News & Updates

UNC Charlotte’s doctoral program in counselor education has received the Robert Frank Outstanding Counselor Education Program Award from the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES), the premier organization dedicated to quality education and supervision of counselors. ACES recognizes one master’s and one doctoral program nationally each year for excellence in the education and supervision […]

Ali Petrauskas ’16 is a middle school art teacher in Concord, NC. Alumna Ali Petrauskas has been named “Rookie Teacher of the Year” by the North Carolina Art Educators Association (NCAEA). The NCAEA is the state’s largest advocacy group dedicated to supporting visual arts education. Petrauskas is in her third year as an art teacher […]

The inaugural class of graduates from UNC Charlotte’s novel online master’s program in urban education are applying their new skills in and outside of schools across the country. 24 students from diverse backgrounds earned their degree in May, introducing a group of teachers, entrepreneurs, administrators, and community leaders prepared to make a difference in significant, […]

Lydia Fergison, principal of North K-8 Language Academy and education doctoral student, is the first recipient of the Theresa Perez Memorial Scholarship. Funded by faculty, staff and friends of UNC Charlotte, the scholarship was created to honor the late Cato College of Education faculty member and dedicated community activist who led the establishment of the […]

Two UNC Charlotte counseling doctoral students have earned prestigious national fellowships for their work supporting the mental health and wellness of underserved minority communities. Brittany Glover was accepted to the National Board for Certified Counselors Minority Fellowship Program and Meg Garcia was admitted to the American Psychological Association Interdisciplinary Minority Fellowship Program. National Board for […]

Transferring from community colleges to universities has become an increasingly important path for students nationwide, with more than 12,000 making the jump each year in North Carolina alone. While providing financial and academic benefits for many, nuances can accompany the transfer process. Now, thanks to more than $450,000 in funding from the John M. Belk […]

The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) has announced that the UNC Charlotte Cato College of Education is one of 60 providers nationally to receive accreditation for their educator preparation programs. The spring 2021 review by the CAEP Accreditation Council resulted in 60 newly-accredited programs, bringing the total to 423 providers approved under […]

Lesli Kathman sat in class at UNC Charlotte and emitted a small sigh as her professor said those dreaded words: “You’ll remember this from high school.” In fact, she did not remember much from high school, because 30 years had passed between graduation and when she entered the university’s educator-preparation program. “Many of these ideas […]

The Cato College of Education is proud to recognize Jonie Stumbo 19’ with the 2021 Page and Ed Kizer Beginning Teacher Award, honoring Stumbo’s commitment to the teaching profession and student motivation. The award annually recognizes an outstanding beginning teacher who is a graduate of one of UNC Charlotte’s undergraduate education programs and is in […]

Located in a quiet, wooded section of the UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens, the Polly Rogers Memorial Sensory Garden opened to the public on Saturday morning, May 22. Attended by family members and supporters, the virtual ceremony marked the official public opening of Polly’s Garden, which was built to celebrate the life of UNC Charlotte student […]

Walking across the stage to accept a college diploma is the crowning achievement of one’s academic life. It marks the end of a journey that often includes obstacles and challenges overcome by hard work and perseverance. It also signifies the start of a new chapter as graduates begin their post-graduate lives. Add in a once-in-a-generation […]

Drew Polly, a professor in the Department of Reading and Elementary Education, is one of eight experts across the country who led the revision of the national standards for partnerships between universities and K-12 schools in preparing future teachers. Released by the National Association of Professional Development Schools, “What it Means to be a Professional […]

Marquis Mason, an education doctoral student at UNC Charlotte, was recently awarded the Faye Jacques Memorial Graduate Fellowship, which was established in 2009 by the friends and family of Ms. Faye Jacques in honor of her tireless dedication to UNC Charlotte and graduate education. Mason is a student in the Curriculum and Instruction program with […]

Cato College of Education professor Heather Coffey has been selected by the University of North Carolina Board of Governors for a 2021 Award for Excellence in Teaching. Established by the board in 1993 to highlight the importance of teaching, the awards recognize the extraordinary contributions of faculty members across the UNC System. Coffey is a […]

Cato College of Education alumna Amy Hicks says her heart was rejuvenated and skills shapened by earning a master’s degree. Now, the 35-year teaching veteran is a finalist for Cabarrus County Teacher of the Year for the third time. One colleague described her as a LeBron James of the classroom. Read more

A unique initiative created by the Cato College of Education and Kannapolis City Schools has been recognized as an Exemplary Partnership by the National Association for Professional Development Schools. UNC Charlotte and Kannapolis City Schools are currently in the third year of an initiative allowing an annual group of elementary school candidates to pair with […]

A project led by a UNC Charlotte doctoral candidate along with local high school students and experts is tracing the history of the Black educational experience in Charlotte and finding wisdom in the past to apply to the issues of today. The brainchild of Jimmeka Anderson, a Ph.D. student in the Curriculum and Instruction – […]

On March 16, eight people including six Asian women in the Atlanta, Georgia area were murdered, in yet another senseless act of racism, committed this time against our Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. We acknowledge the long history of anti-Asian hate towards Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders throughout the United States. The recent escalation […]