Watson Chronicle

WATSON COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

Watson College News

Watson College Joins NC Educator Pipeline Collaborative

The Watson College of Education, Cape Fear Community College and New Hanover County Schools are participating in the North Carolina Educator Pipeline Collaborative. The collaborative, launched in October by the Public School Forum of North Carolina in partnership with the N.C. Office of the Governor and The Belk Foundation, seeks to improve recruitment, retention and diversity in NC’s educator workforce. Eight teacher preparation partnerships from across the state are participating in the inaugural cohort. more...

Welcome to NextGen Fellow Louis Bon-Ami

Louis Bon-Ami has joined the Watson College as a NextGen Post-Doctoral Fellow, a position created through UNCW’s partnership with North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University. The NextGen Fellowship Program is designed to create a pipeline for the universities to recruit diverse faculty. During his two-year appointment, Dr. Bon-Ami will provide strategic direction and support for diversity, workforce development and educational leadership initiatives. more...

Jeremy Hilburn Participates in GTE Fellows Program

Jeremy Hilburn, an associate professor in the Watson College, was named a 2021-22 Global Teachers Education Fellow. The program, offered by the Longview Foundation, provides support for select U.S. teacher educators to design Global Learning Classrooms for their teacher candidates. more...

Jes Fyall Cardenas Elected to NCIMHA Board of Directors

Jes Fyall Cardenas has been elected to the Board of Directors for the North Carolina Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Association. NCIMHA promotes and supports infants, toddlers, young children and families through relationship-focused workforce development and advocacy efforts. Dr. Cardenas is an assistant professor of Early Childhood education at the Watson College. more...

Watson College Hosts Events to Promote Diversity in Teaching

WCE’s focus on promoting diversity in the teaching profession continues to flourish. In October, the “Walk Towards Your Purpose: Becoming a Teacher of Color” initiative brought together a multigenerational group of teachers, faculty, students and prospective students for an informal dinner and networking event. On November 17, the Educators of Color Network hosted their fall meeting. The EOC Network, initiated by WCE’s PDS Office brings educators from across the state together to collaborate on teacher recruitment, retention and advocacy. more...

Plans Underway for New Isaac Bear Building on the UNCW Campus

Isaac Bear Early College High School may soon have a new building on campus. The school, opened in 2006 as a partnership between New Hanover County Schools and UNCW, serves over 200 students. With funding from the state and approval from the UNCW Board of Trustees, planning for the new facility began this fall. UNCW, in collaboration with NC DPI and NHCS, is engaging broad audiences including students in the design planning process. If approved, construction could begin as early as Spring 2024. more...

UNCW-D.C. Virgo Partnership Extended for Five Years

D.C. Virgo, opened in partnership with UNCW in 2018, serves K-8 students in downtown Wilmington. The school is one of nine schools created under the UNC System Lab School Initiative which pairs Colleges of Education with local schools in an effort to enhance student learning and provide high quality teacher and principal training. In October, the Board of Governors Sub-Committee on Lab Schools voted unanimously to extend the UNCW-Virgo partnership for an additional five years, through the 2027-28 academic year. more...

Ed.D. Graduate’s Dissertation Paves the Way to Student Designed Policy

As a doctoral student, Kayce Smith '12M, '21 Ed.D. sought to answer the question, “How can students’ experiences and perspectives help inform schools to become more equitable and inclusive?” The study began with discussions with New Hanover County high school students and graduates. Continued similar work after the study was completed led to the creation of a new policy that gives students in the county a voice in decisions that affect them. The NHC Board of Education unanimously approved Policy 4004 Student Voice on October 4. more...

Razor Walker Nominations – Accepted through December 16

The Watson College is pleased to announce plans for the 29th annual Razor Walker Awards. Each year, it is an honor for the Watson College to recognize and celebrate people whose work enhances the lives of children, families and communities in North Carolina. Nominations for the 2023 awards will be accepted through December 16. more...

Watson College Recognitions

Kathy Fox was featured in a story in WILMA Magazine in October. Janna Robertson and Deloris Rhodes have received Lifetime Achievement Awards from NC Project LEAD. Burt Kilpatrick ’91, ’08M was featured in a UNCW Hawk’s Eye View story. The Watson College is pleased to share these stories and other faculty, staff and alumni news. more...

Welcome to New Faculty and Staff!

The Watson College is pleased to introduce three new faculty members: Julia Lynch, Jennifer Park and Cara Ward. We are also pleased to introduce new staff members Natalie Lucero, Misty Cayton, Amber Colon, Wendy Moran, Ann Nations and Tonnia Rodriguez. Please join us in welcoming them all to UNCW! more...

Watson College Dean Van Dempsey Elected Chair of State Education Commission

Van Dempsey, dean of UNCW’s Watson College of Education, was elected chair of the Professional Educator Preparation and Standards Commission (PEPSC), a role he assumed in September. Dr. Dempsey has been a member of PEPSC since its inception in September 2017. He was re-appointed to an additional two year term by the North Carolina General Assembly in June. more...

Kathy R. Fox Receives BOT Teaching Excellence Award

WCE Professor Kathy Fox received the 2022 Board of Trustees Teaching Excellence Award, the most prestigious award conferred at UNCW. She was also one of two recipients of the Distinguished Teaching Professorship Award. The awards were presented at UNCW’s Fall Faculty Meeting on September 15. more...

Shelby Morge Receives WCE 2022 Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award

Shelby Morge is the 2022 WCE recipient of the Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award. Dr. Morge is a professor of mathematics education in the Department of Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle, Literacy and Special Education, and coordinator of WCE’s B.A. in middle grades education program. The award was presented at UNCW’s Fall Faculty Meeting on September 15. more...

Kathy Fox, Laura Szech Co-Edit Book on Family Literacy Practices

Kathy Fox and Laura Szech are contributing authors and co-editors of the “Handbook of Research on Family Literacy Practices and Home School Connections.” WCE faculty members Susan Catapano, Tracy Hargrove, Sara Movahedazarhouligh, Kathleen Roney and Lynn Sikma, and WCE alumna Jenn Urda ’21M, also authored chapters in the book. It was published by IGI Global in September. more...

Watson Hosts First Annual Watson Connect Celebration

On September 7, the Watson College was pleased to host over 200 students for the first annual Watson Connect event. The welcome back celebration was designed to bring students, faculty and staff together to create networking opportunities, share resources and establish culture and tradition in Watson at the start of the new academic year. more...

UNCW Hosts NINLHE Summer Institute

The Watson College, in partnership with UNCW’s Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion, was pleased to welcome 40 educators to the 2022 National Institute for Native Leadership in Higher Education (NINLHE) summer institute in July. The three-day professional development conference focused on ways to effect change in educational policies and practices to support Native and Indigenous people within higher education. more...

WCE’s Ed Lab Introduces Outdoor Learning Walk

WCE’s Betty Holden Stike Education Lab has introduced an outdoor learning experience for future teachers. The new “Learning Walk” includes six activity stations designed to help Watson students and their tutees get to know one another and explore math concepts in the real world. The stations were installed over the summer and introduced in Ed Lab classes this fall. more...

D.C. Virgo Begins Fifth Year as a UNCW School

D.C. Virgo Preparatory Academy welcomed 215 students on July 13, the start of the 2022-23 academic year. The school, opened in partnership with UNCW in 2018, provides innovative learning opportunities for K-8 students through strong partnerships with the university and the broader community. more...

WCE is Pleased to Share New “It Begins With Teachers” Videos

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 IBWT videos featuring Dr. Jason Caldwell, Barbara Lee, Dr. Yvette Mason and Tre Woods. UNCW’s media production team created the videos. more...

Ray Pastore, UNCW Esports Featured in Recent News Story

Ray Pastore, UNCW’s esports club and WCE’s esports certificate programs were featured in a recent Verizon news story that focused on esports as a potential career and a fast-growing area of study at colleges and universities. The article, “A college degree in esports? Yes!” was published in September. more...

Lindsey Baker Receives Environmental Educator of the Year Award

State Park Ranger Lindsey Baker ’13, former administrative associate for CESTEM, has received the 2022 Environmental Educator of the Year award from Environmental Educators of North Carolina. The award was presented on September 9 at the 31st annual EENC conference at NC State in Raleigh. more...

Watson College Recognitions

Amy Moody has been appointed interim chair of ITFSE. Caitlin Ryan has been named an editor of the Children’s Literature Assembly of the National Council of Teachers of English. WCE recently announced faculty promotions. The Watson College is pleased to share these stories and other faculty, staff and alumni news. more...