The EPI Center

08/21/2026

08/19/2026

Congratulations, Dr. Kathy L. McMillan-Bennon! 📚✨
What a wonderful accomplishment to bring Hendrix Finds His Voice to life! This inspiring children’s book beautifully captures one child’s journey to finding his voice and reminds us that every child learns, grows and communicates in their own time.
Thank you for sharing Hendrix’s story and celebrating the power of patience, family and support. Every child has a voice—and every voice deserves to be heard.
Dr. McMillan-Bennon is a Clinical Education Manager with the EPI Center.

The book is available on Amazon. https://drkathylmcmillanbennon.com/about-the-book/

08/19/2026

"Positions change. Titles change. But your purpose does not."
What keeps you going when the work gets tough? For Educator Support Specialist - Virtual Engagement, Carla Adams, it all comes down to one word: Purpose.
During the SCABSE "Hour of Power" panel, she dropped this gem: “People have often asked me what has sustained me during my career... My purpose has always been to prepare, support, and encourage educators. Because when teachers thrive, our students flourish.”
Drop a 🍎 in the comments if you agree that supporting teachers is the key to student success!

08/14/2026

Transforming the Teacher Pipeline: Reflections from UNCF UNITE 2026!
It has been a few weeks since UNCF UNITE 2026, but the powerful insights shared by the
Center of Excellence for Educator Preparation & Innovation (EPI Center) are still resonating!
Dr. Damara Hightower Mitchell (Chief Executive Officer) and Dr. Tondaleya Jackson (Director of
Outreach and Engagement) presented "UNITE the Pipeline: A Systems Strategy for K-12
Pathways, Community, and Mobility.
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During their session, they challenged a common misconception: teacher vacancies are not
merely hiring problems. Instead, they offered a visionary approach to solving the national
educator shortage by addressing the entire system.

08/12/2026

🎉 Celebrating Our Own: Mrs. Carla Adams! 🎉
We at the Center of Excellence for Educator Preparation and Innovation could not be more proud to shine a spotlight on our phenomenal colleague, Mrs. Carla Adams!
She has recently been named the 2026 SCABSE Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient and will be taking the virtual stage as a featured panelist for an upcoming "Hour of Power with Distinguished Educational Leaders."
Mrs. Adams will be sharing her profound wisdom on the kickoff theme: FROM EXPERIENCE TO EXCELLENCE: Educating from the Heart. We know firsthand the immense passion, expertise, and dedication she brings to educator preparation every single day, and we are absolutely thrilled to see her transformative work recognized on this platform.
Come support our amazing team member and gain some incredible insights!