News

Baylor’s Moody School of Education (SOE) recognized ten graduates as outstanding students at the annual Recognition Banquet on May 14, 2026. Graduating students were honored for their excellence in academics and fieldwork in education programs and for their readiness to impact the world. Along with Moody’s traditional awards, the School created a new award, the BearTEACH Impact Award for community service. Read all about these amazing graduates!

Dr. Kelly Johnston, associate professor in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction, received Baylor University’s 2026 Centennial Professor Award for her research project, the Baylor Educator-Scholar Collective. Johnston intends to explore ways to connect Baylor educators once they have left campus through a sustained intellectual and professional network. Johnston said her inspiration for the project arose from a recurring question she asks herself in the classroom: How will my students carry this forward?

International service learning is a cornerstone of the traditional Baylor experience, but a recent trip to Costa Rica marked a significant evolution for the Moody School of Education. Students from the online Doctor of Education in Learning and Organizational Change (EdD-LOC) program partnered with the nonprofit One More Child and leveraged their decades of professional leadership experience to provide high-level training for nonprofit volunteers, educators, and church leaders in Costa Rica. 

Dr. Grant Morgan ranks among the most influential researchers nationally and internationally, with work that advances both cutting-edge quantitative methods and real-world societal outcomes through extensive interdisciplinary collaboration. A professor of educational psychology and associate dean for research in the Moody School of Education, Dr. Morgan received the Baylor Outstanding Faculty Award for Research. Dr. Morgan ranks in the top 2 percent of scholars worldwide for citations by other researchers, a key measure of scholarly influence. 

Dr. Gospel Kim requires all her Baylor students—across every course from undergraduate to doctoral level— to work directly in community or school settings for field-based learning, applied projects, or research. She builds in these experiences because she believes taking theory into practice is essential to learning. That commitment and intentionality, along with superlative reviews from students and colleagues, earned her the 2026 Baylor Outstanding Faculty Award for tenure-track teaching — the university’s sole such honor. Dr. Kim's work as an assistant professor in the Department of Educational Psychology supports young children with developmental disabilities and their families.

Senior Garrison Fritts has already made his mark at Robinson ISD — before officially beginning his career as a certified teacher. Fritts is a Baylor senior majoring in middle grades mathematics education in the Moody School of Education. He is completing a yearlong teacher residency at Robinson Junior High School, where he currently teaches 7th‑grade advanced math. His impact has been so significant that he was named Staff of the Year at the school, becoming the first resident in the Baylor program to receive such an honor.

Dr. Nicholas Benson, associate professor of educational psychology in Baylor University’s Moody School of Education and an expert in psychological and educational assessment tools, received the Outstanding Article of the Year Award from the journal School Psychology Review. Benson and two colleagues challenged the efficacy of Patterns of Strengths and Weaknesses (PSW), a widely used diagnostic method in schools, and determined it is no more likely to accurately identify specific learning disabilities (SLD) than chance.

Thirty junior education majors at Baylor University’s Moody School of Education stepped beyond traditional classroom settings this month to participate in a hands-on leadership development experience at Baylor’s Eastland Lakes Team & Leadership Center. Through ropes courses and team-based activities, the future teachers explored how leadership skills can emerge through shared experiences. The experience was sponsored by Moody’s Department of Curriculum & Instruction, which partnered with Moody’s Department of Educational Leadership, and Baylor University’s Campus Recreation.

Dr. Jeffrey Petersen, professor of sport management and director of the MSEd program in sport management in Baylor’s Moody School of Education, received the Research Fellow Award from the Applied Sport Management Association (ASMA). The award recognizes “scholars who have demonstrated a commitment to ASMA and its vision, as well as distinction in sport management research and scholarly contributions to the conference and the official journal, the Journal of Applied Sport Management.”

Dr. Lianne Jones, a 2024 PhD graduate in Curriculum and Teaching, received the Outstanding Dissertation Award from the School Science and Mathematics Association (SSMA) for her dissertation titled Coaching for Questioning: A Multiple Case Study of Middle and Secondary Preservice Mathematics Teachers. 

Jones, whose Baylor PhD studies focused on mathematics education, is currently assistant professor of elementary education at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina.

Moody School of Education has launched a new collaborative initiative with Salado ISD to enhance access to high-quality graduate education for the district’s educators. This effort is part of the Moody School of Education’s broader strategic initiative to cultivate meaningful relationships with school districts and educational organizations across Texas, connecting educators with advanced scholarship opportunities that support lifelong learning and professional growth. 

Dr. Sarah Mire, PhD, LP, NCSP, LSSP, associate professor in the Department of Educational Psychology in Baylor’s Moody School of Education, received the Dr. Ollie Seay Knowledge Award for Excellence in Research from the Texas Chapter of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDDTX). Mire is also a faculty affiliate working with the Baylor Center for Disability and Flourishing.

The award recognizes significant contributions to the dissemination of knowledge in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities through education and research.

Baylor's Moody School of Education has established a formal collaboration with Teach For America, creating new avenues for TFA educators and alumni to pursue graduate studies through Baylor’s online, hybrid, and residential programs. The agreement is one of several with educational organizations and school districts that are designed to expand access to advanced professional learning opportunities.

Dr. Karis Jones, assistant professor in the Moody School of Education's Department of Curriculum & Instruction, received the ELATE National Technology Leadership Award for her role in developing the #HackYourStack database. The project is a free resource for teachers, compiled of crowdsourced collections of mentor texts, tools, resources, and academic research focused on digital media and youth-centric contexts.

Baylor University has received a $5 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. for “The Whole Body Project: Flourishing Together in Faith and Life.” The project is being funded through Lilly Endowment’s National Storytelling Initiative on Christian Faith and Life, which seeks to help organizations identify, produce and share compelling stories about ways that Christians from many different backgrounds and in a broad range of settings are living vibrant lives of faith and engaging in acts of love and service for others.

Through a new agreement, Dripping Springs ISD employees will receive streamlined access to graduate education at Moody School of Education, including a range of benefits designed to support working professionals. For online programs, they are eligible to receive special scholarship access and waived application fee.

Baylor University has announced a $30 million gift from the Moody Foundation of Galveston, Texas, to the University’s School of Education, now known as the Moody School of Education at Baylor.

The Baylor Center for School Leadership (BCSL) celebrated a significant gift on Monday, Jan. 19, establishing the Dr. Linda Howard Tinsley Endowed Fund for the Baylor Center for School Leadership, which supports the long-term sustainability of Catalyze, an annual retreat experience for educator teams.

Established by alumni Jack and Linda Tinsley, the endowment will permanently support Catalyze, a signature event of the BCSL, which brings together teams of teachers and administrators to develop a plan of action using improvement science tools.

Dr. Bill Sterrett, chair of the Department of Educational Leadership, has just completed a two-year term as the co-chair of a new initiative launched by Baylor’s Office of the Provost.

Baylor University’s Chair Leadership Training initiative is an effort designed to connect and support the university’s 70+ academic leaders — primarily department chairs but also leaders in roles such as associate deans and directors. Sterrett described the group’s mission as “connecting silos” across campus academic units.

Bella Buncher, a May 2025 Baylor University graduate with a B.S.Ed. from the School of Education (SOE), has been honored as Clinical Teacher of the Year for the state of Texas for excellence in classroom teaching during her student-teaching experience while a senior at Baylor. Buncher is the seventh Baylor School of Education teacher-intern to receive this award in the last nine years it has been presented. Certified in elementary education, Buncher was a student teacher at Hillcrest Professional Development School in Waco ISD and taught in two third-grade classrooms.

Dr. Elizabeth (Liz) Harrelson Magill, a 2025 Baylor School of Education PhD graduate, received the Baylor University Graduate School’s 2024-25 Outstanding Dissertation Award for her groundbreaking doctoral research exploring a new approach to teaching K-12 history.

Magill earned her PhD in Curriculum and Instruction with a specialization in social studies education and is now a Clinical Assistant Professor and secondary certificate coordinator in Baylor’s Department of Curriculum and Instruction.

Students in Baylor University’s online EdD in Learning and Organizational Change (EdD-LOC) program will soon have the opportunity to extend their leadership and service beyond the virtual classroom. This inaugural trip marks a new chapter for the EdD-LOC program, expanding its reach and reaffirming its commitment to preparing leaders who serve with vision and integrity. From April 23-28, 2026, a team of select EdD-LOC students will travel to San José, Costa Rica, for the program’s first-ever mission trip. The experience is designed to integrate students’ unique professional expertise with hands-on service opportunities.

Dr. Celeste D.C. Sodergren, who earned her PhD in educational psychology with a specialization in Gifted and Talented Education from Baylor in 2024, claimed the 2025 National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) Dissertation Award. In her award-winning dissertation, which has been published in top journals, Sodergren explored what parents expect to gain from gifted education for their children and family.

Dr. Sodergren is now a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Connecticut’s National Research Center for Gifted Education.

More than 100 rising middle school students are attending Baylor University’s nationally recognized iEngage Summer Civics Institute July 14-18 on the Baylor campus. Students learn about the structure of government and what it means to be an engaged citizen.

Founded in 2013 and the recipient of the 2022 Sandra Day O’Connor Award for the Advancement of Civics Education, Baylor’s iEngage Summer Civics Institute is led by iEngage co-cofounder Karon LeCompte, Ph.D., associate professor of curriculum and instruction in the School of Education. iEngage is co-directed by associate professor Kevin Magill, Ph.D.

Baylor University’s Mathematics for Early Learners Academy (MELA), sponsored by the Baylor School of Education (SOE), is underway now at the Mayborn Museum on the Baylor campus through July 24 for students ages 4 to 6.

The four-week summer program, designed for students who have just finished PreK or Kindergarten and directed by Sandi Cooper, Ph.D., professor of mathematics education, aims to establish a solid foundation in “number sense,” especially for students who could benefit most from this summer experience in mathematics.

More than 350 K-12 students from seven states, Mexico, and Colombia are on the Baylor campus this summer for enrichment courses and immersive learning experiences at summer camps through the Baylor University Talent Identification Program (TIP) in the School of Education. Baylor TIP, a program of the Baylor Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development, identifies pre-collegiate students with exceptional talent and offers world-class learning opportunities. In addition to the TIP residential program with 160+ students in grades 8-12 living in a campus dorm, the Center is hosting three other camps for different ages.

Baylor School of Education recognized nine new or soon-to-be graduates as outstanding students at the 40th annual Recognition Banquet on May 15, 2025. Students were honored for their excellence in academics and fieldwork in education programs and their readiness to impact the world. Newly added awards were given in all-level special education, ESL, gifted education, and the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT). Read all about these impressive future teachers — Navy Casady, Kaitlyn Genzer, Samantha Jones, Will McNierney, Amy Heick, Laura Workman, Anna Garner, Ellie Ramsey, Audrey Nolen.

The newest issue of Baylor Impact newsletter (Spring 2025) is now online. If you are an SOE graduate and did not receive a newsletter in the mail, please let us know by emailing BaylorImpact@baylor.edu. This issue features exciting news about SOE programs, faculty, students, and alumni who are making a difference. The cover story, Promising Futures shares how a School of Education’s scholarship program is removing barriers associated with income so that more high-ability students can participate in Baylor TIP (Talent Identification Program) through the Baylor Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development.

Baylor University is launching fully online graduate (MS) and certificate programs to prepare professionals for careers in digital learning and instructional design. Classes begin in fall 2025, and applications are now open. The MS can be completed in as few as 12 months, and students can earn a certificate in Learning Design and Technology or in Online Teaching and Learning in just 4 months.

Dr. Joshua Smith, assistant director of the Research and Writing Development Center (RWDC) for Baylor School of Education’s EdD in Learning and Organizational Change (EdD-LOC) and associate graduate faculty member, was named one of the seven recipients of the Baylor 2025 Outstanding Staff Award. Since he joined the RWDC in 2020, Smith has helped equip EdD students with the research and writing skills needed to produce a research dissertation at an R1 university while making an immediate practical impact in their professional practices.

Grace Casper, program coordinator at the Baylor Center for Developmental Disabilities, received a 2025 Baylor Outstanding Staff Award. This university-wide recognition honors staff members who go above and beyond in supporting Baylor’s mission. Casper's colleagues describe her as a “joyful presence,” and “a deeply committed team player whose work enhances the success of everyone around her.” She brings not only professional excellence but also warmth, integrity, and a deep sense of purpose to all she does.

Five members of the School of Education’s Business Office —Meg Hoefer, Ashleigh Herr, Leone Moore, Emma Stonecipher, and Casey McNeil — received the Baylor University Team Staff Award in a ceremony on April 29. 

“We have an extraordinary business team whose expertise and productivity have enabled the School of Education to grow in ways we could not have imagined,” said Dr. Shanna Hagan-Burke, dean of the School of Education.

Dr. Tony Talbert, professor in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction, was recognized with the Baylor Outstanding Teaching Award for Tenured Faculty. With a nearly 40-year career as a public school and higher education teaching scholar, Talbert has been and continues to be a significant influence in the lives of his students and on the success of learning communities. Talbert is known for his distinctive ability to bridge theory with practice, making complex ideas assessable and inspiring students to apply them in meaningful ways.

Dr. Sarah Mire, LP, NCSP, LSSP, associate professor in the Department of Educational Psychology and faculty affiliate with the Baylor Center for Developmental Disabilities, both in the School of Education, received the Baylor Outstanding Faculty Award for Scholarship for Tenured Faculty. Mire’s transformative research bridges families, school personnel, and medical providers to improve outcomes for children with autism.

Dr. Sandi Cooper, School of Education (SOE) associate dean for undergraduate education and professor of mathematics education in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction, received the Baylor Outstanding Faculty Award for Significant Contributions to the Academic Community. Cooper has been at Baylor for 18 years and has spearheaded numerous initiatives ranging from a doctoral program whose oldest graduate is in her 80s to a summer math program for pre-kindergarten students.

Three School of Education (SOE) graduate students were honored with awards from the Baylor Graduate School. The Graduate School honored 14 students university wide with research, instruction, and dissertation awards.

Beatrice Ruiz, a PhD student in the Department of Educational Psychology received the Research Award for the Social Sciences. Maggie Bryant and Elizabeth (Liz) Harrelson Magill, both PhD students in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction, were honorees for their teaching. 

Caitlin Casassa, a senior at Baylor School of Education, received the 2025 Most Outstanding Clinical Teacher Award from the South Central Area Network for School-University Partnerships (SCANSUP).

Casassa is teaching in a third-grade classroom at Woodway Elementary in Midway ISD for her senior student-teaching year. The award recognizes her teaching skills, classroom strategies, and commitment to creating an inclusive and engaging learning environment for her students.

Three Baylor School of Education faculty members in the Department of Educational Psychology — Dr. Erik Carter, Dr. Sarah Mire, and Dr. Terrill Saxon — are co-investigators on an interdisciplinary, multi-institutional team of researchers that will conduct a mixed-methods longitudinal study on patience. The researchers will study patience in people who experience adversity, and the SOE team’s research will focus on families raising adolescents who experience intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

For the fourth year in a row, 100 percent of the Baylor University School of Education’s school psychology Ph.D. students have “Matched” for pre-doctoral psychology internships accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA). The Match, run by the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC), is highly competitive, and APA-accredited sites are the most competitive placements.

As we celebrate Black History Month, we asked Dr. Marquita Foster, lecturer and graduate program director for Baylor SOE’s EdD in Learning & Organizational Change, to share insights from her teaching career and research. A former middle and high school English teacher, Dr. Foster has published on topics including Black feminism, cultural approaches to classroom disciplines, and storytelling in Black and indigenous traditions. She explains why storytelling is so important in Black culture and shares some good stories to read.

Two Baylor School of Education graduates were honored by the School Science and Mathematics Association (SSMA) at its fall conference. Dr. Ryann Shelton (PhD ’20) received the SSMA Early Career Scholar Award, and Dr. Melissa Donham (MA ’19, PhD ’23) received the Dissertation Award.

“The math education faculty are so proud of their work and impact in mathematics education,” said Dr. Trena Wilkerson, professor of mathematics education and chair of the Department of Curriculum & Instruction at Baylor. “It is an honor to work with such amazing students.”

Dr. Suzanne Nesmith, Baylor School of Education associate professor and a leader in science and engineering education, has been recognized with the ADoT Distinguished Service Award for her exceptional contributions to teacher preparation at the university level.
The prestigious award honors former or current associate and assistant deans or directors who have significantly impacted the field of teacher preparation. Nesmith served as Baylor School of Education Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education from 2016-2024.

Dr. Jeffrey Petersen, professor of sport management and program director of the MSEd in Sport Management, received the 2024 Centennial Professor Award for summer research projects and focused his project on the finances of collegiate sports through research at Notre Dame University. Petersen and sport management graduate student Rachel Hickey dug into the archives of the world’s largest collection of sport documents.

Baylor School of Education graduate Ashlyn Bergethon, BSEd ’24, has continued an impressive string of Baylor SOE student teachers being recognized with national and state honors. Bergethon was named National Student Teacher of the Year by Kappa Delta Pi, the international honor society in education, and the Association of Teacher Educators and Clinical Teacher of the Year for the State of Texas from the Texas Directors of Field Experience.

School of Education faculty Dr. Bill Sterrett, Dr. Rishi Sriram, and Dr. Sandi Cooper partnered with Baylor engineering and physics faculty to provide a 10-week summer experience for undergraduate students focused on collaborating with the Baylor Point-of-Needs Innovation (PONI) Center, Baylor’s Mayborn Museum, and regional partners.

Baylor University School of Education and Raise Your Hand Texas will host a transformative advocacy event, Own the Narrative, supporting public education and the role of teachers and other educational leaders. This event on Thursday, Sept. 26, is designed to equip educators and those who support public education, including parents and community leaders, with the tools and knowledge they need to become powerful Texas public education advocates.

Chris Asikis, a staff clinician at the Baylor Counseling Center, explained how to unlock the power of mindfulness in a presentation at Baylor School of Education’s School Safety and Wellness Summit, a professional learning seminar for seniors who are beginning a full year of student teaching. The program also included presentations from school district safety officers and inspiration from author Adam Sáenz.

This fall, more than 100 Texas school districts moved to a four-day school week with another 19 districts moving to a hybrid schedule, but does this move benefit students? This is a question Baylor University education expert Bill Sterrett, Ph.D., is asking as he looks at how the four-day week could potentially affect student learning, attendance, teacher retention, and cost savings. As of now, Sterrett says the data is inconclusive.

As summer comes to an end – earlier than ever, it seems – parents and children are getting ready for the new school year. For younger children, making the transition from a relaxed summer schedule to the routine of school can be jarring. Veteran teacher and Baylor University School of Education faculty member Gae Connally, M.S.Ed., offers five practical ideas to help make the start of the new school year less stressful, especially for younger students.

After 37 years in service and leadership in the Baylor School of Education and beyond, Dr. Doug Rogers retired in May 2024. An expert in educational technology, Rogers served as interim dean, associate dean, technology director, and faculty member in the SOE. At his retirement reception, Curriculum & Instruction interim chair Dr. Trena Wilkerson commended Roger’s leadership and vision for the SOE.

Nearly 80 rising middle school students will attend Baylor University’s nationally recognized iEngage Summer Civics Institute July 22-26, with campers on the Baylor campus daily from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. iEngage is a nationally recognized program that includes iCivics online games for teaching civics concepts to middle school students.

Baylor University’s Mathematics for Early Learners Academy, sponsored by the Baylor School of Education, is being held at the Mayborn Museum on the Baylor campus through July 25 for students ages 4 to 6. The four-week summer program, directed by Sandi Cooper, Ph.D., professor of mathematics education, aims to establish a solid foundation in “number sense” for the young students.

For the first time this summer, the Baylor University Talent Identification Program (TIP) in the School of Education hosted residential camps for high-ability gifted students in grades 8 through 12 in June on the Baylor campus. Baylor TIP, a program of the Baylor Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development, identifies exceptional talent in pre-collegiate students and provides world-class learning opportunities.

The spring issue of Baylor Impact, the newsletter of the School of Education, is now online. The cover story celebrates the 10th Anniversary of the Baylor Center for Developmental Disabilities. Updates from the SOE's Center for School Leadership and Baylor TIP are also in this issue, along with faculty, student, and program accolades. Don't miss the big news about paid internships for student teachers.

Baylor  School of Education is hosting the second year of STEM+ Camp Launch, a week-long day camp focused on rocket science, for rising fifth graders from three Transformation Waco schools. The program is funded by a grant from Waco’s Cooper Foundation and held at Baylor’s Mayborn Museum. STEM+ Camp Launch includes two week-long camp sessions running Monday through Friday the weeks of June 3 and June 10. 

Newly minted Baylor School of Education graduate Jordan Nguyen was honored with the Student Employment Award by Baylor University for his time as a student employee in the School of Education. Nguyen worked as a Learning Resources Center (LRC) Assistant for the School of Education. Nguyen is returning as a graduate student in curriculum and instruction.

Two “memorable” teachers were honored at the annual Baylor University School of Education Senior Recognition Banquet. Following tradition, Baylor School of Education seniors had the opportunity to nominate a teacher who had been influential in their lives, and the recipients were chosen by a Baylor faculty committee. This year's honorees, Shannon and Geoff Brooks, who both teach at Second Baptist School in Houston, were nominated by senior middle grades mathematics education major Moriah Feng.

Baylor School of Education (SOE) recognized seven seniors as outstanding students at the 39th annual Senior Recognition Banquet in late April. Seniors were honored for their excellence in academics and fieldwork in education programs and their readiness to impact the world. Baylor SOE senior award recipients (biographies below) for 2024 are Genesis Santos, Hannah Hensarling, Lexi Whitney, Jessica Best, Ashlyn Bergethon, Cailyn Riordan, and Vanessa Mendez.

Baylor School of Education staff member Dr. Lacy K. Crocker Papadakis received the 2024 Baylor Distinguished Staff Leadership Award. Papadakis serves as Director of the Research and Writing Development Center (RDWC) in the EdD in Learning and Organizational Change program.

School of Education teacher-education graduates are heading into the work force better equipped because of a new School of Education (SOE) seminar for future teachers, and it received statewide recognition for its innovation.

School of Education professors Dr. Jon Eckert, Dr. Erik Carter, and Dr. Kelly Johnston led discussions with graduating seniors this spring, adding to the senior job prep seminar to share how seniors can live out their faith in the classroom. A key theme was the imperative to reach and support each student individually.

Baylor education expert Dr. Suzanne Nesmith offers tips on how to enjoy the eclipse with children — On April 8, 2024, something miraculous will happen across the United States, a total solar eclipse with Waco right in a prime viewing location for the path of totality. SOE associate professor, Suzanne Nesmith, Ph.D., who specializes in elementary science education, shares some great ways to prepare your family, especially children, beforehand to get the most out of the experience.

Baylor School of Education hosted hundreds of invited guests for SOEclipse Education, an educational event for Baylor students, staff, and faculty to prepare them to teach others, especially children, about the upcoming solar eclipse. Waco is in the direct path for optimal effect of the eclipse this spring. The event offered educational tips and lesson demonstrations for those who will teach and prepare children prior to the phenomenon on Monday, April 8.

The Baylor Center for Developmental Disabilities (BCDD) is celebrating its tenth anniversary throughout 2024. The BCDD invests in research, training, outreach, and clinical services that promote the flourishing of people with disabilities, their families, and communities.

Read to learn about the BCDD, its history, future Center research, and upcoming events throughout 2024.

A team of Baylor educators traveled to Lahore, Pakistan, to empower Pakistani women through leadership workshops and sport engagement, funded by a U.S. State Department grant. The four-day workshop in Lahore brought together educators from 10 secondary schools and four universities in the region.

Dr. Bill Sterrett and Dr. Mar Magnusen in the Department of Educational Leadership are co-principal investigators.

WACO, Texas (Jan. 16, 2024) – Trena Wilkerson, Ph.D., professor and interim chair of the Department of Curriculum & Instruction in the Baylor University School of Education, has received the 2024 Louise Hay Award from the Association for Women in Mathematics in recognition of her leadership in mathematics education, transformational teaching and mentorship, and her global initiatives and programs.

A $1.25-million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. will establish an interdisciplinary project focuses on helping congregations embrace young people with disabilities, mental health challenges, and chronic illnesses, led by Baylor faculty in Truett Seminary, School of Education, and Diana Garland School of Social Work.

Baylor Center for Developmental Disabilities within the University School of Education is joining With Ministries on a new program called Worship as One: Learning with Children with Disabilities about Worship and Prayer. Lilly Endowment Inc. is supporting the program with a $300,000 grant to With Ministries.

Gaga for Gaga Ball, a fundraising project launched by Dr. Mar Magnusen, associate professor of Sport Management, and the students taking his Athletic Fundraising and Development course at Baylor, aims to provide two gaga ball pits to Crestview Elementary School in Waco ISD.

Debbie Chou, B.S.Ed. ’23, is the fifth Baylor student teacher in recent years to be named the state’s Clinical Teacher of the Year.

Dr. Annmarie Crum, a December 2022 graduate of the EdD Learning and Organizational Change online program at Baylor University, was awarded Baylor’s Outstanding Dissertation Award for her work exploring inequities in STEM education.

Dr. Alicia Briancon, EdD ’23, instructor at College of Southern Nevada (CSN), a community college in Clark County, Nevada, received the Outstanding Research Paper Award for the Southeastern Universities Graduate Research Symposium (SUGRS).

It’s official — Dr. Mar Magnusen and his students in the MSEd Sport Management program set a Guinness World Record for the “Longest Line of Sleeping Bags” (1,203) set at Baylor's McLane Stadium on July 4. The project was designed to help homeless veterans in Texas.

Nearly 60 rising middle school students are attending Baylor University’s nationally recognized iEngage Summer Civics Institute. Led by SOE associate professor Dr. Karon LeCompte, also the program's co-founder, the camp teaches students how to advocate for community change.

Featured:
Dr. Trena Wilkerson, professor of mathematics education

Dr. Wilkerson is quoted in this national story, in which she notes the importance of viewing mathematics from its connectedness to help students, as well as teachers, understand more deeply.

Excerpt:
“It’s about access and equity in mathematics. You can’t wait for geometry and statistics until students get to high school, or only a select few can take it,” Wilkerson, the Baylor University professor, said. “You have to integrate the geometry, the statistics, etcetera, from pre-K through elementary and middle school, so that students are getting a deep understanding of what they need in order to be able to make choices about the mathematics that they take in high school and that they pursue post-high school.”

Waco Tribune-Herald

Featured:
Dr. Sandi Cooper, professor of mathematics education
MELA (Math for Early Learners Academy)
Baylor athletes

KWTX-TV

Featured:
Dr. Sandi Cooper, professor of mathematics education
MELA (Math for Early Learners Academy)
SOE student Dominique Rendon

Excerpt:
”When you think about math for early grades a lot of times people just think of counting,” MELA director Dr. Sandi Cooper said. “It really is more than that, and that’s the kind of thing that we do.”

Math really is fun and games at MELA as students learn number sense through dice and domino games. The program is based out of the Mayborn Museum and in between lessons the students get to explore the exhibits.

The four-week-long summer program is for incoming kindergarten and 1st grade students from La Vega, Waco and Midway ISD.

Baylor Proud

Featured:
Dr. Erik Carter, the Luther Sweet Endowed Chair in Disabilities and executive director of the Baylor Center for Developmental Disabilities

Excerpt:
“We are eager to collaborate with churches across the country to learn together what it looks like to do this work well and faithfully,” says Carter, the Luther Sweet Endowed Chair in Disabilities and executive director of the Baylor Center for Developmental Disabilities. “The Scriptures are clear that we are to be lavish with our invitations and our love. Indeed, our faith communities are incomplete without people with disabilities and their families.”

Featured:
Dr. Mar Magnusen, Sport Management
Sam Esparza, 2023 Sport Management MSEd grad

Before the Guiness World Record attempt, the sport management students and Dr. Magnusen raised enough money to buy the sleeping bags, which will be given to homeless veterans in the fall through Waco One Stop and Baylor VETS.

With 1.203 sleeping bags lined up, the group beat the previous record of 550 by more than double!

The School of Education's MELA program has measurably helped young students ages 4-6 achieve or exceed grade-level expectations in early math skills and number fluency.

Baylor University’s Mathematics for Early Learners Academy (MELA), sponsored by the Baylor School of Education (SOE), will be held at the Mayborn Museum on the Baylor campus July 5-28 for students ages 4 to 6.

The summer program, designed for students who have just finished PreK or Kindergarten and directed by Sandi Cooper, Ph.D., professor of mathematics education, aims to establish a solid foundation in “number sense,” especially for students who could benefit most from this summer experience in mathematics.

KWTX-TV

Featured:
Dr. Suzanne Nesmith
STEM+ Camp Launch
Transformation Waco Students

Dr. Karon LeCompte, associate professor of curriculum and instruction in the Baylor School of Education, received the 2023 Baylor Centennial Professors Award, along with another award from the Baylor Libraries — the Baylor Fundamentals of Data Research Fellowship, also for research this summer. LeCompte will use both awards to further her research in social studies education, particularly civics education through Baylor’s iEngage program.

Read all about the inaugural session of STEM+ Launch Camp, hosted by the School of Education at the Mayborn Museum for students of Transformation Waco schools. The feature story in the Waco Tribune-Herald features video and photography also.

Waco Tribune-Herald
Photos and Video by Rod Aydelotte

Featured:
Baylor SOE STEM+ Camp Launch
Mayborn Museum
Transformation Waco
Dr. Sandi Cooper
Dr. Suzanne Nesmith
Lead Teacher Di Copeman
Julia Morrison, BSEd ’23
Anne Blackaby, BSEd ’23

The newest issue of Baylor Impact newsletter (Spring 2023) is now online. This Impact issue features exciting news about SOE programs, faculty, students, and alumni who are making a difference.

Blasting off this summer is Baylor University’s STEM+ Camp Launch, designed for incoming fifth grade students from three Transformation Waco schools. Sponsored by the Baylor School of Education, with collaboration from the School of Engineering and Computer Science and funding from Waco’s Cooper Foundation, the program consists of three one-week sessions, taking place June 5-23 at the Mayborn Museum.

Baylor School of Education (SOE) recognized seven seniors as outstanding students at the 38th Annual Senior Recognition Banquet in late April. Seniors were recognized for their excellence in academic and fieldwork in education programs and their readiness to impact the world. Baylor SOE senior award recipients (biographies below) for 2023 are:

Emily Kessler — EDICUT Preservice Educator of the Year Award
Sara Easley — Delores Coker Phi Delta Kappa Outstanding Student in Education
Julia Morrison — Lorena B. Stretch Award for Outstanding Student in Elementary Education
Savannah Webster — Outstanding Student in Middle Grades Education
Faith Stuchly — M.L. Goetting Award for Outstanding Student in Secondary Education
Betsua Morales — Outstanding Student in EC-12 Education Programs
Megan Forshee — Outstanding Student with a Minor in Education

Two teachers were honored at the annual Baylor University School of Education Senior Recognition Banquet in late April. Following tradition, Baylor School of Education seniors had the opportunity to nominate teachers who had been influential in their lives. Students submitted a nomination essay about their teacher, and the awarded educators were chosen by a Baylor faculty committee. During the awards banquet, the students honor their memorable educator by reading their essay.

For 2023, Katie Bohannon Phillips of Plano and Jenna Helduser Walling of Austin were honored with the Baylor School of Education’s “Most Memorable Teacher” award.

Maryann Hebda, a second-year PhD candidate doctoral student in the Department of Educational Psychology, and Nori Ryland, a fourth-year PhD candidate in the Department of Educational Psychology, were both recipients of the Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor Award for their teaching during the Spring 2022 semester.

This award is given by the Baylor Graduate School fo graduate students who work as Teachers of Record and who are recognized for their outstanding teaching by students, and faculty. Recipients are honored at a luncheon, given a plaque, and awarded an additional travel award to use to attend conferences that will further their teaching careers.

As Autism Acceptance Month celebrates and encourages the acceptance of people on the autism spectrum and recognizes that they are valued members of society, a new Baylor initiative in launching to build inclusive practices within communities of faith. Dr. Erik W. Carter, the Luther Sweet Endowed Chair in Disabilities in the Baylor School of Education and executive director of the Baylor Center for Developmental Disabilities (BCDD), is helping launch a new initiative to support churches in creating more welcoming and accessible experiences for people with autism.

Dr. Carter shares specific actions churches can take to expand inclusion and belonging.

Featured:
Dr. Mar Magnusen, Dept. of Educational Leadership, Sport Management
Sport Management MSEd student Sam Esparza
Baylor VETS director Kevin Davis
HOT Behavioral Network Veterans One Stop's Meagan Noranbrock

The presentation was dramatic. Everyone waited anxiously in a jam-packed but hushed elementary school gymnasium in Beaumont, Texas, as the governor spoke: “A teacher who has shown excellence, who has helped you learn more, and done a great job, and this teacher’s name is Jenna Dean.” The crowd erupted with applause, and the surprised teacher walked to the front of the assembly.

Baylor professor Bill Sterrett stood behind a large check made out to Ms. Dean for $25,000. While he serves as the educational leadership department chair in Baylor’s School of Education, Sterrett is also part of a unique group of K12 educators, as a previous recipient of the Milken Educator Award, known as the “Oscars of Teaching.”

Baylor School of Education’s master’s program in Sport Management has launched a project to help homeless veterans in Texas and set a Guinness World Record at the same time. And they need help from the Baylor family and beyond.

Operation Warmth for Warriors has set a goal of providing 1,000 sleeping bags for homeless Texas veterans. Organizers have a bulk source for quality bags for $20 each. To reach their goal, they need to raise $20,000, and contributions can be made at this Baylor page:

Baylor Operation Warmth for Warriors

Dr. Mar Magnusen, associate professor of sport management in the Department of Educational Leadership, said the sleeping bag project will not only help veterans unable to find housing, but the distribution through veterans’ service providers will create a connection point for future services to veterans.

The Baylor Libraries will host a conversation, co-sponsored by the School of Education and featuring SOE alumna Mary Woodard, with Texas State Library and Archives Commission Director and Librarian Gloria Meraz and Texas Library Association President Mary Woodard, a School of Education graduate, on their journeys in education and librarianship, the current state of libraries in Texas, and the future of Texas libraries.
Gloria Meraz, director and librarian of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, and Mary Marlow Woodard, president of the Texas Library Association (TLA), will be interviewed by Lori Fogleman, Assistant Vice President for Media and Public Relations at Baylor University on Friday, March 31, at 2:30 p.m. CDT at the Armstrong Browning Library & Museum. Conversation and a reception will follow.
Woodard graduated from Baylor in 1985 with degrees in Elementary Education and English and earned her library science degree from Texas Woman’s University in 1987. She served in the Mesquite Independent School District for 35 years as a school librarian, technology facilitator, and director of library services. In 2022, Woodard was elected president of TLA, the largest state library association in the United States.

Amy Smith, a Baylor School of Education 1999 graduate and biology teacher at Midway High School, was honored for her work mentoring Baylor students. She was named as the 2023 Outstanding Mentor Teacher by the South Central Area Network for Professional Development Schools. This regional honor recognizes exceptional educators who share a dedication to the field of teaching and the partnership between institutions of higher education and pre-K-12 schools.

Smith has hosted 13 Baylor students as full-year interns (senior student teachers), one-semester interns, and teaching associates (Baylor juniors) over the course of her 16 years as a mentor teacher at MHS.

School of Education doctoral student Traniece Brown-Warrens and adjunct professor Dr. Bobby Ott went viral in March!

Baylor University today announced a $1.5 million gift from anonymous alumni establishing an endowed faculty chair position to support innovative research and teaching focused on the flourishing of children and youth with disabilities. With an appointment in the Baylor School of Education and leading the Baylor Center for Developmental Disabilities, the faculty chair will accelerate interdisciplinary scholarship across the University and beyond.

The School of Education has named Erik W. Carter, Ph.D., as the inaugural chairholder. Carter previously held The Cornelius Vanderbilt Chair in Special Education at Vanderbilt University and co-directed the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities. In this role, he will serve as executive director for the Baylor Center for Developmental Disabilities (BCDD) and help launch a new interdisciplinary institute on faith and disability.

Dr. Rishi Sriram, associate professor in Baylor School of Education’s Department of Educational Leadership and director of the MSEd in Higher Education and Student Affairs, was selected as a Senior Scholar of ACPA (American College Personnel Association), a leading association in the field of higher education student affairs that advocates for the integration of research and scholarship in the practice of student affairs.

ACPA describes its Senior Scholars as “senior members of the profession who have made exemplary and sustained contributions to ACPA’s mission of transforming higher education by creating and sharing influential scholarship, shaping critically reflective practice, and advocating for equitable and inclusive learning environments.” A maximum of 12 scholars may hold the position.

Often when people hear the word literacy, they think about learning to read, but literacy involves much more than reading from the printed page. Literacy encompasses the everyday ways people use language to make meaning and communicate, said Kelly C. Johnston, B.S. '04, Ed.D., assistant professor in the Baylor University School of Education, whose research focuses on how children and youth engage with literacy across diverse contexts and the implications for literacy development and well-being. "It includes reading, writing, speaking and listening. Those are the fundamental things that we do with language to make meaning and communicate," Johnston said.

KXXV-TV

Featured:
Dr. Bill Sterrett, Professor and Chair, Department of Educational Leadership