Message From the Dean: December 2022

12/22/2022

Dear SOE Billiken Alums,

As we wrap-up the fall semester, I want to share with you a few stories of the good work being done by students, staff, and students in the SLU School of Education.

Education leaders across the country are growing increasingly concerned about our students’ mental health and well-being. Along those lines, we begin by highlighting Assistant Professor Amrita Chaturvedi, Ph.D., and her continuing work in this area. Chaturvedi, who leads the Consortium for Human Flourishing at SLU, is currently working with Sumner students in the St. Louis Public Schools.

We also are pleased to share the news that Assistant Professor J. Cameron Anglum, Ph.D., in collaboration with a colleague at Kansas State University, was recently awarded a grant of more than $490,000 from the National Science Foundation.  The researchers will study employment patterns of public school teachers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields.

In early November, we celebrated the roll-out of the School of Education’s newly redesigned undergraduate curriculum with several school partners.  The event was fun and full of positive energy and included visits from such campus celebrities as President Pestello and the Billiken! The new curriculum was implemented this fall after more than three years of planning and design.

Also in November, John James, Ed.D., professor of educational leadership, and Maureen Wangard, Ph.D., director of graduate admissions in the School of Education, traveled to Rome to attend the World Union of Catholic Teachers (WUTC) conference. James and Wangard joined the delegates at a papal audience during which Pope Francis discussed the Global Compact on Education.

 And finally, we are pleased to announce that Associate Dean Molly Schaller, Ph.D. was named a 2023 ACPA College Student Educators International Diamond Honoree. This prestigious recognition celebrates her contributions to her students and the field of student affairs over the course of her career.

I hope that you enjoy reading these stories.  I wish you peace, joy, and time to relax with family and friends this Christmas season. Do not hesitate to let us know if there are ways that we can support you better or communicate with you more effectively. Please stay healthy and safe, and we look forward to seeing you on campus next year!

Best wishes,
Gary W. Ritter, Ph.D.
Dean, School of Education