Message from the Dean
Dear SOE Billiken Alums,
It’s hard to describe how fortunate I feel to be part of the Saint Louis University
community. As I write you, I am thinking about a celebration of the 100th birthday
for SLU School of Education alumna Mary Bruemmer. Listening to all the wonderful testimonials of Mary’s long career at SLU reinforced
to me what a special place this is!
One other reason that SLU is special is our commitment to serving our community to
the spirituality of St. Ignatius. Along those lines, I have recently had the privilege
of participating in the Ignatian Colleagues Program. As part of this program, along
with several colleagues from other Jesuit universities across the country, I spent
a week in an Ignatian immersion trip at the border of the Dominican Republic and Haiti.
I am grateful that my work at SLU affords me the opportunity to spend time with those
facing challenges far greater than I have ever imagined and to reflect deeply on my
obligation to work to address injustices in our community and around the world. I
am also grateful that my professional home is the School of Education, where our shared
mission is to engage in our community to support the poor, the marginalized, and those
seeking justice. Although I should not have needed a reminder, this trip was a reminder
to me that I am fortunate to have meaningful work and it is my responsibility to employ
my privilege to work on behalf of our community with greater energy and vigor. Thanks
to all School of Education alumni who engage in this important work each and every
day!
This has been a remarkable spring at SLU, with much work to be done before our commencement
celebrations. I want to share with you some of the highlights that you will find in
this edition of the newsletter.
First, we are excited to announce the creation of a new degree option—the Master of Arts in Education Principles and Practices. The program is designed to provide individuals with the tools necessary to improve
in their everyday work with youth, communicate research-based best practices to diverse
audiences, and collaborate with local stakeholders to work for change. Our redesigned
program is more affordable than ever ($585 per credit hour!), more relevant to current
needs in the classroom, and more flexible in terms of coursework and specialization
options. The same areas of specialization that can be pursued as part of the master’s
degree are also offered as stand-alone certificates, allowing teachers who already
hold master’s degrees to take advantage of additional focused professional learning
opportunities here at SLU.
Next, we highlight Retha Meier, Ph.D., a professor in the Saint Louis University School of Education. She has been teaching
at Saint Louis University for over 25 years and her research, which spans the fields
of both education and biology, is more relevant than ever. She enthusiastically continues
to encourage her students to follow their passion in science education.
We also highlight students who traveled to Nashville, Tennessee to participate in
the Annual Conference of the National Association for the Education of Young Children
(NAEYC), along with School of Education early childhood and early childhood special
education faculty. The students had the opportunity to connect with both their peers
and some of the most prominent leaders in the field.
Please reach out to us if you are interested in learning more about our programs or
activities. Indeed, if you are in the neighborhood, stop by on the afternoon of April
8 where you can learn about our School of Education programs at 4 p.m., enjoy snacks
and happy hour at 5 p.m. sponsored by the Alumni Association, and attend a talk from
the Missouri Teacher of the Year at 5:30 p.m.!
More importantly, please let us know if there are ways we can support you better or
communicate with you more effectively. We hope to see you on campus soon!
Best wishes,
Gary W. Ritter, Ph.D.
Dean, School of Education