Avila Now

Vladamir Sainte comes to Avila’s Organizational Development program as a licensed clinical social worker. “I have worked on a micro-level to provide best practices for clients,” said Sainte. “With this degree, I will be able to elevate these best practices on a macro-level, where the organization will be my client.” “The opportunity to learn new...

“I was looking into potentially getting an MBA but felt that was too broad and not specific enough to what I was currently doing and wanted to do for my career,” said Avila alumnus Jeff Kolb. Like many in the Organizational Development master’s program, Jeff was already performing OD-type duties in his job — without...

Now the Director of Research and Organizational Change at Culture Journey — Critical Social Change Project, Breann Branch, MSOD, Ph.D. is a 2014 graduate of Avila University’s Institute for Professional Studies. Branch works with government, corporate, education, and community organizations to provide evidence-based, transformative change solutions relating to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. Branch came to...

Dr. Sue Ellen McCalley, Professor in the School of Education at Avila University, has expertise is in special education, literacy, and learning theory. She has traveled internationally to consult on developing programs for children with special needs in China, Russia, South Africa, India, and Singapore.  In my Developmental and Education Psychology class, I begin each...

Samantha Collins, MA.Ed is a 2019 graduate of Avila University’s School of Education. A career-changer, Collins went through Avila’s initial teaching certification program before continuing on to earn her Master’s degree. “When I decided to make a switch to be an educator, I knew I wanted to find an accredited, rigorous program with a strong reputation...

Dr. Jessica Kamuru, Assistant Professor in the School of Education at Avila University, has some wonderful insight on teacher burnout and the well-being of preservice teachers, and how they can take care of themselves in the classroom. As a professor who teaches practicum, I am always looking for current trends in education that will impact my...

As a mother, former member of the armed forces and wife to an enlisted serviceman stationed in Tokyo, Japan, Kristina Noble has a lot on her plate. When she decided to enroll in graduate school in pursuit of developing her own business, she needed a program as flexible as her....

More than 20 students in the Avila School of Education earned their teaching certifications this December, with nearly half already working in the classroom. While the process for those students completing their certification requirements—or completers—remained the same, the need for teachers and substitutes increased this year due to the pandemic. “We found that due to...

As director of TRIO Student Support Services, Anissa Martinez, M.S.Ed., aids Avila students learn more about financial literacy, career development, self-care and academic readiness through workshops, summer programs and other programs. She joined Avila in 2018 after serving as a graduate assistant at the University of Kansas Office of Multicultural Affairs, where she aided with the Kauffman Scholars program. In...

Daniel Weigel, Ph.D., LPC/LCPC, CRAADC, NCC, CCMHC, MAC, ACS, joined Avila University as Director of the Student Access Office in August 2019. The Student Access Office has a mission “to encourage individuals to develop their unique potential by providing services and programs in a supportive environment,” with a primary goal of promoting “an environment at Avila that is physically and...