EKU School of Education

🎉 Congratulations to our outstanding EKU School of Education faculty members who were recognized at the EKU Faculty Awards and Scholar Showcase! 🎉

🏆 Dr. Todd McCardle, Professor and Associate Director, received the Dr. Jerry Pogatshnik Graduate Faculty Award in recognition of his exceptional contributions to graduate education and student success.

🏆 Dr. Ali Yaylali, Associate Professor, received the Leadership in Essential Skill Innovation Award for his commitment to advancing innovative teaching and learning practices.

🏆 Dr. Pete Edwards, Assistant Professor, received the Leadership in Professional Development for Essential Skills Award for his outstanding work supporting educator growth and essential skill development.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Edwards, Dr. McCardle, and Dr. Yaylali on these well-deserved honors. We are proud to have you representing the EKU School of Education!

Towards the end of the spring semester, we took the time to celebrate the people who make the School of Opportunity. From excellence in teaching to innovation in leadership, we honored outstanding faculty members during the 2026 Faculty Awards and Scholars Showcase. Congratulations to this year’s recipients! You can read a full list of those recognized below. 🧑‍🏫🏆👏

🔗: https://www.eku.edu/news/eku-honors-outstanding-instructors-at-faculty-awards/

🎓Take your expertise into the field with EMS 858: Practicum in Gifted and Talented Education, where you’ll lead real-world classrooms and apply research-based strategies to mentor high-potential learners. You will actively design, implement, and evaluate specialized programming while refining your ability to advocate for the unique social-emotional and academic needs of advanced students. This hands-on capstone is your opportunity to bridge theory and practice, solidifying your role as a leader in the gifted education community! 🌟📚🧠

Apply for the Gifted Endorsement today: https://application.eku.edu/portal/apply_eku

🏫 Step into a teacher leadership role with EMS 857: Model Programs in Gifted and Talented Education, where you’ll analyze successful gifted frameworks and design high-impact delivery options for advanced learners. You will develop practical strategies for staff training and build sustainable program models that foster bold, creative thinking across entire school systems. Join us to gain the blueprint for empowering gifted students to think deeply and reach their highest potential!🌟🧠✨

Apply for the Gifted Endorsement today: https://application.eku.edu/portal/apply_eku

🎓 Take your teaching to the next level in EMS 856: Curriculum in Gifted and Talented Education by designing rigorous learning experiences that spark high-level creativity and critical thinking. You will dive into innovative curriculum models and explore national standards to build exemplary projects that truly challenge and inspire advanced learners. Join us to master the art of crafting meaningful education that helps every gifted student reach their fullest potential! ✨📚💡

Apply for the Gifted Endorsement today: https://application.eku.edu/portal/apply_eku

🌟Unlock the potential of tomorrow’s leaders in EMS 855: Gifted and Talented Youth, where you'll go beyond the basics to master advanced identification methods and tailored instructional strategies. Through this course, you will design high-impact, challenging curricula that specifically address the unique social and emotional needs of high-potential students. Gain the specialized tools needed to transform raw talent into extraordinary achievement and inspire the next generation of innovators! ✨📚

Apply for the Gifted Endorsement here: https://application.eku.edu/portal/apply_eku

Ready to take your teaching certificate to the next level? Add a Gifted Endorsement at EKU and expand your ability to support and challenge gifted learners in your classroom.

EKU's gifted endorsement includes four, seven-week online courses led by state and national leaders in gifted education. We will highlight the four endorsement courses over the next few days.

A gifted endorsement not only strengthens your instructional toolkit, but also opens new professional opportunities while helping meet the unique needs of advanced learners. Whether you teach elementary, middle, or secondary students, this credential can make a lasting impact on your practice and the success of your students.

Apply today here: https://application.eku.edu/portal/apply_eku

Congratulations, Ms. McGuire!

Miss Delena McGuire, graduate of EKU Corbin, is a freelance writer for Discovery Education. Her recent article entitled, "How to Differentiate Instruction: A Guide for Teachers" was published on May 21, 2026. Delena is a teacher at Yealey Elementary in Boone County.

We are very proud of you, Delena!

Congratulations to our outstanding EKU SOE students who earned the Spring 2026 Dean’s Award! Recipients are undergraduate students who earned a spot on the Dean's List for three consecutive semesters. 🎉📚

Your hard work, dedication, and commitment to academic excellence continue to make us proud!

Congratulations to Keeley Cooper, an agriculture teacher at Madison Central High School, on being named the Forcht Bank & WBON TV Educator of the Year! Ms. Cooper earned a B.S. in Career and Technical Education with a concentration in Agriculture from EKU in 2019.

🎉🏆 HUGE Congratulations to the one and only Keeley Cooper — the Forcht Bank & WBON TV Educator of the Year!!! 🏆🎉

What an incredible and well-deserved honor! You are truly making a difference in the lives of so many young people, and our entire community is beyond proud of you! The impact you make reaches far beyond the classroom, and this recognition is a testament to the amazing educator and person you are! Congratulations again, Keeley Cooper! 🎊🎈

We are cheering you on and celebrating this special achievement with you today! 🥳👏

We were excited to meet some of our incoming freshmen during the first of fifteen summer orientations! Today, we welcomed more than 25 new EKU College of Education & Applied Human Sciences students.