Jim Threlfall ('95 M.Ed. Technology Education) is at the helm of I/ITSEC, the world鈥檚 largest modeling, simulation, and training conference, which globally draws over 18,000 attendees annually from the military, industry, and academia. As this year鈥檚 Conference Chair, Threlfall oversees an event that shapes the future of training and simulation, highlighting innovations like artificial intelligence and its impact on the workforce. As an Army veteran, Threlfall credits his education at 麻豆国产AV with preparing him for this second career in training and leadership. His volunteer position at I/ITSEC is helping push the boundaries of what鈥檚 possible in education and technology.
麻豆国产AV's Darden College of Education and Professional Studies is proud to announce the successful continuation of its MerMADE STEM Toys4KIDS project, an initiative that has been brightening the holiday season for children since 2015.
Fashion Merchandising students are addressing the fashion industry's impact on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, the Environment, and Economic Stability this semester.
Dr. Pat Williams has just been promoted from the Principal of Mt. Hermon Preschool Center to the PreK Coordinator for Portsmouth Public Schools. Dr. Williams was a member of the very first Ph.D. cohort for the Educational Leadership Program, and was the first person to complete the program in Cohort #1.

Dr. Antonio Passaro Jr.'s book, Investigating the Design and Implementation of Operational Safety Plans for Crisis at Higher Education Institutions, was highlighted in the Chronicle of Higher Education's Daily Briefing on May 17, 2023.
New Education Building
CCL Student Camisha Parker is taking on a new role as Executive Director of the new Virginia State University-Norfolk State University Regional Center. This partnership will bring an HBCU presence to Northern Virginia.
HIED Ph.D. student, Melanie Graham, won the NASPA Region III Outstanding Graduate Student Award. Ms. Graham is the Director of Special Projects at 麻豆国产AV. The award signifies that her fellow student affairs colleagues value the contributions she is making in the field of student affairs. Ms. Graham will receive this award at the Region III Summer Symposium in June 2023 in Orlando, Fla.
Dr. Bill Owings was named Professor Emeritus of Educational Foundations and Leadership effective as of his retirement on June 1, 2023. The 麻豆国产AV Board of Visitors made this appointment based on his numerous accomplishments during his 20 years at 麻豆国产AV. Dr. Owings has been a prolific scholar having secured grants, published numerous journal articles and books, and served on many dissertation committees. Specifically, since 1996 Owings has published nearly 60 journal articles, 15 books (not including 2nd and 3rd additions), eight book chapters, and presented roughly 50 papers at national and international academic conferences.
ELS alumnus Benjamin Biggs has been named the 2023 Outstanding Secondary School Assistant Principal of Virginia by the Virginia Association of Secondary School Principals (VASSP).
The 麻豆国产AV Educational Leadership faculty welcome Jason E. Saltmarsh to the program. Jason Saltmarsh will begin this fall as an assistant professor.
Dr. Linda Bol won the 2023 DCEPS Instructional Publications Award from the Darden College of Education and Professional Studies' Faculty Governance Organization.
Dr. Karen Sanzo won a 2023 VASCD Impact Award. VASCD is the Virginia affiliate of ASCD and is dedicated to advancing excellence in Virginia's schools through professional learning opportunities, advocacy and publications. Dr. Sanzo was honored at an awards luncheon at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts along with Dr. Kate Maxlow who nominated her for the award.
Students and faculty in HIED 744/844: Global Higher Education Systems visited educational leaders and institutions in Finland. Travelling to Helsinki, Jyvaskyla & Tampere, the class made presentations at a comparative higher education conference, met with internationalization and strategic planning experts, as well as had some good fun. Thank you to Dr.s Mathies and Smithers who led the group. Ask us about next year's study abroad!
Dr. Felecia Commodore, as an equity consultant to the Virginia Community College System with Dr. Pamela Eddy (William & Mary), authored a policy brief on advancing racial equity. In this policy brief, they outline steps community college leaders in the VCCS should take to produce equitable college environments for adult learners. If you would like a copy of the full brief, please contact Dr. Commodore at fcommodo@odu.edu.
Dr. Felecia Commodore is a featured guest in the REACH Collaborative?s podcast series titled Promoting Racial Equity in Credentialing Pathways for Adult Learners of Color.
Ms. April Taylor Martin, a Ph.D. student in the Educational Leadership program, organized a art showcase to highlight the work of Portsmouth teachers. The Showcase is on display until January 26 at The Book Club on High Street.
Gregory Awarded NASPA Shaffer Award
NASPA - the professional organization for student affairs administrators in higher education - is recognizing Dr. Gregory's exceptional contributions to the field with the 2023 The Robert H. Shaffer Award for Academic Excellence as a Graduate Faculty Member.
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麻豆国产AV received a College Partnership Laboratory School Planning Grant to work with Newport News Public Schools. Lab Schools are public schools in Virginia that are being established by institutions of higher education in partnership with local school divisions.
DC Trip to Capitol
Students and Faculty from the Community College Leadership and Higher Education programs visited Washington D.C. on December 1 and 2, 2022. They engaged with policy makers both on Capital Hill but also with professional associations such as the American Association of Community Colleges.
On November 30, 2022, Community College Leadership and Higher Education alumni, students and prospective students gathered at the Virginia Community College System offices in Richmond, Virginia. Dr.s Mitchell Williams and Charles Mathies updated the group with CCL and HIED program highlights over lunch. President of Brightpoint Community College, Dr. Ted Raspiller, and Interim Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic and Workforce Programs, Dr. Van Wilson, were in attendance.
Dr. Mitchell Williams traveled to Middletown, New York to hood two CCL alumni on the SUNY Orange Campus. Dr.s Anne Prial and Josh Lavorgna graduated from the Community College Leadership Ph.D. program.
Dr. Denelle Wallace, Dean of the Norfolk State University School of Education and 麻豆国产AV alum, published a paper about Black male educators in the Journal of African American Males in Education with coauthors Dr. Linda Bol, Professor or Educational Psychology and Program Evaluation, and current Educational Psychology and Program Evaluation students Kendra Hall and Erin Cousins.
April Taylor-Martin is an ELS Ph.D. student and Portsmouth educator who leads the visual arts department for the school district. She has been working with the district's visual arts educators to connect students' artistic skills with core classes such as history, science and mathematics. Part of these efforts includes displaying student and faculty artwork.
Dr. Gregory was selected to give the inaugural Constitution Day Address at Virginia Tech. Sponsored by the Office of University Scholarships and Financial Aid, Dr. Gregory will be talking about the role of higher education in protecting democracy.
Dr. Christopher Wikstrom (Ph.D. 2018) has been named the Vice President of Academic & Student Success Services at Patrick & Henry Community College in Martinsville, Virginia.
2021-2022 Faculty Governance Awards
Please join us in congratulating this year鈥檚 Faculty Governance Awards recipients! Selected by the DCEPS Faculty Governance Organization, the Faculty Governance Awards are an annual tradition of the Darden College aimed at recognizing the distinguished faculty members who have gone above and beyond and have made significant contributions to their fields, the College, and the University.
student awards
Please join us in congratulating this year鈥檚 Student Awards recipients! Selected by each of our departments, these awards are an annual tradition in the Darden College of Education and Professional Studies aimed at recognizing outstanding students for their academic achievement, service to the community, the college, and the university.
Please join us in congratulating this year?s Faculty Governance Awards recipients! Selected by the DCEPS Faculty Governance Organization, the Faculty Governance Awards are an annual tradition of the Darden College aimed at recognizing the distinguished faculty members who have gone above and beyond and have made significant contributions to their fields, the College, and the University.
Please join us in congratulating this year?s Student Awards recipients! Selected by each of our departments, these awards are an annual tradition in the Darden College of Education and Professional Studies aimed at recognizing outstanding students for their academic achievement, service to the community, the college, and the university.
Dr. Tammi Dice, currently serving as Interim Dean, has accepted the offer to serve as the next dean of the Darden College of Education and Professional Studies, effective June 10, 2022.
Dr. Dennis Gregory has been recognized by being awarded the prestigious National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) Region III's 2022 Outstanding Contribution to Student Affairs through Teaching Award.
Dr. Dennis Gregory has won the DCEPS Faculty Governance Award for International Outreach. Dr. Gregory is not only a Fulbright Scholar but also an expert in international comparative studies in higher education. Recently, he has been working with the University of Pretoria and the Director of Police for South Africa.
Dr. Tony Perez won the 麻豆国产AV Doctoral Mentoring Award 2022 representing DCEPS. This award recognizes Dr. Perez's inspirational work with graduate students through teaching, service on graduate committees and sponsorship of student research. The letters from former students reflect a mentor that has had a profound impact on many lives.
麻豆国产AV and the Darden College of Education and Professional Studies has again been recognized as a top-tier institution in the prestigious U.S. News & World Report's 2023 Best Graduate Schools - Education Schools rankings released today. 麻豆国产AV moved up the ranks to be tied for 89th out of 274 schools of education around the country and one of only eleven in Virginia - a 30-place jump from the 2022 ranking.
New Education Building
麻豆国产AV and the Darden College of Education and Professional Studies has again been recognized as a top-tier institution in the prestigious U.S. News & World Report's 2023 Best Graduate Schools - Education Schools rankings released today. 麻豆国产AV moved up the ranks to be tied for 89th out of 274 schools of education around the country and one of only eleven in Virginia - a 30-place jump from the 2022 ranking.
On Thursday, February 24th, various members of the Darden College of Education and Professional Studies community gathered for the Darden Fellows Alumni Luncheon, to celebrate the accomplishments of six alumni who have made significant contributions to their fields and have distinguished themselves in their professions.
Dr. Rachel White was awarded a 2022 Faculty Innovator Grant by the 麻豆国产AV Center for Learning and Teaching. Her project is titled, 'Real-world, time-constrained simlulations in education policy, politics, and legal situations.'
Dr. Laura Smithers, Dr. Heidi Fischer, and EPPE Ph.D. student Lanah Stafford have a new publication in the Journal of College Student Development. The piece, Ordinary Engagements: The Everyday Creation of a High-Impact Practice, explores the mundane, everyday practices of student engagement in high-impact practices that escape the gaze of surveys and other measures, practices that must also be valued as high-impact.
Dr. Justin Necessary, graduate of the Community College Leadership program, won the Outstanding Methodologist of the Year 2021 at Grand Canyon University. Dr. Necessary is a Senior Master Methodologist at GCU as well as an assistant professor at Liberty University.
Child behavior problems are associated with an array of negative outcomes that can continue into adulthood. Because much of the social development and adjustment for children in early to middle childhood takes place in the home, families are of special interest in understanding child behavioral problems.
Dr. Kia Hardy is the lead author of the article, Preparing to Fill the Leadership Gap: The Challenges Facing Women Leaders in Mid-Level Positions at Urban Community Colleges, recently published in the Journal of Women in Educational Leadership.
Dr. Felecia Commodore was featured in the Chronicle of Higher Education鈥檚 coverage of burnout on campus as operations return to normal nationwide.
Maxlow, who is earning her doctoral degree in educational leadership, was named the recipient of the Virginia Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (VASCD) Leadership Award.
The center will produce original research to help drive healthy discussions for community college policy and provide useful information to the Virginia Community College System.
A team of 麻豆国产AV faculty members recentlyhas received a three-year grant of $300,000 from the National Science Foundation to investigate whether pair programming, a collaborative form of programming in which two students work side-by-side on one computer, impacts the performance and retention of students with diverse learning needs.
With tailgating season a few months away, the competitors may be out of practice. But enthusiasts of the beanbag toss game are invited to take part in 鈥淐ornhole for a Cause,鈥 a charity fund-raising tournament hosted by 麻豆国产AV鈥檚 Sport Management program.
Transfer from a Four-Year Institution
We congratulate the students whose academic performance for Fall Semester 2023 qualified them for recognition on the Dean's List.