Alumni News

Stay In The Know

We will use this platform to connect with SoE alumni in the field who are teaching, leading, counseling, providing mentorship and researching ways to improve schooling outcomes for all learners.

If you’re interested in connecting through volunteer opportunities, learn more.

Alumni & Friends

As a newly independent school, we are creating thoughtful and sustainable alumni engagement opportunities, take a look at what we are doing.

Alumni Advisory Council    School of Education Events

Be sure to check out our Alumni Newsletter for more information regarding the School of Education.

Welcome to the Fall 2023 issue of our SoE Alumni Newsletter!

View or download the newsletter here!

Alumni Newsletter - Fall 2023 Edition

Welcome to the Spring 2023 issue of our SoE Alumni Newsletter!

View or download the newsletter here!

Alumni Newsletter - Spring 2023 Edition

Welcome to the Fall 2022 issue of our SoE Alumni Newsletter!

View or download the newsletter here!

Alumni Newsletter - Fall 2022 Edition

Past Alumni Spotlight

Tiffany Kyser headshot

Alumna Tiffany Kyser shares memories of her early education teacher, how the School of Education impacted her, and encouragement for fellow alumni.

Interview with Dr. Tiffany Kyser

SoE: Who was your most memorable instructor, and what made them memorable?
 
Tiffany: Ms. Gilman. My 5th and 6th grade teacher who did the following to honor me, my lived experience, and my assets:

1. Considered what was relevant and effective for me and my classmates by sharing responsibility for how the physical environment looked, what would be taught, and how learning will occur and be accessed.

2. Positioned herself as a facilitator of learning rather than the only or primary source of knowledge in the classroom. 

3. I and others were centered to explore the social problems that were relevant to our lives and engage in opportunities to take civic action.

4. Surfaced the non perceivable contributions of members of marginalized groups through literature, current events, classroom visitors, and overall curricular and instructional decisions. 

5. Facilitated joy, storytelling, celebration, and mistakes or transgressions as developmentally appropriate and opportunity to learn (not to pathologize).

SoE: How did your experience at the IU School of Education at IUPUI shape who you are today?

Tiffany: Continued to cultivate a sense of community, encourage civic engagement, affirmed postures of education, gender, ability, racial, economic, environmental, and social justice. 

SoE: What professional accomplishments have you been most proud of and why?

Tiffany: Receiving a Distinguished Level rating on my classroom observation evaluation my first-year teaching middle school language arts.

SoE: What can you share with educators, counselors or fellow alumni? 
 
Tiffany: The Midwest and Plains Equity Assistance Center (MAP) is one of four regional Equity Assistance Centers, funded by the United States Department of Education under Title IV of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. The MAP Center provides technical assistance and training, upon request, in the areas of race, sex, national origin, and religion to public school districts and other responsible governmental agencies to promote equitable educational opportunities and work in the areas of civil rights, equity, and school reform. The Center serves 13 State Educational Agencies, 7,025 Public School Districts, and 11,249,050 Public School Students.

If you are interested in learning more or submitting a request for assistance to leverage free, high quality technical assistance, view our website here: Great Lakes Equity Center Website

SoE: Is there anything else you would like to share with educators?
 
Tiffany: We, as educators, find ourselves and our school communities in a moment of collective and compounding pain due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, economic recession, race-based violence against BIPOC and religious minoritized communities, and extreme weather catastrophes (Silver et al., 2021). For those closest to issue of oppression, this further exacerbates one's labor to push back. However, I want to center our collective joy in community with one another as sustenance, as fortification. Let's take care of ourselves and take care of our communities. Some resources that may be of interest: 
 
1. Resources for Addressing Violence Against BIPOC, Children, & Other Targeted Communities
 
2. The 20-Minute Talk: Anti-Racism Vodcast Series 
 
3. That's All Folx Podcast

 

Jill Underly Alumni

Alumna Jill Underly shares memories of being a high school social studies teacher, the flexibility in course offerings at SoE, and offers advice on how to work in public education and public service.

Interview with Dr. Jill Underly

Hello, fellow alumni. I left Indiana in 2005 to pursue my doctorate at the University of Wisconsin - Madison, and have made Wisconsin my home since. Recently, I was elected to represent Wisconsin as the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, a non-partisan constitutional officer with a 4 year term. I will be eligible for reelection in 2025. It is an honor and privilege to serve in this role and be the lead advocate for public education and public school children and educators in this state.

SoE:Who was your most memorable instructor, and what made them memorable?
 
Jill: Bob Osgood was my favorite teacher and I happily reconnected with him (unexpectedly) when I began my work at the WI Department of Public Instruction and he was in charge of teacher preparation at St. Norbert's College in Green Bay. He was always so easy to talk to and understood the struggles that someone who had to juggle a lot of life issues could have while completing a graduate degree. He was a wonderful support.

SoE: How did your experience at the IU School of Education in Indianapolis shape who you are today?

Jill: I was working full time as a high school social studies teacher when I decided to pursue my master's degree at IUPUI. The flexibility in course offerings as well as the ability to take courses at night, or in the summer during the day, kept me motivated to complete my degree. Many of the individuals and professors, with their own life experience, helped me see public education as one of the main drivers to economic and personal success, and that philosophy is what helps me look at issues that people bring to my attention as completely solvable. Government is supposed to make our lives better, and that's the underpinning of why I know public education is critical for the success of our democracy.

SoE: What professional accomplishments have you been most proud of and why?

Jill: In 2012 I received my doctorate and that opened so many doors for me not just in public education but in public service. The accomplishment that I am most proud of is my statewide election in 2021 to become Wisconsin's state superintendent of public instruction.

SoE: What can you share with educators, counselors or fellow alumni? 

Jill: Always believe in yourself and don't forget to take care of yourself. I know it sounds cliché but it is the truth. Working in public service, or working in public education and being a parent or a spouse, takes a lot of energy and it can be emotionally very taxing. Don't forget to care for yourself - find time to reduce stress, make getting a good night's sleep a priority, exercise, eat well, it make all the difference. If you can't take care of yourself first, you are not at your best self to care for others.

Alumna Raven Henry professional headshot

Alumna Raven Henry shares her strength, drive, and determination from driving the school bus, to teaching in the same elementary school she attended as a child.

Interview with Raven Henry

Alumni and class of 2023, WE DID IT! We persevered through one of the hardest times in this country let alone our own lives and we never gave up! That speaks volume about us. I wish you all the best in any of your endeavors and go be great in all you do! I was a school bus driver for 11 years when I enrolled in the Teacher Education Program. I worked full-time and was a full-time student. I am now teaching in my childhood elementary school as a 4th grade teacher!

SoE:Who was your most memorable instructor, and what made them memorable?

Raven: Ronald Cunningham & Cassandra Williams [in the School of Education Teacher Education Program] they equally pushed me to be the best student and in turn Educator I can be. They equally believed in my abilities and have me best tools to walk away with. Thank you both sincerely.

SoE:How did your experience at the IU School of Education in Indianapolis shape who you are today?

Raven: SoE taught me a strength that I did not know I was holding inside. I was a full time student and employee and I learned how to fight for myself and needs, which I will be teach my students to do as well. That is my greatest take away from the SoE.

SoE:What professional accomplishments have you been most proud of and why?

Raven: I was a school bus driver for 11 years. I became a full-time student while being a full time employee. It taught me perseverance and determination. I earned my degree while doing both. I learned, whatever we put our minds to we can see it through.

SoE:What can you share with educators, counselors or fellow alumni?

Raven: It is never too late to follow your dreams!!! Keep Going and be great, compassionate, kind, genuine, and intentional in all you do. I wish you all the best in any of your endeavors and go be great in all you do!

Share Your News

We’d love to hear about your achievements in the field; recent awards, job promotion, books, articles, news highlights, etc.

Please share your accomplishments with us.