March 2023

Charles Moore, who earned a M.Ed. in curriculum and instruction – reading and language arts education in 2020, has been named president of the Texas Council of Teachers of English Language Arts. His term began in February 2023 and will run through January 2024. Moore serves as a reading language arts curriculum specialist in the Dickinson Independent School District.

February 2023

Luane Araujo Rabello, a doctoral student in the counseling psychology program, received a 2023 Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco Travel Scholarship award to attend and present at the annual meeting in San Antonio in March. Araujo Rabello will present her research on vaping device use among Hispanic youth, and its relation to age, gender, sexual orientation and acculturation.

Taewon Kim, a doctoral student in the counseling psychology program, was selected for the 2023 Early Career Scholars Program from the Center for Research on College-Workforce Transitions at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She will study internship opportunities for East Asian international students from low social class backgrounds and how they can improve work capital and lead to positive work outcomes.

Jie Zhang, an associate professor of bilingual education and associate chair of the Department of Curriculum & Instruction, was selected as a 2023 Scholar for the Getting SMART: Comprehensive Program for Adaptive Interventions Training in Education. The program, funded by the Institute of Education Sciences, focuses on improving education or health outcomes among school-aged children. Zhang will attend the training at the University of Michigan in March.

Laura Sandling, who earned an M.Ed. in curriculum and instruction – reading, language arts and literacy education in 2019, was named a 2023 Houston Area Alliance of Black School Educators Teacher of the Year. Sandling teaches dyslexia and reading intervention at Red Elementary STEM Magnet School in the Houston Independent School District.

Graduate student Angel Hicks was named the 2023 Houston Area Alliance of Black School Educators Secondary Teacher of the Year. Hicks, who’s pursuing an M.Ed. in curriculum and instruction – learning, design and technology, teaches sixth grade math at Christa McAuliffe Middle School in Fort Bend Independent School District. She earned a B.B.A. in accounting from UH in 2009.

Eastman Landry, who earned an M.Ed. in curriculum and instruction – teaching and teacher education in 2018, has been named 2023 Teacher of the Year at Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in the Houston Independent School District. Landry teaches physics and earth and space science at the school.

Mavenys Shavers, who earned a B.S. in teaching and learning in 2021, has been named 2022-23 Rookie Teacher of the Year at Seven Lakes Junior High School in Katy Independent School District. Shavers teachers reading/language arts at the school.

Erica Spiegel, who earned an M.Ed. in special populations in 2022, has been named the 2023 Teacher of the Year at Keith Elementary in Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District. Spiegel teaches math and science life skills at the school.

January 2023

Mariana Flores, who earned a B.S. in teaching and learning in 2020, has been named 2022-23 Houston Area Association for Bilingual Educators Teacher of the Year at Bellfort Early Childhood Center in the Houston Independent School District. Flores teaches kindergarten at the school.

Yessica Castillo, who earned a B.S. in teaching and learning in 2018, has been named 2022-23 Houston Area Association for Bilingual Educators Teacher of the Year at Cornelius Elementary School in the Houston Independent School District. Castillo teaches third grade mathematics at the school. The finalists for the organization will be announced in April.

Andrea Jaime, who earned a B.S. in teaching and learning in 2020, has been named Teacher of the Year at Roosevelt Elementary School in the Houston Independent School District. Jaime, who has been accepted into the M.Ed. in administration and supervision program for fall 2023, teaches fifth grade science.

Two professional leadership — literacy education doctoral students will present their research about the power of storytelling with justice-involved adolescents at the Texas Council of Teachers of English Language Arts conference in Denton in February. Elizabeth Norris is a principal at J.C. Montgomery School in the Kings County Juvenile Center in California. Michelle Wright is an elementary English and language arts assessment coordinator in the Fort Bend Independent School District. Wright earned an M.Ed. in curriculum and instruction — early childhood education in 2010 and a B.S. in teaching and learning in 2008 from the College.

Graduate student Georgina Castilleja received the 2023 Mercedes Bonner Leadership award from the Texas Council of Teachers of English Language Arts. Castilleja, who is pursuing an Ed.D. in professional leadership – literacy education, is currently founding principal of North East STEM Academy, a Raul Yzaguirre Schools for Success charter school. She previously served as principal at Clifton Middle School in Houston ISD. Castilleja earned an M.Ed. in curriculum and instruction from the College in 2013.

Doctoral student and alumna Esmeralda Valdez received the 2022 National Association of College Auxiliary Services Volunteer of the Year award. She also was appointed to both the South and National Board of Directors for the organization. Valdez, who’s pursuing a Ph.D. in higher education leadership and policy studies, serves as executive director of University Services at UH. She earned an M.Ed. in higher education from the College in 2013 and also has a B.B.A. in management from UH.

Emily Messa, senior associate vice chancellor and associate vice president for administration at UH, was appointed vice president for the National Association of College Auxiliary Services Foundation board. The organization is a professional trade association supporting the non-academic segment of higher education. Messa will work hand in hand with the organization’s board of directors to establish the foundation's goals and objectives. She earned a Ph.D. in educational psychology and individual differences in 2015.

Joana Idakwo-Agha, who earned an Ed.D. in professional leadership – special populations in 2022, has been elected Human Rights and Diversity Committee Chair for the Council for Exceptional Children’s Division on Career Development and Transition. She currently serves as a program specialist for adult transition services at Fort Bend Independent School District.

Doctoral student Sarah Jerasa will join the faculty at Clemson University’s College of Education in fall 2023 where she will teach early childhood and elementary literacy education as an assistant professor in the Department of Education and Human Development. Jerasa plans to graduate in May with a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction – reading, language arts and literacy education. She previously worked as an elementary classroom teacher as well as a professional development creative writing coach with Writers In The Schools. 

Candice Wilson-Stykes, who earned a Ph.D. in higher education in December 2022, received the grand prize at the UH Graduate’s School’s Three-Minute Thesis Competition, held in November. Her thesis addressed communicating culture to students through email, and her research is set to be published in Strategic Enrollment Management Quarterly. Wilson-Stykes previously served as a graduate assistant for the UH Education Research Center, housed in the College of Education.

Michelle Waight a student in the principal certification program, has been named Teacher of the Year at Aragon Middle School in Cypress-Fairbanks ISD. Waight teaches seventh grade math at the school.

David Stroupe, who earned a M.Ed. in curriculum and instruction – science education in 2008, has authored the book “Growing and Sustaining Student-Centered Science Classrooms” (to be published in April 2023 by Harvard Education Press). Stroupe is an associate professor and director for STEM teacher education at Michigan State University and will transfer to the University of Utah in summer 2023.

Jennifer Chauvot, program director for the Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction and an associate professor of mathematics education, has been appointed president of the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators of Texas. Her term began in September 2022 and will run through September 2024. Her goals are to work with the board and membership to seek out innovative ways to stay connected and to enhance the organization’s positions around advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in mathematics education.

Doctoral student Anita Sundrani has been accepted to the 2023 Community for Advancing Discovery Research in Education Fellows program. She will have the opportunity to participate in professional growth activities, learn more about National Science Foundation practices and work with researchers across the country. Sundrani is pursuing a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction – mathematics education.