The College of Education's 1st annual DE-Stress day was a hit! On October 6th, we were joined by students of all Majors and classifications, as well as faculty, staff, and Murphy! The purpose of DE-stress day was to alleviate some of the stress produced from worrying about finals and/or midterms. Located right outside of the infamous Roemer Hall, students had the opportunity to DE-stress by playing giant bowling, Giant Jenga, Cornhole, and petting Murphy! 

The State of Black Educators Symposium

The College of Education and Human Services will be attending of The State of Black Educators Symposium that will be held February 3, 2023 at the University of Missouri – St. Louis. We encourage you to attend!

Drs. Leavitt and Whitacre recently attended the CPED Convening, Transforming the Advanced Preparation of Educational Professionals to Lead Through Scholarly and Equity-Minded Practice in Pittsburgh. This year’s convening included over 65 learning exchanges and keynote presentations for universities aligned with the CPED mission and vision to come together and work towards a stronger understanding of the EdD degree. Dr. Leavitt, Lindenwood University CPED delegate also attended an additional pre-conference workshop and delegate meeting prior to the conference. 

The COEHS Student Advisory Council has resumed meetings for the 2022-2023 school year. The students discussed topics and concerns relevant to their coursework and success. Topics ranged from online courses, Canvas shells, and course objectives to campus food. The outcomes of the council's discussions will be presented to the school administration for consideration. 

Students of all levels (undergraduates and graduates) who would like to have a voice on a wide range of topics and important issues within the COEHS and across the University are encouraged to participate. 

Please contact Chrissy Sachs csachs@lindenwood.edu to participate. 

Meetings are held on the 4th Thursday of each month.

Certification Corner DESE Updates

Are you seeking completion of a teaching certification? If so, please reach out to certifications@lindenwood.edu with questions concerning department of elementary and secondary education certification (DESE) requirements.   

DESE updates:

• Substitute Teacher certification can now be obtained with 36 college credits.

Dr. Cypret-Mahach, Department Head for Curriculum and Instruction and Dr. Hutcheson, Associate Dean, took a road trip to visit one of our newest partners, Hope Montessori. The Academic Director, Cate Epperson, and Vice President, Operations, Jaime Dodd, graciously shared their impressive Hope Montessori Education Institute (HMEI). The group then took time to discuss strategies for enhancing the existing partnership with observations as well as other onsite opportunities such as practicum placements. COEHS is looking forward to continuing the conversation about opportunities at HMEI. 

Rebecca Panagos, Education Professor, Kyle Coble, Marketing Professor and Intern Eli Madi presented September 28th, 2022 in Chicago at The International Society on Early Intervention. Funded by the PRIDE Award, the interdisciplinary research study, Theory to Practice: Building Family Capacity from Paper to Mobile App focuses on the recommendations from a market research focus group of families impacted by autism to conducted User Testing of the iPhone and Android Family Planner App. The International Society on Early Intervention is held in the US every three years, alternating with countries around the world.

Providing Early Intervention Vision Home Visit services to families for almost 35 years, Faculty Adjunct Catherine Smyth continues sharing her expertise with Lindenwood students in the MA in Early Interventions Program. She also serves as the Director of Research at Anchor Center. As a researcher, she presented on September 28^th “Virtual Thoughts: An Event Driven Mixed Method Research Study of Early Intervention Practices During the COVID-19 Pandemic” at The International Society on Early Intervention.

Dr. Nasser will offer dissertation help sessions this fall at the times/dates below. While we recommend attendees are either enrolled in or have completed Capstone I, all students are welcome.

December 1:

(Special Session- Dissertating During the Holiday Break)

7:00pm-8:00pm

Meeting ID: 875 4098 9055

Passcode: 5LRuF1 

“As an academic nurse educator, I am ever cognizant of the need to adapt current nursing curricula continually to prepare thoughtful and competent nurses who attend the wellness needs of expanding, global populations. Obtaining the CNE certification has prepared me to address the complex issues surrounding curriculum development to advance a nursing program of study that prepares diverse learners to become professional nurse leaders.” Peter D. Smith, BA, MSN, RN, CNE.

Students Successfully Complete

Doctoral Dissertation Defenses

Several students recently completed successful defenses of their doctoral dissertations, earning their Doctorate in Education.

Amber Hainline defended her dissertation titled “The Effect of Universal Design for Learning on Student Engagement and Achievement in a Southwest Missouri School District.” Her dissertation chair was Dr. Jackie Ramey.

Christian Overstreet defended his dissertation titled “The Cultivation of Transformational Leadership In Secondary School Principals.” His dissertation chair was Dr. Shelly Fransen.

Leslie Kristina Smith defended her dissertation titled “Surmounting Perceived Barriers for Missouri Female Superintendents: A Phenomenological Study.” Her dissertation chair was Dr. Tanya Vest.

Kirstina Marie Lauer defended her dissertation titled “A Qualitative Study on Teachers' Perceptions of Virtual Instruction During the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Midwest Public School District.” Her dissertation chair was Dr. Jackie Ramey.

Erin P. Manott Morris defended her dissertation titled “A Student-Designed Learning Management System: A Mixed-Methods Analysis of Undergraduate Student Ideas for Improving the LMS.” Her dissertation chair was Dr. Roger “Mitch” Nasser Jr.

Trunk or Treat for

Bringing Families Together

On October 15th, a beautiful fall day, 600 children and over 500 adults celebrated Halloween on the Bringing Families Together parking lot in Hazelwood. There were unicorns, dragons, superheroes, witches, and even Scooby Doo getting treats and candy, watching a puppet show, and making Halloween crafts. There were fire trucks, police officers, and the National Guard for meet and greets. We are proud to say this highly successful family event was coordinated by Domenique Wickham, a senior social work practicum student. The event was also a volunteer experience and reunion for social work faculty, BSW alumni, and current majors. Domenique says, “In the end, the stress of organizing and planning was worth it. I was able to meet members of the community and organize a gathering of local businesses and pillars of the community for donations and involvement. I’d do it all over again.”

Article publication in

National Career Development Association



The third in a series of historical articles, detailing the pioneering women of the career development field, Dr. Patterson-Mills was published in Career Convergence, a national online publication of the National Career Development Association. The article, ”Women Agents of Social and Political Change in Career Counseling History” details the early renegades who impacted systemic social changes surrounding labor rights, the labor market, and fair wages through active efforts of advocacy, protest, and legislation. This series has focused on the Progressive Era and uncovered many unsung heroines and pioneers that directly impacted the career development field. 

Brittany Grass, Program Coordinator for the Counseling Department, presented at Duchesne High School’s College and Career Day on October 14^th. She worked closely with the High School principal and staff to help create a college curriculum for their 9^th and 10^th graders. Brittany presented on the topic of social media and college admissions. She also assisted in creating several sessions and lessons as it relates to the college process such as a ‘Where are you Headed?’ lesson, developing a college portfolio session, and a careers that match colleges session. During the students' college day they also toured Lindenwood’s campus. 

Dr. Freedle presented an hour-long workshop at the IPBC conference which coincided with pregnancy and infant loss awareness month (October). During the workshop titled “Psychological Outcomes following Perinatal Loss” Dr. Freedle discussed the prevalence and presentation of a variety of mental health outcomes that women may suffer from following miscarriage, stillbirth, or termination of pregnancy for medical reasons such as prolonged grief disorder, major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder. She also discussed positive psychological outcomes such as posttraumatic growth and presented findings from her research exploring a variety of factors contributing to women’s growth after perinatal loss. Dr. Freedle also discussed clinical implications and future research directions. The presentation was well received and will likely lead to research collaborations across centers and other universities. For more information, you can contact Dr. Freedle at afreedle@lindenwood.edu.

Economic Episodes in Civics and Government Workshop

Lindenwood’s Economic Education Center is excited to partner with Economics Wisconsin to offer K-12 teachers the opportunity to be part of the online Economic Episodes in Civics and Government Workshop on Saturday, November 12, 9am-3:45pm (CST)! The workshop will introduce teachers to the brand-new text, Economic Episodes in Civics and Government, that can enhance classrooms with unique content. Topics include the economics of the Constitution and Supreme Court, the role of Congress and Executive Branch in the economy, and much more.

The workshop is FREE. Plus, every participant will receive 25 FREE copies of the text as well as a $100 Amazon giftcard. A $20 registration fee is required to secure your spot for the workshop but will be refunded after your attendance. Register quickly since attendance is limited to 50 participants.

Join us on Tuesday, November 15, 5 p.m.-6 p.m., for an informative webinar to learn about two statewide competitions for high school students: the Missouri Economics Challenge (MEC) and the Missouri Personal Finance Challenge (MPFC). These annual events are team-based competitions every spring for high-school students that deepen their learning about economics and its important role in their world, as well as vital life skills related to personal finance. Educators can easily use the MEC and MPFC to engage students and enhance their learning. Both state competitions are part of nationwide competitions organized by the Council for Economic Education.

In this free one-hour webinar, discover how both the Missouri Economics Challenge and Missouri Personal Finance Challenge work and how you can get them started in your classroom or school.

To learn more, visit www.econed.center.