Recognizing Scholarly Achievements of Our Faculty and Staff for Fall 2025
The School of Education is delighted to highlight the scholarly accomplishments of our faculty and staff members for the Fall 2025 semester. There is much to be celebrated from grants and awards received, books and articles published, presentations given, and conferences organized.
We welcome you to view the impressive list of works of our School of Education faculty.
Grants and Awards
Maria Mavrides Calderon
- I was awarded one of two fellowships in Early Childhood Policy from the National Research Center on Hispanic Children and Families. The Center advances research to inform programs and policies that better serve Hispanic children and families with low incomes. Through this fellowship, I will examine how professionalization requirements affect uncertified Hispanic educators’ ability to serve Hispanic children, as well as the supports they need to meet emerging early childhood education standards. The fellowship also provides mentorship and opportunities to engage in advocacy and policymaking at the federal level.
Julie Gorlewski
Elizabeth Klein
- CUNY- RFP Grant Award (2025): Science of Reading – Adults with Dyslexia, $26 000, Principal Investor/Leader
Imani Irving Perez
- Grant: Hunter Works Curriculum Innovation Grant (Spring 2025) -Grant designed to encourage faculty members to update the instructional design of a course that is regularly taught in their department to more closely align it with employer expectations for entry-level applicants. CIG awardees will focus on more fully integrating or establishing the integration of at least three NACE competencies into the course.
- CUNY-IIE Faculty Fellow: Enriching professional development workshop series designed specifically for education faculty across New York State. The City University of New York-Initiative on Immigration and Education (CUNY-IIE) is inviting tenured and tenure-track educators to reimagine their syllabi through the lens of immigration and education.
Gina Riley
- NYSED/CUNY (2024 to 2025). CUNY Special Education Grant to support P12 Special Education Program Development ($32,795). Interfaith America (2025) (with Dr. Nicole Bennet and Dr. Vicki Lens) AASCU Pluralism Cohort Grant. ($25,000).
Debbie Sonu
- Sonu, D. & Najib, A. (2025-2026). PSC-CUNY Cycle 56 Research Award, PI, entitled, “Facing Economic Inequality in NYC Elementary Schools: A Survey on CUNY Pre-Service Teachers’ Ideological Beliefs and Teacher Education Coursework.” $6,000
Catherine Voulgarides
- BRES Collaboration Hub Faculty Fellow (2025-2026) Black, Race, and Ethnic Studies (BRES), CUNY Graduate Center
- Henry Wasser Award for Outstanding Research for Assistant Professors in CUNY (2025).
- Hunter College 2025 Presidential Award for Excellence in Applied Scholarship (2025)
- Honorable Mention for the Doris Entwisle Early Career Award (2025), Sociology of Education Section, American Sociological Association
Book Publication or Edited Volume
Cara Furman
- Furman, C. & Rocha, T., eds. (2025). Teachers and Philosophy: Essays From a Contact Zone. Albany, NY: SUNY Press.
Gina Riley
- Ricci, C. & Riley, G. (2025). The Ungraded Classroom: Feedback, Reflection and Authentic Learning. Toronto: Ricci Publishing.
Anthony Picciano
- Picciano, A.G. (2025). Online Education: Foundations, Planning, and Pedagogy (2nd Ed). New York: Routledge/Taylor & Francis, Publishers.
Book Chapters
Jen Yung-Chen Chiu
- Chiu, Y-C, J., Lee, H., Lu, J., Ntinda, K., Chen, R., & Castillo, Y.A. (2025). Integrating technology to support learning and accessibility in counselor education and supervision. In Bates, D. & Ortega, C. (Eds), Innovative Approaches in Counselor Education for Students with Disabilities. IGI Global.
Tara Kirton
- Kirton, T., & Caton, L. (2025). Beyond the pages: Confronting race and representation in early childhood education. In Faragó, F., Escayg, K., & Husband, T. (Eds.), Anti-Racism in Early Childhood Education: Challenging Whiteness to Implement Just Practices. (pp. 77-88). Teachers College Press.
Susan McCullough
- McCullough, S. & Grootenhuis, F. (2025). The “A” in STEAM – how socially engaged artistic practice allows for interdisciplinary teaching. In S. Farenga, S. Garofalo & D. Ness (Eds.), International Handbook of Research on STEAM Curriculum and Praxis. New York: Routledge.
Jeneca Parker-Tongue
- Parker-Tongue, J. (2025). Building belonging from the inside out in K-12 schools. In L. DeMartino & L. Fetman (Eds.), Moving from Trendy and Traditional to Transformative Social and Emotional Learning. Myers Education Press. 83-99.
Articles
Brian Collins
- Collins, B.A. (2025). Access, quality, and home language support for emergent bilingual children in NYC’s Universal Pre-K programs. International Journal of Child Care and Education Policy
- Toppelberg, C.O. & Collins, B.A. (2025). Predictive models of longitudinal dual language profiles of young Latino children. Journal of Child and Family Studies. doi:10.1007/s10826-025-03153-5
Alex Fietzer
- Fietzer, A. W., Wu Cen, A. Z., Frosh, A., & Ponterotto, J. G. (in press). A review and guide to structural equation modeling in counseling psychology research. The Counseling Psychologist, 52(6).
Cara Furman
- Furman, C. (2025). Practical wisdom for ethical and effective teaching (of reading). Journal of Curriculum and Pedagogy, 1–4. https://doi.org/10.1080/15505170.2025.2536690
Julie Gorlewski
- Karalis Noel, T., & Gorlewski, J. A. (2025). Cultivating Change Agents through Effective Program Evaluation: Inaugural Year Insights from an Equity-Oriented EdD Program. Impacting Education: Journal on Transforming Professional Practice, 10(2), 10–18. https://doi.org/10.5195/ie.2025.451.
Elizabeth Klein
- In-Press Journal Publication: Creating a Decision-Making Curriculum for students with and Without Disabilities in Grades P-12 (2025) Excelsior Journal – First Author Riley, G, Klein, E, Perez, A. and Irving-Perez
Jeneca Parker-Tongue
- Parker-Tongue, J. (2025). The power of flowers: Reflections on peace and education in the humanities. Educational Philosophy & Theory Journal. [Manuscript under review].
Imani Irving Perez
- Irving, Imani A., “From the Words of Our Fathers: Black Paternal Perspectives on Literacy and Recommendations for Literacy Instruction for Black Males” (2025). Theses and Dissertations. 877. https://scholar.stjohns.edu/theses_dissertations/877
- Irving-Perez, I. (2025) Instruction From Our Fathers: Black Paternal Perspectives and Recommendations for Literacy Instruction. The New York Academy of Public Education Research Journal, 14 (1), 7-14. https://nyape.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/NYAPE-research-journal-2025.pdf
Anthony Picciano
- Picciano, A.G. (2025). The education-industrial complex going global. Norwegian DOA Journal Seminar.Net: 21(1). https://doi.org/10.7577/seminar.6170
Jody Polleck
- Polleck, J. (In Press). Neurodiverse youth book clubs for transformative and inclusive social emotional learning. Social Emotional Learning: Research, Policy, and Practice.
Gina Riley
- Riley. G. (2025). Review of Joyful Learning: How to Find Freedom, Happiness, and Success Beyond Conventional Schooling. Journal of School Choice, pp. 1 – 2.
Salvador Ruiz
- Fragale, D., Ruiz, S., Newsome, K.B., Day-Watkins, J., & Verdun, V. (2025). Acting, charting, and fluency: Using a modified safmeds procedure to increase recall in a stage actor and non-actor. Behavior Analysis in Practice. doi.org/10.1007/s40617-024-01038-5
- Taylor, Jonte C., Mohhr, M., Ruiz, S., & Cahill, A. (2025). Time-out for students with emotional/behavioral disorders: A systematic and meta-analytic review. Behavioral Disorders. doi.org/10.1177/01987429251371075
Nancy Sall
- Bleiweiss, J., & Sall, N. (2025). Social communication foundations: Examining interventions to promote serve and return and joint attention. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/00400599251346783
Lauren Schnell-Peskin
- Aciu, J., Vladescu, J. C., Day-Watkins, J., & Schnell-Peskin, L. K. (2025). A potential life-saving skill: Teaching Caregivers to perform infant cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Behavioral Interventions, 40(4)
- Day-Watkins, J., Vladescu, J. C., Reed, D. D., Kaplan, B., Graham, M., Schnell-Peskin, L. K. (2025). Optimizing variables for contingency management among infant caregivers using a simulated purchase task. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 123(1), 72–84. https://doi.org/10.1002/jeab.4233
Debbie Sonu
- Sonu, D., Zaino, K. & Helfenbein, R. (2025). Critical geography and teaching against neoliberal racial capitalism in New York City elementary schools. Critical Education, 16(1), p. 80-103. https://doi.org/10.14288/ce.v16i1
- Farley, L., Sonu, D., Chang-Kredl, S, Pareck, G. & Rehkamp, J. (2025). Difficult Knowledge and Children’s Museums: Programming, Practices, and Principles across the United States and Canada. Access here: https://go.yorku.ca/childrensmuseumsproject
Catherine Voulgarides
- Kramarczuk Voulgarides, C. K., Firestone, A., Aylward, A., Ahram, R, Strassfeld, N., & Jeong, J. Y. (forthcoming). Top Down and Bottom Up: Using the Deductive-Inductive Dual Pillar Integration Process (DID-PIP) to Answer Multilevel-Systems Questions. Journal of Mixed Methods Research.
- Kramarczuk Voulgarides, C., Aylward, A., Strassfeld, N., Cherng, S., Ahram, R., Firestone, A., Hartwig, J., & Jeong, J. (2025). A critical examination of special education policy using a multi-layered systemic approach for policy analysis (MSAPA). Remedial and Special Education.
Presentations and Conferences
Yang Hu
- Hu, Y., & Beers, S. (2025, November) Teaching revision from the inside out: Dreaming of writing classrooms where students’ voices lead the way. Presentation at the annual meeting of the National Council of Teachers of English. Denver, CO
- Hu, Y. & Kail, A. (2025, April). Promoting Critical and Socially Engaged Teaching and Learning through Dance and Movement. Annual Face-to-Face Conference, NYC Arts in Education Round Table, New York City
Tara Kirton
- I will share my presentation, We Know the Facts, What Are We Going to Do With Them?: Dreaming Out Loud to Create Early Care and Early Childhood Programs Black Children and Families Deserve, at the National Black Child Development Institute’s National Conference in October 2025. I will present the same information twice, at the request of the conference organizers. Practices for addressing and dismantling racism in “traditional” school settings will be discussed based on a qualitative study conducted in New York City with six Black families who attended early childhood programs throughout the Bronx and Brooklyn. Suggestions for creating more equitable and joyful experiences will be shared by each child participant and their parents.
Elizabeth Klein
- Presentation: Peralta Equity Virtual Conference on April 14, 2025: Decision Making Curriculum with Dr. Gina Riley and Elizabeth Klein
- Conference: Everyone Reading NYC on March 3, 2025: Autonomous Decision-Making Skill Set in Students with Disabilities: The HUNTER/SOE DDPC Decision Making Curriculum – Gina Riley, Elizabeth Klein, Alfonso Perez, Imani Irving-Perez
Susan McCullough
- McCullough, S. (2025, March) Exploring novice art teachers’ diverse approaches to culturally responsive teaching in urban high schools. Presentation National Art Education Association annual conference. Louisville, KY.
- McCullough, S., Dewhurst, M., Koo, S., Allen, A. & Black, C. (2025, March). Cultivating identity awareness through critical reflection: research and strategies. Presentation at National Art Education Association annual conference. Louisville, KY.
Jeneca Parker-Tongue
Conferences
- Jeneca Parker-Tongue delivered the 2025 keynote address at Highline College’s 7th Annual Equity Development Institute, held in Des Moines, WA, on May 2, 2025. Her keynote, titled “Humanizing Data: Listening, Learning, and Leading for Belonging,” explored the power of data when centered in relationships, equity, and care. In addition to the keynote, she facilitated a focused session with the President’s Executive Cabinet on “Building Beloved Community: The Inner and Outer Work of Transformation.”
- Parker-Tongue, J. & Hallett. J. (2025, June 6). From reflection to liberation: Three steps toward school belonging [Workshop]. 3rd Annual Activate Conference with NYCPS Organizational Development, Talent, and Culture. New York, NY.
- Hodnett, K., Parker-Tongue, J., Rolon-Marlowe, A., Riley, G., Bleiweiss, J., & Miller, Y. (2025, March 17). Building belonging from the inside out: Cultivating self-care in the workplace [Presentation]. CUNY Career Compass for Women Leaders Conference. Virtual.
- Parker-Tongue, J, Hallett, J., & Furman, C. (2025, March 5). Flourish & thrive with C-SELL: A mindful pause for renewal and connection [Workshop]. Principal Wellness Day with NYCPS Office of Youth and Safety Development. New York, NY.
- Bloomberg, P. & Parker-Tongue, J. (2025, February 24). From people to process: Advancing agency through complex change [Webinar]. Education of Scotland Leadership Seminar. Virtual.
- Parker-Tongue, J. & Yuan, D. (2024, September 26). Decolonize your emotions, give yourself your flowers, & build belonging from the inside out [Workshop]. Black SEL Conference. Durham, NC.
Presentations
- Parker-Tongue, J. (2025, November 7). Aesthetic rhythms of belonging: Ekphrastic poems elucidating visual, sonic, and embodied knowing [Symposium]. Southern Atlantic Modern Language Association. Atlanta, GA.
- Parker-Tongue, J. (2025, April 23). Mapping geographies of belonging in the school environment and the body [Roundtable Session]. American Educational Research Association Meeting. Denver, CO.
- Parker-Tongue, J. (2025, April 26). Moving from trendy to transformative social and emotional learning: A conversation with practitioners and scholars [Symposium]. American Educational Research Association Meeting. Denver, CO.
- Parker-Tongue, J. (2025, February 25). Mapping geographies of belonging in the school environment and the body [Roundtable Session]. London Arts-Based Research Conference. Virtual.
Imani Irving Perez
- Adelaide L. Sanford Institute 2025 Joy of Parenting Conference : This workshop is designed for parents, caregivers, and family members who support the development of infants and toddlers with special needs. Grounded in equity, inclusion, and family engagement principles, this session will provide a comprehensive overview of early intervention and its importance during the critical birth-to-three period.
Anthony Picciano
- Lead Panelist for a presentation at the OLC Accelerate Conference in Orlando, Fl: entitled: Trends in the Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence for Digital Learning: Transforming Educational Landscapes and Supporting Student Success – Anthony Picciano, Patsy Moskal , Kaye Shelton, Charles Dziuban
Rachel DeForrest Repinz
- I will be presenting my experiential workshop, “What Does It Smell Like? Multisensory World-Building as Access in Dance Performance” at The University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna, Austria on Friday, September 26, 2025 as part of the Dance Resonance — Artistic Attunement in Motion symposium.
- I will be presenting my experiential workshop “Audio Description for Dance: Histories & Advances” at the National Dance Education Organization National Conference in Detroit, Michigan on October 5, 2025.
Gina Riley
- Autonomous Decision Making in Students with Disabilities: The Hunter SOE/DDPC Decision Making Curriculum. Presented with Dr. Alfonso Perez, Dr. Imani Irving-Perez and Prof. Elizabeth Klein at the Everyone Reading Conference, CUNY Graduate Center, New York, March 2025.
- Building Belonging from the Inside Out: Cultivating Self Care in the Workplace. Presented with Kristen Hodnett, Jeneca Parker-Tongue, Ashley Rolon – Marlowe, and Yvette Miller. CUNY Women’s Conference: Empowering Women to Thrive as Professionals. Online. March 2025.
- Supported Decision Making – Bilingual Parent and Provider Workshop. Presented with Dr. Alfonso Perez at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, April 2025.
- Equity in Learning: The Hunter SOE/DDPC Decision Making Curriculum. Presented with Dr. Imani Irving-Perez & Elizabeth Klein. Perlata Equity Conference, Online.
- Elevating HyFlex: Student Voices Driving the Future of Learning. Presented at the 3nd Annual HyFlex Collaborative Conference. State University at Albany. June 2025.
- Returning to Joy: Facilitating Learning with Trust, Purpose & Presence (Keynote). Return to the Roots Summit, August 2025.
Nancy Sall
- Poster presentations at the CEC Annual Conference in Baltimore, MD:
- Developing Professional Humility to Support Family-Professional Relationships
- Examining Infant/Toddler Clinical Experiences in Programs of Higher Education.
- Poster presentations at the CEC Annual Conference in Baltimore, MD:
Community Engagement/Impact
Maria Mavrides Calderon
- Panelist in the Head Start and Early Childhood Education Summit on September 6, 2025, focused on the research and evidence-based policy implications, and practical applications of this national program and others like it. This summit was sponsored by the Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research (BCTR) at Cornell University and the New York State Office of Families and Children. It represents an effort to contribute to a pivotal moment in our society, when evidence-based analysis and dialogue around early childhood education programs are crucial.
Cara Furman
- Second season of a podcast Teaching from an Ethical Center: An Inquiry Among friends. This season focuses on interviews with teachers centered on curriculum and joy. https://open.spotify.com/show/4NWIyMWpxldGHlLNOa1FZR
Elizabeth Klein
- Awarded Provost’s Student Engagement Fund for an event (teaching artist) as part of the SEL Fellowship project.
Other Achievements of Note
Debbie Sonu
- 2025-2026 Faculty Mentor in Education, CUNY Faculty Fellowship Publication Program (FFPP): The Faculty Fellowship Publication Program (FFPP), sponsored by the University Human Resources and Labor Relations Office, aims at advancing CUNY’s institutional goal of a diverse professoriate. The University-wide initiative assists full-time untenured faculty in the design and execution of writing projects essential to progress toward tenure.