Given the critical teacher shortage in the Coachella Valley, the UCR School of Education worked with leaders at UCR Palm Desert to add a cohort of students eager to earn their M.Ed. along with their CA teaching credentials. Last night, in an emotional ceremony celebrating the success of both the program and its graduates, that first class of six students crossed the stage to receive their degrees. The spirit of the evening was summed up by the words of Dr. Frances Valdovinos, Assistant Dean and Director of Teacher Education: “Whatever you do, give it 100%. Echelen ganas! Don’t let anyone tell

Rewind four years ago when most of this graduating class of collegians were seniors in high school and you’ll be reminded of bittersweet Zoom commencement ceremonies where graduates huddled around a screen to not get their diplomas or shake hands with their principals or hug their classmates.

Racial minorities develop cognitive impairments, such as Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias at younger ages.

To boost college access, UCR’s School of Education is reaching out to Inland Empire middle school students and their families through a Middle School Initiative aimed at helping them get on the right academic track for college. The school is sponsoring an essay contest, sending representatives to eighth-grade promotion ceremony, and a creating summer academy for middle school students to embrace science, technology, engineering, arts, and math.