Message from the Dean: October 2025

Dear Saint Louis University School of Education Billiken Alums,

The fall semester at SLU always brings a renewed sense of possibility. We started in August with a great deal of energy and excitement. Today, as the leaves are falling across the region, students have settled into their courses, faculty are launching new research, and we are all reflecting on a terrific Homecoming and Family Weekend held on campus at the end of September. It’s a season that invites both reflection and forward momentum, and I am pleased to share a few highlights from our School of Education community.

This summer, our community showcased what innovative, inclusive learning can look like in a few different programs. We celebrated hands-on creativity through Camp Invention® — now in its 35th year — and advanced belonging and skill-building for neurodiverse learners through our 4th Annual Autism Camp hosted by the Interdisciplinary Center for Autism Services. Together, these programs uplift curiosity, confidence and connection for young people across St. Louis.

Our reach extended globally as well. In May, a group of SOE undergraduates traveled to Belize for a weeklong service immersion led by the Herrmann Center for Innovative Catholic Education. Partnering with St. Martin de Porres School in Belize City, students conducted reading assessments for more than 300 children and engaged in evening reflections on belonging, culture and justice. This was a truly transformational opportunity for our Billiken future educators.

Here at home, the Herrmann Center also convened nearly 90 national leaders for a gathering on disabilities and Catholic education, affirming a shared commitment to capacity building, the right to Catholic education, and measurable action for inclusion.

Our faculty and partners continue to inform critical policy conversations. This June, SOE-affiliated researchers published “Pay Reform and the Early Teacher Pipeline” in Kappan, examining how salary structures and funding policies shape recruitment and retention — and calling for bold reforms to support a diverse, sustainable teaching workforce.

Finally, I’m proud to share a story that bridges music, service and education. Fr. Thomas Sserwadda, a doctoral student in our higher education administration program, spearheaded an effort — alongside Jackson Pianos and generous community partners — to ship 20 donated pianos to Uganda. The instruments departed in February and arrived in June, expanding access to music education for hundreds of students.

Together, these stories reflect our mission in action: preparing educators, advancing research and building partnerships that expand equity and opportunity. As autumn unfolds, I hope you find inspiration in these examples of our community’s impact and feel proud of the work we share.

Thank you for staying connected to the SOE. We are grateful for the many ways you carry our mission into your schools, organizations and communities.

I look forward to sharing more good news with you in the months ahead, and I’d also love to hear from you. If you have milestones, achievements, or stories to share, please let us know so we can celebrate and highlight the impact of our alumni.

Warm regards,

Gary W. Ritter, Ph.D.


Dean, School of Education