Duquesne University School of Education

Emily Lee-Chong, M.S., LAPC, NCC, was recently recognized by the International Association for Wellness Counseling for her outstanding achievement, which earned her the prestigious Innovative Wellness Practice Award!

The IAWC Innovative Wellness Practice Award recognizes an individual, program, or organization that demonstrates outstanding innovation in wellness counseling. The nominee introduces new approaches, technologies, interventions, or community practices that significantly enhance holistic well-being. The nominee also demonstrates creativity and innovation, impact, scalability, integration of wellness principles, and contribution to the field.

“Receiving the Outstanding Innovative Wellness Practice Award from the International Association for Wellness Counseling (IAWC) is truly an honor. Duquesne University and the School of Education paved the way for my development as a wellness advocate, counselor, and future counselor educator. Through the mentorship, support, and opportunities I received, I was able to explore innovative approaches to promoting wellness and translate those ideas into meaningful practice.”-Emily Lee-Chong

We would like to congratulate Emily on her incredible accomplishments, and we are so happy to have her representing our School of Education at Duquesne University!

Congratulations to our 2026 School of Education Distinguished Graduate Award recipient, De’Jour Young, Ed. D.!

This award acknowledges Master’s or Doctoral graduates who have gone above and beyond with the goals of preparing educational and/or community leaders, conducting scholarships for schools or the community, and providing practice that is guided by the Spiritan Tradition of Caring for the School of Education.

“Duquesne’s School of Education empowered me to recognize that while I may not be able to
change the entire world, I have a responsibility to do something. My experience as a graduate
student gave me the tools and confidence to advocate for systemic equity both in and outside of the classroom. My goal is for my leadership to create a tangible, positive impact on
the students and communities I serve.”-De’Jour Young

We are so proud of all your outstanding accomplishments De’Jour! We cannot wait to see all of the amazing things you will accomplish in the future!

Jayla Flenory (BSEd Secondary Education English with PK-12 Special Education; BA English) recently was selected as a recipient of the Spirit of Community Building Award. This award recognizes students who go above and beyond with their leadership and commitment to social justice.

“The School of Education was my very first stepping stone to receiving this award. It is in these classrooms that I poured into my purpose of being an educator, and they have shown me that being an educator is ingrained in one’s life principles.” - Jayla Flenory

Congratulations, Jayla!🎉

Anna Lahoda (Ed.D. Educational Leadership), Sara Shaw (M.S. Higher Education), Tiana Brophy (Ed.D. Educational Leadership), and Brandy Gershon (Ed.D. Educational Leadership), visited the youth mentoring program at South Hills Interfaith Mission. Visiting juniors and seniors at Baldwin Whitehall School District, the alumni wanted to share with the students how there are adults on college campuses who are there to support them.

Thank you Anna, Sara, Tiana, and Brandy for collaborating with local students in our community and making them feel safe as they transition into post-high school careers and college!🍎📚

Thank you for joining us at Admitted Student’s Day!🍎📚

We had so much fun sharing the joy of our School of Education with you. We hope to see you in the fall!

It’s officially Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week! 📚🍎 As our way of appreciating your hard work and dedication, we put together a social media challenge with prizes to celebrate YOU!

To enter, share a photo or video to your Instagram feed or story that corresponds to the daily challenge along with tagging us and using the hashtag .

Winners will receive $50-$200 Amazon gift cards and a School of Education swag bag!

Visit: https://duq.edu/academics/colleges-and-schools/education/education-events.php with more information on how to enter!

Calling all School of Education Graduate and Professional students!!📣

Join us April 7-10th in a week-long celebration as we recognize YOU! We appreciate all of the hard work and dedication to your academic and professional pursuits. To celebrate, we will be hosting a social media challenge with prizes for participants!

For details on how to participate, visit: https://duq.edu/academics/colleges-and-schools/education/education-events.php /eyJmZWF0dXJlZCI6bnVsbCwiZGF0ZSI6bnVsbCwidGFnIjpbXX0=

We can't wait to celebrate with you!