Recognition
Every year, our people draw the national spotlight for their leading research and service in their fields. That includes career accolades, editorial appointments and other accolades that reflect the impact that the School of Education has on preparing future teachers, leaders, and counselors, deepening knowledge and providing services that improve the lives of everyone in our community.
Xu honored for scholarship in multicultural/multiethnic education
The American Educational Research Association presented Yaoying Xu, Ph.D., professor of counseling and special education, with its 2025 lifetime scholarship award in April. The Carlos J. Vallejo Memorial Award recognizes Xu’s enduring contributions to multicultural and multiethnic education – particularly in EI/ECSE, or early intervention and early childhood special education – through innovative research, mentorship and global educational leadership.
de Oliveira earns national honor for second language scholarship
Luciana de Oliveira, Ph.D., professor of teaching and learning, was recognized by the American Educational Research Association for her contributions to second language research, teaching and professional service. In April, the AERA’s Second Language Research Special Interest Group honored her with its Leadership Through Research Award, which recognizes second language specialists who are engaged in innovative research and work to support other scholars in the field.
Career impact award in rehab research presented to Wehman
Paul Wehman, Ph.D., received the 2025 National Distinguished Career Award from the Association for Rehabilitation Research, Policy and Education. A faculty member since 1976, Wehman serves as the interim director of VCU’s Rehabilitation Research and Training Center, after filling the role from 1983-2023.
His research and leadership have helped millions worldwide gain and retain competitive employment while navigating the challenges of neurodevelopmental disabilities and injuries to the brain and spinal cord.
American Counseling Association names Gutierrez as fellow
Daniel Gutierrez, Ph.D., professor of counseling and special education, was named a fellow of the American Counseling Association. This lifetime achievement award, the highest honor in the counseling profession, recognizes Gutierrez's profound contributions to the field through his innovative research, leadership, and commitment to advancing mental health and well-being. The honor recognizes individuals who have shown exceptional scholarship, service and dedication to the counseling profession.
McKnight named to endowed chair, receives honors
Named this year as the inaugural Schaberg Chair of Practice, Kim McKnight, Ph.D., ’17, was among VCU’s 2024 Alumni Stars, celebrating her as a trailblazer in education and for work that has transformed teacher training in Virginia and beyond. She also was celebrated last fall as part of VCU Alumni’s biennial event, which honors alums from across the university for their outstanding personal and professional achievements.
Additionally, McKnight, who directs the Center for Teacher Leadership, was cited by The Valentine as one of the 2025 Dominion Energy Richmond History Makers. At the event in April, she received the Creating High Quality Educational Opportunities Award.
Faculty earn VCU honors for academic leadership
Five VCU School of Education faculty members across three departments received VCU’s National/International Recognition Award (NIRA), which recognizes faculty who have been nationally or internationally honored for exceptional accomplishments and performing at the top of their academic unit:
- Christine Lee Bae, Ph.D., Foundations of Education
- Michael Broda, Ph.D., Foundations of Education
- Luciana de Oliveira, Ph.D., Teaching & Learning
- Daniel Gutierrez, Counseling & Special Education
- Christine Spence, Counseling & Special Education
NIRA Awards honor faculty whose work places them among the top 2% of their academic disciplines.
President’s Award of Excellence presented to Corrine Hill
In early 2025, Corrine Hill, M.Ed., received the VCU Award of Excellence from President Michael Rao during the university’s annual Service Recognition Celebration. The award recognizes her work as an early intervention professional development specialist at the Partnership for People with Disabilities and the Virginia Early Intervention Professional Development Center.
2 faculty celebrated for community engagement
In the spring, two faculty members received Excellence in Community Engagement Awards, presented by VCU’s Division of Community Engagement, for exemplifying the spirit of meaningful, collaborative, and impactful engagement at VCU and beyond. Their work is critical to support VCU’s Quest 2028 goal to increase coordinated programs and interventions in our priority partner communities.
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Kendra Johnson, Ph.D.,, Anna Lou Schaberg Endowed Professor of Practice
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David Naff, Ph.D., director of the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium
New awards of excellence cite five for engagement
In fall 2024, VCU launched our newly revised Community Engagement Awards of Excellence – going beyond training faculty, staff and students and capturing the impact of our work to recognize excellence when we see it. The program celebrated five members of the VCU School of Education:
- Sarah Lineberry, Ph.D., Seb Prohn, Ph.D., Angela West, M.S., Partnership for People with Disabilities
- Kim McKnight, Ph.D., Center for Teacher Leadership
- David Naff, Ph.D., Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium
American Educational Research Association’s Review of Research Award
A VCU School of Education team earned the American Educational Research Association’s Review of Research Award for its article on “Drawn Into Policy: A Systematic Review of School Rezoning Rationales, Processes, and Outcomes,” published in the August 2024 issue of the Review of Educational Research. The article provides a timely, cutting-edge synthesis of fragmented literature on school rezoning.
All members of the Department of Educational Leadership, the authors are Andrene J. Castro, Ph.D., Genevieve Siegel-Hawley, Ph.D., Kimberly Bridges, Ed.L.D., and Shenita E. Williams, Ph.D.
Drawing on critical policy analysis, the authors stress the need for transformative action that emphasizes “the intent of rezoning to transform school communities rather than replicate (or worsen) systems of educational inequity through school attendance boundaries.”
Ruch Award for teaching excellence presented to Bukoski
Beth Bukoski, Ph.D., professor of educational leadership, was recognized during May Commencement with the Charles P. Ruch Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Faculty named to editorial roles with industry journals
Two members of the Department of Counseling and Special Education have been selected for editor roles with academic journals in their specialities:
- Wendy Rodgers, Ph.D., associate professor, was named a co-editor of Teacher Education and Special Education beginning in Spring 2025.
- Daniel Gutierrez, Ph.D., professor, is now editor for Counseling & Values. He follows in the role after department colleague Abigail Holland Conley, Ph.D., professor.
Williams to help build capacity in community schools
The Institute for Educational Leadership has named Michael Williams, Ph.D., assistant professor of educational leadership, as a fellow in the inaugural Education DC Education Policy Fellowship Program: Community Schools Cohort.
This program is designed to build the capacity of community schools leaders to drive change through policy and advocacy. The curriculum focuses on grassroots advocacy, policy analysis and strategic engagement with policymakers, in part to assist underserved communities in gaining more access to higher education programs. Williams specifically is exploring ways to increase broadband access for community across Virginia to close the digital divide and open all resources to students.
Newcomb obtains advanced coaching certification
Whitney Newcomb, Ph.D., chair and professor of educational leadership, has earned Advanced Certification in Team Coaching (ACTC) from the International Coaching Federation, joining an exclusive group of under 350 professionals globally. This unique credential represents the highest level of global, independent validation for a practitioner specializing in systemic team coaching, as it shifts focus from coaching an individual within a team to coaching the entire team as a single system. The approach addresses complex group dynamics, stakeholder alignment and organizational context.
Honored paper explores open-access articles
Receiving the 2025 Award for Outstanding Scholarship in Library Publishing was “To Open or Not to Open: An Exploration of Faculty Decisions to Publish Open-Access Articles,” published in the Journal of Librarianship and Scholarly Communication. Project P.I. Jessica Kirschner, Ph.D., co-authors Katharine Miller, Jose G. Alcaine, Ph.D., Sergio Chaparro, Ph.D, and Nina Exner, Ph.D.
The article explores the factors influencing faculty decisions to publish in closed- or open-access formats, ultimately demonstrating the significance of the tenure and promotion process in their decision-making. Their survey data provides compelling evidence that library publishers throughout the community can use in advocating for policy changes to promote open access at their institutions.
De Arment named Arnold Teaching Fellow
Serra De Arment, Ph.D., associate professor of counseling and special education, was named an Arnold Teaching Fellow. These three-year faculty fellowships within our School of Education recognize individuals who have demonstrated excellence and national or global visibility in teaching or research. Fellows are nominated by department chairs and colleagues.
Doctoral student named AACTE Holmes Scholar of the Month
Christina A. Tillery, M.Ed., a VCU doctoral candidate reshaping the future of school mental health, was named the AACTE Holmes Scholar of the Month for January.
As Virginia’s School Counselor of the Year (2022-23), Tillery is leading groundbreaking research to create more supportive spaces in education. From pioneering “bibliocounseling” to launching Sister Circles, her innovative work bridges academic research and real-world impact.
Student chapter of VEA receives award of distinction
The Student Virginia Education Association (SVEA) at VCU, a student pre-professional organization, received the “Award of Distinction” for the 2024-25 school year during the state VEA conference in March. The award honors chapters that have developed and maintained effective programs.
