Latest Announcements

Linda Herrera, professor Education Policy, Organization & Leadership, will host a book talk about her upcoming book, "Education 2.0, Chronicles of Technological and Cultural Change in Egypt."

The talk will be held on November 12 from 4 to 5:15 p.m. in Gregory Hall, room 223.

Hererra will discuss the book and larger issues about how to research and document a national education reform in Egypt, oriented towards digital transformation and curriculum change.  The research is based on oral historical research from the 'top down' and 'bottom up' with figures from the state, international organizations, the private sector, and members of local school communities.

Amber Ray, associate professor Special Education, was recently honored by Loras College. Ray received the Young Alumni Award which honors notable graduates of the last 15 years.

Ray is a 2011 graduate of Loras College with a bachelor's degree in Special Education.

She was honored at the school's Homecoming celebration on October 3.

Join leaders from the Illinois State Board of Education to give input on the first draft of the Illinois Comprehensive Numeracy Plan, a statewide initiative to strengthen math learning and outcomes for all students. 

Share your expertise to guide and support educators, schools, and districts in aligning efforts and advancing student success in mathematics. Teachers, instructional coaches, administrators, counselors, parents/families, community advocates, and other education leaders and practitioners are welcome to provide feedback and inform the final plan.

The event is on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Alice Campbell Alumni Center, 601 S. Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801.  Register for this free event on Eventbrite.

Mirelsie Velázquez, associate professor Latina/Latino Studies, Education Policy, Organization & Leadership, has been named a Conrad Humanities Scholar.

Velázquez is an interdisciplinary scholar whose work centers on education, women's history, Puerto Rican studies, gender and sexuality, and teacher education. She’s currently working on her second book, Genealogies of Empowerment and the Makings of Home: Latina/o Activism at the University of Illinois, 1970–1992, and an oral history project, "De Isla a Chicago: Stories of Puerto Rican Teachers, 1970-1990," that collects oral histories of Puerto Rican educators who were recruited to work in Chicago in the 1970s to serve the needs of a diverse student population.

The Conrad Humanities Scholars Award recognizes promising mid-career scholars and provides financial support for continued achievement, research, and scholarship in the humanities. It is designated for five years and funded by a gift from the late Arlys Conrad, AB, '44, ED.

Richard Price, Ph.D. '24 SPED, has been named to Cohort 2 of the CASE Special Education Leadership Institute by the Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE).

Price, an assistant professor in Purdue University's Department of Educational Studies, will participate in leadership development, collaborate with other special education leaders, and develop ways to meet the needs of students and families.  

The Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE) recognizes the nationwide concern over the shortage of educational leaders trained to supervise special education programs. CASE is committed to leadership development that will continue to drive the profession forward. Based upon the core values at the heart of CASE, the Leadership Institute provides an opportunity for current and future educational leaders to strengthen their foundation in the components related to the administration of special education programs.

In collaboration with the Pipeline for the Advancement of the Healthcare Workforce (PATH), the Office of Community College Research and Leadership (OCCRL) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is conducting a research study on the experiences of adult learners in career and technical education programs in community colleges in Illinois.

Cynthia D'Angelo, associate professor Educational Psychology, was recently awarded a $1.2 million NSF grant to study learning challenges surrounding Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) and the complicated STEM concepts that people with the disease must manage.

The study is titled Understanding and Addressing the Complex STEM Learning Challenges of Adults with Type 1 Diabetes. It runs through July of 2029.

Type-1 diabetics must absorb a lot of information and balance it with many variables to manage their disease, especially during physical activity. D'Angelo aims to utilize technology to learn more about what information those with T1D must know, develop online STEM learning materials, and create a digital learning platform to practice these newly learned skills.

Michele Schutz, assistant professor Special Education, will speak at the Bloorview Research Institute Global Guest Speaker Series at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital.

Her presentation, “Collaborative, Community-Engaged, and Cross-System Transitions to Work for Youth with Disabilities,” will take place virtually on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025, from 10 to 11 a.m. The free monthly series highlights international leaders advancing childhood disability research, rehabilitation, and inclusion.

Find out more and register here: http://bit.ly/46fAGx5

Education Policy Organization and Leadership will host a book talk and career celebration for Charles Hardie professor emeritus Walter Feinberg on Wednesday, October 15, from 1 to 3 p.m. in 22 Education.

The talk will include discussions of two of Feinberg's books: Educating for Democracy (2023) and Walter Feinberg’s Democratic Vision: Classic Writings on Public Education (2025), as well as a Q&A. Guest speakers will include James D. Anderson, Bryan Warnick of Ohio State University, Kevin McDonough of McGill University, and Kanako Ide of Soka University.

Please RSVP to attend by Friday, October 10th.

Sammer Jones, Ph.D. '16 EPOL, director of Global Relations at Illinois, was named a recipient of the 2025 Chancellor's Staff Excellence Award.

Dr. Jones plays a key role in strengthening Illinois' global presence. She manages strategic partnerships, oversees international agreements, and helps coordinate collaborations across academic, research, and administrative sectors. Her leadership has been central to initiatives such as the Global Staff Exchange, which extends international learning opportunities to staff in addition to faculty and students.

The Chancellor’s Staff Excellence Award (CSEA) recognizes the outstanding work of all university staff members who perform a wide range of critical functions for our university. Staff provide critical administrative support, support our research laboratories and education programs, serve our students, and offer important outreach programs throughout the state and beyond.

Each winner of the CSEA award will be honored at a reception hosted by the Chancellor, receive $1,500 (after taxes), and receive a commemorative award. They will also be featured virtually in a podcast or video through the University of Illinois and spotlighted by the News Bureau.

Cecilia Vaughn-Guy is a co-author of a dialogic article reviewing the American Evaluation Association (AEA) and Washington Evaluator's panel entitled: The Evolution of Evaluation: Meeting the Moment.  

Gabriel Rodriguez, of EPOL, published the article in AERA Open.

Asif Wilson, assistant professor, and Salka Aslam, Ph.D. student, both of Curriculum & Instruction, have published a paper analyzing the status of Social Studies curriculum in Illinois.

The paper, published on Wilson's Social Studies Network website, examines K-12 Social Studies teachers in Illinois' perceptions, preparedness, and challenges related to inquiry-based and inclusive teaching and learning practice in K-12 Social Studies. The paper looked at data collected over four years.

While most educators felt prepared to facilitate student inquiry, only 26% of teachers felt they were meeting the social studies standards guiding instruction in Illinois.

Read the full paper here.

Logan Pender, Education Policy Organization & Leadership Ed.M. student, has been selected as a youth delegate representing the DMUN Foundation at the United Nations 2025 Social Forum of the UN Human Rights Council.

The forum will take place at the Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland, October 30-31.

As a delegate, Pender will participate in the Social Forum's official sessions, represent DMUN and amplify youth voices in high-level discussions, and gain access to civil society coordination spaces, side events, and networking opportunities with human rights leaders.

The DMUN Foundation is a youth-led, non-profit, non-governmental organization that empowers young people to be active and valid stakeholders in global policy and discourse.

Prospective families are invited to our Community Open House from 9 a.m. to noon Tuesday, Oct. 7th , for the preschool classroom or 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for the kindergarten through 5th grade classrooms. You many come any time during these hours for a short visit at the school. For more information or to schedule a visit on a different date, please visit the school's website.

The Education Justice Project accepts applications until November 15 from individuals who wish to teach for-credit courses at Danville Correctional Center in 2026-7 or participate in our extracurricular and support programming at the prison. Prospective instructors must have the same qualifications they would need to teach a given course on campus. As we primarily offer upper-division courses, that is typically at least ABD status. 

Learn more at our upcoming info sessions. The next is Wednesday, October 8, from 12 to 1 via Zoom. 

Visit our website to learn more and access application forms: https://educationjustice.net/work-with-ejp/

The Oct. 30 Culturally Responsive Teaching and Leading Learning Summit at the I Hotel and Illinois Conference Center will offer a space to create, collaborate, discuss, and assess practices that transform classrooms and leadership across Illinois. Spend the day engaging in interactive sessions, networking with peers, and discovering ready-to-use strategies that will support your work as an educator and/or leader. 

These eight faculty members have demonstrated excellent research ability, scholarship, and leadership.

Bunch was recognized for her outstanding work of scholarship or research in language, literature, rhetoric, or pedagogy and learning.

The Educational Psychology assistant professor co-writes on discrimination and sleep among Asian American college students.