by the , a UK-based group that advocates for research, policy, and practice initiatives to support belonging across all learning environments. Sharing his research with an international audience means that Jackson is able to impact teaching practice on a broader scale.

Laing describes the process as a rewarding experience: “As an education major, I want to become the best teacher I can be. Having a chance to dive into hands-on classroom observations, conduct interviews, and experience different teaching styles, has given me tools that I can use in my future classrooms. Beyond that, coming up with a list of specific things that teachers can do in their classroom to help the students adjust, belong, and feel comfortable has been really rewarding, and I hope that my research can help other teachers as well.”

Laing’s findings are published in the Practice arm of the Centre for Belonging in Education which emphasizes his goal to connect his research to classroom experiences and, ultimately, to improve student learning. Importantly, his findings will also impact his experience as a teacher.

“I am taking away a newfound respect for doing the little things in a classroom,” Laing said. “A lot of my findings weren’t giant acts or moves to entirely change a classroom, but simple, day-to-day things to help build a strong culture and community. In the end, I really appreciate these little things, and plan on doing them consistently in my classrooms.”

This research project was mentored by Evan Small, who also serves as a Founding Fellow for the Centre for Belonging in Education.

Students across two courses (ENS 1100: Humans and Nature (Spring 2025) and WHE 2850: Perspectives in Personal and Global Health (Spring 2025)) completed eight outdoor sit spots over the course of a month as part of a course assignment. Students were asked to spend time in an outdoor space on campus, and quietly observe their surroundings, noting a range of sensory experiences, and reflect on the changes in that space over time. Using a pre- and post-test model, they found statistically significant improvements in mindfulness, positive affect, and nature connectedness in students across the two courses.

The newly published article, “,” is authored by �鶹��Ƶ faculty, Kelsey Bitting and Jill McSweeney, �鶹��Ƶ alum Elyssa Kaufman ’25 (Environmental Sciences), and graduating senior, Kira Campagna ’26, an elementary education major, with a minor in environmental education). The work builds on growing research connecting nature exposure and contemplative practices with improved student wellness and academic outcomes.

Student researchers, Kaufman and Campagna, played a central role throughout the project and have at several undergraduate research and pedagogical conferences. Their project work specifically examined how outdoor mindfulness practices influenced mood, mindful awareness, and students’ relationship with nature. Their presentations highlighted significant increases in positive affect, nature connectedness and mindfulness among students who completed the sit spot assignment.

In collaboration with Evan Small, additional research this past academic year recruited over 80 students across four courses (i.e., ENS 1100: Humans and Nature (Fall 2025), WHE 1150: Stress and Wellness (Fall 2025), HEU 1719: Foraging and Wild Foods (Fall 2025), and COR 3555: Foraging Wild Food and Medicine (Spring ’26)). Using data from these four courses, graduating senior, Abigail Manning (Environmental Sciences) recently explored how sit spots affect students’ mindfulness and nature connectivity across different majors and disciplines. Her research found that students in nature-focused majors often experienced even stronger gains in mindfulness and nature connectedness through the sit spot practice.

The research team plans to continue building on these findings over the summer. Kiley Sherlock ’27, an environmental sciences major, will conduct qualitative analysis on student reflections for her Summer Undergraduate Research Experience, exploring how students define nature and further exploring how the sit spot practice impacts student stress across the semester. The team also plans on additional publications exploring the impact of student demographics, and focus on a practice-oriented piece on how to support colleagues to bring contemplative pedagogies which incorporate nature into their classrooms to support the wellbeing of students and themselves.

Together, the project reflects �鶹��Ƶ’s commitment to engaged learning and undergraduate research, while also contributing meaningful scholarship to conversations around student wellness, mindfulness, and environmental connection.

“Instead of complaining about lack of teachers and lack of resources, I wanted to be part of the solution,” Jones said, “NC Teaching Fellows is not just a loan forgiveness program, it is the preparation, the found community, the extracurriculars and curricular enhancements that you gain from being a team fellow”.

Jones was the keynote speaker for the North Carolina Teaching Fellows’ inaugural statewide graduating student celebration at �鶹��Ƶ on April 18. Partnering institutions, alumni, state-level stakeholders, and those who have supported the program were in attendance. The NC Teaching Fellows program provides up to $10,000 a year in forgivable loans for students who commit to teaching elementary education, special education, or a STEM field in a North Carolina public school after graduation.

Reestablished in 2017 to address North Carolina’s low numbers of teachers and educators, �鶹��Ƶ is 1 of 10 partnering institutions that has the program once it was reinstated. Ann Bullock, dean of the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education, says �鶹��Ƶ was accepted because of its high outcomes of preparing educators in its undergraduate program.

“Students do not just go into this with thoughts of becoming a teacher. They join because they are teachers with a mission and a purpose that is bigger than themselves,” Bullock said, when opening the event.

Under the leadership of Erin Hone, director of the �鶹��Ƶ Teaching Fellows Program, and Brittany Roberts, assistant director of the �鶹��Ƶ Teaching Fellows, a recruitment plan was created to increase the number of North Carolina Teaching Fellows at the university, and assist in the decrease of debt that education students commonly graduate with.

Roberts is also an NC Teaching Fellow alumna and was on the planning committee for this inaugural celebration. As an alumna, she says she understands the importance of preparing students to become active teachers who can handle differing districts, students and ever-changing technology.

“If you are thinking of becoming a Teaching Fellow, don’t be intimidated. The program wants the brightest but also those who are passionate about the profession as well,” Roberts said.

Luna Aldana ‘27, an elementary education major, was attracted to the program not only because of the financial benefit but also due to the on-campus opportunities to interact with other NC Teaching Fellows, seasoned teachers and children. Professional development opportunities and resources like the youth mental health training offer Aldana and other fellows a new way to adapt to future generations’ teaching.

“When you are teaching math, or science, it sometimes skips your mind about your students’ mental health and what they are experiencing at home. So, to have training on how to assist with that can really improve your teaching style,” Aldana said.

According to Bullock, it is �鶹��Ƶ’s goal to continue growing student interest and contribution to the NC Teaching Fellows program at �鶹��Ƶ and further train North Carolina’s future educators.

“Watching Grace grow up, I learned that, while she wasn’t equipped to deal with certain things in life, she is so talented in many ways – it just shows up differently. Grace is so happy all the time and she has so many hobbies. She can twirl a baton for longer than anyone I’ve ever met and she’s a great swimmer too,” said Crowley.

Since the 8th grade, Crowley knew she had the skills and passion to pursue teaching children with disabilities as a career path. She grew up with Grace her whole life, but as she got older, she started to notice differences in their developmental stages. She began to teach and aid Grace in her studies, helping her learn to spell and write.

“To me that was my cue that there are so many people out there that are being treated as if they can’t do things when it’s not true; they can do it. They just do it in a different way,” Crowley said.

Grace’s talents and struggles emphasized ����Ƿɱ����’s desire to teach special education.

“Grace has the best handwriting, and she’s also excellent at remembering things,” she said. “Teaching Grace encouraged me to want to help others through this, because it’s difficult when students don’t have a teacher to encourage what they are already good at, and instead focuses just on the skills that they need to develop.”

Crowley was encouraged to explore �鶹��Ƶ from one of her other family members, an alum of �鶹��Ƶ’s Teaching Fellows program. She provided Crowley with a list of what to look for in the best teaching programs as she started to explore colleges.

“�鶹��Ƶ was the only school that had everything on the list. I have always genuinely enjoyed it here,” said Crowley. “Before I even got into the Teaching Fellows, I said to my mom, I think this is where I need to be.”

Crowley prides herself on being a “social butterfly” who enjoys meeting and talking with others.

“I’m always meeting new people and reaching out to them. I’m most proud of myself for meeting new people and making lasting connections. Meeting others through Teaching Fellows has been the highlight of my �鶹��Ƶ experience,” she said.

As a lifelong dancer, Crowley has connected her creative passions and interest in special education with research and a minor in dance. Having previously conducted research in high school on how incorporating dance with individuals who have special needs can enhance their overall body function and awareness of their body, she plans to build on her knowledge by beginning research here at �鶹��Ƶ.

“Originally, my research was just how dance can benefit those who have special needs, both physically and mentally. I want to hone that into my future profession and discover how it can work in a classroom setting,” she said.

Crowley is also involved in volunteer work with Alamance County schools through service with the “It Takes a Village” Project, a program to aid English as a second language for elementary students.

She says this volunteer work has been a catalyst for her future work as a teacher.

“Last spring, I was placed in a classroom working 30 hours a week, which was huge for me. It’s exciting, and it reinforces that this is what I want to do following graduation,” she said.

����Ƿɱ����’s Joey Brocato Memorial Teaching Fellows Scholarship was established by �鶹��Ƶ parents Mike and Karen Brocato P’16, in memory of their son Joey. The Brocato family expressed to Crowley that they intentionally wanted to donate to a future educator who wanted to go into special education.

“To know that I’m privileged enough to be the one they want to give back to encourages me to work my hardest,” saoe Crowley. “I’m lucky enough to have met my donors, the Brocato family, last fall, to meet and talk. I’ll text them to check in and get updates. It’s nice to have that personal connection.”

She explained that her close relationship with her donors has only increased her drive to succeed and give back to her community and the children in it.

“Knowing them has pushed me to want to be better. Their story is so meaningful to me because of my cousin, Grace,” said Crowley. “To have that connection and know them only pushes me further to do the best I can because I want them to feel like they’re putting their money into something beneficial.

As a future educator, Crowley says she is aware of the obstacles in the field, one being lower pay.

“As a future educator, I’m aware that I am not going to be making a ton of money, but it doesn’t change the fact that this is what I want to do,” she said. “Being given this scholarship and the opportunity to learn and get all the experiences that I need to be a future educator, without the worry of having too much debt, has been such a big help.”

�鶹��Ƶ students in Katie Baker’s MTH 2080 Number & Algebra for K-8 Teachers and EDU 4200 Mathematics Methods course, Heather Barker’s MTH 2090 Geometry & Data for K-8 Teachers and Emily Elrod’s MTH 3080 Mathematics & Statistics for Middle Grades & Secondary Teachers attended the North Carolina Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCCTM) Annual Conference in November 2025.

Students in MTH 2080, 2090, and 3080 also presented at the conference and their conference experience was supported by the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education Dean’s Fund.

The �鶹��Ƶ student presenters showcased their ideas for engaging mathematics tasks in the session “Preservice Teacher Power Hour: Fresh Lesson Ideas.”

Prospective math teachers from across the state presented new ideas for high-quality math tasks (elementary, middle and high school) that focus on developing students’ conceptual math understanding. Baker supported organization and facilitation of the session through her role as past-president of the North Carolina affiliate of the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators. Elrod supported the organization of this session, as well as the entire conference organization and orchestration through her current role as President of the NCCTM.

While at the conference, students attended sessions like Deborah Peart’s keynote on building mathematical identities and topics like using meaningful fraction models and number line use for building computational skills. Another topic of interest was exploring mathematical visions in the presentation Visualizing High-Quality Math Classrooms co-presented by Baker and �鶹��Ƶ Teaching Fellow Sarah Copenhaver. This presentation overviewed findings from Copenhaver’s Inquiry Project and SURE 2025 data analysis phase about prospective teachers’ vision for K-5 mathematics classrooms that enact math tasks and discussions.

Katie Baker, associate professor of education and associate chair of the Department of Education and Wellness at �鶹��Ƶ’s Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education, has been selected as the 2026–28 . Baker will focus her research on ePortfolios as a high-impact educational practice.

CEL Scholars are faculty members who engage in sustained, multi-year inquiry around engaged learning practices, contributing to the center’s research, publications and national outreach. Baker’s work will draw on her extensive experience supporting ePortfolios in teacher education, particularly through her role as edTPA coordinator for �鶹��Ƶ’s teacher preparation programs.

Since joining �鶹��Ƶ in 2017, Baker has played a central role in implementing and sustaining the edTPA, a required performance-based ePortfolio assessment for teacher licensure in North Carolina. The edTPA requires teacher candidates to demonstrate their planning, instruction, and assessment through a digital portfolio that includes lesson artifacts, reflective commentary, and video recordings of classroom instruction. In her coordinator role, Baker supports teacher candidates, faculty and community-based clinical teachers across multiple content areas and licensure programs.

Baker’s scholarly work includes national and state-level presentations and publications on teacher education, mathematics education and performance-based assessment. She has served in leadership roles within the mathematics education community and has contributed to externally funded research focused on equitable and high-quality instruction. Her selection as a CEL Scholar enables her to build on this record of engaged scholarship and institutional leadership while exploring ePortfolio research and practices across other disciplinary contexts.

The Center for Engaged Learning supports research and dialogue on evidence-based teaching practices that foster deep student learning. CEL Scholars play a key role in advancing that mission by connecting disciplinary expertise with broader conversations about engaged learning in higher education.
Baker will join an esteemed group of previous CEL Scholars, including David Buck, Caroline Ketcham, Amanda Kleintop, Ketevan Kupatadze, Buffie Longmire-Avital, Phillip Motley, Amanda Sturgill, Aaron Trocki and Cora Wigger. Applications for the 2027-29 CEL Scholar will open in Fall 2026.

Doherty is an �鶹��Ƶ Teaching Fellows program alum who completed his undergraduate studies in 2024, majoring in history with teacher licensure. As a current classroom teacher at Southern Alamance Middle School, he is a participant in the Teach for Alamance program and a student in the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education’s Master’s Degree in Innovation program. And now he’s a published author as well.

Doherty began his contribution to the research project as a part of his participation in the �鶹��Ƶ Teaching Fellows program, and took undergraduate research credit hours with both Drs. Carpenter and Morrison. He also participated in the �鶹��Ƶ Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURE), which provided him dedicated time to work on data collection and analysis, as well as funds to compensate study participants.

The article can be found , and its abstract is as follows:

Before pre-service teachers (PSTs) enter educator preparation programs, their experiences as K-12 students shape their understanding of teaching. Additionally, many aspiring teachers are exposed via social media to ideas, resources, and narratives about teachers and teaching. To help explore and conceptualize how social media may be adding to PSTs’ knowledge and expectations of teaching, we interviewed 28 PSTs about factors, experiences, and role models contributing to their understanding of teaching. Participants reported having learned about teaching through social media and demonstrated some awareness of the complexities and challenges of such learning. Most PSTs also valued content shared by teachers on social media but did not see these teachers as role models.

The reference for the article is as follows:

Carpenter, J. P., Morrison, S. A., & Doherty, G. T. (2025). Social media and pre-service teachers’ apprenticeships of observation. Journal of Research on Technology in Education. Advance online publication.

CATL Associate Directors serve staggered, four-year terms. In collaboration with the Center’s director and assistant director, the associate directors promote intentional, evidence-based teaching and learning practices, contribute to university-wide initiatives related to teaching and learning, and foster the scholarship of teaching and learning at �鶹��Ƶ.

In addition to her classroom work, Winter has actively engaged in CATL’s faculty development programs, completing and then co-facilitating a community of practice for �鶹��Ƶ’s Inclusive Teaching Certificate program, as well as participating in the Wellness Pedagogy Scholars program. Winter’s appointment as associate director of CATL reflects her dedication to faculty growth and student success. As associate director, Winter will contribute to CATL’s ongoing efforts to foster an inclusive, engaged and thriving teaching and learning community at �鶹��Ƶ.

As a reflection of its commitment to supporting the holistic health of all students, faculty and staff, �鶹��Ƶ has formally announced plans to build a 135,000-square-foot facility within its Innovation Quad to support the broad spectrum of dimensions in its HealthEU initiative.

The HealthEU Center will become the second-largest building on campus behind Schar Center and will be a hub that combines academics with recreation, health and well-being offerings in support of the holistic growth of members of the university community. The design of the building prioritizes collaboration, connection and innovation.

“We understand that health and well-being are critical to the success not just of our students but also our faculty and staff,” President Connie Ledoux Book said. “This multifaceted facility will provide a wide range of support to our community and offer opportunities to connect with each other and with resources that support their growth and development.”

The three-story building will be built south of the Colonnades Neighborhood within the Innovation Quad, an area of campus that now includes Sankey Hall, Founders Hall and Innovation Hall. The multifunctional facility is rooted in the six dimensions of wellness through the HealthEU initiative — community, emotional, financial, physical, purpose and social.

The HealthEU Center will include offices and space for academic departments including Exercise Science, Education & Wellness and other faculty focused on health and wellness. Labs and spaces for interdisciplinary research will be included as will rooms designed for one-on-one and group fitness assessments, personal training, health and nutrition coaching, and financial literacy.

An expanded Counseling Services center will relocate to the new building in support of individual and group therapy with offerings including workshops and outreach programs. A HealthEU vending space will provide on-the-go wholesome options and a demonstration kitchen will support nutrition education efforts as a new resource for �鶹��Ƶ’s Food Studies minor, which provides students the opportunity to study and synthesize concepts around food production, distribution and consumption from multiple perspectives. The demonstration kitchen will also serve as a venue for co-curricular health and nutrition coaching to promote healthy eating habits for students, faculty and staff.

The HealthEU Center will offer new campus recreation and fitness facilities including:

• A gymnasium with team and individual recreation spaces.
• An aquatics center with a collegiate competition-sized pool.
• Fitness, weight training and exercise space for groups and individuals.
• An indoor track.
• A climbing center with climbing and bouldering walls.
• Outdoor fitness center.

A physical therapy and athletic training clinic will be included as well as studios for individual and group meditation, mindfulness and yoga. Space will also be provided to support employee wellness programs.

Early conceptual renderings of the building depict architecture that complements �鶹��Ƶ’s traditional collegiate aesthetic with a modern flourish, boasting swaths of large windows to create an open, welcoming space and showcase the activity within the building from the exterior. An expansive entry plaza, outdoor fitness areas and ample green space surround the building, while inside areas for fitness and athletics, nutrition, mental well-being, research, classrooms and offices can be found throughout the three floors. A significant portion of the second and third floors are open, so visitors can easily view the activity below at the pool, gymnasium courts and climbing areas.

�鶹��Ƶ has set a $25 million fundraising goal to help make the HealthEU Center a reality. To date, donors have contributed more than $6.5 million to the project, said Jim Piatt, senior vice president for university advancement and external affairs. Among the generous donors to the project are alumni Mark ’98 and Kim Tyson ’99, of Monroe, North Carolina, who made a $3 million gift to name the counseling center in the building.

“We are actively engaged in a fundraising campaign to support the HealthEU Center in partnership with inspired donors who believe in the vision for the center and are committed to ensuring students have the skills they need to lead lives of meaning and purpose,” Piatt said.

The plans for the facility follow years of work at �鶹��Ƶ including the 2016 report by the Presidential Task Force on Social Climate and Out-of-Class Engagement as well as the 2018 report by the Task Force on Student Wellness and Well-Being. The university appointed a group tasked with creating a vision for a new center on campus, and in 2022, the university launched the HealthEU initiative that is guided by the HealthEU Council and the new director of HealthEU iniatitives, Anu Räisänen, who starts at �鶹��Ƶ in August.

Brad Moore, associate vice president for facilities and chief facilities officer, said the task force creating the vision for the new facility completed multiple visits to other university facilities. The visits included new buildings and renovated buildings, and while some tried to integrate multiple components into the facility, none went as far as what �鶹��Ƶ was seeking to do, Moore said.

“What we found was that no one was doing exactly what we were planning on doing which was not only the practice of health and well-being, but the research and study and education around wellness and well-being,” Moore said.

Jon Dooley, vice president for student life, said many of the facilities on other college campuses are very student-focused, and �鶹��Ƶ wanted to take a more expansive approach. “In our case, we’re thinking about this as a community of well-being that is supported by this facility,” Dooley said. “The goal is for this to be a resource to the entire university community — students, faculty and staff.”

�鶹��Ƶ has been intentional with the design by fully integrating academic components into the facility to underscore the emphasis on collaboration and to help leverage the spaces within the facility for research purposes. Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Rebecca Kohn explains that the building was designed so that users move through different types of spaces on their way to their destination. For instance, the classrooms will be interspersed throughout the three floors of the building rather than placing them all in one area.

“There’s exercise equipment spread throughout the building,” Kohn said. “Faculty offices won’t necessarily be next to classrooms, and faculty and staff offices related to health and wellness will be intermixed.”

For instance, a person heading to the third floor for a financial literacy class may pass the gym, the offices for counseling services and an exercise science lab. The goal is to help people see the connection between these different elements and how they impact a person’s overall wellness and well-being.

“We’d like this to be a space that draws all faculty, staff and students into it so that everyone can see something about this building that they want and need to be part of,” Kohn said.

Construction of the HealthEU Center will begin in the fall, with Samet Corp. serving as construction manager. Plans call for the building to open in 2026.

In her article “,” reporter Chantal Brown with educational news outlet talked with experienced educators who focus on students with learning differences to see how AI can be utilized. Among those Brown spoke with was Associate Professor of Education Stephen Byrd, who is the program coordinator for special education at �鶹��Ƶ.

Byrd told Brown that he’s conscious of the fact that using AI and technology in the classroom can be controversial, but that it’s important that students with learning differences be exposed to how to responsibly use the technology as well and to see how it can support their educational development. “We also know that it’s very important that all of our students have access to technology, not just students without disabilities, but students with disabilities, so that they can have the maximum opportunity to learn so that they’ll not be behind in this area,” Byrd told Brown.

for more.