SPCS Newsroom

Tom Shields, chair of Graduate Education and associate professor of Education and Leadership Studies, presented with Kyle Redican, director of the Spatial Analysis Lab, on the experience of digitizing the 2024 Live and Learn 2.0 report into an interactive public website. They presented during the September 26 session of the 2025 Faculty & Staff Mini Research Symposium.

Peggy Watson, W’76, has been invited by the National Resource Center (NRC) for Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes to become a member of the inaugural Osher NRC Advisory Council. The council is being created to ensure that the NRC remains closely connected to the needs and priorities of the network of Osher institutions around the country. Watson will serve a two-year term on the council.

Laura Fitrer, GC’16, has been named to Leadership Metro Richmond (LMR)’s flagship program, Leadership Quest, as a member of the class of 2026. Each year, LMR welcomes a diverse group of community leaders into Leadership Quest. This ten-month experience equips participants with the tools to drive lasting change in the greater Richmond region.

Tom Shields, chair of graduate education and associate professor of education and leadership studies, moderated a rare meeting of the Richmond Public Schools Board and the Richmond City Council, including Superintendent Jason Kamras and Mayor Danny Avula. This was the first meeting of the two leadership groups since 2022.