Graduate Education Newsletter

Spring 2025

Welcome to the newsletter of the Graduate Education program at the University of Richmond School of Professional & Continuing Studies (SPCS). We publish twice annually, once each in the Fall and Spring semesters.

Pictured are Educational Leadership & Policy Studies interns who gave Leadership Ignite Pechu Kucha presentations with Dr. Dana Jackson, Director of Clinical Practice.

Greetings from the Chair

Tom Shields headshot Happy Spring! The transition from winter to spring seemed to happen very quickly this year. As I write this, the sunshine is brilliant and the birds are chirping. As you will see in this e-newsletter, the faculty and staff in Graduate Education are dedicated to creating future teachers and school leaders that contribute to their schools but also make an impact in society.

Much like the sudden changes in our weather, the policy changes in education at the federal level have come very swiftly. The Dear Colleague Letters sent out from the U.S. Department of Education have reversed or eliminated decades of progress and have dismantled established norms and policies that we have come to expect in federal education policy and oversight. (Education Counsel provides a comprehensive Education Actions Chart that details these changes and the impact.) Unfortunately, these changes have brought much anxiety and have put K-12 school systems on edge as they determine what to do next. Our faculty and staff have continued to listen and work with our local education partners as we all navigate these challenging times.

Despite all the challenges, our work continues. In this edition of the Graduate Education e-newsletter you will read and see pictures detailing the following stories:

Next Generation Leadership Academy (NGLA) had its largest class with participants from eight local jurisdictions. NGLA, one of the longest running regional leadership development programs for school leaders, will be celebrating 20 years next year!
Partners in the Arts (PIA), which will be celebrating 30 years, has an amazing line up of guest artists and speakers for the Joan Oates Institute, including 2019 MacArthur Fellow, Lynda Barry.
Teacher Licensure Completion program continues to have high retention rates in Title I schools after completion of the program.
A Data Walk on issues pertaining to children’s well-being in the metro-Richmond area was held with the assistance of local-nonprofit agencies.
Faculty continue to work on international partnerships and present and publish their research.

On behalf of all the faculty and staff of Graduate Education, we hope that radiant sunshine of spring will renew and awaken your spirit.

Best—
Tom
Tom Shields signature
Tom J. Shields, Ph.D.
Graduate Education Chair

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Updates from Our Centers

Lynda Barry portrait. Photo by Lynda Barry.

Partners in the Arts update

Brief update on what Partners in the Arts is doing and planning for the Richmond region’s educators, artists, teachers, schools and school divisions.

Center for Leadership in Education update

Updates on programs offered through the Center for Leadership in Education (CLE) including the Next Generation Leadership Academy and the Teacher LEAD program.

Announcements & Reminders

Summer 2025 Registration

Summer registration opened on March 18 and the class schedule is available online. Review the summer academic calendar for details.

Advisors are scheduling advising appointments. Licensure students should be prepared to discuss progress being made towards passing the required licensure exams and (as needed) course gap completion.

Commencement 2025

Graduate Celebration & Regalia Pickup
- Friday, April 25, 3-7 p.m., Special Programs Building
- Regalia pickup, video and photo projects, refreshments and more!
Graduate Education End-of-Year Party
- May 6, 5:30-7:00 p.m., Westhampton Center Living Room
- All students are welcome!
SPCS Night Awards Ceremony
- May 7, 6:00 p.m., Modlin Center
- Invitations sent via email
Commencement
- May 10, 9:00 a.m., Robins Center
- Graduating students arrive by 7:30 a.m. with regalia, by 7 a.m. to collect regalia

SPCS Scholarship Application

The deadline to apply for SPCS Scholarships for Fall 2025 is June 1. We award over $150,000 in scholarships each year, and most applicants qualify to receive funds. Alumni may also be eligible for the Spider Spirit Alumni Discount, referenced elsewhere in the newsletter.

Education Briefs

Author S.K. Ali Visits Campus

Earlier this semester, the Education Studio had the privilege to host Canadian author S. K. Ali, who spoke to the University community about the inspiration behind her work and her writing process. A New York Times bestselling and award-winning author, Ali is known for acclaimed titles such as Saints and Misfits, Love from A to Z, Once Upon an Eid, and The Proudest Blue. Her talk offered thoughtful insights into her creative journey and the personal experiences that shape her storytelling.

Ignite Celebration in Educational Leadership

Designed as a culminating activity to synthesize and showcase each student’s evolution as an educational leader, interns crafted Leadership Ignite Pecha Kucha presentations. This concise, visually engaging format empowered students to succinctly capture and convey the essential learning moments of their ELPS studies while highlighting the promising leadership practices they plan to implement as current and future school leaders. Our leadership interns shared their commitment to fostering a positive and inclusive school culture, implementing effective professional development, building strong family and community partnerships, and enhancing safety and security.

Education Honor Society Inducts New Members

The University of Richmond’s Theta Theta Chapter of Kappa Delta Pi proudly welcomed a record-breaking 30 new initiates in March. Kappa Delta Pi (KDP) is an international honor society in education, dedicated to recognizing and promoting excellence in the art and science of teaching. The University’s education programs have a long-standing tradition with KDP, having initiated more than 700 students since 1955. Lauren Davis, the 2025 Hanover County Teacher of the Year, delivered the keynote.

Data Walk on Child Well-Being

In April, Tom Shields, chair of Graduate Education and associate professor of Education and Leadership, worked with Kyle Redican of UR’s Spatial Analysis Lab, Derek Miller of UR’s Bonner Center for Civic Engagement, and Alexandra Byrum of UR’s Office of Equity and Community to organize a Data Walk on Child Well-Being. The event was co-sponsored with Voices for Virginia’s Children, Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities, and Bon Secours. Maps and charts were created by Michelle Quach and Alex Broening, undergraduate students and John Moeser Fellows in the University’s Spatial Analysis Lab. The presentation maps and charts addressed the following well-being issues affecting children in the Richmond region: Healthcare, Economic Security/Housing, and Education. Lauren Nelson, GC'23, GC'24, fifth grade teacher at Echo Lake Elementary and two-time SPCS education graduate, helped lead the Education section.

Text treatment of SPCS spring faculty meeting

Adjunct Faculty Promotions

Faculty in the School of Professional & Continuing Studies celebrated promotion announcements and service awards during the annual awards ceremony held during the spring faculty meeting on January 9, 2025. Three Education adjuncts faculty members earned promotion:

Beverly Allen-Hardy was promoted from adjunct assistant to adjunct associate professor.
Lisa Micou was promoted from adjunct associate to adjunct professor.
Christina Saunders was promoted from adjunct assistant to adjunct associate professor.

Adjunct faculty members are eligible for promotion after seven semesters of teaching or supervising independent studies. Promotion requires documentation of effective teaching, engagement in the life of the school, and professional development.

John McGinty Retiring

John McGinty is wrapping up 55 years of service to the education field this spring semester. McGinty is a long-time teacher and school leader in both private and public schools in the Richmond region. He also served for 15 years as a Leadership Supervisor in our Education Leadership and Policy Studies program and a Teaching Supervisor in our Teacher Education program. Before mentoring teacher and school leader candidates in Graduate Education, McGinty served in prominent school leadership roles. He was the Head of School at Benedictine High School from 2003-2009 and the Principal of Mills Godwin High School in Henrico County Public Schools from 1991-2003. John is a proud Spider alumnus, having received his B.A. in English and a M.Ed. in Education Administration. On behalf of all the faculty and staff in Education, we are so happy to have worked and served with John all these years.

New & Ongoing Initiatives

Teacher Licensure Completion (TLC)

The REB grant funded Teacher Licensure Completion (TLC) program continues to serve provisionally licensed teachers in Title I and hard-to-staff schools within the Richmond area. We were just approved for a year 4 extension of the program by the REB Foundation to continue to support these high need schools. Core supports of the program include: discounted tuition, free testing vouchers, non-evaluative coaching sessions, and advising support.

As of fall 2024, we have a 95% retention rate of TLC teachers in Title I schools after completion of the program. Additionally, almost 50 provisionally licensed teachers will have completed all their VDOE requirements towards full licensure by the end of the spring 2025 semester.

Spider Spirit Alumni Discount

University of Richmond alumni who have earned an academic certificate, associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, post-bachelor’s certificate, graduate certificate, master’s degree or juris doctorate are eligible for the Spider Spirit alumni discount.

The Spider Spirit alumni discount offers UR alumni a 25% savings on tuition over the lifetime of a degree program or individual courses when a member of the alumni enrolls in a degree or certificate program through the School of Professional & Continuing Studies. This 25% tuition discount is also applicable to individual courses taken for credit as a non-degree seeking student in SPCS.

VAIS Partnership

The University of Richmond is an academic partner with the Virginia Association of Independent Schools (VAIS). The partnership enables SPCS to share thought leadership with VAIS member schools and their staff, to attend and sponsor VAIS events and to receive VAIS members pricing discounts.

The partnership also enables employees in VAIS member schools to receive discounts on professional development course fees across a number of SPCS academic programs. For VAIS discount details and eligible programs, visit the UR Education Consortium with VAIS page.

Regional Consortium

We’re pleased to lead the UR Regional Education Consortium for PK-12 teacher education coursework at the University of Richmond. We offer part-time graduate programs for local school professionals in Central Virginia through the School of Professional & Continuing Studies.

We’ve collaborated with local public school divisions and the Virginia Association of Independent Schools (VAIS) to provide their employees with discounted tuition on graduate level coursework. The discounted programs vary by organization, but the consortium discount is 20% off the current tuition rate. Employees seeking to take advantage of the consortium discount must be accepted and enrolled in an eligible degree program.

If interested, please contact Kris Waikart, Admissions and Recruitment Coordinator for Graduate Education, at kwaikart@richmond.edu.

Faculty Updates

April 12, 2025

Essid & Schneider present at national composition conference

Joe Essid, adjunct assistant professor of liberal arts and director emeritus of the Writing Center, and Cort Schneider, adjunct assistant professor of education and director of Disability Services, presented “Practicing Computer Love with Neurodiverse Writers” at the 76th annual convention of the Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC) in Baltimore.

March 17, 2025

Conway recognized for receiving R.E.B. Award

Ryan Conway, adjunct instructor of education and director of the Center for Education and Human Development at Glen Allen High School, was among four awardees from various Richmond organizations recognized as rising stars by Richmond Magazine. Last year, Conway received a R.E.B. Award for Teaching Excellence from the Community Foundation for a Greater Richmond to study teaching and learning in Asia.

March 13, 2025

Hunt receives JMU literacy leader award

Kendall Hunt, adjunct instructor of education and middle school literacy specialist for Henrico County Public Schools, received the 2025 Literacy Teacher of the Year Award from James Madison University’s College of Education at the JMU Literacy Leader Awards ceremony held earlier this year.

March 6, 2025

Shields presents at school diversity conference

Tom Shields, associate professor and chair of graduate education & associate professor of leadership studies, presented the Can We Learn & Live Together 2.0: Housing & School Segregation in the Richmond Region report at the National Coalition on School Diversity 5th National Conference on School Diversity at Georgetown University Law Center.

Education in the Media

June 22, 2025

Commentary: How that 'big, beautiful bill' discards RVA’s children

Leadership studies and education professor Tom Shields co-authored this piece with Kyle Redican, director of the Spatial Analysis Lab and teaching faculty in geography, environment and sustainability; undergraduates Alex Broening and Michelle Quach; and Derek Miller, associate director of community-engaged research, scholarship and relationships at the Bonner Center for Civic Engagement.

May 22, 2025

Caroline superintendent honored by University of Richmond; delivers commencement address

Sarah Calveric, adjunct associate professor of educational leadership and Caroline County Public Schools superintendent, is the subject of this article.