Dean’s Welcome

Dean Randy Penfield headshot

It is my sincere pleasure to welcome you to the School of Education at UNC Greensboro. We are a diverse and inclusive community of faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community partners, all dedicated to creating life-changing opportunities through education. At the foundation of all that we do is an unwavering commitment to promoting a just society through valuing diversity and fostering social and educational equity.

The history of the School of Education (SOE) extends back nearly 100 years as one of the first teacher preparation programs established in the state of North Carolina. Today, the SOE is a center of excellence offering over 20 outstanding undergraduate and graduate degree programs that provide a world-class learning experience for our students. Along with rigorous in-class preparation, a cornerstone of our programs is extensive experiential learning opportunities through internships, practicums, field placements, study abroad, faculty-mentored research, and student innovation projects. These opportunities prepare our students with the intellectual skills and cultural awareness to have a positive impact across the varied multicultural environments of our state and the nation.

Faculty of the SOE are internationally recognized researchers dedicated to promoting a more equitable and just society through developing solutions to the greatest challenges facing education and the socio-emotional well-being of children and families. Each year, we lead dozens of research projects and community-based initiatives supported by millions of dollars from federal, state, and private granting agencies. Numerous high-impact innovations — now implemented across our region and the nation — were developed right here in the SOE.

Our broad network of partnerships extends to hundreds of schools, public libraries, and community organizations across North Carolina. These partnerships offer valuable opportunities for experiential learning of our students while also providing direct benefit to our community through expanded capacity and supports. Indeed, each year our faculty and students provide nearly 300,000 hours of support and service to our community.

We appreciate your interest and invite you to explore the many opportunities available in the SOE. Should you have any questions, we hope you will contact us to learn more.

Randy Penfield
Dean, School of Education

Dean’s Fellows

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

Leila Villaverde, Professor of Educational Leadership and Cultural Foundations

Faculty Support and Engagement

Silvia Bettez, Professor of Educational Leadership and Cultural Foundations

Innovation

Scott Young, Professor of Counseling and Educational Development

International Programs

Ye (Jane) He, Professor of Teacher Education and Higher Education

Dean’s Council

NameTitleAddressContact
Morgan ChitiyoSES Department Chair, Professor444 SOE Buildingm_chitiyo@uncg.edu
Jewell CooperAssociate Dean for Academic Affairs and Student Services, Professor321 SOE Buildingjecooper@uncg.edu
Courtney DabneySenior Director of Development346 SOE Buildingchdabney@uncg.edu
Jacqueline DozierDirector of Student Success142-A SOE Buildingjndozier@uncg.edu
Robert HensonAssociate Dean of Research320-A SOE Buildingrahenson@uncg.edu
Christina O’ConnorAssistant Dean of Educator Preparation253-A SOE Buildingckoconno@uncg.edu
Lisa O’ConnorILRS Department Chair, Associate Professor446-A SOE Buildinglgoconno@uncg.edu
Craig PeckELC Department Chair, Associate Professor366-A SOE Buildingc_peck@uncg.edu
Chris RashPublic Communications Specialist328 SOE Buildingcmrash@uncg.edu
Kerri RichardsonTEHE Department Chair, Associate Professor488-A SOE Buildingkrichardson@uncg.edu
Lori SandsDirector, Michel Family Teaching Resources Center/ILRS Affiliated Faculty306-C SOE Buildinglori.sands@uncg.edu
Kelly WesterCED Department Chair, Professor219 Curry Buildingklwester@uncg.edu

SOE SCHOLARSHIPS & FUNDING

A variety of financial aid is available to our students, including scholarships based on academic merit and financial need. We invite you to explore the many scholarship and funding opportunities offered in the School of Education.