Four members of the Graduate Education faculty — Dr. Tom Shields, Dr. Kate Cassada, Dr. Dionne Ward and Dr. Dave Myers — co-presented Undergraduate Leadership Studies Curriculum and K-12 School Leader Development at the global meeting of the International Leadership Association in Ottawa, Canada. Dr. Sandra Peart, Dean of the Jepson School of Leadership Studies, chaired the panel.

Slade Gormus, C’18, will lead UR’s collegiate recovery program using grant funds received from the state’s Department of Behavioral Health to establish programs to tackle substance abuse issues on campus. Gormus is a Registered Nurse who earned a BA in liberal arts through Weekend College. She is currently working to earn a Master of HR Management degree through SPCS.

Brian Peyton, C’09, Principal Officer of Teamsters Local 322 in Richmond, recently questioned U.S. presidential candidate Cory Booker about collective bargaining at the Teamsters Presidential Forum on Worker Issues on December 7, 2019. Peyton’s question and Booker’s response are captured in the recording of the event (start at 1:01:45). Peyton earned a BA in Liberal Arts through Weekend College.

Natasha Thomas, GC’19, was among recipients of a 2019 R.E.B. Award for Teaching Excellence. The awards, given by the Community Foundation and the R.E.B. Foundation, recognize excellence in local public educators. Thomas teaches at Southampton Elementary School in Richmond Public Schools and earned a graduate certificate in Educational Leadership & Policy Studies through SPCS.

Mark Gan, C’17, has been hired as Cyber Security Lead Specialist Engineer at Accenture in Washington, D.C. Gan graduated in 2017 with a BSPS in IT Management, earning the Jean H. Proffitt Student Service Award at SPCS Night.

Dr. Kimberly M. Bridges, GC’13, is quoted in The 74 analysis of Virginia education policy gains in the event of democratic wins in the November 5 election. The article was published two days prior to the election. Bridges earned a M.Ed. in Educational Leadership & Policy Studies and is now a professor in VCU’s School of Education.

Kirsten Logan, GC’18, has co-authored an article with SPCS adjunct associate professor Erik Laursen titled Does Mindfulness Strengthen Self-efficacy in First Grade Students? in the Journal of Teacher Action Research. This article represents the first peer-reviewed publication published by a student or graduate of the M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction program.

Ernest Woodard, C’19, was recently hired following a Career Services-support job search as a Systems Developer II for Henrico County. Woodard, a retired Air Force veteran, earned a BSPS in Information Security and received the McDonald Davis Jr. Book Award with the highest GPA in the Information Systems program.

Nicole Arnold, GC’18, has been named assistant principal at Powhatan High School in Powhatan County Public Schools. Arnold earned a Graduate Certificate in Educational Leadership & Policy Studies through SPCS.

Beverley Steele, GC’18, has been named assistant principal at Douglas S. Freeman High School in Henrico County Public Schools. Steele earned a Graduate Certificate in Educational Leadership & Policy Studies through SPCS, and earned the Catherine S. Fisher Book Award for Excellence in Educational Leadership & Policy Studies in May 2019.

Charlie Goad, GC’16, has been named associate principal at Longdale Elementary School in Henrico County Public Schools. Goad earned a Graduate Certificate in Educational Leadership & Policy Studies through SPCS.