Peabody Reflector Fall 2024

Brent Evans, associate professor of public policy and higher education, began his appointment in the Biden Administration as the senior advisor to the chief economist and to the under secretary of education at the U.S. Department of Education. At the Department of Education, Evans provides technical expertise and research knowledge to inform the administration’s regulatory policy on student debt relief and loan forgiveness. Read More

Vanderbilt Peabody College of education and human development welcomed six new faculty members this fall. They join the Departments of Special Education; Teaching and Learning; Human and Organizational Development; and Leadership, Policy, and Organizations. Golnaz Arastoopour Irgens, assistant professor of human-centered… Read More

By Jenna Somers During the 2024 legislative session, the Tennessee General Assembly and Governor Bill Lee attempted to pass a statewide education scholarship account (ESA) program. ESAs—also called education savings accounts—are a type of voucher program that support not only private school tuition but other education-related expenses for families… Read More

Jason Chow Jason Chow, associate professor of special education and of hearing and speech sciences, received two training grants for $2.49 and $3.72 million from the Office of Special Education Programs in the U.S. Department of Education to prepare leadership personnel in special education. Rachel Schless, Photo by Joe… Read More

By Jenna Somers Scholars at Vanderbilt Peabody College of education and human development travel across oceans and borders to answer pressing questions on improving the human condition, a mission shared by scholars the world over who collaborate in partnership with Peabody. To strengthen this mission and advance Peabody’s global… Read More

LIVE, the Learning Innovation Incubator at Vanderbilt University, and Metro Nashville Public Schools are partnering to create human-centered, AI-empowered student advising experiences. This effort builds on Vanderbilt Peabody College and MNPS’s ongoing collaboration via the Nashville Partnership for Educational Equity Research (PEER) to promote postsecondary readiness through increased… Read More

Rich Milner, Cornelius Vanderbilt Chair of Education, founded the Initiative for Race Research and Justice in 2018. Through research, RRJ seeks to improve these ecosystems, policies, and practices and to disseminate resources and tools, in collaboration with community partners, to advance racial justice and disrupt systemic inequities across education landscapes. Read More

The Department of Labor awarded Next Steps at Vanderbilt University $2.32M to expand its registered apprenticeship offerings for neurodiverse students. This grant will enhance existing apprenticeships and develop new ones in high-demand industries, furthering the program’s mission to provide inclusive postsecondary education and meaningful employment opportunities. Read More

By Jenna Somers Metro Nashville Public School students enrolled in programs offered by the Collaborative for STEM Education and Outreach at Vanderbilt Peabody College of education and human development experienced a summer of learning that sowed the seeds of budding scientists. The CSEO enhances STEM literacy through establishing… Read More

Payne Hall, which is on Vanderbilt’s Peabody College campus, will undergo an extensive interior renovation and modernization of the building’s systems starting in summer 2024. Read More

Thirteen outstanding faculty members from across the university have been selected for the 2024 cohort of Chancellor Faculty Fellows. This group is composed of highly accomplished, recently tenured faculty from a wide variety of disciplines and areas of expertise.    Read More

Ten faculty members from Vanderbilt Peabody College of education and human development were awarded global engagement funding for the current and upcoming academic year from the Office of Global Engagement. These awards reflect Peabody’s commitment to worldwide collaboration that enhances learning and development in diverse contexts and translates… Read More

For over 24 years, the Civic Design Center has stood as a beacon for community-driven urban planning projects and programs. Based in downtown Nashville, this nonprofit organization draws expertise from diverse professional and academic sources, including Vanderbilt University, to engage community members in the envisioning and shaping of the city. Read More

As vice provost for special initiatives, Watson will lead a multi-faceted effort to solidify the strategic underpinnings of the College of Connected Computing. He will also oversee the collaborative strategic planning for the college’s “hub and spoke” model, which aims to connect all computing-based scholarship in every college. Read More

By Jenna Somers Alex Christensen Eric Wilkey Alex Christensen and Eric Wilkey, assistant professors of psychology and human development, are emerging leaders in the psychological sciences, strengthening Vanderbilt’s expertise in data science and the neuroscience of mathematical learning,… Read More

Kristen McMaster Vanderbilt Peabody College of education and human development will bestow its 2024 Distinguished Alumna Award on special education and literacy researcher Kristen L. McMaster during Commencement ceremonies on May 10. A Triple ’Dore, McMaster earned her bachelor of science in 1995, master of education in 1998,… Read More

Vanderbilt Peabody College of education and human development will launch a new online certificate this fall designed to meet a growing demand for Board Certified Behavior Analysts. The new program aims to equip students with the necessary knowledge and skills to deliver high-quality behavioral services and make use of behavioral technology, ultimately enhancing the lives of individuals with disabilities. Read More

From left to right: Sarah Chin, chief strategy officer; TK Fayne, District 5 member; Renita Perry, chief of innovation; Sharon Gentry, District 1 member; Peabody College faculty members Andrew Hostetler and Marcy Singer-Gabella; Rachael Anne Elrod, Board chair and District 2 member; and Adrienne Battle, director of schools, photographed following… Read More

Ilana Horn Bethany Rittle-Johnson Chezare Warren Mariah Harmon Following Ilana Horn’s selection earlier this year as a Fellow of the American Educational Research Association, she was inducted on Friday, April 12, at the AERA 2024 annual meeting… Read More