UNC Greensboro

McCaskill, Ho Selected as 2024 Smiley Award Recipients

Mary Beth McCaskill (left) and Youn Jung Ho (right), recipients of the 2024 Smiley Award

The Smiley Award, which supports global educational opportunities for current School of Education (SOE) undergraduate and graduate students, has been presented to undergraduate student Mary Beth McCaskill (Department of Teacher Education and Higher Education) and graduate student Youn Jung Ho (Department of Counseling and Educational Development). These students will represent the SOE as Global Education Ambassadors through international or local engagement. 


Global Perspectives for Productive Classrooms

Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement students gather at the UNCG Alumni House

What makes a classroom work? How can you engage students through play and technology? How does culture play a role in learning? This year’s cohort in the Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement (Fulbright TEA) Program came to UNC Greensboro to discover answers to these questions and more over their six-week residency. Fulbright TEA is a U.S. government program supported by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the United States Department of State, and administered by the International Research and Exchanges Board.


Smiley Award Helps Harrison Study in Costa Rica

Dauria Harrison pets a rabbit during her time abroad in Costa Rica

The Smiley Award supports global educational opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students in UNC Greensboro’s School of Education and is presented annually. One of last year’s recipients, Dauria Harrison, was able to spend part of her summer on an immersive and service-learning program in Costa Rica. 


UNCG ALUMNA SPEARHEADS FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND NC LANGUAGE PROGRAM

A pink marker highlights the word "Urdu" in a dictionary

We all want the best environment for our children, and when there’s an unmet need, UNC Greensboro students and alumni do everything in their power to meet that need, even if it hasn’t been done before. In 2018, Principal Carla Flores-Ballesteros ’04, found herself pitching an idea to support the students in her community through language development.


Visit to Finland Exposes Student Teachers to New Experiences

School of Education students on a study abroad experience in Finland

In April of 2023, 16 UNC Greensboro School of Education student teachers traveled to Oulu, Finland, to extend their student teaching experience. Finland is one of the world’s highest achieving countries according to the PISA, the international exam for measuring educational achievement.


Growing Teachers Around the World Through IGNITE

Karena Zhang, left, and Yue Yin, right, graduates of UNCG TESOL programs pictured above the Project Ignite logo

UNC Greensboro’s Innovation to Grow, Nurture, and Inspire Teachers of English-learners (IGNITE) trains Spartans to be at the forefront of Teaching English as a Second Language (TESOL). The IGNITE program began in 2022 and offers six different programs for learners on different career paths, including a fully-funded opportunity through the UNCG TESOL master of arts in teaching (MAT) program.


Harrison, Hogan Named Recipients of 2023 Smiley Award

Smiley Award Recipient badge

The Smiley Award, which supports global educational opportunities for current School of Education undergraduate and graduate students, has been presented to undergraduate student Dauria Harrison and graduate student Kevin Hogan. These students will represent the SOE as Global Education Ambassadors through international or local engagement.


Families Celebrate Completion of Spanish Heritage Language Academy

A family participating in the Heritage Language Academy looks at a story

Students, families, and educators celebrated their completion of the 2023 Spanish Heritage Language Academy (HLA) at UNC Greensboro on March 11. HLA is a long-standing partnership between UNCG and Asheboro City Schools. This program engages both students and families in project-based heritage language and cultural exchanges facilitated by ACS educators. Through the HLA program, students are not only learning the Spanish language, but also engaged in learning with their parents.