Learn Magazine
Fall 2025 • Issue 11
A LETTER FROM DEAN ROSENBLITH
Education in action starts here. In this issue, discover how UB’s Graduate School of Education is expanding access, equity and opportunity for all.
Cover Story
UB and BPS launch Buffalo’s first university-assisted community school
In a city built on innovation, a new chapter in public education is taking shape. The University at Buffalo and Buffalo Public Schools have joined forces to launch Buffalo’s first university-assisted community school—a bold experiment in partnership, purpose and possibility. At Research Laboratory High School, students and faculty are transforming classrooms into living laboratories, blending computer science, inquiry and community engagement to reimagine what public education can be when a university and a district truly learn together.
Featured Stories
In a world where kids grow up online, UB experts Stephanie Fredrick and Amanda Nickerson offer research-based guidance to help families navigate digital media with confidence, not fear. Discover practical strategies to prevent cyberbullying and build healthier tech habits.
Read how their new book empowers adults to prepare—not scare
GSE researchers are rewriting the story of literacy, uniting AI innovation, evidence-based teaching and community partnerships to close reading gaps and transform lives. Discover how one gift and one center are shaping the nation’s response to the literacy crisis.
Read how UB is redefining the future of reading
GSE has launched a fully online school leadership program, expanding access for aspiring principals and superintendents statewide. Earn certification while working full-time through GSE’s renowned, cohort-based model.
Learn how UB is preparing New York’s next generation of school leaders
From adolescent literacy to data science, UB’s newest GSE faculty are shaping the future of education through groundbreaking research and real-world impact. Meet the scholars redefining how students learn, lead and thrive—from classrooms to communities.
Read how GSE’s newest faculty are driving innovation and equity in education
From AI-driven literacy interventions to STEM learning on two wheels, GSE faculty are earning national recognition and major grants for research that redefines education. Discover how their groundbreaking projects are transforming classrooms, communities and futures across the country.
Read how GSE scholars are driving innovation through research
GSE’s Chris Hoadley is redefining computer science education with a new open-access textbook that empowers teachers to reach multilingual learners and promote equity in tech classrooms. UB is shaping the future of inclusive computer science education one resource and one teacher at a time.
Explore how this groundbreaking work is transforming computer science education
Points of View
A journey of motherhood, scholarship and advocacy
When Vandana Sharma moved to Buffalo to pursue her PhD at GSE, she carried more than luggage through the snowstorm that greeted her arrival—she carried generations of dreams. Now a third-year doctoral student and mother, Sharma is breaking barriers as the first woman in her family to earn a doctorate. Her research on adolescent girls with learning disabilities and gender-based violence is reshaping how education can protect and empower those most often left unheard.
Caught in a landslide: Moral injury and the collapse of teaching
UB faculty member Tiffany Karalis Noel, clinical associate professor of learning and instruction, examines the growing moral and emotional toll on America’s educators. Drawing parallels between the chaos of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” and the dissonance of modern teaching, Karalis Noel argues that today’s teachers face a crisis not of endurance but of ethics—navigating policies that erode autonomy, trust and the democratic purpose of education itself.
UB researcher explores how picture books can help children learn Black history
UB researcher Dawnavyn James, a GSE PhD student and fellow with UB’s Center for K-12 Black History and Racial Literacy Education, is exploring how picture books can transform the way children learn Black history. James studies how storytelling and illustration can help educators teach topics often omitted from early curricula. Her work shows how picture books spark curiosity, deepen understanding and empower teachers to integrate Black history year-round.
Quick Reads
Professor Corrie Stone-Johnson explores how school and district leaders navigate educational change amid shifting political and social dynamics. Her research examines pandemic-era leadership challenges, competing narratives about schooling and parental activism. Her forthcoming book investigates how these forces shape democracy, equity and teacher professionalism.
Read more about Stone-Johnson
Doctoral student Nick Kennedy is reclaiming the erased histories of Black women through “The Search for Founding Black Mothers,” a groundbreaking digital humanities project funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. His research and teaching bridge scholarship and practice, expanding how history, identity, equity and representation are explored in classrooms across the nation.
Read Kennedy’s story
When a preschooler borrowed classroom toys “like a library,” alumna Hannah Bogdan saw a new way to make play accessible. What began as a small classroom project grew into her dissertation and later the Buffalo Toy Library, a nonprofit community space where families can borrow toys for free. Bogdan champions equitable, joyful learning opportunities for children across Western New York.
Learn all about Bogdan’s project
A chance meeting at a UB info tent sparked a 15-year friendship rooted in purpose, persistence and support. From doctoral dissertations to half-marathons, Ryan Taughrin and Danielle Lewis prove that the right “accountabilibuddy” can help you reach any goal. Their story celebrates the power of connection at UB and how shared values can turn colleagues into family.
Read how GSE connections become lifelong bonds
Driven by curiosity, compassion and a commitment to equity, GSE’s newest Presidential and Schomburg Fellows are redefining what it means to lead through research. From advancing mental health and literacy to building more inclusive classrooms worldwide, these scholars are shaping the future of education one discovery at a time.
Meet the fellows transforming research into real-world impact
At GSE, tomorrow’s teachers are learning by doing, immersed in yearlong residencies that blend classroom experience with rigorous coursework and community impact. From STEM-focused Noyce Scholars to culturally responsive MBK Fellows, GSE residents are redefining what it means to teach with purpose.
Meet the residents shaping the future of education
From ancient hides to modern hallways, backpacks tell a story of innovation, identity and how we carry learning through time.
Read the history of the backpack
Discover the latest books and chapters authored by members of the GSE community.
View titles by GSE authors
From first-week reflections to career milestones, GSE students and alumni are turning LinkedIn into a community space.
Check them out on social media
Bidding farewell and good luck to Bonnie Reed as she begins a new chapter.
Read more about Bonnie Reed
Catch up on what past classmates have been up to personally and professionally.
Review alumni updates
Remembering members of our cherished GSE community who recently passed.
Read the notices
View the Digital Issue
Share Our Stories
Feeling inspired by something you read? Spread the word! Use our share buttons. Post stories you like on your social channels. Thank you for your support.
Keep in Touch
Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X for ongoing conversations, and explore our YouTube channel for news and information that impacts you and our communities.
Learn Magazine is the semi-annual publication of the University at Buffalo's Graduate School of Education, designed to connect alumni and friends with the latest news, research and stories from the GSE community. Each issue highlights faculty achievements, student success stories and advancements in education, leadership, information science and school counseling and psychology, offering readers insights into the evolving landscape of education. With engaging content and inspiring features, Learn Magazine serves as a bridge between the school and its extended community, fostering connections and keeping readers informed about the impact and growth of GSE.
Editorial, Design and Photography Credits
Editorial & Creative Director
Amber M. Winters
Director of Content & Lead Writer
Danielle LeGare
Web Design & Production
William J. Belz III
Nicole Mehlman-Davidow
Amber M. Winters
Graphic Design
Stay Graphic Design
Copy Editors & Proofreaders
Danielle LeGare
Ann Whitcher Gentzke
Contributing Writers
Florence Gonsalves
Tiffany Karalis Noel
Nicole Mehlman-Davidow
Karly Rakhimova
Vicky Santos
Vandana Sharma
Douglas Sitler
Ann Whitcher Gentzke
Contributing Photographers
Dylan Buyskes, Onion Studio, Inc.
Meredith Forrest Kulwicki, UB
Christopher P. Garbin
Danielle LeGare, UB
Douglas Levere, UB
Nicole Mehlman-Davidow, UB
Contact Us
To share your ideas and stories, email us: gsenews@buffalo.edu