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Nate Ashley -- Masters Student, Social Foundations of Education I started the social foundations program in 2004 via the UVA history department, where I spent the two previous years studying intellectual and French history. I am currently concerned with nationalism and education, postmodernism and education, and the French education system. I am a graduate of the University of Richmond with a B.A. in history and sociology. My hobbies are ultimate frisbee, cooking, any sport with a ball (excluding sports with both balls and racquets), and photography. Dieu n’avait fait que l’eau, mais l’homme a fait le vin. – Victor Hugo |
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Amy Burge -- Masters Student, Social Foundations of Education I started the Social Foundations Masters program in the Fall of 2005. I received my B.A. from Columbia University in May 2004, majoring in American History. While in New York, I tutored at several after-school programs in Harlem. I also coached a girls recreational soccer team for 3 years. After graduating, I taught in the Summer Enrichment Program for Norfolk Public Schools, in Norfolk, Virginia. I then moved to Washington, DC where I worked for a bi-partisan, nonprofit, anti-crime organization, Fight Crime: Invest in Kids. Working for this organization afforded me the opportunities to work with our members to urge increased federal government investment in quality after-school and child-care programs that reduce crime. I am interested in studying urban education and higher education. |
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Heather Burns -- Doctoral Student, Social Foundations of Education |
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Roger Catania -- Doctoral Student, Social Foundations of Education I entered the social foundations program in 2004 after working in middle and high schools for almost 20 years. In this program I found the interdisciplinary and academic approach to the study of education and schooling that I was looking for. I have especially enjoyed studying education through the disciplines of history, philosophy, sociology, and anthropololgy. My areas of focus and interest are in the history of K-12 education, history of the high school curriculum, and educational criticism. Diane Hoffman is my advisor. I was fortunate to work with Professors Bruce Gansneder and Brian Pusser on the Emerging Pathways project on non-traditional learners in higher education, funded by the Lumina Foundation. Previous degrees include a BA in History from Binghamton University in 1984, an MA in Teaching from Manhattanville College in 1986, and an MS in Counseling from Oregon State University in 1997. I taught history, geography, and government to middle and high school students in New York and Oregon for 6 years. For 13 years I have worked as a middle school and high school school counselor in New York and Oregon. I have coached basketball in three different schools, most recently as the boys varsity coach at Lake Placid High School. I live in Charlottesville, VA and Saranac Lake, NY with my wife Amy, and my boys James and Louis, ages 2 & 5. Recent accomplishments: • ISI Bache Renshaw Fellowship • Paper presented at ASHE conference, November, 2005. "A Description of Nontraditional Students in Continuing Education Programs" with Nakia Pope, Ned Gallaway, and Brian Pusser. |
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Carol Clair -- Doctoral Student, Social Foundations of Education I entered the Social Foundations doctoral program in 2004, after a career of 15+ years in the private sector working in the field of educational services. Feeling I had a decent handle on the American business scene, I decided to mark the millennium by embarking on a new life and entered Virginia Commonwealth University where I completed my M. Ed. in adult learning in 2002. My capstone took me to Romania to study the effects of trust on the development of organizational and human resources in a post-communist society. After graduation, I worked in Washington D.C. with the NAEPDC, the professional organization representing state departments of adult education. This group serves as an educational and professional development resource for adult educators in areas including literacy, adult basic education, and ESL. It also monitors and assesses national legislative and policy issues affecting adult learning. After exploring various doctoral programs, I came to understand that Curry’s social foundations program provides an ideal vantage point from which to study not only education, but also the world in general. What could be better? My interests include women’s issues, globalization, non-traditional students in higher education, and the transformative potential of education. I have gravitated toward anthropology and comparative education, but I love the interdisciplinary nature of foundations, so I happily call myself a generalist. My assistantship provides the opportunity to work with Dr. Cheryl Henig in the Department of Educational Leadership. I serve as an evaluator for the North Tier technology integration grant, which is funded by the Virginia Department of Education and No Child Left Behind. In Spring 2002, I published a paper entitled “The Virtual High School: America’s Learning Frontier” in the VSTE Journal. In November 2005, I presented a paper entitled “High stakes testing and non-traditional students in Great Britain and the United States” at the American Educational Studies Association Conference. |
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Maggie Harding -- Masters Student, Social Foundations of Education I grew up in the small Southern Virginia town of Victoria, that boasts all of one stoplight, and moved to the booming metropolis of Charlottesville in August of 2001 to attend UVA. I graduated in May of 2005 with a BA in Psychology and Philosophy and a minor in Anthropology. I decided that the Social Foundations program would be a perfect fit for me. I am specifically interested in the anthropological aspects of education regarding the role of culture and education. I expect to finish my degree in either August or December of 2006 where I will then decide if I will continue on to the Doctoral program (you can never stay too long at UVA!) Go Hoos! |
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Loren Intolubbe-Chmil -- Masters Student, Social Foundations of Education I earned my B.A. in 1997 from Mary Baldwin College via the Adult Degree Program. I majored in Sociology, with a minor in Women’s Studies. Fortunately for me, during the time I attended Mary Baldwin, the sociology and anthropology departments were combined, so I could place a special emphasis on studies in anthropology. I hope to complete my M.Ed. in Spring 2006, and am in the process of applying to the Doctoral program in Social Foundations for Fall 2006. Ultimately, I’d love to strike a professional balance between academia and the community, and to bring an anthropological view to teacher training and educational policy-making. In addition to my studies and community work, I am married to a local businessman and together we raise four children, currently ages 11, 13, 15, and 16, as well as tending to a dog, a cat, and a guineau pig. |
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Melissa Levy -- Doctoral Student, Social Foundations of Education I entered the Social Foundations of Education program at Curry in 2004 as a master’s student and soon decided I wasn’t quite ready to leave after the master’s degree. My areas of interest include education reform/renewal, equity, socio-emotional learning, and arts in education. During my invigorating three-year tenure as a middle school band director in Fairfax County, Virginia, I developed a strong interest in education reform/renewal. Feeling as though I hadn’t quite found my professional match, I left teaching to work as the program director at American University Hillel. I enjoyed my four years working in campus student life, but continued to harbor a passion for school improvement. I discovered UVa's Social Foundations of Education program through a fellow flute player and decided it was time to head back to school. I earned a Bachelor of Music Education from Indiana University in 1997, and a Master of Education from the University of Virginia in 2005. Since January 2005, I have been working with the Darden/Curry Partnership for Leaders in Education. I am currently a member of the team researching the Virginia School Turnaround Specialist Program, a Darden/Curry Partnership project in conjunction with the Virginia Department of Education and Microsoft Corporation. I presented a paper as part of a panel of fellow students at the American Educational Studies Association Conference in November. The paper is entitled "Elementary school music education in Japan and the United States: A comparative look." |
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At the completion of my PhD in Social Foundations at University of Virginia, I will be a triple “Hoo” – having earned a BA in mathematics and a masters of teaching in 1999. Before enrolling in the social foundations program, I was a high school mathematics teacher in SC and MD. I loved teaching but wished to explore issues that are best examined through a foundational look at education. That’s what brought me back to UVA in 2004. I hope to one day be a professor at a small college teaching social foundations courses, mathematics methods courses, and/or mathematics courses. I would also like to be involved in the local high school at some capacity as well. My focus takes a combined look at mathematics education and anthropology/comparative education. For my dissertation I am interested in observing the constraints and supports (both cultural and societal) that exist for mathematics student teachers. I am interested in how constraints, supports, philosophies, and methods change once the transition is made into full-time teaching positions. In addition to teaching, I have been lucky to have worked as a TA for the elementary mathematics methods course in the spring of 2005, as a staff member in the office of orientation during the summer of 2005, as a tutor in subjects ranging from elementary mathematics to Calculus II, and as a camp counselor. These opportunities have allowed me to work with and better understand students of all ages. I am also very fortunate to currently be working for Brian Pusser in the Higher Education program and with Joe Garofalo in the mathematics education program. |
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Whitney Naman -- Doctoral Student, Social Foundations of Education I started the Ph.D. program in the fall of 2005. My interests are in childhood and culture in K-5 schools and the influence of race on primary education. Right now I am pursuing dissertation topics associated with the reversal of the Swann v. Charlotte Mecklenburg Board of Education Supreme Court case. I want to look at equity and student success in this newly segregated school system. I am also interested in the implications the case has on other Southern schools. I was an exchange student in Brazil for a year, earned my B.A. in theatre design (sets and lights) and art history at James Madison University, and earned my Masters in Teaching at Queens University. After working in the education department of a history museum, I decided to go into teaching. I taught K-5 art, and later moved into the classroom at an inner city school in Charlotte, NC. I then taught 4th grad in the United Kingdom before landing in Charlottesville. Awards include: 2001-02 World Affairs Council Scholar – Recognized for outstanding work with students to raise cultural and international awareness; 2000 -2001 Teacher of the Year – International Language Academy; received over $20,500 dollars in grant funding and awards to implement international programming in various schools. On a personal side I enjoy travel and have a great love of animals. |
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Ben Paxton-- Doctoral Student, Social Foundations of Education I started the social foundations program in the fall of 2003. My focus is in the philosophy and anthropology of education, with particular attention paid to issues in international and comparative education, especially those concerning global justice or the lack thereof. My interests include ethics and education, religion and education, and education for peace and reconciliation. My dissertation research looks at the ways education systems respond (and contribute) to social and political conflict in such places as Northern Ireland, Rwanda, Kosovo, Israel and the United States. Currently, I am planning to conduct my doctoral fieldwork in an integrated school in Northern Ireland. I received my B.A. in philosophy and history from Middlebury College in 1995, after which I worked for a homeless shelter and at various other jobs while pursuing graduate studies in philosophy and ethics. I received an M.Div. from Yale University in 2002, and an M.A.R. in Ethics from Yale University in 2003. While in New Haven, I served as Community Life Coordinator at the Divinity School and as Chair of the Yale Committee for Social Justice. Since attending Curry, I have worked with Professors Eric Bredo and Jennifer de Forest, and taught social foundations courses at Virginia Commonwealth University. I presented a paper at the Comparative and International Education Society Conference (CIES) at Stanford University in March 2005, entitled: “Towards an Integrated Approach to Education for Economic Development and Peace in Rwanda”, and in May I participated in the “Globalization and Higher Education Conference” at the University of Edinburgh. I currently reside in the beautiful Belmont section of Charlottesville, where I occasionally dog-sit for John Stroup’s dog Gus. |
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Carolyn Pinkerton-- Doctoral Student, Social Foundations of Education I entered the Social Foundations department in the fall of 2004. I received my B.A in Spanish from the University of Tennessee as well as my M.A in Education. I received my certification to teach English as a Second Language while earning an M.A in Curriculum and Instruction from Virginia Tech. I have worked with many grade levels and subjects, including fifth grade, middle and high school Spanish, seventh grade language arts and social studies, third grade math, and ESL. My focus is in Anthropology and Comparative Education. I worked last year as a T.A for Human Development in the Educational Psychology department and co-taught Child Development at the UVa’s satellite school in Richmond. For 2005-2006, I am working with the Darden-Curry Turnaround Schools program. In the short term, I am interested in how schools, particularly in rural areas, are adapting to the rising population of ESL students. In the long term, I plan to work for educational reform, advocating for teachers and students, whether in a school, at the local level, or in a non-profit organization. I also plan to work at the university level, sharing with future educators the information I acquire during my studies and work in educational reform. Recent Accomplishments include a paper presentation, “Perceptions on the dichotomy of accountability and excellence: A comparative view of Japan and the United States” at CIES conference, Stanford, spring 2005; also, “Democracy and Accountability: A comparative view of Japan and the United States”, presented at the AESA conference in Charlottesville, fall 2005. |
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Karen J. Ratzlaff – Masters student, Social Foundations of Education I started as a part-time student in the Social Foundations master’s program in the spring of 2005. As a full-time employee of the University’s School of Nursing and the mother of two boys, I am working slowly toward my M.Ed. It’s been my privilege to work for the School of Nursing for more than 12 years, now serving as the managing director of development and alumni affairs and helping women and men obtain a world-class nursing education. If I choose to remain in this great profession, a master’s degree is professionally important. But through my experiences in the Social Foundation program to date, I realize this program might open other avenues to explore. So far, my interest is piqued by K-12 policy issues and anthropology of education. I graduated with a BA in theatre from the College of William & Mary (the other great Virginia university) in 1989. In past lives, I’ve worked as a long-term substitute teacher, an editorial assistant, and an HIV counselor. Coincidentally, my mother completed her masters in Social Foundations as one of the early students in the Northern Virginia extension program in the 1980s. |
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Jacob Rooksby -- Masters Student, Social Foundations of Education & Law Student at UVA Law School I started the masters program in social foundations program at Curry part-time in the fall of 2005. I wanted to enroll in an education program that would not just allow but rather encourage interdisciplinary study. The social foundations program at Curry more than fits the bill. As a full-time student at the UVA School of Law (where I primarily study and write in the fields of intellectual property and constitutional law), my area of focus is on the symbiotic relationship between education and the law. I hope to have ample opportunity to explore some of the following during my time at Curry: How does law change education? How does education evolve to affect changes in the law? How do institutions of higher learning address, ignore, challenge, follow, ponder, and integrate legal constructs and precedents, and how do the courts react to these actions? What role have courts played in shaping the intellectual property climate at American universities? Possible future thesis ideas might include some aspect of law and higher education, the politics of education, or free speech in education. I graduated from The College of William & Mary summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa in 2004, with an A.B. in Hispanic studies and government. Last summer I worked at the law firm Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, where I will return for part of this summer. Upon graduation in 2007, I would like to incorporate representation of schools and colleges into my practice of law; in the long term, I might like to pursue career opportunities as a college lawyer and/or administrator. |
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Tara Saylor -- Masters Student, Social Foundations of Education I am a part-time Social Foundations Masters student with a particular interest in the role that race and culture play in education. I received my B.A. in political science from Miami University (OH) in 1998 and currently direct the development efforts at the University of Virginia Center for Politics. I expect to finish my Masters this August of 2006 and intend to pursue a Ph.D. program Education. Prior to my position at the Center for Politics, I served as assistant director of the UVA. Arts & Sciences Development Office. My career in development began in Charlottesville at the March of Dimes where I was community director. |
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Justin Stone -- Doctoral Student, Social Foundations of Education I am now in my third year of studies at the Curry School of Education. While my academic focus is in Education Policy Studies, the Social Foundations Doctoral Program has colored my studies and made me more aware of the theoretical currents underpinning the highly political and storied education landscape. I earned an M.Ed. in Education Policy Studies in 2004 from Curry. I have been studying and have written about education issues like choice, state and local finance models, teacher-led reform, and politics. I became Virginia certified in secondary education English in 2003 and am interested in finding my way back to the classroom in some capacity at a yet to be determined point in my career. The worlds of practice and policy are discrete in most fields, and education is no exception. However, I really am drawn to knowledge and how knowledge is transferred. My policy experiences include three internships/fellowships in Washington, D.C.: one at the Progressive Policy Institute, a think tank, and two separate summer internships at the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices. These experiences have been instrumental in my learning and have ignited a fiery appetite for all things education. My career goals include education policy analysis, consulting, research, and teaching in that order. When I am able, and sporadically, I write fiction, hike, bike, canoe/kayak, ride horses and enjoy live music. |
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John T. Stroup -- Doctoral Student, Social Foundations of Education I started the program in the fall of 2003. My area of focus is the politics and policy of education with a special emphasis on organizational learning, the history and anthropology of education. I earned my B.A. at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. After graduating in 1998, I taught English and Religion for four years at an independent school in San Antonio, TX where I also served as the Admissions Office Coordinator for one year. I also coached football and basketball at the middle and high school levels during my tenure at TMI, The Episcopal School of Texas. Prior to enrolling at UVA, I also worked for one year at Google and a Sylvan Learning Center in El Cerrito, CA. Recent accomplishments include a paper presentation,"The development of the nation’s report card and federal governing authority of public education", at the November 2005 AESA conference. I live in Charlottesville with my wife, Sarah, who is working on her Ph.D. in Political Science. |
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Michael Terry -- Masters Student, Social Foundations of Education I was born in Charlottesville and attended the public school system in Albemarle County. I attended Radford University in beautifulsouthwest Virginia and earned my B.S. in political science (and a minor in history) in 1989. After bouncing around the mid-Atlantic for several years, I moved back home in 1996. My decision to attend Curry has been several years in the making. After spending over a decade in sales, I made the decision to change careers. I am interested in performing corporate relations work for the University. Through some Curry alumni friends, I was introduced to Professor Burbach. We determined that the Social Foundations department would be a great fit for me. My personal interests include: UVA Football (I seriously don't think I've missed a game since I was about 6!), reading history, attending steeplechases, playing soccer and serving on the vestry at my church. My wife, Laura "Lori" Terry, is the Treasurer of the Darden School and an alumna of the Commerce School here at UVA. Our son, William, is only 2 and a half, but we are sure he will be a Wahoo in a mere 16 years! |
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Eleni Theodorou -- Doctoral Student, Social Foundations of Education I have been a member of the Social Foundations "gang" since 2004. I started as a master's student that year and decided along the way to continue toward the doctorate. I come from Cyprus where I was born and raised, and as you may (or may not) have guessed my native language is Greek. I received my degree in Education from the University of Cyprus in 2002, worked as a teacher in public schools for two years and then came to the "New World" on a cultural and educational adventure, which, by the way, has been enlightning, to say the least, thus far. I am mainly interested in multiculturalism and minority education issues, and thus, if I had to attach myself to a field (although I 'd rather not, besides that's the beauty of Social Foundations -- multidisciplinarism), I would say I mostly adhere to educational anthropology. Other than academics, I love traveling and knowing the "other", either that's right next door or across the ocean, with the hope that by the end of our encounter it will cease to feel as such! |
| Billy Wayson – Doctoral Student, Social Foundations of Education I started the Social Foundations doctoral program in the spring of 2003 after several checkered careers as a dairy farmer, organization development consultant, president of a social science research institute, and bureaucrat with the U. S. Department of Justice. With a background like that, Curry’s diverse Social Foundations curriculum proved to be an excellent fit for a life-long learner with a passion for the intersection of political ideology and education. My principle area of interest is the history of education/learning in the late Colonial and early Republic period (1760-1820). My dissertation topic, which is awaiting committee approval, is, “Plantation Mistress and Republican Mother: Jefferson’s Education of Daughter Martha.” My ever patient and supportive advisor is Professor Wagoner. Between fall 2005 and spring 2006, I am a Fellow at the International Center for Jefferson Studies and assembling 1200-1500 letters between members of the Jefferson family and their acquaintances related to education. These documents are being transcribed from manuscripts, converted to electronic form, and will be examined with a qualitative analysis software program (Nvivo). Particular attention will be given to themes of gender, learning domains, family constructs, and interactions between public and private spheres. Previous formal education is sparse, including a BA in Philosophy from the University of Iowa (with all the appropriate honors) and two years in graduate economics at George Washington University, which gave me a view of the dismal side of life. I held various positions with the Department of Justice in the areas of federal-state relations, corrections, human resources, and finance and later established a policy analysis firm specializing in criminal justice issues. Publications include two co-authored books, monographs on the economics of criminal justice, accreditation standards, drug treatment programs, privatization of human services delivery, and organizational change. For the last two decades, farming, management consulting, and elected office have provided a life balancing head and heart. In addition to farming and student life, I am currently on the adjunct faculty at the Federal Executive Institute in Charlottesville where I do small group facilitation and teach courses on leadership, organizational change, slavery and, of course, Jefferson. |
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Margaret Yarbrough -- Masters Student, Social Foundations of Education I started at Curry in the fall of 2005, choosing the Social Foundations program because it offered a background of education while allowing for a focus in arts. My career goal is to become a Curator of Education in an art museum, focusing on community outreach and instilling an appreciation and understanding of art in museum visitors of all ages. I graduated with a B.A. in art history from Duke University in 2002 and, before heading to Charlottesville, lived in Washington D.C. where I worked at the National Trust for Historic Preservation and served as a docent at the Corcoran Gallery of Art. The two most common questions I received from visitors of the Corcoran were who is my favorite painter (Matisse) and if I am myself artistic (Try to be. Love photography). Now the most common question I receive is if I cheer for Duke or UVA. This is an easy one. UVA during football season and Duke during basketball. |
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