UND College of Education and Human Development

10/03/2026

✨ Student Spotlight ✨

Luke Silvernale is a graduate student earning a master's degree in Athletic Administration & Coaching with a Sports Leadership certificate. His love for football, and sports in general, motivated him to be in this program. "Building a career in sports would be awesome because I would be doing something I love."

One of his favorite parts of the Athletic Administration & Coaching program is the critical thinking it forces. "I love a lot of the assignments that ask me 'what would you do' type questions. They make me reassess my opinions and think of how my actions will affect many different facets of athletics."

Brought to UND because of football, Luke has appreciated his time with the team "because I get to learn from great leaders every day." He participates in a bible study at the Newman Center with some of his teammates and other athletes, and he enjoys the Holiday Magic for Markus community service opportunity led through the football program. "I've really enjoyed all the relationships I've built in Grand Forks. Even though I'm from Michigan, I feel at home at UND."

Let's make sure to cheer loud for Luke, the other CEHD student-athletes, and student-musicians, as they help make Homecoming full of UND pride!

| North Dakota Football

10/02/2026

A packed house for “Mr. UND”—and a proud moment for CEHD! 💚

Students, faculty, staff, and community members filled the Memorial Union’s Social Stairs on Sept. 30 to hear CEHD alumnus Dr. Bob Boyd speak at the 18:83 series.

During his 33 years of service to UND, Boyd championed student wellness and helped make the campus Wellness Center a reality. His talk centered on the people behind the accomplishments, sharing stories and a reminder that leadership begins with valuing people, regardless of their title or position.

The celebration continued as CEHD’s GRO.UND Nature-Based Learning Experiences received the Healthy UND Champion Award that bears Boyd’s name! Championed by Drs. Josh and Cheryl Hunter, GRO.UND connects learners of all ages with nature through hands-on discovery, curiosity, and exploration.

Thank you, Dr. Boyd, for your inspiring example, and congratulations to GRO.UND! 🌱

10/01/2026

Homecoming plans? CEHD has you covered! 💚

Start the celebration downtown Thursday, Oct. 1, at 5:30 p.m. with the annual pep rally! Enjoy food trucks, music, and Fighting Hawks spirit with UND’s Pride of the North Band and spirit squads.

On Saturday, Oct. 3, cheer on CEHD at the UND Homecoming Parade along University Avenue, starting at 9 a.m. We’ll be handing out notebooks, pencils, crayons, and other school supplies to support our PK–12 community!

Then join us at the Alerus Center from 11 a.m.–1 p.m. for the official UND Tailgate! CEHD and the College of Nursing & Professional Disciplines (CNPD) are teaming up for music, food, and fun. Find our tent on the east side of the tailgate, near the bookstore and Champions tent.

Have game tickets? Keep the celebration going inside as the Fighting Hawks take on Murray State at 1 p.m.!

Bring your friends, wear your green, and help make this Homecoming one to remember!

P.S. CEHD students and alumni - share your Homecoming 2026 photos with us! We'll take the best photos and stories and share them on our socials!

09/30/2026

What's better than solving math problems? Using hands-on learning to make math easy and fun!

Students in Dr. Elizabeth Suazo-Flores's Mathematics Methods in Elementary Schools course used math manipulatives to engage with fractions. They were separated into various stations around the room to practice the different types of manipulatives and activities that can be done to make learning math a tactile and engaging experience.

These future teachers are refining their skills before field experiences later in the semester. Taking these concepts and activities, students will observe and teach lessons in local elementary schools to gain teaching experience before they head into student teaching.

09/29/2026

“The labels that you give children stick...so that label of non-college-bound, that not only told me what I was, told everybody else how they could treat me.”

At the debut of The Lecture Faculty Speaker Series, Professor Jesse Rhoades reflected on the early discouragement he faced from teachers and the determination and drive that carried him into an academic career in biomechanics and pedagogy, including research projects with NASA.

Watch the full lecture or read the transcript:
https://vimeo.com/1230972635

09/26/2026

✨ Student Spotlight ✨

Nyssa Renner started at UND, began her family, and is now finishing her Early Childhood Education degree online. She is currently student teaching in 3rd grade and is learning about scheduling, creating lessons in a lesson planner, and the work that goes into grouping students. Although she's getting more comfortable each day, she's excited about switching to preschool for the second half of the semester.

Nyssa has been a paraprofessional for the past 10 years and was inspired by "a teacher who exemplified what I think makes a great teacher. She showed me how self-regulation skills can be incorporated throughout the day, even unplanned in the middle of a lesson."

Her favorite part of the Early Childhood Education program has been the hands-on field experiences. It's a great time to practice classroom skills, gain different perspectives, and receive immediate feedback. "Even though some of it has felt like a lot, I am glad I had the experience to do every field experience because it has enriched my experience and is helping me to be a better teacher."

And to keep her skills growing, Nyssa is also the co-coordinator for Early Childhood Family Education within her school district.

09/24/2026

Kudos to Dr. Lee Ann Rawlins Williams and all of her excellent contributions to The Conversation, including this latest article!

Counseling in later life isn’t just for coping with loss and illness – it can help people work through questions of identity and how they seek meaning in their lives.

09/23/2026

This season, GRO.UND Learning Gardens partnered with students from IS 375 Health and Food Sovereignty course to dig into what it really means to grow food with a community, not just for one.

Students helped plant in our pollinator garden and explored how local food networks build resilience, autonomy, and connection between people and the land that feeds them.

It's a reminder that pollinators, people, and food systems are all part of the same web. Thank you to our student collaborators for bringing your curiosity, your hands, and your questions to the garden.

09/22/2026

Last week, on Sept. 17, preservice students and in-service educators gathered in person and online for CEHD's 4th annual Trauma-Informed Educators event, hosted by Teacher Education faculty Theresa Grijalva and Sonja Brandt.

Speakers Mike Soward and Darci Miller from UND's Counseling Center shared ideas and strategies for fostering trauma-responsive classrooms. They also emphasized the importance of educator wellness.

Students took away valuable lessons to employ in their own future classrooms.

09/21/2026

Join us Friday, Sept. 25, at 3 p.m. in Education Room 7 for the debut of The Lecture, a new speaker series from UND’s College of Education & Human Development.

Throughout the series, selected faculty will share discoveries, experiences and personal insights from their work and careers. Our first speaker is Dr. Jesse Rhoades, head of UND’s BiPed Lab and a professor of kinesiology.

A Q&A and reception will follow the lecture. Advance registration is required, so RSVP today:

https://bit.ly/4hyYgeZ

We hope to see you there!