Insider ‑ Fall 2026
Stories of discovery, community, impact, and more across the Mary Frances Early College of Education
Fall 2026
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- Preparing teachers to support students with asthma
- Unsocial kids may be happier than you think
- New aphasia camp provides personalized communication support after stroke
- GoalDawgs camp bridges allied health, service-learning to support blind athletes
- Learning by serving: Stories from Bay Creek Elementary School
- The maker mindset: UGA students, elementary learners build creativity, real-world skills
- Student spotlight: Ikeoluwa Ojo (B.S.Ed. ’27)
- Meet our 2026 40 Under 40 honorees
- Honor roll of donors
- EduDawg’s Pop-up Shop
- Class notes
College welcomes 16 experts in aural rehabilitation, educational technologies, exercise physiology, and more for the 2026‑27 academic year.
College impact at a glance
FY26 graduates
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Discovery
College faculty shed light on how educators can better support students’ physical and social‑emotional well‑being
Training teachers and increasing support personnel can help students manage chronic illnesses, according to a new study by professor and associate dean Stacey Neuharth-Pritchett .
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Community
College and community partners collaborate to empower individuals through personalized support
This two-week program, co-designed by assistant professor Javad Anjum , emphasizes life participation through interdisciplinary collaborations, small group treatment activities, and one-on-one treatment sessions.
The camp and accompanying service-learning course, taught by associate professor T. Nicole Kirk , bring together visually impaired student-athletes, Paralympians in goalball, and UGA students pursuing allied health professions.
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Support the Dr. Davetrina Seles Gadson Memorial Fund
The University of Georgia and the Mary Frances Early College of Education community are proud to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Davetrina Seles Gadson—a beloved colleague, brilliant scholar, and fierce advocate for equity in healthcare—through the creation of an endowed student support fund. In addition to her clinical work with individuals with aphasia and their families at UGA, Gadson was instrumental in providing group therapy and other social opportunities for adults with aphasia.
Established by clinical associate professor Nina Santus and instructional technology principal Jeff Rieter, the Dr. Davetrina Seles Gadson Memorial Fund aims to support graduate students in the communication sciences and disorders program who are committed to serving individuals with aphasia, whether through therapy, research, advocacy, or by advancing equitable care in aphasia and related fields.
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Impact
College connects students with local schools to provide hands‑on teaching experiences and support young learners
Clinical associate professor Dave Chiesa has no shortage of stories about the service-learning course he developed in partnership with Walton County, Georgia, to support linguistically diverse youth.
Senior lecturer Gretchen Thomas understands that school can be stressful. So, she developed a service-learning course that focuses on embracing what she calls the “maker mindset.”
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Outreach spotlight: MERIT
The College’s Center for Multilingual‑Learner Education, Research, and Innovative Teaching (MERIT) leverages multilingualism as an asset, cultivates productive collaboration, and fosters spaces for purposeful conversation in the classroom so that all students may thrive.
To achieve its mission, MERIT conducts a range of research to inform the teaching and learning of all students, but particularly those who speak multiple languages or linguistic varieties. MERIT also provides high-quality professional learning and teaching resources designed to engage P-12 educators and equip them with culturally-responsive, innovative models for instruction and tools that build on students’ existing strengths, foster their English language and concept development, and empower them to become engaged and autonomous learners.
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Learn. Lead. Leave a legacy.
From a student making an impact in her community to alumni leading in their professions, discover how our College is making a difference
With extensive campus involvement and leadership experience, Ikeoluwa Ojo (B.S.Ed. ’27) aspires to make a positive impact in the classroom and shape educational policy to better serve students.
This year, the College’s honorees are Drake Bernstein (B.S.Ed. ’11), Jason Edwards (B.S.Ed. ’15, M.S. ’18, Ed.D. ’23), Miranda Williams Thomas (B.S.Ed. ’17), and Samantha Weldon (M.A.T. ’16).
The following notes were submitted to the Mary Frances Early College of Education in August for Insider and represent the professional updates and achievements of our alumni.
Support our work
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Every year, dozens of hardworking students receive scholarships and need-based aid from the Mary Frances Early College of Education to help remove financial barriers that make it difficult for them to focus on achieving their academic dreams.
Please consider contributing to the College of Education General Scholarship Fund or the Emergency Support Fund with a gift of any size to ensure our students achieve their goals no matter their background or financial standing.
Questions? Please contact Molly Thomas, senior director of development and alumni relations, at 706-542-2893 or molly2@uga.edu .
If you think the Grove has got nothing on the Arch, if the sound of Hotty Toddy makes you cringe, now’s your chance to join Bulldogs around the world and beat Ole Miss.
Nov. 2-7 is Beat Week, a one-week giving challenge that pits the University of Georgia against the University of Mississippi, and we’re calling on all alumni, students, parents, faculty, staff, and fans: make a gift, help UGA students, Beat Ole Miss!
Any gift of $5 or more helps set UGA students on a path to prosper and pushes Georgia closer to victory!
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EduDawg's Pop-up Shop
Show off your MFECOE pride with new limited‑edition apparel from the Mary Frances Early College of Education!
Our baseball tees and embroidered quarter-zips and crewneck sweatshirts make perfect gifts for soon-to-be graduates, current College of Education students, alumni, friends, parents, and more.
Grab your favorite styles for a limited time before our store closes on Friday, Nov. 20 at midnight.
Thanks to our donors, the College continues to be a leader in research, teaching, and service for future educators, exercise and sport scientists, counselors, organizational leaders, and more.
The Heritage Society honors alumni and friends who have made documented bequests in their wills or other deferred gifts in support of the Mary Frances Early College of Education.