Tag Archives: Connie L. Lurie College of Education

Connie L. Lurie College of Education Dean Appointment

Editor’s Note: This message was emailed to all faculty and staff March 22, 2018.

Dear SJSU Community,

I am very pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Heather Lattimer as the dean of the Connie L. Lurie College of Education, effective August 1.

Dr. Lattimer joins us from the University of San Diego (USD), where she is a professor of education and the executive director of the Jacobs Institute for Innovation in Education at the School of Leadership and Education Sciences. Her areas of expertise include disciplinary literacy, teacher education, action research, learning design and international education.

Dr. Lattimer brings with her a breadth of knowledge about teaching and learning through her time as a faculty member and in various administrative roles. She is an inclusive and collaborative leader who has experience with new program development, establishing strong ties with community partners and working closely with industry leaders to create innovative teaching techniques. At USD, she helped to create an on-campus Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality (AR/VR) lab in partnership with HP and developed an open source learning management system in partnership with Qualcomm. In addition to her higher education experience, Dr. Lattimer also taught at the middle school and high school level for nearly 10 years.

Dr. Lattimer completed a bachelor’s in Social Studies magna cum laude with a certificate in African Studies from Harvard College; a master’s in Social Studies Education from Stanford University as well as her California Teaching Credential in the subjects of history, mathematics and English; and a doctorate of education with a focus on teaching and learning from the University of California, San Diego.

I look forward to working closely with Dr. Lattimer to enhance K-12 and higher education at SJSU. I am confident the university community, alumni, K-12 partners and supporters of the Connie L. Lurie College of Education will find Dr. Lattimer to be a dynamic and innovative leader.

As we prepare to welcome our new dean, please also join me in thanking Interim Dean Paul Cascella for his ongoing leadership, service, and dedication to the college and SJSU.

Sincerely,

Andy Feinstein

Alumna Leaves College of Education $1.2 Million

Edna Harrison

Edna Harrison

San Jose State University’s Advancement Office has received a $1.2 million estate gift from Edna Harrison, ’51, Recreation with a Specialist in Reading Teaching Credential, which will benefit the Connie L. Lurie College of Education.

After completing her education at SJSU, Harrison devoted her life to teaching, including a stint working at an elementary school in Germany that afforded her the opportunity to travel around Europe and the Middle East. When she returned to San Jose, she taught in the Alum Rock School District for many years while living in the Willow Glen area with her husband Richard, a niece and two nephews.

“Through her gift to our campus, Edna will continue her legacy of supporting education for a new generation of teachers,” said Paul Lanning, vice president for University Advancement. “The generosity of donors such as this allow us to provide an exceptional experience for our students and this is especially important in our College of Education as our graduates have a wide reach through their service in K-12 schools throughout our community.”

College newsletters published throughout the year

The University Library has published the Fall 2015 edition of “Academic Gateway,” a newsletter about the University Library. Contents include an article on a grant to digitize World War II Japanese Internment items, a letter from Dean Ruth Kifer and more. It is available for download from ScholarWorks.

Current and archived newsletters from other academic units and colleges are also available online:

College of Applied Sciences and Arts

Lucas College of Business and Graduate School

Connie L. Lurie College of Education

Charles W. Davidson College of Engineering

College of Humanities and the Arts

College of Science

College of Social Sciences

SJSU Research Foundation Office of Sponsored Programs Bulletin 12.15 (2)

 

November newsletter: Scholarship assists staff in reaching educational goals

Sami Monsur worked full time in the Connie L. Lurie College of Education while she was completing a degree in Spanish at San Jose State. She said Dean Elaine Chin offers $500 in professional development to each staff member every year.

“I was going for my bachelor’s and it really made a big difference with books,” Monsur said.

After she graduated with her degree in Spanish in 2011, she decided to donate $500 to create a scholarship for other staff members who are working toward their degree. She worked with University Advancement and Financial Aid to create the “Support Our Staff” scholarship, with the inaugural award given out in 2013.

This year, the scholarship fund received enough donations to give five $500 scholarships to San Jose State staff members who are completing a degree at SJSU.

Diana Fitts works as an assistant residential life coordinator while she is completing her master’s in occupational therapy. Fitts said she was inspired to pursue occupational therapy after spending time in El Salvador and the Philippines.

“People were in need of assistance, but they didn’t have resources,” she said. “I like figuring out what someone’s needs are and how to meet those needs.”

Fitts, who is scheduled to graduate in spring 2016, said the “Support Our Staff” scholarship allowed her to purchase books that will help her prepare for licensing exams and board certification.

Sarah Arreola, a specialist in teacher contracts and education projects in the College of Education, also received a scholarship this year. Arreola is working on a master’s in public administration.

“Getting a master’s has always been in the back of my head,” Arreola said. “I had strong family support and Sami (Monsur) encouraged me.”

Arreola, who uses the staff fee waiver program, said the scholarship has helped with books and other school supplies. She said her twin sons look up to her, and that she and her husband talk about college often with the boys.

The other 2015-16 recipients include: Amy D’Anna, a marketing coordinator in CIES who is pursuing a bachelor’s in public relations; Shawna Terry, a gift analyst in University Advancement, who is pursuing a bachelor’s in social science; and Nicole Arata, a barista with Spartan Shops, who is pursuing a bachelor’s in economics.

Learn more about the Spartans Supporting Spartans campaign.

Applications for 2016-17 will be available in early summer.

October newsletter: University 101 guides new faculty in first term

New faculty members are learning the ins and out of San Jose State with a new program titled “University 101.” Dennis Jaehne, who formerly served as the associate vice president of Undergraduate Studies and interim deputy provost, is coordinating the program and curriculum for the professors.

“The university is a complex system with lots of moving pieces,” Jaehne said. “I have a good picture of it after 26 years.”

For the program, faculty members are invited to attend four workshops that are two hours each, with an optional workshop each month. The topics range from student demographics and the admission process, Academic Affairs processes, budget and shared governance.

Andrea Golloher, a new professor in the Connie L. Lurie College of Education special education department, said she signed up for University 101 to learn “behind-the-scenes details that make the university work.”

“The session on curriculum requirements helped clarify some of my questions and highlighted some policies I was unaware of,” she said, via email.

Golloher said she would recommend the program to other new faculty and said she would suggest including information on parking/permits for future cohorts in an early session.

Ellen Middaugh, another professor in Education with the child and adolescent development department, said the program made her feel valued to know the university is making an effort to support her transition to the faculty.

“As new faculty, we have a lot to juggle with teaching new classes and keeping our research going,” she said, via email.  “While all the information we need is available online, it can be hard to make time to find it. So having an overview that lets us know what is out there and where to look is very helpful.”

New faculty members who attend all the monthly sessions will receive a stipend of $1,000 to use toward professional development, professional travel or equipment, with those attending 75 percent of the workshops receiving $750.

Dennis Jaehne, front right, welcomes new faculty members to University 101.

Dennis Jaehne, front right, welcomes new faculty members to University 101.