This edition of the College of Education Alumni Magazine is coming to you exclusively in electronic form for the first time in the publication’s history. We made the decision to not print and mail it because of a number of factors related to the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.

I know many of you have enjoyed the magazine’s content online — either through issuu.com or through links provided through our Bridges newsletter — for several years now. For those of you accustomed to reading the print version, we hope you enjoy the online experience. If you would prefer to read a hard copy, it is possible to download and print a PDF of the magazine from issuu.com.

While COVID-19 has disrupted how we do our work, I want to assure you that it has not disrupted our commitment to our mission of education, research and outreach. The University as a whole, and the College of Education specifically, demonstrated this spring that we are agile, adapting and evolving education to match modern times. We transitioned to remote instruction in just days this spring, and our students and faculty are finding creative ways to engage and maintain an academic community.

As an example, David Guthrie, associate professor of education in the Department of Education Policy Studies, was determined to hold a virtual hooding ceremony for his 13 graduating M.Ed. students, and he did it with the help of his wife, and photos provided by his students. Enjoy these photos of the event.

As we planned out this magazine, COVID-19 was looming on our horizon. We talked about sharing stories on how we are coping with changes brought on by the pandemic, but decided instead to share stories about the good work of the College, past and present.

As you, our alumni, are well aware, our faculty members have an impact that goes well beyond the classroom and research labs. They provide life-changing, immersive experiences for their students, inspiring them to action for the betterment of society.

On these digital pages, you’ll read about some of the work being done by faculty and students in our new Social Justice Collaborative; how two of our faculty members took their advocacy for people with special needs all the way to Washington, D.C., and one who is working to change hiring practices in charter schools.

Vanessa Siddle Walker, immediate past-chair of the American Educational Research Association (AERA), shared with us the story of her mother, a black teacher in the segregated South, who was welcomed to the Penn State University Park campus to pursue her master’s degree in education in 1954, just before the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision was handed down.

Meet a few of our alumni whose continued involvement in our College has been instrumental in shaping who We Were, who We Are, and who We Will Be. And meet alumnus Martín Benavides, who now is the Minister of Education in Venezuela.

These stories illustrate the impact our College has on society, and they’re only the tip of the iceberg. We would love to hear your story, too. Email us at edrelations@psu.edu to share what you are doing to shape your corner of the world.

Be well,
Kim A. Lawless
Dean, Penn State College of Education