UTSA Academy of Teacher Excellence named Excelencia Award finalist
At the recent Excelencia ceremony in Washington, D.C., are (from left) Jeanne Reesman (UTSA professor of English), Lorena Claeys (UTSA Academy of Teacher Excellence director), Betty Merchant (dean of the UTSA College of Education and Human Development), U.S. Rep. Charlie Gonzales, Betty Travis (UTSA professor emeritus) and Belinda Bustos Flores (UTSA professor and chair of the Department of Bicultural-Bilingual Studies).

At the recent Excelencia ceremony in Washington, D.C., are (from left) Jeanne Reesman (UTSA professor of English), Lorena Claeys (UTSA Academy of Teacher Excellence director), Betty Merchant (dean of the UTSA College of Education and Human Development), U.S. Rep. Charlie Gonzales, Betty Travis (UTSA professor emeritus) and Belinda Bustos Flores (UTSA professor and chair of the Department of Bicultural-Bilingual Studies).
By Christi Fish
Associate Director of Media Relations
(Oct. 22, 2012) -- The UTSA Academy of Teacher Excellence (ATE) was recognized as an Example of Excelencia Award finalist in the undergraduate school category. College of Education Dean Betty Merchant, ATE Executive Director Lorena Claeys, Professor Emeritus Betty Travis and Bicultural-Bilingual Studies Professor, Department Chair and ATE Founder Belinda Bustos Flores accepted the award on behalf of ATE at a recent event at the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.
Excelencia in Education is one of America's top programs in increasing degree completion among Latinos at the associate, bachelor's and graduate degree levels. The organization aims to accelerate higher education success for Latino students by providing data-driven analysis of the educational status of Latino students and by promoting education policies and institutional practices that support their academic achievement.
Of the 500 programs that have been nominated since 2005, more than 100 have been chosen as outstanding models and resources for higher education success and contributions to continued research and education policy. This year, 159 programs were nominated and 16 finalists were chosen. ATE was nominated by Elvia Niebla, a soil scientist.
ATE was established as a hub for school districts, community colleges and UTSA to collaboratively research, design, implement and evaluate educational programs that address emerging, local and statewide educational issues associated with a growing diverse student population. The academy is a critical element of the UTSA College of Education and Human Development teacher education programs and has helped UTSA achieve national recognition as a leader in preparing teachers to teach in culturally diverse settings.
Last year, ATE was awarded a five-year Title V grant for Hispanic-serving institutions from the U.S. Department of Education for $4.2 million, bringing ATE's total funding to more than $17 million since it was founded in 2003. The funding is helping ATE increase the number of undergraduate students and teacher candidates majoring in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), in addition to bilingual and special education.
Excelencia in Education honored ATE's efforts in Latino student's financial concerns, educator preparation, informed quantitative and qualitative research, and creating functional relationships between community, schools and higher education institutions.
"The Academy of Teacher Excellence has providing training to more than 2,000 teachers who seek to work with diverse student populations," said Merchant. "It is an honor to be named an Excelencia Award finalist for the work that we are doing to train teachers and to develop impactful relationships with K-12 and community supporters throughout San Antonio."
>> Learn more at the UTSA Academy of Teacher Excellence website.
Events
Join the UTSA community in celebrating the life of Dr. Thelma Duffey.
Aula Canaria (BV 1.328), Buena Vista Building, Downtown CampusThe proposed annual BME Research Symposium will allow students to present their undergraduate research free of charge, providing them with the opportunity to network and build their professional skills.
H-E-B Student Union Ballroom 1 & 2, Main CampusThe UTSA Marches Committee, in partnership with the Cesar E. Chavez Legacy and Education Foundation, invites everyone to the 27th annual Cesar E. Chavez March for Justice. This event is in conjunction with the "Yes We CAN" food donation drive with the San Antonio Food Bank. Guests are encouraged to bring canned food items with them to the march to deposit cans into barrels before the march begins.
1310 Guadalupe St, San Antonio, TX 78207Join us to learn about how Impostor Syndrome can affect your career decisions and how you view yourself, your knowledge, and abilities. You will leave with actionable items related to implementing coping strategies for symptoms that may arise in your career development (mentally, physically, emotionally).
University Career Center (S.U. 2.02.04,) Main CampusJoin UTSA librarians for this introductory workshop for early career faculty on how to build your online scholarly identity.
John Peace Library, GroupSpot BJoin the conversation with Karleen Pendleton Jimenez, a professor in the Department of Gender and Social Justice at Trent University.
Virtual EventLearn to use the dynamic tool VMOCK to assist you in your job/internship search. Evaluate your resume. Get feedback on your "elevator pitch" and on how you engage in verbal communication virtually and in-person.
Multidisciplinary Studies (MS 2.02.36,) Main Campus