Virginia Tech School of Education

10/09/2026

🌍 If these places could talk, what would they teach us?

Can education ever be neutral? Every curriculum, exhibit, memorial and public space makes choices about whose stories are told, whose voices are amplified and whose histories remain hidden.

This spring break, Virginia Tech graduate students can investigate these questions through Global Citizenship Education in Northern England, an embedded graduate experience that uses place-based scholarly inquiry to explore global citizenship, public pedagogy and the role of educators and scholars.

📍 Explore Manchester, Liverpool, Huddersfield, Bradford, Halifax and London!
🗓️ Travel dates: March 5–15, 2027
💻 Information session: Oct. 21 at 1 p.m. on Zoom
⏳ Registration deadline: Nov. 1, 2026

Information Session link: https://go.vt.edu/utiRn
Learn more and register: https://bit.ly/4yaezo4

10/09/2026

🌍 If these places could talk, what would they teach us?

Led by Dr. David Hicks and Dr. Amy Allen, this embedded graduate experience invites you to explore Northern England as a living classroom.

📍 Explore Manchester, Liverpool, York, Bradford, Halifax and London
📚 Investigate how museums, archives, memorials and public spaces shape whose stories are told — and whose are left out.
🗓️ Travel dates: March 5–15, 2027
💻 Information session: Oct. 21 at 1 p.m. on Zoom
⏳ Registration deadline: Nov. 1, 2026

Interested in learning more? Find the Zoom link and registration information in our Instagram bio!

PublicHistory PlaceBasedLearning

10/08/2026

Please help us celebrate Kamille, an SOE alum who graduated with her B.A. in History and Social Science Education in 2025!

Congratulations to Kamille Simon, recipient of the 2026 Excellence in Student Community Engagement Award from the Engagement Scholarship Consortium, a national organization that recognizes students whose scholarship creates meaningful community impact.

Now a graduate student in Virginia Tech's Department of History, Kamille earned her bachelor's degree in history and social sciences education from Virginia Tech in 2025.

Through her work with the Calfee Community and Cultural Center's 23/54 Project, she helped preserve and share the stories of Black families whose fight for educational equity shaped local and state history.

"Talking to people who experienced a time that I've only studied through the historical record brought the past to life," she said. "The stories of descendants and community members made my understanding of this history more personal and more meaningful."

Read the story and learn more: https://news.vt.edu/articles/2026/09/outreach-kamille-simon-esc-engagement-award.html?utm_source=vtUnirelNewsDailyCMP_oct526-fs&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=cmpgn_news&utm_content=2026-10-05

10/05/2026

RICHMOND, BLACKSBURG, & ABINGDON TEACHERS!

There is still time to sign up for the “Leveraging AI to Scaffold Teaching and Learning History with Primary Sources” professional development workshop series.

Register today: https://go.vt.edu/usXdo
Questions? Contact Dr. Amy Allen at [email protected]

How can generative AI support the teaching and learning of history while keeping primary sources at the center?

Virginia Tech School of Education faculty Drs. Amy Allen and David Hicks are collaborating with the The Library of Congress and the American Historical Association on a professional development series, “Leveraging AI to Scaffold Teaching and Learning History with Primary Sources.”

These hands-on workshops will help educators:
• Curate and analyze primary sources
• Explore GenAI as a scaffold for multilingual and rural learners
• Develop lessons to share through a public-facing open educational resource hub hosted by Virginia Tech

Participants who complete a workshop will receive a certificate for five hours of professional development and will be eligible to receive a $125 stipend. Lunch will also be provided.

See the graphic for workshop dates and locations.

Register today: https://go.vt.edu/usXdo

Questions? Contact Dr. Amy Allen at [email protected]

09/30/2026

Virginia Tech's Educational Leadership and Policy Studies Information Sessions: M.A. Ed./Ed.S. (Previous Master's + 30 VT credits) and Ed.D/Ph.D.

Virginia Tech School of Education Leadership programs are designed to fit the needs of working professionals with fully on-line and hybrid courses that balance modern academic theory with a focus on practical application. Virginia educators are eligible for a 25% tuition discount.

Join our virtual information sessions on Oct. 8th & Oct. 28th at 6:00 PM.

Register https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfyyHXfV1_-kPxJ_zbdY4V0LpW6dispUl-7PjcBhLyQVuobEw/viewform?pli=1

Contact Jodie Brinkmann at [email protected] for more information.

09/26/2026

We’re taking a look back at a great day on campus! 🧡

Last week, we welcomed high school students from across Western, Southwest and Southside Virginia for VTeach, our annual event hosted in partnership with College Access Collaborative.

VTeach helps students explore higher education, learn about the college experience and discover potential career paths in education.

Throughout the day, students connected with Virginia Tech student ambassadors, learned about different college experiences, enjoyed lunch at D2 and explored campus through a scavenger hunt.

During our “Find Your Place” session, students had the chance to talk with current Hokies about everything from the college application process to life on campus. Meeting students with a variety of backgrounds and experiences helped show that there isn’t just one path to college — and there’s a place for everyone.

Thank you to the students, teachers, ambassadors, VT College Access Collaborative and campus partners who helped make VTeach 2026 such a special day! 🦃

09/23/2026

𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝗹𝗱 — 𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳.

School of Education assistant professor Brittany Hunt recently brought her perspective as a Lumbee scholar to the screen as a field producer for PBS North Carolina’s Homegrown History.

Dr. Hunt talks about what being Lumbee means to her, why Native stories matter, and what it means to help bring those stories to a wider audience.

We’re excited to see the stories, history, and perspectives Dr. Hunt brings to her work as an educator and storyteller.

Read the full story to learn more about Brittany and her work with Homegrown History: https://go.vt.edu/us5md

09/16/2026

How can generative AI support the teaching and learning of history while keeping primary sources at the center?

Virginia Tech School of Education faculty Drs. Amy Allen and David Hicks are collaborating with the The Library of Congress and the American Historical Association on a professional development series, “Leveraging AI to Scaffold Teaching and Learning History with Primary Sources.”

These hands-on workshops will help educators:
• Curate and analyze primary sources
• Explore GenAI as a scaffold for multilingual and rural learners
• Develop lessons to share through a public-facing open educational resource hub hosted by Virginia Tech

Participants who complete a workshop will receive a certificate for five hours of professional development and will be eligible to receive a $125 stipend. Lunch will also be provided.

See the graphic for workshop dates and locations.

Register today: https://go.vt.edu/usXdo

Questions? Contact Dr. Amy Allen at [email protected]

08/28/2026

Virginia Tech education researchers are working with history teachers to explore how AI can be used in the classroom thoughtfully, creatively and in ways that support learning.

08/26/2026

Dolly’s legacy reminds us that literacy is more than learning to read. It’s about opening doors to learning, imagination and opportunity — one book at a time. ❤️

"Dolly Parton created one of the most successful early literacy programs in the world through her Imagination Library.

Research shows that children who participate in the program develop stronger vocabularies, stronger early literacy skills, and a greater love of reading. But, the impact goes beyond academics — the program has been especially important for children living in poverty, where access to books is often limited. For many families, these may be the first books a child can truly call their own.

Dolly didn't just provide books. She helped make reading accessible, valued, and part of everyday family life. In communities where families may not have strong connections to books or literacy, she helped open the door to reading and learning.

By giving children access to books from an early age, the Imagination Library has helped reduce literacy gaps and better prepare children for success in school and beyond."
-Donna Fortune, associate professor of practice in elementary education