UWG Special Education Department

08/10/2026

As we prepare to begin a new school year in a few days, we want to take some time to reflect on where we have been over the past year and where we want to go as a department.

A couple of years ago, we began creating Impact Reports at the end of each year. The reports highlight the big wins that we had over the previous year with a focus on how our students, faculty, and staff are making a positive difference in our programs and beyond. It also showcases new initiatives and changes within our department. We have been making HUGE strides in many different areas, and we wanted to be sure we are capturing these highlights and sharing them with all the people, like you, who make it possible. We hope you will take a moment to read through our 2025 Impact Report and learn about everything that we were up to last year.

We are infinitely grateful for the support that all of you have given our department as students, stakeholders, advisors, and cheerleaders. We are excited to continue our momentum as we begin the next year.

08/08/2026

Guess what time it is?! IGNITE is back for Fall 2026! See below for details!

Reach out to Dr. L for more info! See comments for registration request link.

08/06/2026

We love seeing all of your back-to-school posts! 🍎📓 We want to wish you the best first days of school as you begin a new year with your students!

07/27/2026

If there was a Queen of Literacy in our SPED Department, it would be Dr. Talia Campese 👑.
Recently, Dr. Campese presented at the Georgia Association of Literacy Advocates. Her presentation focused on engaging students with effective decoding and encoding practice.
Thank you for your work advancing literacy instruction in Georgia, Dr. Campese! We are so glad to have your knowledge and expertise on our team! 👏

07/23/2026

One of our alumni, Morganne Harper, is making big waves in Carrollton High School’s Community Based Instruction program. She was selected as Teacher of the Year for Carrollton High School. She was also one of the coaches for our local Special Olympics cheer team who won gold at the national level recently! 🏆
We are so proud of you Ms. Harper!!

Morganne Harper, named Carrollton High School’s Teacher of the Year, keeps advocacy and empowerment central to her mission as an educator. Knowing the importance of communication and independence in building student confidence, Harper has defined her career by teaching her students how to excel both in and out of the classroom.
Read more: https://www.carrolltoncityschools.net/about-us/newannouncements/featured-news/~board/2026-2027-school-year/post/morganne-harper-carrollton-high-school-teacher-of-the-year

07/22/2026

We are just wrapping up our summer semester classes this week! Did any of you happen to have Dr. Brandy Locchetta this summer?
If so, we are certain that you enjoyed her engaging and relevant coursework, useful feedback, and compassionate communication.
For these reasons and so many more, she was awarded the Dr. Adriana D'Alba Award for Outstanding Online Teaching for 2026!
We are so proud of you Dr. Locchetta!

07/12/2026

If you’re at the Georgia Association of Educational Leaders (GAEL) come see Dr. Brandy Locchetta and Dr. Katy Green at the (not so subtle) UWG table!! 💙❤️💙❤️

07/01/2026

We might make you a little jealous today when we tell you what Dr. Mrstik has been up to this summer. 😁

Dr. Mrstik is the National Chair Coordinator and Virtual Dialogue Coordinator of the International Association of Special Education (IASE). This year, the conference was held in Bhutan, and 57 countries were represented! The goal of IASE is to learn and collaborate with members from all parts of the world while understanding that resources and policy for special education may be very different in each nation.

Dr. Mrstik presented on research that she has done with Dr. Franklin and Dr. Campbell. She also chaired a discussion featuring the chairs of Sweden, India, and Bulgaria, where they discussed the policy of special education in each country.

Dr. Mrstik, we are so proud of the work that you are doing internationally for the field of special education. Enjoy your travels! We are looking forward to hearing much more when you get home!

06/25/2026

Here are a few snapshots from our Graduation Celebration for our B.S.Ed. and ABA graduates. 📸 We had the best time celebrating with the grads and their families before they walked across the stage. 😍
We are so proud of all of our graduates, and we cannot wait to see all that you accomplish as you advance to the next stage. We will always be here cheering you on! 🥳

Forever Wolves 🐺

06/16/2026

We are back today with Georgia’s early childhood educators and early intervention specialists! If you’re in the house, come see us and find out why
💙❤️🐺