Christine Liao Receives Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award
Christine Liao, professor of Art Education at UNCW’s Watson College of Education, has been awarded a prestigious Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award...
Watson Accomplishments
Recent Posts
D.C. Virgo Welcomes New Principal
Chris Glover has been appointed Principal at D.C. Virgo. Dr. Glover most recently served as Principal of Fort Hill Community School in Virginia. He...
STEP-IN Partnership Creates Pathway for Teachers
UNCW is pleased to announce a partnership with six North Carolina Community Colleges that provides a pathway for students in rural areas to pursue...
Sophia Foster
Sophia Foster is Pender County Schools’ Beginning Teacher of the Year. Ms. Foster is enrolled in WCE’s MAT program. She teaches at...
Ashton Allgood-Batten ’11M
Ashton Allgood-Batten ’11M has received the North Carolina Science, Mathematics and Technology Education (SMT) Center’s 2025...
Dr. Jeffrey Ertzberger
Jeff Ertzberger, WCE’s Director of Technology, retired from UNCW in April following a 32-year career in education, including 23 years at...
Bethany Meighen ’15 Ed.D.
Bethany Meighen ’15 Ed.D. has been selected to serve as the 13th President at Concord University in Athens, West Virginia. She will begin her...
WCE Alums Named NHCS Educators of the Year
Desiree Traylor ’14 is New Hanover County Schools’ Elementary Educator of the Year, Benjamin Lord ’22M is Middle School and...
Dr. Hengameh Kermani
Hengameh Kermani joined the faculty at UNCW in 1995, and has served as coordinator of WCE’s Education of Young Children program for nearly...
Shelby Morge Receives BOT Teaching Excellence Award
Shelby Morge has received the 2025 Board of Trustees Teaching Excellence Award, the most prestigious award conferred at UNCW.
Congratulations to May Graduates
In May, the Watson College of Education celebrated the achievements of our most recent graduates!
Dr. Robert Smith
Robert Smith will retire in June after a 34-year career at UNCW. At a celebration event in April, faculty announced the Dr. Robert Smith...
UNCW's Ed.D. in Higher Education Ranked 23rd Nationally
UNCW’s Doctorate in Educational Leadership has been ranked 23rd in the nation on a 2025 list of the best Ed.D. programs in Higher Education...
Kevin McClure Authors Book on Higher Education
A new book by Kevin McClure titled “The Caring University: Reimagining the Higher Education Workplace after the Great Resignation” will...
WCE Celebrates Master Teachers
Members of the 2022-2025 cohort of PDS Master Teachers were recognized at the PDS Partnership Teacher Celebration on May 1.
Dennis Kubasko Receives Outstanding Science Leadership Award
Dennis Kubasko has received the 2025 NCSLA Herman and Emma Gatling Award for Outstanding Science Education Leadership in North Carolina.
Denise Ousley-Exum Named WCE's Murphy Distinguished Scholar
Denise Ousley-Exum has been appointed as the Murphy Distinguished Scholar in the Watson College of Education.
STEM SENC Receives Corning Grant
Tiffany Lindstrom, Corning senior product engineer, has received a $1,000 Corning Employee Vibrant Community Grant for STEM SENC. The check was...
Sheri Conklin Recognized for Excellence in Teaching
Sheri Conklin is the WCE recipient of the 2025 Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award. Dr. Conklin is an associate professor of...
Michelle Hafey Receives Distinguished Service Award
Michelle Hafey has received the NC Science Olympiad’s Dr. Jason Painter Distinguished Service Award. The award honors individuals who have...
Daisy Barreto Receives Online Teaching Award
Daisy Barreto has received UNCW’s Excellence in Online Education Award. Dr. Barreto is an associate professor and coordinator of WCE’s...
UNCW Wins Esports Championship
The UNCW Esports Valorant Team won the NECC Division IV Championship on April 7, their second championship this academic year!
Wilmington Regional SeaPerch Competition
Twenty-one middle and high school teams participated in the 2025 Wilmington Regional SeaPerch Competition hosted by CESTEM on March 15.
Kylei Ward '25
Kylei Ward ’25, recipient of a spring 2025 Hattie M. Strong Scholarship, is completing her internship at Belville Elementary School. Kylei...
Bridgette Gruber '25
Bridgette Gruber will graduate in May with a degree in Elementary Education. This spring, she received a Hattie M. Strong Scholarship award. We are...
Regional Science and Engineering Fair
CESTEM hosted the Southeast Regional Science and Engineering Fair on February 15. The event provides an opportunity for third through 12th grade...
Ruth Markezich '25
Ruth Markezich ’25 has received a spring 2025 Hattie M. Strong Scholarship award. Ruth is completing an internship at Newport Elementary...
Laura Bailey Named Sandhills Region POY
Laura Bailey ’24Ed.D. has been named the Sandhills Region Principal of the Year. Dr. Bailey is principal at Scotland High School in Scotland...
Wilmington Regional NC Science Olympiad
More than 900 middle school and high school students participated in the 2025 Wilmington Regional Science Olympiad hosted by WCE’s CESTEM on...
Mattie Johnson is NHCS Rookie of the Year
Mattie Johnson ’22M is New Hanover County Schools’ Rookie of the Year. Ms. Johnson teaches English at Ashley High School.
Anthony Martin Named Sandhills Region TOY
Anthony Martin ’17 Ed.D. has been named the Sandhills Region Teacher of the Year. Dr. Martin is a CTE educator at East Columbus Junior/Senior...
Madison Mobley '25
Madison Mobley ’25 has received a spring 2025 Hattie M. Strong Scholarship award. Madison is completing an internship at Murrayville...
Hannah Moon Named SE Region Teacher of the Year
Hannah Moon ’08M has been named the Southeast Region Teacher of the Year. Mrs. Moon teaches English at Laney High School.
Kevin Ojaniit Named NCCAT BTOY Finalist
Kevin Ojaniit ’23 has been named a finalist for the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT) 2025 Burroughs Wellcome...
Carlton Smith Selected for NASPA Emerging Leader Academy
Carlton Smith, a visiting assistant professor of higher education in UNCW’s Watson College of Education, has been selected to participate in...
Congratulations to December 2024 Graduates
In December, the Watson College of Education celebrated the achievements of our most recent graduates including students who earned undergraduate...
Jenny Root Receives PECASE Award
Jenny Root ’10 of Florida State University has been selected as one of about 400 scientists and engineers to receive the Presidential Early...
WCE Honors Cindy Wiseman
On January 27, faculty, staff, students and colleagues across campus gathered at the Watson College of Education to celebrate Cindy Wiseman’s...
Join us to Celebrate Cindy Wiseman's Retirement
Faculty, staff, students and colleagues across campus are invited to join the Watson College of Education as we celebrate Cindy Wiseman’s...
UNCW Wins Esports Conference Championship
The UNCW Valorant Team clinched the National Esports Collegiate Conference Division V championship on Dec 4 with a finals win over the University...
WCE Students and Alum Present at NCSTA
In November, five students and one alumna from Watson’s secondary and middle grades education programs co-presented with Amy Taylor and...
WCE Honors Tracy Hargrove, Kathy Fox and Brian Brinkley
On November 13, faculty, staff, students and colleagues across campus gathered at the Watson College of Education to celebrate the careers of Drs....
Join Us for a Retirement Celebration!
Faculty, staff, students and colleagues across campus are invited to join the Watson College of Education as we celebrate the retirement of...
Kevin McClure Co-Authors Research Report
Kevin McClure is co-author of a national report on competencies for the college presidency. The report, sponsored by Academic Search, was published...
Lucas McLawhorn Featured in Documentary Film
Lucas McLawhorn ’01 is passionate about helping people – especially kids – empower themselves to live healthier lives. A new...
Elizabeth Crawford Appointed to CE International Board
Elizabeth Crawford has been appointed to Childhood Educational International’s Board of Directors. Dr. Crawford is a professor of elementary...
Amy Blessing Receives Roy E. Harkin Award
Amy Blessing, PDS partnership teacher and kindergarten teacher at Rachel Freeman School of Engineering, is the recipient of the spring 2024 Roy E....
Nicole Adam Recognized at UNCW Commencement
UNCW Chancellor Aswani Volety recognized the accomplishments of Nicole Adam ’24 at the WCE/CSB commencement ceremony on May 11. Nicole...
WCE Alums Named NHCS Educators of the Year
Latasha Howard-Mott ’11 is New Hanover County Schools’ Middle School Educator of the Year, Hannah Moon ’08M is High School and...
Madi Sutton Receives Grace Burton Award
Madi Sutton ’24 is the recipient of the Grace M. Burton Promise of Excellence for Diversity and Inclusion in Teaching Award. Madi...
Zoey Willis Honored with Hoggard Medal for Achievement
Zoey Willis ’24 has received UNCW’s Hoggard Medal for Achievement. Zoey graduated in May with a degree in the Education of Young...
Katie Riley Recognized as Exemplary Intern
Katie Riley ’24 is the recipient of the Exemplary Intern Award for an intern in an undergraduate degree program. Katie earned her...
Savannah Everhart Receives Exemplary Intern Award for MAT
Savannah Everhart ’24M is the recipient of the Exemplary Intern Award for an intern in a Master of Arts in Teaching graduate...
PDS Partnership Celebration
On April 30, WCE hosted an event to celebrate the re-signing of PDS school-university agreements, the national recognition recently received for...
Christine Liao Receives Online Education Award
Christine Liao has received UNCW’s Excellence in Online Education Award. Dr. Liao is an associate professor and coordinator of WCE’s...
Jeremy Hilburn Recognized for Excellence in Teaching
Jeremy Hilburn is the WCE recipient of the 2024 Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award. Dr. Hilburn is a professor and coordinator of...
Congratulations to May 2024 Graduates
In May, the Watson College of Education celebrated the achievements of our most recent graduates who earned bachelor’s, master’s and...
Madison Reid, Spring 2024 Hattie M. Strong Scholarship Recipient
Madison Reid, Elementary Education, Spring 2024 Hattie M. Strong Scholarship Recipient
Megan Brown, Spring 2024 Hattie M. Strong Scholarship Recipient
Megan Brown, Elementary Education, Spring 2024 Hattie M. Strong Scholarship Recipient
IBEC Wins NHCS Battle of the Books
Congratulations to the Battle of the Books team at Isaac Bear Early College High School! The IBEC team won the high school division of the New...
Rilee Seering, Spring 2024 Hattie M. Strong Scholarship Recipient
Rilee Seering, MAT in Elementary Education, Spring 2024 Hattie M. Strong Scholarship Recipient
Savannah Everhart, Spring 2024 Hattie M. Strong Scholarship Recipient
Savannah Everhart , MAT in Elementary Education, Spring 2024 Hattie M. Strong Scholarship Recipient
Taylor Stanley, Spring 2024 Hattie M. Strong Scholarship Recipient
Taylor Stanley, MAT in Secondary Education, Spring 2024 Hattie M. Strong Scholarship Recipient
Kimberly Walrod Receives STEM Educator Award
Kimberly Walrod ’23 has received the STEM/STEAM Educator of the Year Award from Bell Fork Elementary School in Jacksonville, NC.
Jenn Hatch Knight Receives NASUP Boundary Spanner Award
Jenn Hatch Knight has received NASUP’s PK20 Boundary Spanner Award for her outstanding work with UNCW’s partnership schools and school...
Congratulations to December 2023 Graduates
In December, the Watson College of Education celebrated the achievements of our most recent graduates!
Ray Pastore Named to Editorial Team
Watson College Professor Ray Pastore has joined the Editorial Team for Verizon’s Parenting in a Digital World.
WCE Alumni Named NCCAT BTOY Finalists
Madison Ayers ’22 and Katie Adams ’22 are finalists the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT) 2024 Empower NC...
Isabel Garcia Named National STEM Champion
Isaac Bear sophomore Isabel Garcia has been named a National STEM Champion. She also took top honors at the Regional Science and Engineering Fair,...
Devin Pierce is NHCS 2024 Rookie of the Year
Devin Pierce ’21, a third-year special education teacher at the International School at Gregory has been named New Hanover County...
Join M.J. for MusicDanceChat
M.J. Giammaria is the creator and host of a new podcast, MusicDanceChat, and a new Facebook community that is bringing together people from around...
Taura Simmons Alumni Profile
Taura Simmons ’23M graduated in December with an M.Ed. in ESL, Reading Specialist add-on licensure and National Board Certification. She...
Journal of Children's Literature Explores "Liminal Spaces"
Caitlin Ryan, Karla Zaccor and other literacy researchers explore liminal spaces and how they offer insight into reading in the latest issue of the...
Graduate Programs Fusing Research and Teaching
Dr. Shawn Savage has collaborated with master's and doctoral students in WCE's curriculum & instruction programs on research projects...
Hattie Strong Scholarships are Announced
The Watson College of Education is pleased to announce that Abby Corbett and Carly Mounts have received fall 2024 Hattie M. Strong scholarship awards.
Community Celebrates AT&T Gift
On November 8, the community gathered to celebrate AT&T’s generous gift of $40,000 to support a virtual Watson College Stike Ed Lab...
Van Dempsey Honored with Lifetime Achievement Award
Van Dempsey has received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Educational Studies Association. The award was presented at the AESA...
Denise Henning is REACH Expert Consultant
Denise Henning is an Equity Champion Consultant for the REACH Collaborative, a six-state network partnering to strengthen career pathways for...
WCE Hosts Retirement Celebration for Joy Childs
Joy Childs recently retired from her position as Watson’s Business Officer. WCE held a reception in her honor on November 1.
Reception Held for Jaci Webb Dempsey
On Nov 30, the Watson College, CHHS, and the Cameron School of Business held a joint reception to honor Jaci Webb-Dempsey who will retire from her...
Watson College Recognitions
The Watson College is pleased to information about recent faculty publications, presentations and recognitions, and other faculty, staff and alumni...
Jennifer Park Receives AECT Award
Jennifer Park has received the Richard Cornell Award from the Association for Educational Communications and Technology. The award was presented at...
UNCW Receives NEH Grant
Cara Ward, Tiffany Gilbert and Lynn Mollenauer and have received a National Endowment for the Humanities Grant in the amount of $167,639.
Somer Lewis Elected to NAPDS Board
Somer Lewis, director of WCE’s Professional Development System, was elected to the Board of Directors of the National Association for...
Ray Pastore Named Top IT Influencer
Ray Pastore has been named one of Ed Tech Magazine's top IT Influencers to follow. Dr. Pastore is a professor of instructional technology and...
Shawn Savage Selected for GW Fellowship
Selected from a cadre of scholars nationally, Shawn Savage participated in the GW Fellowship & Summer Institute on Antisemitism and Jewish...
Victoria Spagnoli Now School Principal in Japan
Victoria Spagnoli ’14M, ’22Ed.D. is pursuing her passion for travel and education as principal of the Niseko campus of Hokkaido...
Watson College Recognitions
Christine Liao received the Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award. Amy Moody was a guest on WHQR’s Coastline. WCE recently announced...