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) at Western Michigan University (WMU).

Our students continue to exemplify the best of what WMU has to offer. From the Merchandising Opportunities and Design Association (MODA) fashion show, to the representation of WMU at New York Fashion Week, our students show time and time again a relentless commitment to going above and beyond and pursuing their dreams. Students like Hailey Timmerman, of our Future Educators Program, epitomize the values of CEHD and our commitment to our communities: supporting our students to become educators and role models to future generations. Congratulations to these upstanding scholars!

This was also an incredible year for our faculty and staff. Drs. Patricia Reeves and Jianping Shen’s $29.5M grant through the U.S. Department of Education’s Promise Neighborhoods Program was an unprecedented one for WMU, and the largest one in the institution’s history. Their grant underscores the importance of CEHD partnerships – with community centers, other colleges and universities, and public school systems – to provide the very best equitable educational solutions to our communities. We couldn’t be more excited to see what’s in store for this historic initiative.

From Dale M. Brown’s 2022 K. Patricia Cross Future Leaders Award for his Prison Education Outreach program work, to Dr. Eric Archer’s Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award to Albania, and Dr. Regena Nelson’s research on curriculum evaluations at NYU, our students and faculty continue to pursue a diversity of challenging subjects, a testament to the academic rigor of CEHD. Finally, I want to congratulate our faculty, staff, students and alumni on their notable awards of excellence this year. We are so proud and lucky to have your efforts contribute to CEHD’s legacy.

A note of thanks: this summer, I will step down as dean of the College of Education and Human Development. Serving this college for the past 9 years has been the highlight of my career.

Seeing the achievements of our faculty, staff and alumni as they pursue their passions has been the most rewarding aspect of my service.

Reading the stories in this magazine offers just a glimpse into the remarkable legacy of this college and the exciting potential of our students to change lives and communities. I am proud to have been your dean and am thrilled to see what this college can continue to achieve.

Best Wishes,

Ming Li, Ed.D. Dean

2023 U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT RANKINGS

BEST GRADUATE SCHOOLS IN EDUCATION U.S. News and World Report 2023 ranked WMU’s College of Education and Human Development No. 106 in the nation and No. 3 in the state of Michigan for graduate schools in education.

usnews.com/best-colleges/western-michigan-university

BEST ONLINE MASTER’S IN EDUCATION FOR VETERANS U.S. News and World Report 2023 ranked WMU No. 13 in the nation for best online master’s in education programs for veterans.

BEST ONLINE MASTER’S IN EDUCATION U.S. News and World Report ranked WMU No. 41 for best online master’s in education programs of all colleges and universities reviewed and No. 2 in the state of Michigan.

2022 COLLEGE FACTUAL RANKINGS

2022 NICHE RANKINGS

No. 1 Best Schools for Counseling Psychology in Michigan

No. 71 Best Public Colleges for Kinesiology in America

No. 1 Best Schools for Reading Teacher Education Master’s Level

No. 86 Best Public Colleges for Education in America

No. 2 Best Early Childhood Education Master’s Degree in Michigan

niche.com/colleges/western-michigan-university/rankings

No. 2 Best Organizational Leadership Schools in Michigan No. 2 Best Teacher Education Grade Specific Master’s Degree Schools in Michigan No. 2 Best Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region No. 3 Best Early Childhood Education Schools in Michigan No. 4 Best Public Counseling Psychology Master’s Degree in the Nation No. 8 Best Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher Education Master’s Degree Schools in the Nation No. 14 Best Child Development Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Nation No. 16 Best Public Schools for Organizational Leadership in the Nation collegefactual.com/colleges/western-michigan-university/rankings

2022 EDURANK RANKINGS No. 74 Best Colleges for Education Majors in the United States No. 86 Best Public Colleges for Education in America edurank.org/uni/western-michigan-university/rankings

MOTOWN WITH MODA

Student clothing designers and fashion aficionados revved up their creative skills and raised $2,000 for the Ford Warriors in Pink initiative.

6 | Motown with MODA

A sold-out crowd of 300 students, families and community members came out for WMU’s Merchandising Opportunities and Design Association (MODA) spring fashion show with its Motown Fashion Show at the Gilmore Car Museum, supported by Seelye Ford. The event raised $2,000 for the Ford Warriors in Pink initiative and included a VIP experience among the classic cars inside the museum. The entire night was coordinated and executed entirely by students.

“I’m just in awe of how Western and the opportunities I’ve had in the program have made me a better designer,” says Lekander, a fashion design student who will graduate in December.

This is the second MODA fashion show she’s participated in, and this time she both showcased her own garments and played a lead role as designer chair.

“When I first transferred to Western two years ago, I didn’t have any background in fashion design or the industry aside from sewing commercial patterns in my room for fun,” she says. “But over the past two years, I found all these different outlets connected to the industry.”

The partnership with Warriors in Pink gave MODA an opportunity to get back to its roots; the organization was founded in 1998 by two fashion design students whose mothers both battled breast cancer. As a result, MODA’s first few shows in its early years also served as fundraisers for Susan G. Komen of Southwest Michigan.

MODA began its partnership with Warriors in Pink in June 2021, when a recent alumna helped secure donations of hundreds of bandanas left over from the initiative’s fundraising campaigns for breast cancer patients through Susan G. Komen and the Pink Fund. Several student designers used those bandanas to construct their garments for the show. The focus on sustainability carried over from a fashion design course led by Dr. Mary Simpson, assistant professor.

“She’s really taking that sustainability element and doing ‘zero waste,’” challenging students not to throw away anything or purchase any new materials, Morehead says. “Any extra fabric they used outside of the Ford scarves was fabric they already had in their personal collections through designing other garments.”

Sustainability was also the focus of the most recent New York Fashion Week, which Samantha Morehead, MODA president, won the opportunity to attend in February through Western’s inaugural New York Fashion Week Competition. Grace Stibich, who won second place, will get her own behind-the-scenes experience at the event’s fall run in September.

DESIGNER KYLE SHANNON Fashion merchandising student designer, Kyle Shannon, pictured altering his garments moments before them being modeled on the runway.

Shannon, who graduated this April, won the evening’s ‘Best Styled Line’ award.

“Joining MODA my sophomore year was one of the best decisions I have made during my college experience. MODA has allowed me to grow as a person and leader. I have been pushed out of my comfort zone and am a better person because of it,” says Morehead, who graduated this April.

“The memories I have made during my time in this organization I will forever cherish. I am so endlessly proud of the amazing experiences I have had in this organization, and I can’t think of a better way to say ‘goodbye’ following the absolute success of this year’s fashion show.”

BRONCO in the

BIG APPLE 8 | Bronco in the Big Apple

Call it a “pinch me” moment. Samantha Morehead’s feet still haven’t quite touched the ground after a dream-like experience at New York Fashion Week (NYFW).

“The girl next to me, we were holding hands and tearing up the whole time because it was such a surreal experience,” says Morehead, WMU’s Merchandising Opportunities and Design Association (MODA) president before graduating this April. She can still feel the goosebumps from attending a runway show for Londonbased fashion house Hardware LDN. “That’s when it hits you that you’re achieving something you’ve always wanted to achieve.”

Western, through a partnership with its exclusive trademark licensing agency, CLC, and fashion leader IMG, delivered a one-of-a-kind educational experience for Morehead at UofNYFW. This unique academic enrichment program provides future fashion leaders a behind-the-scenes look at the industry, including entry into select runway shows, panel discussions and networking opportunities with industry leaders.

“Our UofNYFW college program delivers innovative experiences and life-changing learning opportunities to students at our partner institutions while adding value beyond the traditional role of brand licensing,” adds Cory Moss, CEO of CLC. The students also had the opportunity to explore the fashion resale industry through a thrift store outfit design challenge as well as check out the “Dior: Designer of Dreams” exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum of Art—a showcase of Morehead’s favorite designer.

“It’s very rare for a student to have an experience like this. So having the opportunity was so amazing and was something I never thought would have been a possibility for me,” says Morehead, who is also a first-generation college student.

“In elementary school, I literally had a sketchbook on the playground where I would be sketching outfits. That is what I did for fun in elementary school,” Morehead remembers.

She daydreamed about the glamorous celebrities who might wear her looks if she were a big-name designer.

“All the celebrities you look up to and admire are going to events and you think, ‘I want to do that someday.’

But I never thought that was actually going to happen.

So, when it did actually happen, I couldn’t believe I was there. My little 7-year-old self would not believe me. I would be screaming.”

Morehead punched her ticket to one of the industry’s biggest events by winning Western’s inaugural New York Fashion Week Competition. She was whisked away to the Big Apple alongside a select group of college students from across the country for the immersive industry experience, which included a “NYFW: The Talks” panel discussion on sustainability and the current fascination with resale fashion, question-and-answer session with IMG representatives and backstage tour of the production and execution of a fashion show at Spring Studios.

“We were excited to welcome another group of bright college students to ‘NYFW: The Shows’ to interact and learn from some of the best designers and experts in the world of fashion,” says Leslie Russo, president of IMG’s Fashion Events and Properties. “Collaborating with CLC to provide this experience aligns with our mission to deliver opportunities for future leaders in the industry and support the development of new perspectives in the ever-changing fashion business.”

In addition to the unique fashion week experiences, Morehead attended a private breakfast at the home of jewelry designer Kyle Garcia of collegiate jewelry company Kyle Cavan, where students were also joined by company co-founder Elizabeth Shirley for a discussion on starting and building a brand.

“We were able to get their contacts and emails for networking opportunities,” says Morehead, who is currently thinking about her next step after graduation.

“Getting that experience and having those connections is super vital for someone who wants to work in the industry.”

THE COMPETITION Western’s competition in November 2021 was open to all members of the MODA registered student organization.

A group of finalists was chosen to compete for the grand prize: designing three to five looks for collegiate apparel, conveying what it means to them to be a Bronco.

Morehead wasn’t the only big winner. Runner-up Grace Stibich also earned a trip to the Big Apple for New York Fashion Week’s fall run in September 2022.

It’s all in

prom

“I just knew I had a passion to be with youth, and so I stuck with it,” she says. “I really do enjoy it, and not even specifically teaching them—I do like seeing kids learn—but, really, I want to give value to these kids and show them that there is a safe space and that somebody cares about them.”

Timmerman decided to pursue an education degree from Western in part because of the Kalamazoo Promise, a program that provides up to full tuition for all KPS graduates at any Michigan college, trade school or vocational program.

Hailey Timmerman can’t help but smile when thinking about the future.

“I’m excited and nervous but ready to take on the responsibility of teaching the next generation,” she says.

A recent graduate, Timmerman just accepted a summer second grade teaching position at Washington Writers’ Academy in Kalamazoo Public Schools (KPS)—the same district she grew up in.

“My sister also convinced me to go to Western because she’s an alum,” she says.

“We took a campus tour of Western, and I went specifically with someone in the education field. And they showed me around Sangren Hall, the College of Education (and Human Development) and everything, and that sold it for me. So I decided to come to Western, and I’m very happy with my choice.”

“It is very cool that I’m able to come back to KPS as a teacher. It is a full circle moment,” Timmerman says. “I’m very excited to serve the district that served me. I feel like I can relate to students in KPS in a unique and genuine way because I was once in their shoes.”

During her second year on campus, Timmerman was accepted into the Future Educators Program (FEP), which is a partnership between Western, KPS and the Kalamazoo Promise that is sponsored by the Pickard Family Fund and Advia Credit Union. It provides additional opportunities and support for students in historically marginalized populations pursuing teaching careers.

Timmerman’s educator epiphany came while she was a high school student working her first job with Prevention Works, a Kalamazoo nonprofit organization that teaches programming involving substance use and violence prevention.

“Our faculty advisor for that program supported me so much,” Timmerman says, adding the program also connected her with volunteer opportunities and helped her network with potential employers within local school districts.

a

mise.

Those experiences inspired her and other students in her cohort to start their own Registered Student Organization, Future Teachers of Color. The group focuses on bringing future educators of color together for career preparation, academic success, mentorship, community service outreach and networking.

“Seeing the impact a support group like FEP had on me, I wanted to extend that to all future educators, whether in the scholarship program or not—specifically for teachers of color,” says Timmerman. “To flip the script on the perception of students of color and the narrative our students have to live is huge for me. I want to see everybody win.”

It’s also huge for children of color, who don’t often have teachers who look like them.

Data from the National Center for Education Statistics shows 79% of public school teachers identified as white and non-Hispanic in 201718, the most recent data set available.

“It’s exciting. I can already see that it makes a difference in my internships. When I was in a school with mostly Black and brown children, I could see them gravitating toward me, getting excited, because they could connect with me in ways other teachers couldn’t connect with them,” she says. “It makes me nervous because it’s a big responsibility, knowing I could be a role model for some of these young boys and girls, and I don’t want to mess it up. But at the same time, I’m excited to be that person they might never have had.”

Timmerman completed four internships during her time at Western, getting a broad base of experience with students in kindergarten, third and fifth grade as

well as working as a reading and writing comprehension tutor. She’s graduated at the top of her class, and was named a Presidential Scholar for the Department of Teaching, Learning and Educational Studies.

“I think Western has set me up for success, giving me many best practices specific to education. I also feel like I have made connections with a lot of professors who will be there if I ever need help down the road,” she says. “It’s also great knowing I started an organization on campus that not only helped me find belonging but will create opportunities for other people.”

“

I think Western has set me up for success, giving me many best practices specific to education.

Hailey Timmerman

11 | It's All in a Promise

A PROMISE TO GRAND RAPIDS A $29.5 MILLION GRANT WILL HELP TWO WMU FAC U LT Y M E M B E R S EXPA N D E D U CAT I O N A L OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES.

Drs. Patricia Reeves and Jianping Shen were awarded the grant through the U.S. Department of Education’s Promise Neighborhoods Program. One of the largest federal grants in University history, it will fund the Grand Rapids Southeast Promise Neighborhood Project.

“The College of Education and Human Development has been a key player in promoting learning in Southwest Michigan for more than a century. This grant and the proposed project demonstrate our continuing commitment to the communities we serve,” says Dr. Ming Li, dean of the College of Education and Human Development.

Dr. Patricia Reeves

Dr. Jianping Shen

12 | A Promise to Grand Rapids

Western along with a group of partners, including Baxter Community Center, Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative, Family Futures, Grand Rapids Community College, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids Public Schools, Kent Intermediate School District and LINC UP, will create a complete continuum of cradle-to-career solutions for both educational programs and family and community supports, with great schools at the center.

The five-year project, funded at roughly $6 million a year, will address a pipeline of 14 evidence-based solutions for student success, including school readiness, literacy and math success, transitions to middle and high school, post-secondary preparation, and a variety of student and family health and security targets.

“Grand Rapids Public Schools is incredibly grateful to Western Michigan University for securing program funding that will have a profound impact on the students in our school district,” says Dr. Leadriane Roby, superintendent of Grand Rapids Public Schools, who earned her doctoral degree from Western’s educational leadership, research and technology program. “GRPS and its partners in this endeavor share a common commitment to improving educational success for children residing in Southeast Grand Rapids. The Promise Neighborhoods grant will empower all of us to increase capacity for programming that will enhance our ‘cradle-to-career’ solutions.

We are excited to roll up our sleeves and work collaboratively to improve developmental, educational and social outcomes for the children of Southeast Grand Rapids.”

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation, which has invested in Grand Rapids and built the prototype for the partnership, helped bring organizations together for this important work.

“We are proud to have partnered in the collaborative effort that has led to the exciting announcement of a Promise Neighborhoods award for Grand Rapids,” says Yazeed Moore, program officer at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. “At the Kellogg Foundation, children are at the heart of everything we do, and we know that for all children to thrive, their communities need to be equitable places of opportunity.

“This award will ensure our community partners and stakeholders in the city have the support and resources they need to make sure all children, regardless of zip code and address, have the ability to succeed in school, work and life. We look forward to continuing to work alongside our community partners to improve outcomes for children and families in Grand Rapids.”

Reeves and Shen received a $12.5 million award from the U.S. Department of Education in 2017 to fund the High-Impact Leadership (HIL) for School Renewal Project, then one of the largest single grants ever awarded to the University. The project, aimed at intense school leadership development and student achievement in high-poverty schools across West Michigan, was so successful in its first three years that it earned an additional $3.2 million, two-year grant renewal—one of only four programs in the country to do so.

“The work will build on what we have done through the HIL Project/SEED Grant and take us into new venues for the work of positive, transformative change in the pursuit of equity and excellence for all students and their educators,” explains Reeves, principal investigator on the grant and professor emeritus of educational leadership, research and technology.

The Principles, Practice and School Renewal Processes established in the HIL project will be utilized in collaboration with district and community partners to establish the leadership capacity to implement the 14

solutions with fidelity and integrity to the students and families of the Grand Rapids Promise Neighborhood.

The neighborhood being served by the grant is located in the southeast quadrant of Grand Rapids, the second largest city in Michigan, and includes one high school and 12 feeder schools. Each year, about 9,500 children from birth to grade 12 and an average of 9,600 adults will be served by the grant.

The project is both cost-effective and sustainable. It has strong advisory, leadership and implementation teams and a rigorous measurement and evaluation process that will promote continuous improvement and document lessons learned. The ultimate goal of this project is to not only improve the child and student outcomes in Southeast Grand Rapids but also to add to the body of evidence of methods that can be used to improve all impoverished neighborhoods as well as their schools, children and students.

“

Children are the future of our society.

Our team looks forward to working with partners in Grand Rapids to improve children’s outcomes there.

Dr. Jianping Shen, co-investigator and professor

Thrive to

train.

14 | Thrive to Train

Taylor Gaines is no stranger to hard work.

Since she was old enough to be employed, she’s been bringing home paychecks, working hard to provide for her family and for her future.

“I was working two jobs in high school, helping pay for rent and bills,” says Gaines, who experienced stretches of homelessness growing up in Detroit. “We went through periods where we were staying at hotels.

I went to three different high schools … and I didn’t really have a stable learning environment because I was switching schools all the time.”

Displaying incredible resilience, Gaines pushed forward, determined to go to college and eventually help families and children who were also struggling. She’ll take a giant step toward that goal, graduating from Western Michigan University on Saturday, Dec. 18, with a bachelor’s degree in athletic training and plans to attend graduate school for physical therapy.

“

I have a mission to be able to help my community. It’s always been a big thing to me to make sure that there are spaces for minorities.

Taylor Gaines

“My mission is to be able to help my community,” says Gaines. “I know I want to work in a clinic for sure, but I also want to open a pro bono clinic, giving free services to people that can’t afford them. Once I get my athletic training degree and physical therapy (graduate) degree, I want to be able to offer those services part of the time.”

THRIVING AT WESTERN Gaines always had the potential to succeed, but access to higher education wasn’t guaranteed.

“When it was time for me to apply to colleges, I didn’t really have much support,” she says. “I mainly did the college search myself, applying to colleges that weren’t too far from home but not too close either.

Western was the only one where I went on a tour. Once I stepped foot on campus, it immediately felt like home. It felt like the perfect size.”

She points out the support and welcomeness she immediately felt from students, faculty and staff alike—support that helped guide her to her passion when she initially felt lost.

“I actually changed my major three times,” says Gaines, who knew she ultimately wanted to pursue physical therapy (PT) but wasn’t sure the right path to get there. Through the Broncos FIRST program, which helps firstyear students make the transition to college and provides mentorship and resources to lead students to success, and the help of her advisor, Gaines found her stride in athletic training. ”Holly (Sisson), the program director, has helped me so much. She’s been on my journey from the start,” she says. “She meets with me once a week just to do what I want to do. ‘You want to work on competencies?

You want to work on (PT school) essays? Cool.

You want to just sit here and talk about life?

Cool.’ Just having a support system like that means the world.”

A number of internship opportunities have also impacted her education, allowing her to put what she learned in the classroom into practice with the Western men’s basketball team, Armor Physical Therapy and Sindecuse Sports Medicine Clinic. She is currently a student athletic trainer at Plainwell High School.

“Without those experiences, I probably would not be an athletic trainer. I made a lot of connections through them, and those people have been a big part of my professional growth.”

building emerging

leaders

CEHD STUDENTS IN THE NEWS The Association of American Colleges and Universities has awarded Dale M. Brown, a doctoral student in Teaching Learning and Educational Studies (TLES) and Philosophy, the prestigious 2022 K. Patricia Cross Future Leaders Award for his work in the Prison Education Outreach program.

Brown established the program along with faculty advisor Dr. Fritz Allhoff through Western Michigan University in 2018. The program provides content modeled after traditional college courses to incarcerated individuals at Lakeland Correctional Facility in Coldwater, MI and has been on hold since the pandemic began. Brown is one of eight recipients selected out of nearly one-hundred nominees from around the world.

“It is an honor to be nominated for the K. Patricia Cross Future Leaders Award,” shared Brown. “It is my hope that my commitment to academic innovation with respect to equity, community engagement, and teaching and learning is not only apparent but clearly foundational to what I have done and what I will do in the future.”

The mission of the Prison Education Outreach program is to educate, challenge, and inspire program participants to achieve their academic, personal, and professional goals.

The program provided courses on critical thinking, ethics, ethics and social theory, and education and human flourishing to 66 unique individuals from the fall of 2018 to the spring of 2020. Despite the fact that the courses are not credit bearing, the program often had over 100 individuals on the waiting list for a class.

“

This has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life.

Dale Brown

16 | Students in the News

The motivation to start the program is based on his family background and his own experience with the transformative power of higher education. Brown began researching the potential benefits of establishing a higher education outreach program for justice-involved individuals in the Summer of 2017. “Through this research, it became clear that the lack of opportunities for selfimprovement generally—and the lack of access to quality higher education specifically—was (and is) part of the systemic disadvantages faced by this marginalized population. Though not a total solution to the raciallydiscriminatory, class-reproducing, community-destroying practice of mass incarceration, college in prison remains, at the least, one of the most effective means of reducing the likelihood of a person returning to prison or jail upon release,” explained Brown. He wrote hundreds of emails and participated in numerous phone calls, video chats and in-person meetings with a variety of stakeholders to get the program off the ground.

After graduation, Brown hopes to find a tenure-track position at an institution where he can also be the director of prison education program.

FAMILY STUDIES STUDENTS TAKE HOME AWARDS

EMR STUDENT RECIEVES TRAVEL AWARD

Family studies students, Amyrillis (Monet) Payne, recipient of the Above and Beyond Award, and Emily Homrich, recipient of the Storyteller Award, both completed their internships within WMU’s Health Promotion & Education’s FIRE Place Resource and Support Center & Sexual Health Peer Educators (Sexperts) programs.

Dung Pham, Ph.D. student in Evaluation, Measurement and Research in the Department of Educational Leadership, Research and Technology at Western Michigan University, was selected for the 2021 Conference Mentored Travel Award for the Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness. The award is for early career professional and students researchers of color and covers conference registrations, hotel, and travel. Awardees will participate in a mentorship program with an established researcher to help them navigate the meeting and make it a valuable professional experience.

STUDENT EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR AWARD Rachel Kirkolis, an exercise science student who works in the Office of Admissions has been named the Student Employee of the Year. Kirkolis is the daily operations manager, responsible for scheduling dozens of student employees and overseeing several positions within the office. She is on the front line of welcoming prospective students and families. Kirkolis will also be considered for awards through the Midwest Association of Student Employment Administrators and potentially national awards through the National Student Employee Association.

HIGH SCORE: GRAD COLLEGE RESEARCH PRESENTER Xin Li, a post-graduate fellow in the Department of Teaching, Learning and Educational Studies, recently received the highest presentation score during WMU’s Graduate College Research Presentation Week held this April. the event gives graduate students an opportunity to share their work with the University community.

Li’s presentation was titled, “The Effect of Preschool and Kindergarten Participation on Later Achievement of Language-Minority

DESIGNS ACCEPTED INTERNATIONALLY Maxine Poage, Rose Soma, and Carly McKay, Fashion Design & Merchandising majors in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, had designs accepted in the fall 2021 International Textile and Apparel Association (ITAA) Annual Meeting Design

Exhibition. Poage and Soma received scholarships for their work. WMU has never before had so many student submissions accepted into this competitive and highly respected conference. Each design was peer reviewed and competed with over 200 designs from around the country.

“I am so proud of each of these students!

The quality of their work, the thought, time, and commitment each student put into their designs reflect the commitment these students have made to their success,” said Dr. Mary Simpson, Assistant Professor of Fashion Merchandising and Design.

Maxine Poage received a Blanche Payne Scholarship in the amount of $1,000, for her piece, “Vintage Ambition.” The award is given for creative design and is the highest award in the undergraduate category.

Poage chose the vintage fashion trends of the 1960s as inspiration for her design, coupling a vintage silhouette with a modern color palette to bridge then with now. See her design below.

Student: A Sociocultural Perspective.” aims to illustrate the language-minority students (LMS)’ preschool and kindergarten experience with sociocultural perspective by investigating the preschool and kindergarten experience, family environment, and school environment. Longitudinal data from the U.S. nationwide Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten (ECLS-K), was used to apply a hierarchical linear model (HLM). This study explores whether and how preschool and kindergarten experiences are associated with LMS’ cognitive and socioemotional outcomes. This study examined LMS’ cognitive gains obtained at the end of kindergarten, third grade, fifth grade, and eighth grade. This study offers new perspectives on how sociocultural environments impact the cognitive development of LMS.

Xin Li

PRIOR LEARNING NOW ACCEPTED

Committed to making learning accessible and affordable, Western Michigan University’s College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) announced a new academic initiative, Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) Opportunities. Students may now apply for potential credit for their prior knowledge and experiences for various programs within CEHD. This is a great opportunity for nontraditional students to showcase their prior learning experiences and fast-track their degree program.

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“Creating opportunities for current and future new students to potentially earn credits for their prior learning and work experiences just makes sense for all stakeholders involved,” says Dr. Louann Bierlein Palmer, professor of educational leadership and Ph.D. coordinator for the educational leadership program.

Most participating students are required to take a self-paced, PLA portfolio development course and submit up to five portfolios per course. The course costs $400 and includes one portfolio submission; each additional portfolio costs $100. Students who are awarded PLA credit for one academic course see a significant savings in cost and time in comparison to enrolling in the course. For example, in the 2021-22 academic year, the graduate tuition rate for Michigan residents is $703.48 per credit hour while non-Michigan residents pay $1,055.22 per credit hour. For a course with three credit hours, the savings would be $1,710.44 for Michigan residents and $2,765.66 for non-Michigan residents.

CEHD has long been a leader in offering innovative programs to best support both traditional and non-traditional students.

18 | Prior Learning Assessment

wmich.edu/education/priorlearning

CEHD PLA PROGRAM OPPORTUNITIES Central Office Leadership | Certificate Coaching Sport Performance | M.A. Early Childhood Education | Certificate “In order to be granted credit via prior learning assessment, students must demonstrate that what they have already known or been able to do is equivalent to what they would have learned in an equivalent academic course,” explained Dr. Ming Li, CEHD dean.

Education and Human Development with an emphasis in Educational & Instructional Technology | Ph.D.

This opportunity is currently available in many program areas including teacher education and human development programs.

Educational & Instructional Technology | Certificate

“This program will bring benefits to both traditional and nontraditional students. For nontraditional students, they can complete a program quickly with less cost. They will see a significant savings in cost and time. For traditional students, they will benefit from the rich experiences shared by nontraditional students in class,” says Li.

Education and Human Development with an emphasis in Workforce Education and Development | Ph.D

Educational & Instructional Technology | M.A. Educational Leadership | Ed.S. Educational Leadership: K-12 Leadership | Ph.D. Educational Leadership: K12 School Principal Leadership | M.A.

Many institutions in the nation have already adopted PLAs, and the Higher Learning Commission recognizes and supports their use.

Educational Leadership: K12 School Principal Leadership and Interscholastic Athletics | M.A.

Students must be a admitted to a program to be receive PLA credits, and the credits can be no more than 50% of the total program credits. Any credits awarded will be posted on a student’s transcript as “credit earned by PLA examination” without a letter grade and will not be counted in the total GPA. The credits can be used to meet WMU graduation requirements.

Professional Workforce Educator | Certificate Teacher Development | Certificate Workforce Education and Development (Certified) | M.A. Workforce Education and Development (Non-Certified) | M.A.

learn from forever

learners C E H D FAC U LT Y I N T H E N EWS Dr. Eric Archer, associate professor of educational leadership in higher education in the Department of Educational Leadership, Research and Technology (ELRT) at Western Michigan University, has been awarded a prestigious Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award to Albania for the 2022-2023 academic year. Dr. Archer will be completing his Fulbright Award with the International Relations and Scientific Research Office at Eqrem Çabej University of Gjirokaster, where he will engage in research and consulting work regarding comprehensive internationalization of Albania’s public higher education system.

Dr. Archer’s research centers on issues of diversity and inclusion in postsecondary education broadly with a particular focus on the internationalization of higher education in the U.S. and abroad. He plans to leverage insights gained from this experience to inform his ongoing teaching and research related to the topics of internationalization of higher education, comparative education, and global leadership upon his return to the ELRT Department and the College of Education and Human Development in fall 2023.

Dr. Archer is currently serving a three-year term on the Fulbright Specialist Roster for the U.S. Department of State.

Dr. Eric Archer

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Albania has worked hard to improve the quality of its higher education system as it looks toward its eventual goal of joining the EU, and I feel privileged to be able to be a part of supporting these efforts.

20 | Faculty in the News

The Fulbright Program is devoted to increasing mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. Fulbright is the world’s largest and most diverse international educational exchange program.

The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program offers over 400 awards in more than 130 countries for U.S. citizens to teach, conduct research and carry out professional projects around the world.

Fulbright alumni have become heads of state, judges, ambassadors, cabinet ministers, CEOs, and university presidents, as well as leading journalists, artists, scientists, and teachers. They include 61 Nobel Laureates, 89 Pulitzer Prize winners, 76 MacArthur Fellows, and thousands of leaders across the private, public and nonprofit sectors. Since its inception in 1946, more than 400,000 Fulbrighters have participated in the Program.

SPYBROOK TAKES ON NEW ROLE WITH NSF Dr. Jessaca Spybrook, professor of evaluation, measurement and research, has taken on a new role as a Program Officer with the National Science Foundation (NSF). This temporary position, known as a Rotator, gives researchers an opportunity to make recommendations about which proposals to fund; influence new directions in the fields of science, engineering, and education; support cutting-edge interdisciplinary research; and mentor junior research members.

STAFF MEMBERS RECEIVE APPRECIATION AWARD Two CEHD staff members were recipients of the Staff Semi-Annual recognition and appreciation award. Erica Martinez, the college’s business manager, received the award in the fall and Derek Andree, assistant director for admissions and advising, received the award in the spring. This award is given to staff members who make outstanding contributions in support of faculty, staff, students administrators and all those

those served by the college. Each recipient received an award of $800 for their contributions.

NAM AWARDED RESEARCH COUNSELING GRANT Dr. Sojeong Nam was recently awarded a $1,500 Association for Assessment and Research in Counseling Research Grant titled Racial disparity in college students’ mental health under the COVID-19 Pandemic: Using latent class analysis.

LEWIS AWARDED GLOBAL CLASSROOMS GRANT Dr. Ramona Lewis, professor of higher education and student affairs, received a WMU Global Classrooms Curriculum Development grant. For her grant project she is partnering with Dr. Dave Kim from the University of Toronto, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. Their Spring 2022 global classrooms cross border collaboration brings students together from higher education graduate classes to virtually discuss cases studies in student development.

NELSON SERVES IN COMMUNITY ROLES Dr. Regena Nelson was selected by the NYU Metro Center for Research on Equity and the Transformation of Schools for the Culturally Responsive-Sustaining (CRS) Curriculum Scorecard Fellowship, to learn to facilitate curriculum evaluations using the CRE Curriculum Scorecards. She will lead a team in Kalamazoo to do this work in local school districts.

Dr. Nelson was elected to serve as the Vice-Chair of the Boards of the YWCA in Kalamazoo and Kalamazoo County Ready 4s.

Dr. Nelson was also recently awarded a U.S. Department of Education Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) grant for $961,392. The grant renews the College Assistance for Parenting and Education (CAPE) project (2017-2021) for an additional four years (2021-2025). wmich.edu/teaching/tles-professorawarded-doe-grant-renewal

Dr. Regena Nelson

FACULTY MEMBERS NAMED MAC ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FELLOWS Two outstanding CEHD faculty members have been chosen to represent WMU in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Academic Leadership Program (ALDP). Drs. Carla Adkison-Johnson and Eric Archer are the University’s 2021-22 ALDP fellows.

“I’m really excited about working with this

year’s cohort,” says Dr. Ed Martini, associate provost of WMUx and dean of Merze Tate College. “They are already leaders on our campus and in their fields, so they’re very well positioned to step into new leadership roles and help move the University into the future.”

The program identifies faculty members with interest in administration and provides academic leadership training and mentorship. Fellows, working closely with Martini and WMUx, take part in University-level programming, participate in MAC workshops and create a portfolio documenting their experience. They also have the opportunity to meet with previous fellows and leaders from across campus.

“Fellows have the opportunity to examine different leadership roles and network outside the institution with the other MAC fellows. It’s a great way for them to explore new professional opportunities while also enhancing our own institutional leadership capacity,” says Martini.

Dr. Carla Adkison-Johnson

college annual

awards Yunzheng Zheng

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Yunzheng is exce his own research and for the value critical lines of in

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Dr. Arezoo Rojhani

Dr. Stephanie Burns

My accomplishments are due to her resilience, passion for teaching and wanting to see her students succeed.

CEHD student

23 | CEHD Awards

2021-2022 CEHD FACULTY, STAFF AND STUDENT AWARDS Andrea Bau, Staff Excellence Award | Senior Academic Advisor, Office of Admissions and Advising Dr. Stephanie Burns, Trailblazer Award | Associate Professor, Department of Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology Dr. Shamika Hall, Part-Time Teaching Excellence Award | Instructor, Department of Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology Dr. Jill Hermann-Wilmarth, Multicultural Award for Promotion of Diversity | Professor, Department of Teaching, Learning and Educational Studies Val Horwath, Esprit De Corps Award | Manager of Recruitment and Outreach, Office of the Dean Dr. Regena Nelson, Strengthening Community Connections Award | Professor, Department of Teaching, Learning and Educational Studies Dr. Arezoo Rojhani, Mary L. Dawson Full-Time Teaching Excellence Award | Associate Professor, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences Zane Kathryne Schwaiger, Master’s Rising Star | Student, Counselor Education: Marriage, Couple and Family Counseling Dr. Donna Talbot, Multicultural Award for Global Engagement | Chair, Department of Educational Leadership, Research and Technology Hailey Timmerman, Undergraduate Rising Star | Student, Early Childhood Education Yunzheng Zheng, Doctoral Rising Star | Student, Educational Leadership

wmich.edu/education/recognition/2022

eptional, both for the rigor of h and scholarship activities e of his contributions to nquiry.

Dr. Donna Talbot

CEHD faculty member

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Andrea Bau

Andrea went above and beyond my expectations and was the best advisor I have ever visited with.

CEHD student

in the new 2021-2022 CEHD ALUMNI AWARDS Mark Bielang, Golden Apple Award B.S.’74, industrial education; M.A.’81, educational leadership, superintendent of Portage Public Schools Dr. Sandy Standish, Golden Apple Award B.S.’79, business education; M.A.’85, counseling; Ed.D.’04, educational leadership, retired Kalamazoo County educator Dr. Matthew Wittbrodt, Keystone Early Career Award M.S.’12 exercise physiology, senior data scientist at Northwestern University School of Medicine in the Department of Anesthesiology Dr. Alandra Washington, Keystone Meritorious Award Ph.D.’11, educational leadership, vice president for Transformation and Organizational Effectiveness at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation wmich.edu/education/alumni/awards/golden-apple-keystone/2021-golden-apple-keystone-award-recipients

MI WATERWAYS COMMISSION APPOINTEE Fred Sitkins (B.S.’96, elementary education) has been appointed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer to the Michigan State Waterways Commission. Sitkins is currently the executive director of the Inland Seas Education Association, a non-profit with a mission of inspiring Great Lakes curiosity, stewardship, and passion among people of all ages.

WMU FOOTBALL ADDS ALUM TO STAFF Donald Celiscar (B.S.’15, recreation management) was recently hired as the cornerbacks coach for WMU football. Celiscar comes from Lake Erie College, where he served as assistant head coach, defensive coordinator and secondary coach.

OUTSTANDING SERVICE MEDALLION Dr. Drew Allbritten (B.A.’68, math and sociology; M.A.’70, counseling and personnel; Ed.S.’77, educational administration; Ed.D.’82, educational leadership) is the recipient of the 2021 Outstanding Service Medallion by the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE). The award recognizes persons who have an outstanding record of service to the profession of adult and continuing education at the state, national, or international level.

ws MILKEN EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR Stacie Yokhana (B.S.’06, secondary education) recently received the Milken Educator of the Year award. Hailed as the “Oscars of Teaching,” Milken Educator Awards inspire and uplift with the unique stories of educators making a profound difference for students, colleagues and communities.

MI DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES COUNCIL APPOINTEE Jeanne Anderson Tippett (M.A.‘05, special education) has been appointed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer to the Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council. She is appointed to represent an individual from the state agency that administers funds provided under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR Annie Bosch (B.S.’14, special education) was named the 2020 educator of the year by the Down Syndrome Association of West Michigan. Due to COVID-19, her award was celebrated at this year’s event. Bosch is currently an Inclusion Teacher at Thornapple Kellogg Schools in Middleville, Michigan.

ADAPTIVE PE TEACHER OF THE YEAR Merill DeRose, (B.A.’07, physical education and health; M.A.’10, adapted physical education) was named the Michigan Adapted Physical Education Teacher of the Year by the Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE) Michigan. DeRose is an adaptive physical education teacher in the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools.

25 | Alumni in the News

leaving a

legacy CEHD SAYS GOODBYE TO DR. MING LI, ONE OF THE COLLEGE’S MOST INFLUENTIAL DEANS, AS HIS TENURE ENDS THIS SUMMER.

26 | Leaving a Legacy

After nine years of serving as the dean of the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD), Dr. Ming Li resigned effective July 1, 2022.

Li announced his resignation in an email to the CEHD faculty earlier this spring, citing personal reasons for the resignation. He will continue on as a CEHD faculty member in the Department of Human Performance and Health Education in the fall of 2022.

“I have been so privileged for having the opportunity to work with you all for the past nine years. Thank you for your patience and support that allowed me to grow in my role. Together, we accomplished a lot,” Li wrote in his email.

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Dr. Li was a strong advocate for the university and our larger community.

Personally, he is one of the most honorable and ethical persons I have had the opportunity to work for. His impact on the college and the university will be felt for years to come.

Dr. Chris Cheatham, interim provost

“Upon his arrival, he immediately began implementing the college’s strategic plan and greatly expanded the recruitment, retention, marketing and student success efforts of the college. Research and scholarly activities also showed tremendous growth under Dr. Li’s leadership, with the college receiving two of the largest grants in the history of the university,” Interim Provost Dr. Chris Cheatham states.

“Beyond his work within the college, Dr. Li was a strong advocate for the university and our larger community. Personally, he is one of the most honorable and ethical persons I have had the opportunity to work for. His impact on the college and the university will be felt for years to come.”

Under Li’s leadership (2013-2022) the college acquired over $52 million in external funding, significantly contributed to the enrollment of WMU, developed the college’s first ever strategic plan, strengthened the college’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, expanded international student enrollment, buoyed the reputation of the college, and implemented several innovative programs.

The majority of the grants garnered by the college focused on improving the quality of K-12 education in the state of Michigan. Notably, the college received three large grants from the U.S. Department of Education: a $15.71 million grant in 2017 to implement the High Impact Leadership Project (HIL Project) in 152 elementary schools across the state; a grant of $4.9 million in 2020 for developing a WMU Urban Teacher Residency Program; and a $29.5 million Promise Neighborhoods Program grant in 2022 to serve children and students in the South Neighborhood of Grand Rapids with the support of several partner organizations. CEHD’s cumulative research expenditure from 2017 to 2022 was $27.7 million, the largest among all colleges at WMU. The CEHD has been the most significant contributor to graduate education at WMU and has consistently awarded the largest number of graduate degrees - 30.6% of master’s degrees and 25.4% of doctorate degrees - between 2011 and 2020. CEHD’s graduate enrollment accounted for 29.36% of the university total over the last nine years, and 33.37% of the total graduate tuition in 2020. The college currently offers 37 master’s degree programs and 10 doctorate programs.

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Dr. Li’s legacy won’t be measured, however, by rankings, dollars or awards but rather by how he changed lives both at WMU and in our community. His generosity of spirit, compassion and commitment to his colleagues and our youth set him apart.

I cannot thank him enough for all he has given our community.

Dr. Edward Montgomery, WMU president

28 | Leaving a Legacy

ABOUT DR. LI Prior to becoming dean of the College of Education and Human Development in 2013, Li served as interim executive director of the Center for International Studies at Ohio University, serving as that university’s senior international officer. He also filled a wide range of other administrative posts at the university. He was the inaugural chair of the Department of Sports Administration in the College of Business for two years, acting associate dean for academic affairs for the College of Health and Human Services for a year, director of the School of Recreation and Sport Sciences for eight years, from 2002 to 2010, and director of the master’s program in athletic administration in the School of Recreation and Sport Sciences from 2003 to 2010. In addition to his Ohio University posts, Li also taught at Georgia Southern University for 11 years and was coordinator of that university’s sport management program.

Li received his bachelor’s degree in education from Guangzhou Institute of Physical Culture and his master’s degree in education from Hangzhou University, both in the People’s Republic of China.

He received his Doctor of Education

Staying true to the college’s roots as a teacher’s college, CEHD has substantially improved the quality of its teacher preparation programs, which have been consistently rated “Satisfactory” by the Michigan Department of Education over the last nine years. The college has been consistently ranked as one of the top 100 public graduate schools of education in the country and the 3rd in the state of Michigan. Working with other colleges at WMU, CEHD established the Educator Preparation Governing Council (EPGC) at WMU, which is an overarching policymaking and review body with oversight of the establishment or revision of educator preparation programs, the assessment of program outcomes, and the alignment of programs with state and national standards for educators.

Finally, CEHD developed an innovative doctoral program, the Ph.D. in Education and Human Development, and led efforts at WMU to award credit for

from the University of Kansas in Physical Education, Sport Administration. He has served as president of the Alliance for Sport Business, chair of the Board of Commissioners of the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation, and president of the North American Society for Sport Management.

Li has also served on the editorial boards of several professional journals, including the Journal of Sport Management and Sport Marketing Quarterly. He served as a consultant to several institutions in program evaluation and development in sport management. In 1996, he worked for the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games as an Olympic Envoy. In 2011, he worked as a consultant for the sports department of the Organizing Committee for the Asian Games.

Li has published more than 30 articles in refereed journals, numerous book chapters, and four books, International Sport Management, Economics of Sport, Research Methods in Sport Management, and Badminton Everyone.

He was the recipient of the 2014 Garth Paton Distinguished Service Award bestowed by the North American Society for Sport Management.

students’ prior learning experience in five CEHD graduate programs though the Prior Learning Assessment program.

“Dean Ming Li has been a transformative leader of the College of Education and Human Development at WMU. Under his leadership the College has consistently been ranked among the nation’s best schools, generated more external grant support than all but a handful of schools in the country and produced some of the finest most diverse teachers, educational leaders and human development professionals in the state. His legacy won’t be measured, however, by rankings, dollars or awards but rather by how he changed lives both at WMU and in our community.

His generosity of spirit, compassion and commitment to his colleagues and our youth set him apart. I cannot thank him enough for all he has given our community,” said WMU president, Dr. Edward Montgomery.

30 | Stay Connected

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At WMU, I was always presented with amazing opportunities. It was because of these that I found my love for teaching and my passion for learning.

STAY CONNECTED wmich.edu/education/alumni/opportunities

HOW TO GET INVOLVED Update your information and share your successes We love to hear about your accomplishments! These stories also allow our prospective students and future Broncos to see the value of a CEHD degree and the impact our alumni make worldwide.

Contact future Broncos Share your love for WMU and encourage prospective students to become Broncos by either participating in the WMU Alumni Ambassador Program or by specifically connecting with CEHD students through calls, emails or recruitment events.

Engage with current students Our alumni are the best mentors and examples for our current CEHD students. Whether you are interested in mentoring undergraduates, speaking to a class or student organization, providing internship and field experience opportunities, or have a unique idea, we would love to hear from you.

Become a regional champion Our regional champions are some of our biggest Bronco fans, and they play a key role for alumni communities outside of Kalamazoo. Our regional champions help host events in their area, suggest fun spots for events, and help out with watch parties for select televised athletic events.

Recognize fellow alumni CEHD sponsors multiple annual alumni awards to recognize alumni from across our college who are making substantial contributions to their career field and communities.

2301 Sangren Hall, Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, Michigan 49008-5229 WEBSITE: wmich.edu/education

IT’S ALL IN A PROMISE MOTOWN WITH MODA Student clothing designers and fashion aficionados revved up their creative skills for a cause, raising $2,000 for the Ford Warriors in Pink initiative with its Motown Fashion Show at the Gilmore Car Museum.

WHAT’S INSIDE?

Kalamazoo Promise comes full circle as recent early childhood education graduate Hailey Timmerman begins teaching second grade at Washington Writers’ Academy in Kalamazoo this summer.

A PROMISE TO GRAND RAPIDS A $29.5 million U.S. Department of Education grant will help two faculty members expand educational opportunities for thousands of children and their families in the Grand Rapids area.

ALUM WINS BIG Alumna Stacie Yokhana is the Milken Educator of the Year award recipient for 2022.

LEAVING A LEGACY CEHD says goodbye to Dr. Ming Li, one of the college’s most influential deans, as his tenure ends this summer. His impact will continue to be felt as the college moves toward the future.