The Senior-Career Award is the UO’s highest award for faculty to recognize and celebrate a deep and distinguished record of scholarship and research. Gina Biancarosa, EdD, the Ann Swindells Chair in Education and professor in the Department of Special Education and Clinical Sciences, is recognized for her transformative contributions to educational measurement, literacy research, and reading assessment on a national scale.
Congratulations to Alum Sage Hatch, '18, who was selected as a 2026 National Academy of Education (NAEd)/Spencer Research Fellow. Sage was born and raised in Siletz, Oregon, and currently works with the Native American Youth and Family Center in Portland. Sage holds a Master’s of Education (MEd) in Teaching and Curriculum from the COE's Sapsik’ʷałá program in partnership with UOTeach.
Dr. Brian Megert, currently the director of special programs at Springfield Public Schools, will be the district’s new assistant superintendent. Brian received a doctorate of education, a master’s in special education, and bachelor’s in psychology from the University of Oregon.
Jenn Mills, a special education instructor for Tualatin High School, changes lives with Unified, an inclusive program affiliated with the Special Olympics. Jennifer earned an undergraduate degree in education and a master’s degree in special education from the COE. She worked at Churchill High School in Eugene before returning to her hometown.
Each spring, a long-running tradition plays out in classrooms across campus: An unsuspecting professor is interrupted mid-lecture by a small delegation of UO administrators and faculty colleagues with news they have won a Distinguished Teaching Award. One of those surprises happened to Alison Schmitke, PhD, undergraduate degree program director in the COE.
Around the School Table podcast host Steve Davis is joined by Dr. Gina Biancarosa, Ann Swindells Chair in Education, Professor in the Department of Special Education and Clinical Sciences, and Director of the Center on Teaching and Learning. Gina explains how DIBELS was developed to help educators identify students who may need additional support with reading.
For Alum Teresa Squires Osborne, giving is not a single act. It is a way of life shaped across generations, grounded in education, and carried forward through a deeply personal commitment to future students.
For Ellie Hein, FHS, studying abroad was about far more than travel or academics. It became a transformative experience that challenged her to step outside familiar boundaries and, in doing so, discover newfound independence, confidence, and patience.
Sexual and gender minority youth tend to be at higher risk for peer victimization and all forms of harassment, including experiences of stigma and discrimination. Written by Maria Schweer-Collins, PhD, Research Assistant Professor, HEDCO Institute for Evidence-Based Educational Practice.
Finalist Kimberlee Pelster has a master’s degree in educational leadership and policy from the University of Oregon and this spring completed a doctoral degree, also in educational leadership. Pelster is currently principal at Thurston High School.
