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As the year comes to a close, we like to reflect back on progress and accomplishments as we also look ahead to future initiatives and our steadfast dedication to our commitments to democracy, diversity, equity and justice. Here are 18 of our top highlights from 2018.

Launching Ed Talks, a series of community events that explore “hot topics” in education and beyond

At our inaugural Ed Talks in May, we invited educators, alumni, supporters, and community members to explore "hot topics" in education through short, engaging presentations led by education professors. In the fall for our second Ed Talks, our faculty and CU Engage colleagues presented ways to challenge assumptions and create new paradigms around diversity and inclusion in education and beyond.

Watch the videos

Offering guaranteed admission to high schoolers who study education

Colorado high school students interested in becoming teachers and community leaders can now earn guaranteed admissions to ����������ý�Ļ���Ʒ’s School of Education. The admissions guarantee is thanks to a new agreement between ����������ý�Ļ���Ʒ and two high school concurrent enrollment programs, and .

Words of advice from graduation speakers and outstanding graduate award honorees

In our Outstanding Graduate series, we honored four exemplary education graduates who all demonstrate a commitment and passion for education. We also chose two student keynote speakers, Ofelia Schepers and Tyler LeCroy, to the stage at our graduation ceremony to share their stories of building bridges and finding your community and support system. Read our features to learn more about their journey through the School of Education and their advice for future graduates.

Releasing our first Voices magazine, our annual alumni and friends publication

We released our first Voices magazine this fall, our annual magazine published by the ����������ý�Ļ���Ʒ School of Education. This year’s edition covered topics such as teacher shortage in Colorado and beyond, transforming classrooms with love, and powerful partnerships. We encourage you to submit a class note, send us story ideas or comments, or update your contact information so you recieve our magazine.

Read the inaugural issue

Several faculty were honored with top national and university awards

• Dean Kathy Schultz was named one of just 11 prominent education scholars nationwide announced as a 2018 Fellow of the American Educational Research Association, the country’s largest interdisciplinary research association devoted to the study of education and learning. Since coming to ����������ý�Ļ���Ʒ in 2016, Schultz has focused on developing place-based partnerships to strengthen student teaching, professional development and research, policy and community-engagement projects. She is also one of seven current ����������ý�Ļ���Ʒ colleagues and AERA Fellows, including Rubén Donato, Kathy Escamilla, Gene Glass, Michele Moses, Bill Penuel, Lorrie Shepard and Kevin Welner.
• Ruben Donato was awarded the 2018 Distinguished Career Contribution Award from the American Educational Research Association. The award recognizes scholars who have made significant contributions to the understanding of issues that disproportionately affect minority populations. As an educational historian, Donato, professor of educational foundations, policy and practice, studies the historical dimensions of educational equality and has delved into the educational history of Latino education in the United States.
• Susan Jurow, associate professor of learning sciences and human development, was honored with the Provost’s Faculty Achievement Award for her contributions to learning in the food movement and her work focused on the organization of learning, participation, knowledge production, and social practices.
• Joseph Polman was named the president of the International Society of the Learning Sciences. Polman, professor of learning sciences and human development and associate dean for research, has been an active contributor to the learning sciences community for more than 20 years, previously served as president-elect, and was program co-chair of the 2014 ICLS conference when it was hosted at ����������ý�Ļ���Ʒ.
• Bethy Leonardi and Sara Staley, co-founders of A Queer Endeavor and research associates, were recognized many times this year from the university and the community. The ����������ý�Ļ���Ʒ Alumni Association honored Leonardi (PhD EFPP ’14) and Staley (PhD C&I Literacy ’14) with the 2018 Kalpana Chawla Award, one of ����������ý�Ļ���Ʒ's oldest traditions. They were also featured on the NBC Out #Pride30 series, which honored 30 innovators, change makers and rising stars of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community who are making a difference. Earlier this year, Leonardi and Staley also received the for their community contributions through A Queer Endeavor.
• . Moses, professor of educational foundations, policy and practice, had been serving as associate vice provost for Faculty Affairs since January and has provided leadership as chair of the Vice Chancellor’s Advisory Committee.
• Valerie Otero, Laurie Langdon, and the Learning Assistant Program and the Learning Assistance Alliance team earned the Excellence in Physics Education Award from the American Physical Society, "a leading voice in physics,”
• Kevin Welner and Bill Mathis, director and managing director of the National Education Policy (NEPC), were named the national Outstanding Public Educators by the Horace Mann League. Founded in 1922, the Horace Mann League’s purpose is to strengthen our public schools and strengthen the ideals of our democracy.

Just a few of our new or expanded programing and partnerships

• A collaboration between the ����������ý�Ļ���Ʒ School of Education and Northeast Colorado Board of Cooperative Educational Services has received a new grant that bolsters collaborative efforts to create a more sustainable teacher force in Northeast Colorado.
• From a digital literacies after-school program that aims to bridge digital divides to recruitment and retention research-practice partnership that aims to strengthen the teacher workforce, this year’s new place-based seed grant plant the seeds of fruitful partnerships in Colorado communities.
• After the devastating earthquake shook partner schools in Puebla, Mexico, the faculty, staff, and students in the BUENO Center for Multicultural Education rallied allies and friends to support partner schools in the historic Mexican city that has been so welcoming to BUENO Center faculty, staff, and teachers for more than a decade
• In an effort to help undergraduate students pursuing STEM degrees succeed in introductory mathematics courses, ����������ý�Ļ���Ʒ and 11 other universities joined in a five-year initiative to support the adoption of active learning for undergraduate pre-calculus and calculus instruction
• With additional support from two national organizations, a partnership between Denver Public Schools, ����������ý�Ļ���Ʒ, CU Denver and Rowan University will have additional support to expand the Student Voice and Leadership Program.
• . Many of the books include topics such as racial and ethnic diversity, diverse gender and sexuality, disabilities or exceptionalities, and science and math books, including books that were curated by the School of Education’s social justice reading group for families.