Student and Alumni News | College of Education and Social Services | The University of Vermont(title)

We are dedicated to the success of our students and alumni. Here are some recent stories about their experiences and their impact on communities near and far.

Stories about our Students and Alumni

05/18/2024

Pursuing Their Dreams and Fulfilling Our Mission

The CESS Class of 2024 includes 200 undergraduate students and 138 graduate students across a range of academic pursuits. We are thrilled to celebrate our graduates' remarkable accomplishments and postgraduate plans reflecting a diverse assortment of pathways in education, social work, and...

Collage of 12 undergraduate and graduate students surrounding the UVM 2024 banner hung in front of Waterman Building.

03/19/2024

Inspired to Serve

Growing up in Winooski, Vermont, Evelyn Monje dreamed of attending the University of Vermont as she went by campus on the way to school every day. Working as a youth camp counselor during the summer after her first year of high school, she began to discover what her true calling might be....

Evelyn Monje at her mobile social work desk at the South Burlington Public Library.

02/01/2024

Living Fully and Dying Prepared

When Francesca Arnoldy arrived at her grandparents’ home in Massachusetts and approached her dying grandfather’s bedside a decade ago, she was unsure about what to expect. Feeling nervous and realizing the gravity of her grandfather’s condition, she offered comforting words to her...

Francesca Arnoldy

01/24/2024

Inspiring the Next Generation

A love for nature and science. An innate talent for teaching math. Family connections to agriculture and a passion for outdoor education. UVM graduate students with a range of interests and backgrounds are pursuing a shared dream. With support from the National Science Foundation's...

Laurel Marshia, Aidan McAuliffe and Michelle O'Donnell

08/16/2023

UVM Alum Receives Prestigious Obama Foundation Fellowship

Daniel Fairley, II is among the first cohort of 100 emerging changemakers chosen to participate in the Obama Foundation’s Leaders USA program. The 2016 graduate of UVM’s Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration Program was selected to join the highly competitive program for his...

Daniel Farley works with young black males in a school classroom.

08/05/2023

Celebrating the CESS Class of 2023

We are thrilled to celebrate the success of our most recent graduates. Our students have made a profound impact on the wellbeing of others by immersing themselves in a wide range of community-engaged learning opportunities, practicums, internships, research projects, and other high-impact...

Collage of CESS Class of 2023 graduates

05/24/2023

Building Inclusive and Civically Engaged Communities

Inspired by her mom, Magdelana “Maggie” Sorrentino dreamed of becoming a teacher since she was three years old. “She taught me that learning is the most meaningful part of life,” said the Class of 2023 graduate from Lee, Massachusetts. “I chose to follow her footsteps by attending UVM and...

Maggie Sorrentino

04/20/2023

An Extraordinary Force of Goodness

Supporting the holistic wellness of young children and their families is Sarah Bassett’s calling. Inspired by passion and purpose, the UVM senior has been making her mark in communities across in the greater Burlington area over the past four years. “Sarah is a talented pre-...

Sarah Bassett works with students at Orchard Elementary School

03/29/2023

Paying It Forward

Franky Bahati's youth mentoring experiences through the DREAM Program opened her mind to possibilities that changed the course of her life. “Being exposed to the UVM campus as a kid incited something inside that inspired me to...

Franky Bahati works with Winooski High School student

03/23/2023

Teachers Inspire

Inspired by teachers who made a difference in their lives when they were growing up, Ben Stewart and Colin Henke share common ground as aspiring educators, student leaders, and close friends. This semester, both are working to complete their full-time internships at Burlington High School (BHS)...

Colin Henke and Ben Stewart at Burlington High School

02/08/2023

Vermont School Leaders Awarded UVM Doctoral Scholarships

Two doctoral students making a difference in Vermont public schools are being recognized for their outstanding leadership in education. Educational Leadership and Policy Studies...

Monica Desrochers and Andrew Conforti

02/02/2023

From STEM Scholars to STEM Educators

Schools throughout America face a national shortage of highly qualified science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) and computer science teachers. The National Science Foundation’s ...

UVM Noyce Scholars

10/13/2022

UVM Senior Named VTAEYC Early Childhood Education Student of the Year

Described as a ‘third generation educator’ by her grandmother, Ella McCarthy has always been driven to helping people. “Being in the field of education is what makes me happiest. Both my grandmother and mother were very successful educators, and both are my biggest role models, so I grew up...

Ella McCarthy student teaching at Essex Elementary School.

08/18/2022

UVM Internship Partnership Develops Geriatric Social Workers to Support Aging Population

For second year Master of Social Work (MSW) intern Emily Mars Raymond, a new joint internship program offered by the UVM Center on Aging and the UVM Medical Center’s Memory Program was the perfect career building opportunity to fulfill her academic and career goals. It was a chance to build her...

Emily Mars Raymond, Jason Garbarino and Janet Nunziata

05/12/2022

Celebrating Student Success

The days leading up to and through Commencement are an exciting and rewarding time for students, families, friends, and loved ones. Students reflect on life-changing experiences, their struggles, and their achievements while appreciating those who made a difference along the way. ...

Molly Wagner, Ali House, Sandra King, and Taylor Mullen

05/10/2022

Social Work Cohort Fosters Trust, Knowledge, and Growth

Senior Grace Pease took a deep breath as she scanned her notes to share an intense encounter she experienced in the field.   She described a recent day at a social services organization where she works as an intern. As she spoke, her peers listened intently and could hear that...

Students in UVM's Class of 2022 Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) cohort on the front steps of Waterman Building.

05/02/2022

Agents of Change in Education

Leadership and policy studies in education requires a complex understanding of educational institutions, politics, culture, change processes, and the needs of an increasingly diverse and global society. Students enrolling in UVM's nationally recognized ...

Hans Cabra and Lori Dolezal

04/18/2022

Carving Their Own Path of Success

Phoebe Munch and Sage White Cloud came to UVM asking how they could combine their personal passions with professional studies. Their solution? Design their own majors. The two students are among the first in the College of Education and Social Services (CESS) to declare an...

Phoebe Munch and Sage White Cloud at ECHO Center

03/16/2022

Inspiring Future Generations Through Place-Based Outdoor Education Experiences

For as long as she can remember, Samantha Marcotte dreamed of becoming a teacher someday.  “I enjoy the creativity, thoughtfulness and heart that goes into teaching, and I look forward to fostering a welcoming community and learning environment for all of my future students,” says...

Collage showing kayaking trip on Lake Champlain, the summit of Hunger Mountain, Samantha Marcotte, and UVM TREK leaders.

03/15/2022

Equity in Education is at the Core of Akol Aguek’s Life and Work

Akol Aguek (’05 G’11) was one of Sudan’s “Lost Boys,” a generation of young men displaced by civil war in their homeland. Now a doctoral student in the Educational Leadership and...

Akol Aguek

03/06/2022

Student Teaching Award Supports Aspiring Educators During Internships

During her undergraduate years, University of Vermont alumna Joan Greening ('74) took several unexpected detours along her educational pathway. But with the guidance and support of caring faculty and staff, she ultimately graduated with a degree in secondary mathematics education. Greening went...

Maddie Heavey and Larry Montague

03/04/2022

An Interview with UVM Alumna Christina Fabrey

You did both your undergraduate and graduate work at UVM. First a B.S. in Plant and Soil Science then a Master of Education. Would you mind telling us a bit about your history with Vermont and UVM? Christina Fabrey:  I initially came to Vermont for the...

Photo of Christina Fabrey

01/31/2022

Becoming an Inclusive Educator for All Students

With a focus on inclusive education, Jake Hession wants to make a positive impact on kids when they are in one of the most impressionable phases of their lives. Along with providing life lessons inside and outside of the classroom, he is intent on being a caring adult his students can trust...

Jake Hession

01/10/2022

UVM Noyce Scholars Follow Their Passion to Teach STEM Disciplines

The National Science Foundation’s Robert Noyce Scholarship Program strives to address the shortage of highly qualified science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) and computer science educators in high need schools (grades 7-12) throughout the United States. Over the past 10...

UVM Noyce Scholars Sarah Davis, Nick Patel, Jonna Keith, and Josh Solomon

11/03/2021

Following in the Footsteps of a Family Tradition

As a 10th generation Vermonter from a small town in Vermont, attending the University of Vermont felt like the perfect balance between trying new things and challenging himself, says Alden Ducharme ‘22. “UVM has a nationally recognized, award-winning program that specializes in young adolescents...

Alden Ducharme student teaching at Winooski Middle School