Alumni

Jun 1, 2021

‘My Purpose in Life is To Help Others Achieve their Highest Potentials and the Education Field Allows Me to Do That Daily,’ Says Granville County Principal of the Year Courtney Currin ’12MSA

For Courtney Currin ’12MSA, being an educator has always been her life’s purpose. And it shows through her work as principal of Tar River Elementary School, where she was just named the 2020-2021 Granville County Public Schools’ Principal of the Year. 

May 17, 2021

#WhyIChoseEducation: ‘I Am Motivated Daily by the Opportunity To Have An Impact. Everything is About Impacting and Inspiring People To Be the Best Version of Themselves, Whatever That Is,’ Says Peter Eley ’08MED, ’11PHD

While working at St. Augustine’s University as a webmaster and data manager, Peter Eley ’08MED, ’11PHD was inspired to pursue a career in education. With an interest in mathematics education, he was encouraged to attend the NC State College of Education and work under the guidance of Lee V. Stiff, Ph.D. And for the past 11 years, he’s been a professor of math education. 

May 13, 2021

College of Education Alumna Ivy Briggs ’17, ’21MED Earns M.Ed. in STEM Education Online

Ivy Briggs '17, '21MED comes from a long line of Wolfpackers. When it became time for Briggs to consider graduate school, choosing NC State’s Master of Education in STEM Education online program was a no-brainer. 

Apr 29, 2021

An Exponential Impact: Jasmine Frantz ’13 and Sara Scanlon ’12 Share Their Love of Teaching

Jasmine Frantz ’13 and Sara Taormina Scanlon ’12 both had teachers in high school who made such a positive impact on their lives, they were inspired to pursue teaching careers. 

Apr 26, 2021

Nash County Elementary School Assistant Principal of the Year Leo Nieves ‘18MSA: ‘It is My Goal to Help Make the Educational Experience for All Involved a Positive One’

As a first-year teacher, Leo Nieves ’18MSA was afraid to ask for help because he didn’t want to look like he didn’t know what he was doing. That was the biggest mistake he ever made. Now, as assistant principal at Benvenue Elementary School in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, he wants to help other teachers be successful. 

Mar 31, 2021

Nash County High School Assistant Principal of the Year Megan Bain ‘18MSA: ‘I Am Passionate About Supporting Teachers and Helping Students Pursue Their Own Pathway to Personal Success, Happiness and Productive Citizenship’

For Megan Bain ‘18MSA, education was not her intended career. She sort of fell into it. After earning her bachelor’s degree in international studies and Arabic, Bain joined Teach for America after witnessing the experience of one of her best friends in the program. Today, she is the 2020-21 Nash County High School Assistant Principal of the Year. 

Mar 22, 2021

College of Education Mourns Loss of Lee Vernon Stiff ’78 PHD, Longtime Faculty Member and Leader

Lee Vernon Stiff ’78 PHD passed away Friday, March 19. He was a nationally-recognized expert and scholar on equity and mathematics education who served and led in NC State’s College of Education for 37 years, retiring in 2020 as professor emeritus of mathematics education and associate dean for faculty and academic affairs. 

Mar 22, 2021

Nash County Elementary School Principal of the Year Yolanda Wiggins ‘12MSA: ‘I Never Saw Myself as an Educator. Others Saw it in Me and Encouraged Me to Take My Love of Literacy into the Classroom to Inspire Students’

Yolanda Wiggins ‘12MSA worked as a news reporter in Halifax County for five years. During that time, she was encouraged by the Halifax County Schools’ superintendent to try teaching. She went through North Carolina’s lateral entry/residency license program and became a middle school English teacher, which was the start of her 23-year long education career. 

Mar 16, 2021

‘I Had Great Teachers Growing Up Who Inspired Me With Curiosity and Encouraged Me to Do Whatever I Wanted in Life,’ Says NCSTA Ann and Dr. Bill Palmer Science Administration Distinguished Service Award Winner Cliff Hudson ‘16MSA

Moon Man, The Rock Guy and Science Guy are just a few of the nicknames that students have given to Cliff Hudson ‘16MSA, the 2020 NCSTA Ann and Dr. Bill Palmer Science Administration Distinguished Service Award winner and K-12 science/STEM coordinator for Martin County Schools. 

Feb 10, 2021

Celebrating Our Black Alumni and their Impact in Classrooms and Beyond

As part of celebrating Black History Month, we recognize the academic achievements of some of our extraordinary College of Education alumni who are Black and who have made contributions to the field of education. Meet some of them.