St. John Fisher University Dean Named to National Fellowship for Educator-Preparation Leaders

Dr. Joellen Maples, dean of the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. School of Education at St. John Fisher University, was recently named an Impact Academy fellow through national non-profit organization Deans for Impact (DFI). Maples joins a cohort of leaders chosen for their commitment to improving educator preparation.

Educator-preparation programs today face complex challenges as they recruit and prepare teachers who are equipped to engage all PK-12 students in rigorous, equitable, and affirming learning experiences. More than ever, the field needs leaders who can strengthen and diversify the educator workforce. DFI aims to fill this need through its Impact Academy fellowship, which has empowered more than 130 dean-level leaders to-date with skills, knowledge, and strategies to prioritize instructional quality and build more equitable systems of teaching and learning.

Maples is one of 24 leaders announced as part of the fellowship’s eighth cohort. Fellows lead traditional and non-traditional educator-preparation programs reaching 25 states and DC. Collectively, these institutions annually serve nearly 15,000 future teachers, 45% of whom identify as people of color.

Fellows will participate in monthly learning sessions, receive one-on-one coaching from seasoned leaders, and engage in peer consultancies to address field-facing challenges in real-time. They will hone their ability to engage faculty, staff, communities, and PK-12 partners in a shared vision for transformative change, grounded in a deep scientific understanding about how students learn.

“For the eighth year in a row, we welcome a diverse group of outstanding leaders to Impact Academy who are steadfast in their commitment to ensuring all PK-12 students access well-prepared teachers,” says Valerie Sakimura, executive director of DFI. “As communities respond to shortages of skilled educators, there is no more crucial time to ensure that we're building pathways into teaching that are accessible, practice-based and focused on equitable instruction. Leaders in educator preparation play an essential role in charting the future of the teaching profession.”

To learn more about this year’s Impact Academy cohort, visit: https://deansforimpact.org/impact-academy-2023-cohort/.