News and Announcements

The spring 2021 issue of Baylor Impact newsletter is now online and in the mail to alumni. This issue features the work of faculty, students, and alumni who are making a difference through education and is notable for the number of award-winning faculty and students we are celebrating — people you’ll want to know about!

Read about exciting and impactful new grants helping children with developmental disabilities like autism and their families and teachers, new leaders in K12 education, national professional roles for faculty, and so much more!

Maryann Hebda, a PhD student in the Department of Educational Psychology focusing on Gifted and Talented Education, received first place in the Non-Doctoral Completed Research Award from the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) at the fall 2020 Research Gala, part of the NAGC annual conference.

Hebda began her PhD program last summer and was encouraged by Dr. Todd Kettler, associate professor of Educational Psychology, to begin research and academic writing prior to starting the program. Her paper, titled Comparing Identification of Gifted and Talented Students in Two States with Different Policy Mandates to Identify, examined public record data to compare populations within gifted and talented programs between two states with different student-identification mandates.

Baylor School of Education [SOE] recognized six seniors as outstanding students at the 36th Annual Senior Recognition Banquet April 26. 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 2021 are:

• Cole Sussman — EDICUT Preservice Educator of the Year Award
• Angela Tallent — Dolores Coker Phi Delta Kappa Outstanding Student in Education
• Julia Gates — Lorena B. Stretch Award for Outstanding Student in Elementary Education
• Emily Dickey — Award for Outstanding Student in Middle Grades Education
• Mary Cade — M.L. Goetting Award for Outstanding Student in Secondary Education
• Samantha Schwartz — Award for Outstanding Student in EC-12 Education Programs

Dr. Laila Sanguras, a lecturer in the School of Education’s Department of Curriculum & Instruction, received the Baylor University Outstanding Faculty Award for Teaching / Non-Tenure Track. Sanguras teaches primarily in the EdD Online in Learning and Organizational Change. While carrying a full teaching load, Sanguras also mentors students, directs dissertation projects, and takes the lead in revising course sequences and in developing new initiatives.

“Dr. Sanguras’s student evaluations are consistently strong,” said Dr. Brooke Blevins, Associate Professor, department chair, and Conwell G. Strickland Endowed Chair. “Students frequently comment on the thorough and meaningful feedback provided by Dr. Sanguras . . . and how genuine and engaging Dr. Sanguras is during live sessions of the course and how she takes the time to get to know each student.” Students also describe her as “firm but fair,” Blevins said. Sanguras’ areas of teaching include educational evaluation and mixed methods research.

Dr. Stephanie Gerow, Assistant Professor in the School of Education’s Department of Educational Psychology, received the Baylor Outstanding Faculty Award for Research / Tenure-Track Faculty. Gerow has earned $1.8 million in competitive grant awards and received the Early Career Award from the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences (IES).

Gerow’s research explores interventions for children with autism and other developmental disabilities, addressing problem behaviors and teaching intervention strategies to parents and teachers to improve educational and social outcomes for children. Her external grant awards have funded five PhD students and a post-doctoral fellow. With 30 publications since 2015, she has involved 12 SOE students as co-authors on scholarly publications and presentations.

SOE Dean Dr. Shanna Hagan-Burke said Gerow’s professional accomplishments and service exemplify Baylor’s high standards. “Her service and outreach to children with disabilities and their families — particularly those who have limited access or means to support — reflect the intersection of her Christian commitment, her gifts of helping others, and her professional expertise,” Hagan-Burke said.

Dr. Lakia Scott, Assistant Professor in the School of Education’s Department of Curriculum & Instruction, received the Baylor Outstanding Faculty Award for Teaching / Tenure-Track Faculty. She began teaching at Baylor in 2014 and is an expert in literacy, urban education, and in the social, cultural, and political influences on educational practices and schooling. She received tenure this spring, so her title will change to Associate Professor this summer, and she also becomes Graduate Program Director for the department in May.

“Her peers and students recognize Dr. Scott’s prowess as an outstanding teacher,” said Dr. Brooke Blevins, Associate Professor, department chair, and Conwell G. Strickland Endowed Chair. “She has a unique ability to capture the interest of her students and push them to think about new possibilities. Dr. Scott has amazing commitment to preparing teachers and educational leaders who will respond to the new reality of education — a reality of diversity, innovation, and rapid global change.”

Scott said she is deeply honored to receive the award, because teaching is one of the noblest professions. Her teaching philosophy is one of inclusiveness and positivity.

Dr. Ryann Shelton, PhD ’20, was recognized by the School Science and Mathematics Association (SSMA) with the SSMA Dissertation Award at the virtual convention this past fall.

Shelton was nominated for the award by her mentor and dissertation chair, Dr. Trena Wilkerson, Professor of Mathematics Education in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction.

The purpose of Shelton’s study was to examine the practices of mathematics teacher educators (MTEs) — in this case, university and college instructors who prepare future mathematics teachers, specifically those who will teach in grades 9-12 — and how they design curriculum and plan for teaching content within a secondary mathematics methods course. She examined course content through the lens of the Mathematics Teaching Practices described by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) 2014 publication, Principles to Actions: Ensuring Mathematical Success for All. The dissertation was titled “An Examination of Designing and Planning for the Teaching of Secondary Mathematics Methods Courses through the Lens of Mathematics Teaching Practices: A Multiple Case Study.”

Baylor School of Education is celebrating Alumni Week and Giving Day this week. The SOE’s “Lunch & Learn” video for Alumni Week is available on demand now at this link:

“The Heart of a Baylor Educator” On Demand Video
“The Heart of a Baylor Educator” On Demand Video

During Giving Day on April 14, the School of Education reached its goal of 100 donors, unlocking a challenge gift from Bobby Nail, 1976 graduate of Baylor School of Education. The challenge gift provides $20,000 in student scholarship funds, in addition to the $5,825 raised from 111 gifts on Giving Day.

Baylor School of Education doctoral student Marie Kirkpatrick has received recognition from the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and the Organization for Autism Research (OAR) for her research related to autism.

CEC chose Kirkpatrick as an Outstanding Scholar to join the Division for Research Doctoral Student Scholars Cohort 13. Students are selected through an internationally competitive review process based on proposals and nominations. Kirkpatrick was nominated by Dr. Jessica Akers, her mentor and an assistant professor in the Department of Educational Psychology, specializing in Applied Behavior Analysis.

The Organization for Autism Research (OAR) awarded Kirkpatrick a grant of $1,730 for her doctoral dissertation research. A record number of proposals was reviewed by the OAR Scientific Council, a panel of experts, and awarded based on alignment with OAR’s research priorities, methodological soundness, and relevance for those affected by autism.

As National Autism Awareness Month begins in April, two Baylor University School of Education faculty members have received grant awards from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) to fund research and training in behavioral intervention practices that improve outcomes for children with autism. The awards provide over $800,000 in funding.

Tonya Davis, Ph.D., BS ’02, MS ’04, professor of educational psychology and director of the special education program in the Baylor School of Education, was awarded a $474,843 grant to provide intervention training to teachers who serve students with autism in kindergarten through 12th grade. Stephanie Gerow, Ph.D., assistant professor of special education, was awarded a $369,699 grant to provide intervention training to parents.

Stephanie Gerow, Ph.D., assistant professor of educational psychology in the Baylor University School of Education, has earned a coveted grant from the U.S. Department of Education to fund research that will provide early childhood professionals with behavioral intervention training for children with developmental disabilities.

The award—an Institute of Education Sciences (IES) Early Career Development and Mentoring Award from the U.S. Department of Education — provides $493,412 in research funding and is the first of its kind awarded to a Baylor faculty member.

Gerow’s grant is designed to help early-childhood professionals at community agencies and families learn to implement evidence-based interventions for problem behavior in young children with developmental disabilities.

Baylor School of Education’s Center for Christian Education has changed its name to the Baylor Center for School Leadership (BCSL) to better reflect its mission to serve school leaders.

Dr. Matt Thomas, Executive Director of the Center for School Leadership, said the name change does not reflect any change in the Center’s mission. “Be assured our mission and aim will not change, nor will the centrality of the Christian faith be diminished in any way,” he said. “In fact, this name change will enhance our ability to serve Christian schools and Christian leaders.”

Baylor doctoral student Lori Leibowitz took on a new job just two years ago, and in that time she has totally redesigned the gifted education program in her Connecticut school district. Recently she received national recognition for her efforts, which have resulted in inclusion of more students in gifted education programs, beyond those who do well on traditional academic measures.

A student in Baylor School of Education’s EdD Online in Learning and Organizational Change (EDD-LOC) and District Coordinator for the Gifted and Talented Program in Norwalk (Connecticut) Public Schools, Leibowitz received the 2020 Gifted Coordinator of the Year Award from the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC). Leibowitz holds an MA in education from Sacred heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut, and a BA in history from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. To her current job she brought more than 20 years of classroom and administrative experience in Connecticut elementary and middle-grades schools, including a seven-year stint teaching advanced learning programs.