{"id":233086,"date":"2025-07-30T07:30:58","date_gmt":"2025-07-30T11:30:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/?p=233086"},"modified":"2025-07-29T13:21:27","modified_gmt":"2025-07-29T17:21:27","slug":"neag-school-alumni-board-names-recipients-of-its-2025-scholarship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/2025\/07\/neag-school-alumni-board-names-recipients-of-its-2025-scholarship\/","title":{"rendered":"Neag School Alumni Board Names Recipients of its 2025 Scholarship"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">Congratulations to the recipients of the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/giving.uconn.edu\/campaigns\/60852\/donations\/new?designation=neagalumniboardendowedscholarship&amp;\">Neag School of Education Alumni Board Scholarship<\/a>\u00a0for 2025:<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Emmanuel Dwamena <\/strong>\u2013 a doctoral student in curriculum and instruction;<\/li>\n<li><strong>Caroline Shadman &#8217;25 (ED) <\/strong>\u2013 a master\u2019s student in curriculum and instruction; and<\/li>\n<li><strong>Claudia Ventura <\/strong>\u2013 a doctoral student in research methods, measurement, and evaluation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Alumni Board Scholarship provides a $1,500 annual award to students enrolled in a Neag School master\u2019s, doctorate, or sixth-year program who have proven academic excellence or demonstrated financial need.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"font-weight: 400\">Scholarship Fuels Scholar\u2019s Mission to Uplift Rural STEM Education<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_233091\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-233091\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-233091 img-responsive lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Emmanuel_IMG_4961_1500x1000-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Emmanuel Dwamena\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Emmanuel_IMG_4961_1500x1000-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Emmanuel_IMG_4961_1500x1000-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Emmanuel_IMG_4961_1500x1000-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Emmanuel_IMG_4961_1500x1000-630x420.jpg 630w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Emmanuel_IMG_4961_1500x1000-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Emmanuel_IMG_4961_1500x1000-998x665.jpg 998w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Emmanuel_IMG_4961_1500x1000.jpg 1500w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/200;\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-233091\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">\u201cThank you from the bottom of my heart. Your support is not just a gift \u2014 it\u2019s a responsibility I carry with care and purpose,\u201d Dwamena says.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">For Emmanuel Dwamena, the Neag School Alumni Board Scholarship represents more than financial support \u2014 it\u2019s validation of a life\u2019s purpose.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cReceiving the Neag School Alumni Board Scholarship feels like finally being handed the golden ticket after years of knocking on doors, chasing leads, and surviving on caffeine, curiosity, and a stubborn belief that education could be my way forward,\u201d Dwamena says.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">A first-generation student from a rural community in Ghana, Dwamena recalls the challenges of shifting from a private school to a rural public school due to economic hardship during his childhood. That experience sparked a deep empathy and commitment to equity in education.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cThis moment is more than academic recognition; it\u2019s a bridge between where I come from and where I\u2019m going,\u201d Dwamena says. \u201cThis scholarship is a powerful vote of confidence in my mission to support rural STEM teachers through my scholarly work.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">Now entering his second year of a Ph.D. program in curriculum and instruction with a concentration in science education at the Neag School, Dwamena\u2019s research focuses on STEM teacher sustainability, equitable integration of artificial intelligence, and pathways to economic mobility for underserved students.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cThe scholarship will allow me to attend key conferences, present my research, and build a network of scholars committed to equity,\u201d Dwamena says. \u201cBeing recognized by alumni who\u2019ve walked this path reminds me that I\u2019m part of a larger community committed to meaningful, lasting change.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">Dwamena chose the Neag School because of its emphasis on equity, justice, and innovation.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cNeag\u2019s interdisciplinary approach provides the ideal environment to advance my work,\u201d Dwamena says, crediting Neag School faculty mentors Dorothea Anagnostopoulos, Todd Campbell,\u00a0Sakeena Everett, Diandra Prescod, and\u00a0John Settlage (primary advisor) for their guidance.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cTo the Alumni Board: Thank you from the bottom of my heart,\u201d Dwamena says. \u201cYour support is not just a gift \u2014 it\u2019s a responsibility I carry with care and purpose.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"font-weight: 400\">Preparing to Inspire the Next Generation Through Music Education<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_233092\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-233092\" style=\"width: 200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-233092 img-responsive lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Caroline_DSC_0580_1500x1000-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"Caroline Shadman\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Caroline_DSC_0580_1500x1000-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Caroline_DSC_0580_1500x1000-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Caroline_DSC_0580_1500x1000-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Caroline_DSC_0580_1500x1000-280x420.jpg 280w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Caroline_DSC_0580_1500x1000-443x665.jpg 443w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Caroline_DSC_0580_1500x1000.jpg 1000w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 200px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 200\/300;\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-233092\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">\u201cWith this support, I can focus on coursework and my teaching internship, rather than worrying about financial constraints,\u201d Shadman says.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">For Caroline Shadman &#8217;25 (ED), pursuing higher education has always been about more than earning a degree \u2014 it\u2019s a way to share her passion for learning and creativity with future students.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cI\u2019ve always pictured myself in a helping profession, and in middle school, I began considering a career as a teacher,\u201d Shadman says. \u201cI loved learning and collaborating with others, and I wanted to share those values with my future students.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">Now in her master\u2019s year of the Neag School\u2019s Integrated Bachelor\u2019s\/Master\u2019s (IB\/M) teacher education program, Shadman is completing her year-long internship with the goal of becoming a middle or high school band director.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cMusic education is not about creating future musicians \u2014 it\u2019s about helping students become creative, well-rounded individuals,\u201d she says. \u201cAs a future music educator, I see myself helping others discover their voices through the power of music.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">A leader in and out of the classroom, Shadman has served as trombone section leader in the UConn Symphonic Wind Ensemble and baritone section leader in the UConn Marching Band. She has also completed an Honors thesis, which explores how gender influences music educators&#8217; pedagogical decisions.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">Receiving the Neag School Alumni Board Scholarship, she says, is both an honor and a major relief.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cThis generous contribution will not only help offset the cost of tuition, but it also eases the overall financial burden that comes with continuing my education,\u201d Shadman says. \u201cWith this support, I can focus on coursework and my teaching internship, rather than worrying about financial constraints.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">To the Alumni Board, she says, \u201cThank you for investing in my education and professional journey. I\u2019m looking forward to interning in a high school band next year and continuing to grow as an educator.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"font-weight: 400\">From First-Generation Student to Champion of Equity in Education<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_233093\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-233093\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-233093 img-responsive lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Claudia_Neag_Scholarship_Reception_137_1500x1000-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Claudia Ventura\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Claudia_Neag_Scholarship_Reception_137_1500x1000-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Claudia_Neag_Scholarship_Reception_137_1500x1000-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Claudia_Neag_Scholarship_Reception_137_1500x1000-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Claudia_Neag_Scholarship_Reception_137_1500x1000-630x420.jpg 630w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Claudia_Neag_Scholarship_Reception_137_1500x1000-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Claudia_Neag_Scholarship_Reception_137_1500x1000-998x665.jpg 998w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Claudia_Neag_Scholarship_Reception_137_1500x1000.jpg 1500w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/200;\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-233093\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">\u201cThis scholarship provides not only financial support but also a sense of empowerment,\u201d Ventura says.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">For Claudia Ventura, a fourth-year Ph.D. student at the Neag School, education is not just a personal goal \u2014 it\u2019s a mission to uplift others.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cAs a Dominican-born Hispanic woman, an immigrant with an accent, and a first-generation college student from a low-income background, I have faced systemic racist obstacles that made academic success feel unattainable,\u201d Ventura says. \u201cBut these challenges have fueled my determination to break the cycle in my family, and to pave the way for others like me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ventura\u2019s passion for educational equity began early. A transformative summer program at Columbia University gave her the confidence to pursue college, but the path wasn\u2019t easy.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cWhen I arrived in college, I found myself in classrooms where few students looked like me,\u201d she says. \u201cWhite students didn\u2019t want to collaborate with me. That isolation deepened my self-doubt.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">Her journey faced another challenge when she became a single mother while still in college.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cI feared becoming another statistic,\u201d she says. \u201cBut instead of giving up, I came back stronger.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">She graduated with honors, earning a bachelor\u2019s degree in forensic psychology, and would go on to earn two master\u2019s degrees: one in experimental psychology and the other in educational psychology. Currently a doctoral student focused on research and data-driven solutions in education, Ventura is dedicated to creating inclusive academic spaces for Black, Indigenous, and people of color. Receiving the Neag School Alumni Board Scholarship, she says, is deeply meaningful.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cThis scholarship provides not only financial support but also a sense of empowerment,\u201d she says. \u201cIt reminds me that the true power lies in community \u2014 none of us achieves success alone. This recognition lightens the load, allowing me to move forward with greater strength and purpose.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">To the Alumni Board, Ventura offers heartfelt thanks: \u201cYour support is a recognition of my commitment to breaking cycles and building pathways. I promise to use it to uplift others, just as you\u2019ve uplifted me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\"><em>Alumni Board Scholarship recipients<\/em>\u00a0<em>Emmanuel Dwamena,\u00a0Caroline Shadman, and Claudia Ventura\u00a0<\/em><em>will be formally recognized at the 202<\/em><em>6<\/em><em> Neag School Alumni Awards Celebration, scheduled to take place in spring 20<\/em><em>26<\/em><em>. For more information about supporting Neag School students, visit<\/em>\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/education.uconn.edu\/giving-to-neag\"><em>education.uconn.edu\/giving-to-neag<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Graduate students Emmanuel Dwamena, Caroline Shadman, and Claudia Ventura are recipients of the fund, which was created as a way to invest in future generations of Neag School students<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":135483,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_crdt_document":"","wds_primary_category":0,"wds_primary_series":0,"wds_primary_attribution":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[147,2426,2428,2424,1855],"tags":[],"magazine-issues":[],"coauthors":[1879],"class_list":["post-233086","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alumni","category-curriculum-instruction","category-educational-psychology","category-neag-community-engagement","category-neag"],"pp_statuses_selecting_workflow":false,"pp_workflow_action":"current","pp_status_selection":"publish","acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-05-03 05:41:38","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/233086","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/users\/59"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=233086"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/233086\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":233287,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/233086\/revisions\/233287"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/media\/135483"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=233086"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=233086"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=233086"},{"taxonomy":"magazine-issue","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/magazine-issues?post=233086"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=233086"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}