Wayne State University College of Education

Rema Reynolds Vassar is professor of educational leadership and policy studies in the Wayne State University College of Education. She is also the creator of Centering Black Children in Education (CBCE). The CBCE’s 2024 Sankofa Scholar Series continues with Lori Patton Davis, Ph.D., a higher education scholar, educator, and consultant, TODAY at 11 a.m.

The current socio-political context is coupled with legislation, and concerted attempts to erase Black people and our histories. Yet, Black feminists across time, past and present, continue to model strategies to ensure futures where Black children can exist and thrive. This keynote address, "When and Where We Enter: Modeling Black Feminist Possibilities for Black Children," will provide a reflection on and a reminder of the significance of Black feminism in guiding how we love, support, and care for Black children.

Learn more and register at https://www.cbceconference.info/event-details/sankofa-speaker-series-dr-lori-patton-davis

A special shout-out to Dr. Anglesia Brown, A*O III in Wayne State University Department of English who earned her Ph.D. From Wayne State University College of Education, here with her dissertation director, Dr. Sarah Lenhoff. Congratulations!!

An upcoming study conducted by Stacey Brockman, assistant professor of educational leadership and policy studies, was highlighted in a BridgeDetroit article about the new FAFSA and the challenges it has created for many Detroit students who want to attend college. Brockman's work focuses on the "pathways to and through college for Detroit students." https://www.bridgedetroit.com/the-fafsa-woes-complicating-federal-college-aid-are-especially-acute-for-some-detroit-students

FAFSA woes complicate life for Detroit students planning for college Students from low-income households and mixed immigration backgrounds have dealt with major red tape this year amid problems with the federal financial aid form known as FAFSA.

Today marks the 70th anniversary of the landmark decision in Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka. Aja D. Reynolds, assistant professor of urban education and critical race studies, was quoted in an Axios article by reporter Annalise Frank about current inequalities in Michigan.

Inequities remain across Michigan long after Brown v. Board Students of color in Michigan are less likely to have access to opportunities because many are growing up in districts with fewer resources

Congratulations to all our graduates!

The College of Education commencement ceremony will take place Thursday, May 2, at 7 p.m. in the Wayne State University Fieldhouse.

Can't make it to the ceremony? No problem! Watch the livestream at commencement.wayne.edu.

The college congratulates Donald Walker, a second-year doctoral student in the Wayne State University Teacher Education Division, on publishing an article in Techniques, a publication of the Association for Career and Technical Education. A CTE educator, Walker is pursuing a Ph.D. in educational studies with a concentration in curriculum and critical social inquiry. Read about his journey at https://www.acteonline.org/tech-stories-that-matter.

Diamond Don is telling stories that matter This is my CTE story.When I started high school, I was a solid academic student; however, I lost my way. Then I signed up for a radio course.

Large or small, every gift counts. Your choice to give fuels the collective momentum that propels us to greater heights each year. Almost half of the gifts received last year were less than $100, showing that when we come together, we are . Help Wayne State reach our goal on Giving Day 2024! When we GIVE GREEN, Wayne State’s impact will BE GOLD. To donate, visit givingday.wayne.edu/education.

Wayne State Giving Day is tomorrow, April 11. When we GIVE GREEN, Wayne State’s impact on students, faculty and research will BE GOLD. Can we count you to help us reach our goal in 24 hours? givingday.wayne.edu/education

Attend “State Takeovers, Literacy Lawsuits and Tomorrow: The Community Struggle for Black Educational Lives in Four Acts,” a panel discussion about protecting and reimagining education in Detroit. The program will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16, in the Partrich Auditorium in the Wayne State University Law School. Refreshments will be served at 12:30 p.m.

Detroit families have endured a quarter century of educational dispossession and malpractice catalyzed by state intervention. Beginning with the first state takeover 25 years ago, community activists have fought against the dismantling of schools and for the restoration of their children’s educational birthright.

This symposium explores the multigenerational struggle to resist state-enabled predation of the educational well-being of Detroit’s Black students. Four panelists — all integral participants in this struggle — will share their vision of what school can be for Detroit schoolchildren when Black educational lives matter:

1️⃣ Mother Helen Moore, Detroit education activist and founder/president of the Keep the Vote/No Takeover Coalition;

2️⃣ Dr. Pamela Pugh, president of the Michigan State Board of Education and chair of the Education and Health committees of the NAACP Michigan State Conference;

3️⃣ Aliya Moore, veteran parent activist and lead defender of Oakman Elementary School; and

4️⃣ Jamarria Hall, lead student plaintiff in the Detroit literacy lawsuit and a Detroit Public Schools Community District graduate.

Thomas Pedroni, associate professor of curriculum studies and policy sociology, will serve as moderator.

Registration is recommended but not required. Sign up today at bit.ly/STLLaT.

Need help paying for your degree? Apply for a scholarship! The application deadline is Monday, April 29.

The College of Education awards hundreds of scholarships to students each year. Applicants must be a current or admitted student in the College of Education, have a minimum GPA of 2.5 (undergrads) or 3.0 (grad students), and have a completed FAFSA on file by April 29.

To apply:
• Visit wayne.scholarshipuniverse.com.
• Log in with your accessID and password.
• Complete the College of Education application by clicking on "Applications" from the toolbar on the left side of the screen.
• Answer additional questions to match to more scholarships (optional) by clicking on the “Questions” tab on toolbar or “Qualify for more scholarships.”

If you have questions or need help, email [email protected].

Rema Reynolds Vassar is professor of educational leadership and policy studies in the Wayne State University College of Education. She is also the creator of Centering Black Children in Education (CBCE). The CBCE’s 2024 Sankofa Scholar Series continues with Erica B. Edwards, assistant professor of educational leadership and policy studies in the Wayne State University College of Education, on Tuesday, April 23. at 11 a.m.

During her keynote presentation, “Rest and Reflect! A Methodology for Centering Black Children in Education,” Edwards will give attendees space and time to consider three essential questions designed to connect them to their purpose and welcome the promise of their dreams for Black children into our work.

A former urban middle-school teacher, youth organizer, and non-profit program coordinator, Edwards's research makes use of community-engaged qualitative methodologies to advance educational justice, particularly with Black girls affected by the school-prison nexus. She also narrates narrates the experiences of Black women who teach across the P-20 school spectrum and writes about the educative value of television, film, and music.

Register today at https://cbceconference.info/sankofa-scholar-series.

Desiree Y. Harrison, a doctoral student in the educational studies program in the Division of Teacher Education, was a presenter at the Michigan Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (MI-AMTE) 2024 Conversations Among Colleagues, which took place at the University of Michigan-Dearborn this past weekend. Her presentation was entitled, "Disrupting Behaviors: Exploring Preservice Teacher Agency Development in Teaching Mathematics." She also presented her research during the Graduate Research Symposium hosted by the Wayne State University Graduate School last month.

Wayne State University Teacher Education Division

Francesca Pernice, associate professor of educational psychology and director of the counseling psychology program, has studied, promoted, and helped develop clubhouses — a community-based recovery program that helps individuals with serious mental illness regain independence and dignity — worldwide for more than 20 years. She was quoted in a LAist story about the proposed Fountain House clubhouse coming to Los Angeles area.

‘Community Is Therapy’: Why LA Is Getting A Clubhouse For People Living With Serious Mental Illness The clubhouse model offers a place for people living with mental illness to grow and recover in community. Research has shown they can lead to good outcomes.

Associate Professor Tamara Hew-Butler runs the exercise physiology lab in the Wayne State University College of Education, where researchers help individuals — including athletes from the Wayne State Warriors and Detroit Pistons — enhance their athletic performance and prevent injury. The lab is also a training ground for students like Mark Grove II, a management major in the Wayne State University - Mike Ilitch School of Business, who benefit from Hew-Butler's mentorship and guidance. https://education.wayne.edu/news/aspiring-physician-finds-mentorship-and-connections-to-future-career-as-a-student-researcher-in-college-of-educations-exercise-physiology-lab-61653

Aspiring physician finds mentorship and connections to future career as a student researcher in College of Education’s exercise physiology lab Research indicates people of color have better health outcomes when their primary care providers look like them. Yet, according to the National Medicine Association, less than 6% of physicians in the United States are Black. 

Tamara Hew-Butler, associate professor of exercise and sport science, was quoted in an article in The Economic Times about the purported benefits of hydrogen water.

Does hydrogen water live up to the hype? Hydrogen water is made by simply adding more H's into your H2O. But when it comes to its purported health advantages, researchers are skeptical. Hydrogen water is often packaged in sleek drink pouches or aluminum cans. Some brands sell dissolvable hydrogen tablets that you can plop into your water,....

The COE Upward Bound Program - Wayne State University is seeking peer advisors for its Summer Academy. Are you interested in being a mentor/tutor/guide to high school students? Potential candidates must:

👉🏽 Be available Friday, Jun. 24-Friday, Aug. 2
👉🏽 Be at least a third-year student at WSU
👉🏽 Take no more than one course (4 credits), If taking summer classes
👉🏽 Be well-rounded academically and comfortable tutoring more than one academic subject
👉🏽 Be highly engaged in mandatory staff training before the program and weekly staff meetings
👉🏽 Have reliable transportation to WSU's campus Monday-Friday from 8AM to 5PM
👉🏽 Be willing to travel in-state and out of state with Upward Bound students

Bilingual English/Spanish and ESL experience is a plus! Salary is contingent upon mentoring experience; peer advisors will receive bi-weekly paychecks.

The program is in the College of Education on Wayne State’s campus. To obtain more information, contact Ana Calandrino at [email protected]. To apply, email your resume and an unofficial transcript to [email protected].

The college congratulates alumnus Anthony Gaynier! His article, “Perceived Preparedness of Internal Medicine Interns for Residency and the Value of Transition to Residency Courses,” which was based on his dissertation, was recently published on Cureus.com. A clinical faculty learning skills specialist in the Wayne State University School of Medicine’s Office for Teaching and Learning, Gaynier earned his doctorate in educational leadership and policy studies in 2023.

You can read Gaynier's article at https://www.cureus.com/articles/209519-perceived-preparedness-of-internal-medicine-interns-for-residency-and-the-value-of-transition-to-residency-courses #!/

Under the guidance of Aja Reynolds, community activist and assistant professor of urban education and critical race studies, a cohort of Black girls are creating a mobile Detroit abolitionist museum exhibit. https://today.wayne.edu/news/2024/02/29/reclaiming-space-writing-their-own-history-61737

Reclaiming space, writing their own history Professor, youth activists creating mobile Detroit abolitionist museum exhibit A cohort of Black girls, under the guidance of Professor Aja Reynolds, are working to create a mobile exhibit celeb...

Rema Reynolds Vassar, Ph.D. is professor of educational leadership and policy studies in the Wayne State University College of Education. She is also the creator of Centering Black Children in Education (CBCE). The CBCE 2024 Sankofa Scholar Series May speaker is Dr. Ivory Toldson, the national director of Education Innovation and Research for the NAACP, professor of counseling psychology at Howard University, and editor-in-chief of The Journal of Negro Education.

During his keynote speech, "From Black Male Achievement to Black Women Empowerment: How Black Men Can Support Black Women in Higher Education," Toldson will share his personal and professional journey from being a researcher and advocate for Black male achievement to becoming an ally and supporter for Black women in higher education. He will discuss the challenges and opportunities that Black women face in academic leadership, as well as the role that Black men and others can play in promoting their success and well-being. Toldson will also address the recent cases of Claudine Gay and Antoinette Candia-Bailey, two Black women who served in leadership positions at Harvard University and Lincoln University, respectively, and faced systemic harassment and discrimination in their positions. He will offer insights and recommendations on how to prevent and combat such injustices and how to create a more inclusive and supportive environment for Black women in higher education. This keynote address will inspire and challenge the audience to reflect on their own practices and perspectives, and to take action to advance the cause of Black women empowerment in higher education and beyond.

Register today at https://cbceconference.info/sankofa-scholar-series.

The college congratulates alumna Vanessa Reynolds! She was recently named director of college admissions and success for the Michigan Hispanic Collaborative (MiHC), an organization that is working to break the cycle of Hispanic poverty through education and early career program support.

A three-time alumna, Reynolds has been a member of the Undergraduate Admissions team for more than 20 years. She began her career at Wayne State as a university counselor assistant II in 2003, advancing through a series of promotions. Reynolds was promoted to university counselor III in 2019 and earned her doctorate in educational leadership and policy studies in 2023. During her tenure, Reynolds served in numerous leadership positions on campus and in the community, with a focus and commitment to providing access to higher education. She was co-chair of the Board of Advocates for Latino Student Advancement in Michigan Education, chair of the WSU Latinx Faculty and Staff Association, and a member of the Conference Planning Committee of the Michigan Association for College Admissions Counseling.

In her new role, Reynolds will support and advance the collaborative’s commitment to improving Hispanic student outcomes through College Access, College Success, and Early Career/Young professional pipelines. She will develop and maintain strategic partnerships, manage a team of College Success Coaches, and drive the overall direction of the program to ensure the success of students and families. Reynolds will report to MiHC CEO and President JoAnn Chavez and be part of the senior leadership team.

Please join us in congratulating Vanessa on her new role! We wish you continued success in your endeavors.

As senior vice president and director of corporate quality at Comerica Bank, alumna Alicia Stephens uses her knowledge of human-centered design to ensure people and processes operate at the highest levels of efficiency and effectiveness.

Wayne State University Alumni Association

Capital gains: Alumna Alicia Stephens maximizes employee and organizational performance by banking on background in instructional design Pregnant with her first child, Pontiac, Michigan, native Alicia Stephens waddled into the Wayne State University College of Education, wondering if she could balance graduate studies with a full-time job and motherhood.

The college congratulates doctoral candidate Franziska Loetzner! Yesterday, she won first place in the Platform Talks category at the Graduate Research Symposium for her presentation, "Exploring Health-related Physical Fitness in Elite-level Special Olympics Unified Sports." Franziska is pursuing a PhD in kinesiology. We wish her continued success as she prepares for her dissertation defense. Good luck!

Sarah Lenhoff, associate professor of educational leadership and policy studies and director of Detroit PEER (Partnership for Education Equity and Research), discussed her research on Wisconsin Public Radio yesterday. Legislators there have proposed a bill to retain students with 30 unexcused absences. (Her interview begins around the 22:45 mark.)

Another retirement boom, Wisconsin truancy bill, Prioritizing friendships We learn why more and more people are retiring right now. Then, we discuss the affects of truancy on Wisconsin students. Later, we talk to the author of a new book about the social rules of friendships. Wisconsin Public Radio, © Copyright 2024, Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System...

Anita Bates, assistant professor and program coordinator for visual arts education, showcases paintings inspired by her childhood in Detroit in her latest exhibit and uses her passion for art to help young Black Detroiters embrace their creativity.

Celebrated painter, WSU professor Anita Bates reflects on her latest exhibit, her passion for teaching and the impact of art on young Black Detroiters As a child, Anita Bates obsessed over art. Whether scrawling in crayon on a den wall her parents allowed her to use as a canvas or smearing finger paint all over the dining room table, she says that, ...

Tamara Hew-Butler, associate professor of exercise and sport science, was quoted in a Health Reporter article about what Stanley cups tell us about Gen Z’s water bottle obsession.
https://health-reporter.news/what-stanley-cups-tell-us-about-gen-zs-water-bottle-obsession

What Stanley Cups tell us about Gen Z’s water bottle obsession - Health Reporter There is almost always a water bottle in Austin Cucchiara’s hands – and there is permanently one on his left forearm. There, in plain black ink, sits a tattoo of his 32oz (900ml) Nalgene plastic canteen, a staple in his life for the last decade. ‘Where I go, my bottle goes with me,’ says Cuc...

Calling all middle and high school students who want to become teachers! The first-ever Educators Rising Conference and Competition in Michigan is here, and it is your chance to jumpstart your teaching journey.

Join us from 9 a..m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, March 13, 2024, at Wayne State University for a day of inspiring workshops and sessions to develop your teaching skills, exciting competitions to showcase your talents, and networking with like-minded peers and experts in education. Registration is free and includes breakfast, lunch, giveaways, and the chance to win a trip to the national conference in Washington, D.C.

Don't miss this chance to explore your passion for teaching, gain valuable skills, and connect with a supportive community. Register now at bit.ly/EdRisingMI2024.

We can't wait to see you there!

Rema Reynolds Vassar, Ph.D. is professor of educational leadership and policy studies in the Wayne State University College of Education. She is also the creator of Centering Black Children in Education (CBCE). CBCE’s 2024 Sankofa Scholar Series kicks off with special guest Dr. Bettina L. Love — the William F. Russell Professor at the Teachers College, Columbia University and author of the New York Times bestseller Punished for Dreaming: How School Reform Harms Black Children and How We Heal — from 2 to 3 p.m. (EST) on Zoom on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024.

During her keynote presentation, “Forty Years of Harm and the Road to Repair,” Love will discuss the impact of four decades of educational reform, particularly on Black children who lived it firsthand. She will expose the profound consequences of these reforms and, drawing insights from leading U.S. economists, provide a reparative roadmap. Emphasizing the pivotal role of transformation, she advocates for reparations in her compelling address.

Register today at https://cbceconference.info/sankofa-scholar-series.

Francesca Pernice, associate professor of educational psychology, recently discussed the history, benefits, and effectiveness of the Fountain House clubhouse model — a community-based recovery program for people with serious mental illnesses she has been at the forefront of researching — on a segment of “Public Health in Action” highlighting mental health innovations that work.

Associate Professor Francesca Pernice discusses history, benefits and effectiveness of Fountain House clubhouse model on "Public Health in Action" Francesca Pernice, associate professor of educational psychology, has been at the forefront of researching and raising awareness about the Fountain House clubhouse model — a community-based recovery program nested within psychiatric rehabilitation principles that helps individuals living with ser...

Sarah Winchell Lenhoff, associate professor of educational leadership and policy studies and director of the Detroit Partnership for Education Equity and Research (Detroit PEER), was quoted in an article about Indiana lawmakers' efforts to address absenteeism on Indiana Public Radio's website.

Indiana lawmakers want early intervention for student truancy, shift away from courts A Republican lawmaker overhauled her own proposal to tackle student truancy at a committee hearing Wednesday, after a flurry of behind the scenes conversations. The original bill would have cracked down on school truancy by increasing family involvement with courts. The revised version focuses in

Tamara Hew-Butler, associate professor of exercise physiology, was quoted in an article that examines the difference between overhydration and dehydration and explores which one is worse.

Is Overhydration More Dangerous than Dehydration? | Weather.com Here's why you need to monitor your water intake - Articles from The Weather Channel | weather.com