College of Education

LETTER FROM THE DEAN

The Rising Tide 2.0 Capital Campaign has positioned the College of Education to increase its impact on students and communities and lead the way in our fields. We’ve recruited the top faculty in the fields of education, literacy, kinesiology, counseling and other disciplines while also graduating top-tier students into their respective fields. Without a doubt, this is only possible with the generous support of our donors.

Each year, students face fierce challenges as they pursue and achieve their dreams. In response, we’ve created an environment of support and belonging, something only possible due to private donations. Your contributions help knock down financial barriers and open doors so that all students can succeed.

We’re not finished! We recognize that our state faces a severe shortage of teachers, and we’re stepping up to meet the moment by aiming to double our output of high-quality educators in key areas. For instance, we see the persistent obstacles our society faces in achieving optimal health, and our kinesiology program aims to equip future professionals who discover and implement innovative approaches to rehabilitation, performance and overall wellness. Our CrossingPoints Program continues to graduate adults with intellectual disabilities who go on to thrive in their chosen careers and independent settings. And our Adapted Athletes, with an unparalleled facility and culture of excellence, just keep winning – not only on the courts/track, but in the classroom and beyond. In fact, we just launched a new certificate in Paralympic sports that will transform lives far beyond this campus.

For all of this and more, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to all who have given and continue to give. Your support changes not just the lives of the students who enter our classrooms but also the lives they will touch when they leave.

Joyce Alexander, PhD
Dean
College of Education

Joyce Alexander standing in front of a building with a warm smile on her face.

THE MOMENTUM WE BUILT

$35.2M

TOTAL RAISED

50

NEW ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIPS

9,700

GIFTS RECEIVED

THE IMPACT OF RISING TOGETHER

LASTING PRIDE: STRAN-HARDIN ARENA

In 2003, with grit and a lot of hustle, Drs. Margaret Stran and Brent Hardin launched the Alabama Adapted Athletics Program with the help of volunteers and use of a shared space.

The program experienced great success in its early years, but it wasn’t until 2018 that the program would move into a state-of-the-art, one-of-a-kind facility for adapted athletes – the Stran-Hardin Arena.

A student originated the idea for Stran-Hardin Arena. During an off-campus visit, student-athlete Sean Castle spoke with Mike Mouron about the program and its need for a new home. Conversations about a dedicated facility had begun in earnest, and once UA alumni Mike and Kathy Mouron heard the plans, they quickly embraced the idea.

“The arena wouldn’t exist without them,” said Stran, associate director of UA Adapted Athletics. “It gave us a home. It gave our program permanence and a physical space where our athletes can find and build their community.”

The Mourons made a $4 million lead gift to the project and, in 2018, Stran-Hardin became the largest facility in the world dedicated to adapted athletes and the first collegiate facility in the U.S. specifically designed for adapted athletics. Today, the arena is home to UA’s men’s and women’s wheelchair basketball teams and features an NCAA regulation basketball court, high-performance training and weight rooms, team locker rooms and a sports medicine center, as well as conference space and office suites.

The arena has fueled the growth of one of the most successful adapted athletics programs in the nation. Since its founding, Alabama Adapted Athletics has captured 26 national championships across all sports and has sent numerous student-athletes, coaches, alumni and staff to the Paralympic Games, many of whom have brought home medals.

The program has continued to expand as support has grown. It began with women’s wheelchair basketball, adding a men’s team in 2005, men’s and women’s wheelchair tennis in 2011 and, most recently, para track and field in 2023. In 2021, support from the Parker-Haun family funded the construction of the Parker-Haun Tennis Facility, further elevating the tennis program and Adapted Athletics as a whole.

The program’s growing number of athletes and strong community support highlight its value and have deepened gratitude, as well as the need for continued support. With the para track and field team graduating 10 student-athletes this year and seeing 17 incoming athletes for its fourth season, increased space, additional scholarships and efficient program resources will be a necessity moving forward.

Partnerships with the College of Education and a host of fantastic donors, many of whom were introduced to the program through The Rising Tide 2.0 Capital Campaign, allow Alabama Adapted Athletics to give its student-athletes such valuable experiences.

“Having the campaign and all that awareness allows us to provide the same level of support and opportunity to our athletes even as we’re doing more,” Stran said.

Donor investment reaches nearly every facet of the program’s operations. It supports educational opportunities for student-athletes and funds facility development, new equipment, nutrition and training resources, summer camps and occasional special events, raising awareness of the program’s impact. Summer camps and events allow the program to reach young students who may be wondering what a transition to a university would look like. These positive experiences give them the opportunity to see themselves in such spaces.

A SITE FOR EXCELLENT ACADEMICS

Adapted Athletics has become a hub for research and education, with Stran-Hardin providing both space and opportunity for researchers to work with athletes and collect data. Much of this is accomplished through the Paralympic Sport Initiative, which is built around three foundational pillars: athletics or high performance, education and research.

This year, the College launched a new Paralympic Sports Certificate, a collaboration between Adapted Athletics and the department of kinesiology. The certificate program will give students the opportunity to increase their knowledge and experience in adapted and Paralympic sports, ultimately preparing them to work specifically with athletes with ambulatory disabilities.

The Adapted Athletics program is also conducting groundbreaking research in areas including concussion protocols for athletes with spinal cord injuries, concussion assessment in athletes with amputations and mental health among athletes with physical disabilities.

“There is not a ton of research on adapted athletics,” Stran said. “Even basic studies involving concussion protocols for amputees and people with spinal cord injuries did not exist until we started this research.”

Stran was recently awarded an Extended Impact Grant from the Christopher and Diana Reeve Foundation that will build on the transformative work already underway on campus. The grant will focus on providing motorized wheelchair attachments to individuals at other universities nationwide. This will help other students in need and illustrate the attachments’ value for long-term shoulder health, especially for student-athletes whose upper bodies are essential for sport and daily living.

IMPACT FAR BEYOND CAMPUS

For more than 20 years, the program has hosted its Overnight Wheelchair Basketball Camp, welcoming athletes with disabilities from across the U.S. to train alongside its student-athletes and coaches. This year, it introduced a new All-Sport Day Camp that allowed young participants in the community to experience wheelchair basketball, wheelchair tennis and para track and field in a fun, supportive environment.

This year’s overnight camp, largely supported through donor contributions, hosted a record-breaking 79 participants. Additional recent donor support will allow the program to launch a girls-only summer camp, continuing to foster opportunities for young athletes with physical disabilities.

Recent connections with the Indian and Japanese wheelchair basketball federations are also helping create new educational experiences and could bring international adapted athletes to campus for future training camps. This partnership will promote training and education as well as cultural exchange opportunities for all involved.

“Support from so many of our donors helps our athletes attend school and be successful,” Stran said. “Research has shown that students involved in collegiate adapted athletics are more likely to be employed than those who are not. It’s not just that [sports are] good for your health – they can impact your life and career long after college.”

When Mike and Kathy Mouron helped bring Stran-Hardin Arena to life, they did more than back a new sports facility. Their support helped secure the Alabama Adapted Athletics program’s future and create a place of belonging for the University’s adapted athletes.

“Community is so important, especially for kids who grow up with or acquire a disability,” Stran said. “Having a safe place to go where people get you is so valuable, and the arena gives our students that space.”

The exterior of Stran Hardin at night, illuminated by street lights and surrounded by plants and poles. The building has glass walls and doors, and something written on it. The sky is visible in the background.

Stran-Hardin Arena opened in 2018 following a $4 million lead gift from UA alumni Mike and Kathy Mouron.

Mike and Kathy Mouron receive a signed game ball during a wheelchair basketball game at Stran-Hardin Arena in 2020.

DIGITAL LITERACY: PREPARING YOUNG LEARNERS FOR WHAT'S NEXT

Dr. Amy Hutchison, the Fayard Endowed Chair in Literacy Education, and Caitlin Renda, first-year graduate student in the collaborative education program at UA, observe a student at Arts ‘n Autism as she completes a computer science task during an after-school program during Fall Semester 2023.

A female college student guides a female elementary student through a science project.

Renda says the breakthroughs students experience in programming tasks at Arts ‘n Autism validate the need to expand STEM opportunities for all students.

Dr. Amy Hutchison, the Fayard Endowed Chair in Literacy Education, and Caitlin Renda, first-year graduate student in the collaborative education program at UA, observe a student at Arts ‘n Autism as she completes a computer science task during an after-school program during Fall Semester 2023.

With technology constantly evolving and becoming increasingly embedded in daily lives, it is more important than ever that students stay ahead of the curve. By developing digital literacy skills at a young age, students are preparing for a future where they will need to know how to navigate, evaluate and effectively use these emerging technologies.

Nancy and Gary Fayard recognized the importance of digital literacy and established an endowed professorship to meet this educational need. Their support is helping Dr. Amy Hutchison and her team make digital literacy education accessible to all students, starting with those in Alabama.

Since being named the Fayard Endowed Chair in Literacy Education in 2022, Hutchison launched the Digital, Computational and Data (DCoaD) Literacies Lab, enabling her to build a pipeline that brings cutting-edge literacy research and innovative digital learning experiences to students and classrooms across West Alabama. Through DCoaD, she is readying young learners for the future and mentoring the next generation of literacy researchers.

Hutchison and her research team bring learning opportunities to all young learners in West Alabama by integrating digital, computational, media, data and artificial intelligence (AI) literacies. They provide teaching and learning support in rural communities, equipping teachers and students, especially those with disabilities, with the skills needed to navigate the rapidly changing digital world.

READING, WRITING AND RETHINKING AI

Support from the endowment has assisted Hutchison and her team to secure five National Science Foundation grants. Combined with endowment support, this funding has fueled state-of-the-art research. These grants support five compounding multi-year projects aimed at preparing students to be fully literate in digital technologies. As AI becomes more prevalent, three of these projects specialize in using AI tools in the classroom:

PrimaryAI: The largest project is a multi-university collaboration seeking to create an immersive, inquiry-based AI literacy curriculum that helps both elementary school teachers and their students learn to engage with AI. By the end of the grant, Primary AI is expected to reach approximately 3,000 students.
Ethical AI use: Another study features students using a web-based platform called Compose with AI to learn the beneficial and ethical uses of AI-generated content for academic purposes. The platform promotes computational thinking by helping students evaluate information produced by AI, then use verified facts to compose common types of science-focused writing.
One of the other projects aims to advance AI literacy in upper-elementary students through children’s literature – specifically an illustrated transitional chapter book created by the grant team. The book connects storytelling with hands-on machine learning experiences, and teachers receive support to build their capacity and confidence to teach about AI.

“We noticed a lot of materials out there are not created by literacy educators, so they don’t do a great job of introducing vocabulary, monitoring comprehension, breaking down concepts in simple ways or even creating an engaging narrative,” Hutchison said. "That's what we are trying to accomplish.”

The remaining NSF-funded grants include a project that implements a digital learning platform called Compose and Code, or CoCo, to provide computer science instruction for pre-K through sixth-grade students, including those with high-incidence disabilities. Another project is framed on the belief that future engineers and scientists should be able to use electrical activity to create computer applications and programs associated with human movements and emotions.

Renda says the breakthroughs students experience in programming tasks at Arts ‘n Autism validate the need to expand STEM opportunities for all students.

“For a lot of students, this is their first exposure to anything like what we are offering,” Hutchison said. “It is a huge stimulus for interest and in understanding that there is a whole world of things out there that they can learn about.”

DCoaD recently hosted its second annual Code-N-Sensor Summer Camp, bringing hands-on STEM and AI activities to students in grades 3-5 while giving UA teacher candidates valuable experience working alongside them.

“By increasing our visibility in the community, we are offering many different ways for students, parents and families to participate in STEM activities they would not have been able to otherwise,” Hutchison said.

Last year’s inaugural Read Like a Legend event was largely supported by the Fayard endowment, bringing together more than 20 community partners and UA groups, including DCoaD, for a hands-on celebration of literacy in West Alabama. It was a night of fun for children and their families that featured storytelling, coding activities, arts and crafts, interactive technology and a visit from Big Al.

LASTING IMPACT

Over the last three years, Hutchison and her graduate students have given 24 national conference presentations and published 35 peer-reviewed articles, making every research project an opportunity for mentorship.

Recently, Hutchison, Dr. Marissa Filderman, and doctoral student Chinecherem Ezeihejafor published an important paper that updates digital literacy frameworks to address the rising impact of generative AI in education. Their new framework helps K-12 educators and researchers understand what AI literacy looks like in real classrooms and how digital literacy practices are changing as AI becomes more common.

“This is one of the first and only papers outlining the specific reading and writing competencies students need to interact with AI,” Hutchison said. “The goal is for teachers to use it but also for researchers to determine how we best teach these skills across different environments.”

Hutchison’s work builds strong digital and AI literacy skills, helping the next generation of learners use and understand emerging technologies. Thanks to the Fayards’ support, more classrooms in Alabama have gained access to innovative learning opportunities they might not have had otherwise. This support also helped Hutchison create a digital literacy research program that goes beyond what was once thought possible and will have a lasting impact.

“Endowed support doesn't just fund a faculty line. It funds momentum,” Hutchison said. “I feel honored to be the person carrying out this work, and I take that responsibility seriously.”

INVESTING IN STRONGER SCHOOLS, BRIGHTER FUTURES

A glass door with the words "College of Education" written on it, illuminated by a light hanging from the ceiling.

UA’s College of Education is bringing research-based strategies to high-needs schools across Alabama, strengthening school leadership and instruction to improve outcomes for students.

Three children sitting at a table in a classroom. On the table there are books, pens, and other objects. In the background there is a wall and a rack with various objects.

(Stock) The School Enhancement Project is helping Alabama schools create stronger learning environments, equipping educators and school leaders with strategies to help more students succeed.

Every child deserves the opportunity to receive a quality education in a school equipped to help them succeed. Thanks to the generosity of Mike and Kathy Mouron, more children in Alabama will get the chance to excel.

The School Enhancement Project, a collaboration between the College of Education and Texas A&M University (TAMU), is helping high-needs schools strengthen school leadership, improve classroom instruction and create better learning environments, ultimately leading to better outcomes for students.

The project originally began in 2017 at TAMU as a multi-year U.S. Department of Education grant, spurring success for students in Texas school districts and then in North Dakota.

In 2024, under the guidance of Professor of Educational Leadership Dr. Jingping Sun, the study expanded to two North Alabama school districts – one small rural district and the other a large city district. It currently operates in 12 schools where approximately 50% or more of families face socioeconomic challenges. That same year, the Mourons pledged $2.7 million to the Alabama-based project.

The project uses a school enhancement framework model with 12 research-proven components developed by UA College of Education Dean Joyce Alexander and a team of experts from TAMU, and it incorporates effective school leadership strategies from Dr. Kenneth Leithwood’s “The Four Paths Theory.”

By working directly with schools and providing individualized intervention, the project researchers offer leadership coaching and mentoring, professional development and classroom teaching support to improve student and school performance. Teachers also receive real-time instructional feedback in the classroom using a discreet “bug-in-ear" technique, giving them more confidence and resources to support students.

The two participating school districts have already seen encouraging and impressive results since the project began. One of the schools was even recognized by the Alabama Board of Education for its significant academic growth. 

“So far, almost all of the treatment schools have improved by a letter grade on their state report cards after one year of leadership interventions,” Sun said.

With positive results, including improved school culture and classroom instruction, superintendents and school board members are eager to bring the project’s leadership development to even more schools.

The research team is in the process of leveraging AI components to assess school conditions, predict student achievement outcomes and provide guidance on leadership strategies. For the next phase of the project, district leaders and school board members will also receive professional development designed to help sustain long-term school improvement.

“Leadership is second only to instruction in terms of its impact on student learning, per Dr. Leithwood,” Sun said. “If you consider all the direct and indirect impacts, school leadership may be the most important factor in improving student outcomes.”

The impact of the grant project extends beyond schools – it also increases parent involvement, deepens family engagement and fosters stronger community partnerships.

“When you help children, (their parents and families) want to help the school. It becomes a positive cycle,” Sun said.

The School Enhancement Project has made a real difference, not just by raising letter grades but also by helping students improve in areas like learning, academic growth, and attendance. According to a conservative estimate, if 2,800 students in these schools keep up a 0.10-standard deviation improvement in performance, it could add up to about $42 million in extra lifetime earnings, even before counting the wider social benefits, she said.

The project will run through spring 2027; however, with a recent SEED grant proposal submission, the goal is for it to continue and expand to more schools across the state. With the intended addition of a school enhancement adviser and AI-aided leadership, the goal is to reduce program cost by 75% while still providing 24/7 support.

“We see the passion, the need from district and community leaders who want to make a change in high-needs schools, especially in low-performing schools,” Sun said. “In addition to crucial financial support, [the Mourons] provided valuable insights and helped us to do more and do better.”

As The Rising Tide 2.0 Capital Campaign Campaign concludes, the School Enhancement Project stands as a testament to how private philanthropy can empower faculty expertise, strengthen schools and create opportunities for students across Alabama.

PRIVATE SUPPORT FUELS TEACHER SCHOLARS

Education majors celebrate during spring 2026 commencement.

It’s difficult to underscore the importance of excellent teachers without acknowledging that every successful career depends on them. One could argue that the growth and sustainability of our communities rely on the quality of our education systems.

The University of Alabama’s leadership acknowledged this truth in 1844 when it established the Normal Department, developing a course of study dedicated to preparing teachers. That legacy continues today through state funding and donors who believe in the importance and necessity of high-quality teachers, not just in our communities but across the state.

One way the state ensures our classrooms are filled with high-quality educators is by assessing future teachers' instructional skills and lesson content. The University remains the Capstone for teacher education with high pass rates in the edTPA, a subject-specific performance assessment, and other exams. The College saw a 98.5% pass rate for students taking the edTPA for the first time from August 2025 through May 2026, and nearly 90% of students passed the skill-based Praxis Core and Principles of Learning and Teaching tests on their first attempt.

“Our (exam) pass rates are impressive and speak to the quality of our programs,” said Dr. Nicole Swoszowski, associate dean for undergraduate education. “We work to identify students who need extra supports and do what we can to proactively and preventatively provide those supports. With these additional resources, we expect those pass rates to do nothing but improve.”

Financial barriers can prevent aspiring educators from taking certification exams or completing their degrees, and this is particularly true for those who are the first in their families to pursue an undergraduate degree. Support from Mike and Carol Drummond has enabled the College to provide first-generation teacher education students with the learning community and financial resources they need to achieve their goals. Their generosity supports scholarships as well as faculty and student mentorships to help our students cross the academic finish line as confident, well-prepared teachers.

The U.ASCEND program is dedicated to equipping students with the skills and experiences that complement their academic education while preparing them for long-term career success. It incorporates career readiness competencies identified by the National Association of Colleges and Employers and welcomes freshmen with the goal of helping students achieve proficiency in these competencies by graduation.

Through the generosity of donors, the College can also provide key resources that would otherwise not be possible, such as study guides and workshops to better prepare students for their teacher certification exams.

With teacher shortages persisting across the state and nation, the College is committed to producing highly skilled and qualified teachers who are ready to lead Alabama’s classrooms. According to the most recent Alabama educator preparation report card, the total number of unqualified K-12 teaching positions was nearly 3,500 for the 2025-26 school year – the highest number in recent years. One program aiming to alleviate this shortage is Teach in Bama.

The Teach in Bama program recruits in-state high school students who are interested in entering the teaching field.

“The program is designed to help school districts cultivate a strong pipeline of highly qualified teachers who are committed to building their careers in Alabama,” said Dr. Carlton McHargh, director of college academic student services.

Prior to their freshman year, Teach in Bama scholars complete 12 hours of academic credit during the summer through UA Early College while participating in the Teach in Bama Institute. Those who complete the program and meet all requirements earn full-tuition scholarships that cover eight semesters at the University.

Teach in Bama scholars receive assistance from their school districts to fund this training, helping foster and strengthen partnerships between the College and districts statewide. Participating districts can establish optional service agreements that encourage those students to return to the district and teach after they graduate.

“When we can offer supports to students, and especially if we can recruit from our own state and develop programs that help us keep those students and directly address the (teacher) shortage in Alabama, that's tremendous,” Swoszowski said.

Over the course of The Rising Tide 2.0 Capital Campaign, the College of Education has awarded over $20 million in scholarships.

Teacher Education Scholarship	Established by
Owen and Virginia Liles Endowed Teacher Education Scholarship	Owen Liles
Dr. William Spear Richardson III and Melba Bolton Richardson Endowed Scholarship in Education	Dr. William and Mrs. Melba Richardson
Anne C. Witt Endowed Music Education Scholarship	Dr. Elizabeth W. Cleino and the late Dr. Edward H. Cleino to honor their daughter Dr. Anne C. Witt
Carol E. Medders Endowed Scholarship in Education	Carol E. Medders
Karen M. Spearing Endowed Scholarship	Michael and Karen Spearing
Deanna P. Kimbrough Endowed Scholarship in English Literature	Deanna P. Kimbrough
Fran Bond and Ed Holmes Endowed Scholarship	Anonymous donor to honor Fran Bond & Ed Holmes
Walt Gary Endowed Scholarship in Special Education	Friends & family of Walter W. Gary Jr. in memoriam
Fayard Reading and Literacy Endowed Education Scholarship	Gary P. Fayard and Nancy S. Fayard
Ozzie, Gloria and Michael Newsome Literacy Education Program Endowed Support Fund	Ozzie Newsome Jr. and Gloria J. Newsome
Margaret Y. O'Neal Endowed Education Scholarship	Margaret and Larry O'Neal
Robert D. & Betsy Powers Early Childhood Education Endowed Scholarship	Alabama Power Foundation, Inc.
Geraldine Masterson Chase Memorial Endowed Education Scholarship	Janene E. Chase in memoriam of Geraldine Masterson Chase
Dr. Frank Ashley Family Endowed Scholarship	Dr. Frank B. Ashley III
Enriquez Family Endowed Scholarship	Ruben E. Enriquez and Beth Ann Enriquez
Deegee Downs Schroeder Endowed Education Scholarship	William M. Schroeder
Betty Waite Graves Zoller Endowed Education Scholarship	Betty W. Zoller
Dr. Faron L. Hollinger Endowed Scholarship	Dr. and Mrs. Faron L. Hollinger
Camille Louise Humes Davenport Literacy Education Program Endowed Support Fund	Anonymous donors in memoriam of Camille Louise Humes Davenport
Bourne Family Endowed Education Scholarship	Mr. and Mrs. Darden J. Bourne Jr.
Clyde and Carolyn Zeanah Endowed Scholarship	Carolyn M. Zeanah
Gladys Blalock Crane Endowed Education Scholarship	D. Taylor Crane in memoriam of Gladys Blalock Crane
Elizabeth K. Wilson Endowed Education Scholarship	Peter Wilson
Herbert W. Hicks Endowed Scholarship	Herbert W. Hicks
McDonough-Anderson Endowed Music Educator Scholarship	Kathleen M. Anderson
Gloria Myrick Tidwell Endowed Education Scholarship	Gloria M. Tidwell and William C. Tidwell
Drummond Family Scholarship	Dr. Mike and Carol Drummond

FURTHER THE IMPACT OF THE RISING TIDE 2.0

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