Why Care About College?

by Rayma Abdallah
August 28
Thinking of what course to take to fulfill your U.S. Society (GU) general education requirement?The College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) has the perfect course for you, and the main goal of the course is to answer a question some students ask: Why care about college? The answers are many, of course, and can be explored in the course Why Care About College: Higher Education in American Life.Dr. Jennifer Johnson, associate professor here at the CEHD, has taught the course since fall 2017. She offers her initial thoughts to the complicated question at hand."College is...

Celebrating Success: Temple Education Scholars 2023 Students Embark on College Journeys

by Ivy Hoa Nguyen, in collaboration with Juliet Curci and Derek Coffman
August 28
Eccentric, feedback-oriented, ready-to-lead and goofy — these are just a few of the words used by Elijah Rhea, assistant director of college access and persistence initiatives at Temple University's College of Education and Human Development (CEHD), to describe the remarkable students of the Temple Education Scholars (TES) 2023 program. TES 2023 scholars are not only academically driven, but they also exhibit a huge passion for collective change. "The students are fun to be around. They are critical thinkers and have strong opinions about things that they want to see...

Meet Dan Overbay, CEHD’s newest Owl!

by Dawn Angelique Roberts
August 27
Dan Overbay, director of enrollment management at the College of Education and Human Development, is a new face in town and at the college.  Overbay, a native Alaskan, moved to Philadelphia from Portland, Oregon this summer after accepting the position with the CEHD.  A higher education professional with over twenty years of experience in public access-oriented institutions, Overbay is an advocate for first-generation college students. He is committed to utilizing his skills and expertise to achieve equitable opportunities and student outcomes. He has extensive knowledge of...

Alumni Spotlight: Brittany Wickham

by Rachel Berger
August 09
Every failure results in learning.It's not uncommon for excellent educators to share encouraging words like those with their students. Brittany Wickham, EDU '15, uses this phrase to describe her own journey. Explaining she always wanted to be a teacher and noting that while she was a well-behaved student, she was not a top academic performer, Wickham says her path to her career in education was a bit untraditional.She arrived at Temple in 2011 after transferring from Towson University and graduated with a bachelor's degree in adult and organizational development (AOD)."Your...

Sydney Smith, CEHD Alumna and Education Advocate

by Dawn Angelique Roberts
July 24
When Sydney Smith, EDU '23, stepped on campus as a first-year student, she was already a familiar face to faculty and staff in the College of Education and Human Development. Smith was in the first cohort of the Temple Education Scholars (TES) program.  TES is a year-long dual enrollment program designed for college-bound high school seniors to take up to five education courses at Temple University in a supportive environment. This program prepares students for future employment as educators within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.   "Joining TES made me really realize that I...

Living the Life You Choose: Heading Back to the Classroom

by Rachel Berger
July 21
The third time's the charm for Carlton John Steward. As he approaches his 50th birthday, he's completed the Temple Teacher Residency program and is launching a brand-new career as a teacher in an autistic support classroom at Strawberry Mansion High School."It's the first time I've been able to choose what I want to do, instead of react to a situation," Steward proudly exclaimed.Steward says as a child and young adult, he never had any desire to become a teacher. His mom was a special education teacher, and he saw the hard work she put in. He says at the time, he didn't think...

Getting to know Dean Monika Williams Shealey, Building Community, Achieving Excellence

by Dawn Angelique Roberts
July 03
Monika Williams Shealey, Dean of the College of Education and Human Development, is mission-driven and committed to collaborative community uplifting. She is proud to join the CEHD at Temple University because of the college's mission and commitment to excellence in education within an urban context. Dean Shealey is the first female dean in history of the College of Education and Human Development and is excited to begin her work in the college and in the community."I am thrilled to join the Temple community and work collaboratively with students, faculty, and staff, as well as...

Alumni Spotlight: Antonio Romero

by Rachel Berger
June 15
Antonio Romero, EDU '10, has spent over 18 years working with Philadelphia youth in various capacities. First as a para-educator while pursuing his bachelor of science in elementary education with a concentration in special education, then as a lead classroom teacher. Most recently, he returned to his alma mater to work in Undergraduate Admissions, where he currently serves as associate director for diversity initiatives and community relations."One of the greatest things I did as a student at Temple was gain real-life experience," Romero said. "My time as a para-educator...

Monika Williams Shealey named dean of the College of Education and Human Development

June 13
Following a national search, Monika Williams Shealey has been appointed dean of the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD), Temple University Provost Gregory N. Mandel announced Tuesday. A true leader in inclusive scholarship, Shealey is currently the senior vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) just across the river at Rowan University. Prior to that, she served as dean of Rowan's College of Education from 2013 to 2019. "Given her past experience with strategic planning, innovative program development, community engagement and higher education...

Institute on Disabilities Spring 2023 Newsletter

by Institute on Disabilities
June 05
The College of Education and Human Development is pleased to share our Institute on Disabilities spring newsletter. While some of the events included in the newsletter have now passed, the work produced is still vital and relevant. Topics include:Note from the Director, Sally Gould-Taylor, PhDCelebrating One Year in Our New Office SuiteBetter Together MuralInstitute Expo, June 21File/Life, We Remember Stories of PennhurstAdministration for Community Living GrantCDC Grant - Health DisparatiesMedia and Arts Culture Awarded Two GrantsDisability Policy SpotlightActivities from our...

Katrina Velasquez: Addressing Mental Health with Multicultural Sensitivity 

by Rayma Abdallah
May 24
Mental health is a topic that some people find difficult to openly discuss. Katrina Velasquez, a recent Temple University alumna who earned their graduate degree in counseling psychology from the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) earlier this month, is not one to shy away from the topic. Their passion for pursuing this degree comes from their own experiences with mental health, before and after beginning to work in the field. "Growing up, speaking about my mental health issues was taboo," Velasquez shared. "When I was older and turned to counselors, I often felt...

Grace White: Making Impact Through Early Childhood Special Education and Dance Therapy

by Rayma Abdallah
May 23
Family was the primary factor that drove Grace White, EDU '23, to pursue her degree in early childhood education with a concentration in special education at Temple University's College of Education and Human Development. White, one of four children, says her passion for making a difference in students' lives comes from her siblings.  Her older brother, Sean, was diagnosed with autism at three years old. "For me, this was a guiding hand into the world of education," says White. Her little sister, Isabella, was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and...

Special Alumni Recognition

by Rachel Berger
May 23
In the College of Education and Human Development, we are thrilled to celebrate the impressive accomplishments of our alumni. For 25 years, the Gallery of Success has honored select Owls that represent some of Temple University's most esteemed alumni.Meet the CEHD 2022-23 Gallery of Success HonoreeLynnette K. MawhinneyME '03, PhD '07Lynnette is a professor and chair of the Department of Urban Education and an affiliated faculty member in the Africana Studies Department at Rutgers University-Newark. Her research focuses on the retention and recruitment of teachers of color, and...

Josie Bursk: Ready to Make a Difference as an Early Childhood Educator

by Rayma Abdallah
May 17
Growing up surrounded by educators—her dad, grandfather and great-grandmother—Josephine "Josie" Bursk, EDU '23, aspires to become an educator herself. In high school, Bursk had the opportunity to volunteer at a preschool lab program where she met a student who made a lasting impression on her.  "He came into preschool not knowing any English, and I got to work with him every day," Bursk said. "We formed this amazing connection, and I remember, during this holiday party, when he ran up to me and started saying 'jingle bells, jingle bells.' Those were his first...

Rising from Student to Faculty: Promoting Early Literacy in Philadelphia and Beyond

by Cassy Pressimone Beckowski
May 17
Emmaline Ellis, a PhD candidate in Temple University's College of Education and Human Development, draws upon her teaching experience and love of children's literature to promote research-informed best practices for early literacy.  Emmaline Ellis, a PhD candidate in Education with a concentration in Literacy and Learners, has always had a passion for teaching. After completing her MSEd and MSW, Emmaline became a kindergarten teacher in the School District of Philadelphia."I really loved my job," Ellis shared. "I was really excited about teaching kids to read and write." But...

Graduation Spotlight: Whitney Skippings, An Advocate for Refugee Mental Health 

by Ivy Hoa Nguyen
May 08
"My previous education had focused on conflict and war, and all the other things that force people to leave their home country. It would be really great if I could help those people in a different way." This is what Whitney Skippings, who will give the graduate student address at the 2023 College of Education and Human Development graduation ceremony, shares about her change of career from international affairs to counseling psychology. Before starting her master of education in counseling psychology program in the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) at Temple...

Graduate Spotlight: Emily Davis, A Passion for Impact

by Rachel Berger
May 05
Emily Davis wanted to be a professional musician all her life. She started playing when she was three years old and even fulfilled a dream of playing at Carnegie Hall. Her Temple journey began as a music education major.But as she checked off goal after goal, she realized her true passion was in teaching and working with students receiving or in need of special education support.The Marlton, New Jersey native and undergraduate speaker at this year's College of Education and Human Development graduation ceremony, scheduled for Friday, May 12, says her passion is personal.Growing...

Keynote Speaker Spotlight: Adjoa B. Asamoah, Activist for Change

by Dawn Angelique Roberts
May 03
Adjoa B. Asamoah is a proud two-time Temple University graduate, CLA '98, EDU '01, and a Temple legacy, as her father, Kwame Botwe-Asamoah, is also a Temple Owl. "I selected Temple because Temple University is the first in the world to offer a doctoral degree in Africana (African American) studies," said Asamoah. "Many of the best thinkers and most renowned scholars in the discipline were there in the historic department. Add to that, the fact my father, now Dr. Kwame Botwe-Asamoah, was attending to earn his Ph.D., and it was clearly the school for me," added Asamoah.  As an...

College of Education and Human Development Keynote, Undergraduate, Graduate Graduation Speakers Announced

by Dawn Angelique Roberts
May 02
The College of Education and Human Development at Temple University is honored to announce Adjoa B. Asamoah, '98, '01, as the keynote speaker, Emily Davis '23, as the undergraduate speaker and Whitney Skippings, '23 as the graduate speaker for this year's Graduation ceremony on Friday, May 12, 2023, 9:30 a.m. at The Liacouras Center, 1776 N. Broad St. Asamoah, the keynote speaker and two-time Temple University graduate, is a lifelong racial equity champion, multiple award-winning social impact strategist, highly sought-after political power player, and history-making policy...