Watson College Dean Van Dempsey Re-Appointed to State Education Commission
Van Dempsey, dean of UNCW’s Watson College of Education, has been re-appointed to the Professional Educator Preparation and Standards Commission (PEPSC). Dr. Dempsey has been a member of PEPSC since its inception in September 2017. The additional two-year appointment was announced by the North Carolina General Assembly on June 30. Read more >

Watson Chronicle - June 2022 Edition
We are pleased to share with you the latest edition of the Watson Chronicle. We welcome your comments and feedback, and hope you'll join us in sharing the stories of the work of the Watson College with others. Read more >

Kevin McClure Named WCE’s Murphy Distinguished Scholar
The Watson College is pleased to announce that Kevin McClure has been named WCE’s Wendy and Dell Murphy Distinguished Scholar. McClure, an associate professor of Higher Education in the Department of Educational Leadership, will focus his work on examining pandemic-era workplace conditions and experiences of faculty, staff, and administrators at public higher education institutions in North Carolina. The three-year appointment was approved by the UNCW Board of Trustees and awarded in April. Read more >

WCE is partnering with OIDI, the Native, Aboriginal & Indigenous Coalition (NAIC), and the Indigenous Student Affairs Network (ISAN) to host the NINLHE summer institute on UNCW’s campus. The four day institute will take place July 25-29, 2022. The National Institute for Native Leadership in Higher Education (NINLHE) mission is to affect change in higher education in the United States and Canada in ways that improve the experiences and educational outcomes of American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and Aboriginal students. NINLHE works to enhance the professional development of Native and non-Native higher education professionals to improve Native student recruitment, retention and graduation rates. This international institute will host Dr. Linda Oxendine, Professor Emeritus as the Elder-in-Residence, and keynote speaker Dr. Amy Locklear Hertel, the Executive Vice Provost in the office of the provost UNC. To learn more, and to register for the event, visit: https://myacpa.org/event/ninlhe2022/

Watson College Announces 2022 Razor Walker Award Recipients
For 27 years, the Watson College of Education has sponsored the Razor Walker Awards. This prestigious honor recognizes North Carolinians from all walks of life for their tireless and often courageous efforts to enhance the quality of life for children and youth in our state. This year’s honorees are Wilmington Health Access for Teens of Coastal Horizons, Inc., Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II,  First Lady Kristin Cooper and Major General Joseph A. McNeil (Ret). Read more >

WCE Graduate Program in Education Ranked Among Best in the Nation
The University of North Carolina Wilmington’s education program has moved up 25 places on the U.S. News & World Report list of “2023 Best Graduate Schools.” The rankings were announced in March. Read more >

New “It Begins With Teachers” Campaign Has Focus on Diversity
In March, the Watson College introduced an “It Begins with Teachers” campaign focused on attracting a more diverse teacher workforce. WCE is pleased to share new videos featuring Jeremy Buie, Harris Muhlstein, Kimberly Stokes, Fumika Thomas and Evelyn Tovar. UNCW’s media production team created the videos, which will be shared in several markets across North Carolina through May. Read more >

WCE Hosts WTYP Brunch to Draw Students of Color to the Teaching Profession
On March 19, the Watson College held a "Walk Towards Your Purpose” brunch to bring together teachers, faculty and students interested in a future teaching career. Candace Thompson and Cindy Wiseman coordinated the event, designed to prioritize the importance of teachers of color and help build a more diverse teaching profession. Seventy-five educators and aspiring educators participated in the WTYP brunch event. Read more >

UNCW/3C Hosts Community College Aspiring Leaders’ Summits
UNCW held professional development events in partnership with Fayetteville Technical Community College in February and Brunswick Community College in March. The two-day Aspiring Leaders’ Summit events, offered through the UNCW Community College Collaborative, covered topics including budgeting, conflict resolution, diversity-equity & inclusion, and the staff to administration transition and leadership. Read more >

21 Students Participate in Future Teachers Career Academy at IBECHS
The Watson College introduced a Future Teachers Career Academy at Isaac Bear Early College High School in fall 2018. The FTCA is a small learning community for high school students interested in becoming a teacher. Two freshmen and three seniors participated in the inaugural group. Since then, the FTCA has grown to 21 students. Courtney Townsend leads the FTCA program in partnership with IBEC collaborator Danielle Talbert. Read more >