News Brief: Cummings Receives National Fellowship for Education Prep Leaders

Carol Cummings, interim dean of the Feinstein School of Education and Human Development at Rhode Island College, has been named an Impact Academy fellow through the national nonprofit Deans for Impact (DFI).

“I am excited about being selected for this year-long fellowship, which will expand and strengthen my ability to be a more reflective and responsive leader,” Cummings says. “It will also be invaluable to have the opportunity to join a group of colleagues in similar roles who can be thought partners in this work. I am deeply committed to the mission and vision of the FSEHD to prepare education and human service professionals to be effective, engaged educators who are committed to the values of equity, diversity, and social advocacy.”

Cummings is among 18 leaders selected nationally to be a member of DFI’s 10^th cohort to receive the fellowship, which aims to empower deans with skills, knowledge and strategies to prioritize instructional quality, navigate their teams through continuous change and advocate for innovative and sustainable practices in education preparation. About 150 deans across the nation have received the fellowship since its inception in 2015.

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

“Education-preparation leaders play a critical role in shaping how new teachers are set up for long-term success,” says DFI Executive Director Valerie Sakimura. “From prioritizing instructional improvement in their programs to supporting their teams to meet the evolving needs of schools and communities, these leaders carry an immense responsibility in shaping the future of teaching and learning.”