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This page is maintained as a cyberspace bridge that connects our current KU-Special Education community with KU-Special Education graduates. Click below to jump to your area of interest.
The nation's special education students are in dire need of qualified teachers. In 2005, the federal government created an incentive to retain special education teachers in low-income schools by increasing the amount of loan forgiveness to $17,500, available for special eduction teachers who teach for five consecutive years in designated schools.
You are eligible if:
Many special educators, administrators, and university personnel are still unaware of this relatively new law. This loan forgiveness provision could be a great incentive to recruit students to major in special education! Link to this informational flyer to find out more!
Ali Alzahrani, a student from Saudi Arabia, graduated in December, 2005, and is the first (and only!) professor of Deaf Education in Saudi Arabia. His position is Assistant Professor at King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. His dissertation was titled: An Investigation of the Social Development of Students with Hearing Impairment in Special Schools for the Deaf and in Public Schools in Riyadh City in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. His research was the first ever done with students with hearing loss in his country.
Lisle Kauffman graduated in August, 2005, and has an Assistant Professor posion in the Deaf Education program at Minot State University in Minot, ND. His disseration research compared the writing abilities of students who are deaf and those who are hard of hearing.
Hasheem Mannan, Ph.D. graduate in Families and Policy in May 2005, is a disability research in the national health services in Ireland.
Hyunsoo Kwon successfully completed her dissertation in April, 2004. Her dissertation is titled “Kansas General Education Teachers’ Attitudes toward Inclusion, Perceptions about Teacher Education Programs, and Knowledge about Special Education Content.” Her study increased knowledge about general education teachers’ preparation in addressing needs of students with exceptionalities. It also assisted teacher educators in the departments of Special Education and Teaching & Leadership at KU in developing measures to assess the initial teacher preparation efforts to better prepare general educators in meeting needs of students with exceptionalities. Dr. Kwon has returned to Seoul, Korea, to support inclusive efforts in her country.
Kim Brown Kurz graduated in May, 2004 with a Ph.D. in Special Education. Kim has a profound hearing loss and her native language is American Sign Language. She is the Program Facilitator and an Associate Professor in the Interpreter Training Program at Johnson County Community College (JCCC) in Overland Park, Kansas. She is a certified evaluator of the nationally recognized Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIP), a tool used in evaluating educational interpreters’ signing and receptive skills. Kim has given numerous workshops on the topic of educational interpreting both locally and nationally for the past few years. Kim also conducted interviews with 20 deaf and hard-of-hearing students for a book chapter in a textbook about educational interpreting to be published by the Gallaudet University Press in 2004. She was selected to represent the University of Kansas student body as an emcee at a groundbreaking event for the new addition at the University of Kansas’ Edwards Campus in Overland Park, Kansas.
Joan Houghton, earned her Ed.D., in Early Childhood, May 2004, and is a research scientist at the Life Span Institute, the University of Kansas.
Kathryn Stutler, received her masters in Learning Disabilities, May 2004. After graduating from the Education program at the University of Kansas in 2000, Kathryn was hired in the Blue Valley School District at Lakewood Elementary as a first grade teacher. Over the next years, along with teaching, she pursued and earned her masters in Learning Disabilities, and completed her special education practicum. Kathryn is currently job sharing as a resource teacher at Lakewood Elementary and holds the Kansas National Education Association building representative position at her school. Kathryn says she loves to work in such a supportive and collaborative setting and was honored in 2005 by being nominated by her staff as the Kansas Teacher of the Year from the Blue Valley School District.
Mian Wang, Ph.D. graduate in Families and Policy, May 2004, is a professor at Rowan University in New Jersey.
Jean Hall, Ph.D. 2003 graduate in Interdisciplinary Studies, is a principal investigator at the Center for Research on Learning, The University of Kansas.
Kimberly Harrison, Ph.D. 2003 graduate, was the 2003-2004 Graduate Award Recipient for her outstanding dissertation titled “Understanding Professionalism in Education.”
Amy McCart, Ph.D. 2003 graduate in Special Education Functional, is a senior research scientist at the Life Span Institute, The University of Kansas.
Yvonne Bui graduated with her Ph.D. in 2002. Yvonne received the Dissertation of the Year Award for 2004 by the Division for Learning Disabilities (DLD) at the Council for Exceptional Children Annual Convention and Expo in New Orleans. She is currently an Assistant Professor and the Chairperson for the Department of Learning & Instruction at the University of San Francisco. Yvonne is the Project Director for a personnel preparation grant from the Office of Special Education Programs to prepare special education teachers for high poverty urban areas. She is also the co-editor of a special education textbook with Dr. Edward Meyen of the University of Kansas Department of Special Education.
Jennifer Ganz, Ph.D., 2002 graduate, is an Assistant Professor of Special Education at the University of Texas at San Antonio. She received her doctorate at the University of Kansas, with a concentration in autism spectrum disorders and behavioral disorders. Ganz has been working in education and special education for 12 years as a general and special education teacher and an educational consultant and continues to consult and present in Texas to schools and parents on topics relating to autism spectrum disorders and behavior difficulties. Ganz has also been a speaker at regional, national, and international conferences on topics including interventions for behavior and autism spectrum disorder, including strategies to address social and communication skills. She has received several small grants to fund research projects involving students with autism spectrum disorders and mental retardation and is on the editorial board of two peer-reviewed journals: Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities and Augmentative and Alternative Communication . In addition, Dr. Ganz has authored or co-authored 10 articles, a book, and several chapters. Ganz can be found online at: http://isci.utsa.edu/Faculty_Pages/Ganz.htm
Louise Lord-Nelson, 2002 Ph.D. graduate in Families and Policy, is the public policy staff director of The Arc of Indiana (the Noble Center).
Denise Poston, Ph.D., 2002 graduate in Families and Policy, is a senior research scientist at the Life Span Institute, The University of Kansas.
Laura Riffel, Ph.D., 2002 Families and Policy graduate, is a senior staff member of the Georgia State Department of Education.
Corine Frankland, Ph.D. 2001 graduate, Families and Policy, is a professor at the University of Western New Mexico, Flagstaff.
Jiyeon Park, Ph.D. 2001 graduate in Families and Policy, is a professor at Ewa University, Seoul, Korea.
Amanda Reichard, Ph.D. 2001 Families and Policy graduate, is a public policy analyst with the Kansas Health Policy Commission.
David Egnor, a Ph.D. 2000 graduate in Special Education Policy, David's dissertation was titled: "IDEA Reauthorization and the Issue of Student Discipline: A Case Study of Crisis Policymaking in the U.S. Congress." Initially, David worked as Special Assistant to Stephanie Lee, Director of Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), U.S. Department of Education. He is currently a Project Officer with OSEP.
Peter S. Kelly, Ph.D. graduate, 2000, is currently in his fourth year at Truman State University and was recently awarded the Williams O’Donnell Lee Advising Award – a university-wide award in recognition of excellence in academic advising.
Gardner Umbarger, a 2000 Ph.D. graduate in Families and Policy, is a professor at Bowling Green State University.
Gwen Beegle, 1999 Ph.D. graduate in Policy Integration, is a professor in the Pennsylvania State University system.
Ram Naidoo, Ph.D. graduate, 1989, is currently doing private practice as a counseling psychologist in Durban, South Africa. He and his wife are applying for a traveling fellowship to New Zealand.
Joanne Bodner, Ed.D. graduate, 1986, has retired after a 33-year teaching career, 21 years of it on the faculty at Johnson County Community College. While at JCCC, she did administrative work with disabled student services for 10 years and finished her career there teaching a 3-credit hour class, Career/Life Planning and also Developmental Reading. Since retirement, she has done contract teaching, including GED and Adult Education teacher training for the state of Missouri and Business Writing training for AT&T employees in Kansas City and Minneapolis. In the 1990s, she wrote two business trade publications for the general public, “Staying Up When Your Job Pulls You Down,” published by the Putnam Group and “Change Your Tune and End the Career Blues,” published by Borders Book Group. She is currently marketing a screenplay to Hollywood.
Gary Sasso, Ph.D. 1984 graduate in autism/behavior disorders, is Professor and Chair of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Iowa. Dr. Sasso received the prestigious 2005 James M. Kauffman Publication Award in Special Education, presented by the Curry School of Education, University of Virginia. This award recognizes outstanding research and scholarship contributions. In February 2006, Dr. Sasso also received a Leadership Award in Emotional and Behavioral Disorders at the Midwest Symposium for Leadership in Behavioral Disorders.
May 2008 |
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Ree Ann Belhumeur Jean Caitlin Brodie Mariza Chavez Samuel Youn-Myoung Choo Pamela Sue Dixson Carly Michelle Easting (Knapp) Matthew James Enyart Kimberly Pittman Fitzgerald Jessica Dawn Gibbons |
Joo Young Hong Tricia Nicole King Melissa Joye Lewis-Jones Tzu-chi Liu Julie Lueger Lisa Barrett Mann Ana Carolina Rankin Mandolin R Veerkamp |
Betty Ann Amos Virginia Holmes Cook Gwick Kim Sheila Marie Smith Kai-Chien Tien Nikki Lea Wolf |
December 2007 |
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Brooke Leann Claypool Sara Suzanne Doolin Mark Anthony Haley Lori Ann Harmon Paola S. Hatton Negron Lisa Ann Heinemann Mary Elizabeth Holt Melissa Ann Johnson Mirta Romelia Kelley Kyndra June Myers |
Praphul Suhash Niduram Ambedkar Virginia Kristi Ortiz-Ramos Katherine Elaine Owens Betsy Gayle Pipkin Karolien Pittoors Jenifer Ann Rovel Dana Lean Steinwart Gina Rose Stokesberry Ching-lun Tsai Tammy Lynn Waddell |
Anna Christine Friend Diana Lynn Greer Youngsun Lee Kylie Brianne Stewart
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August 2007 |
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Doctoral Degree (3) |
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Krista Diane Beckley Sarah Christine Belohlavy Margaret Diane Brown Robin S. Crim Laurie Ann Diaz Melinda Dawn Duell Ryan Scott Ellett Jean Leslie Frankel Kristine Deann Gaul Margaret Jane Goodison Amanda R. Gosney William Eugene Griffith Carol Evelyn Habluetzel Jennifer Kellie Laycock Kristin Linn McAninch |
Ashley Brooke McKinney Kurt Richard Nichols Alison Ruth Nudelman Gurwin Jaime Francine Patt Rita Rufe Pavicic Lauren Michelle Priest Alissa Jo Reid Brae Nicole Richards Keely Diane Rincon Breanne Farrell Salzman Hyun Min Seo Kathryn Elizabeth Theiss Tammy S. Walls Lauralea Yvonne Wood Lauren Michelle Yager |
Cynthia Rebecca Chambers Jeong Hoon Choi Nina Isabel Zuna
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May 2007 |
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Masters Degree (13) |
Doctoral Degree (6) |
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Yu-Chi Chou Susan Lynn Culp Lisa Sue Fischer Janette Suzanne Foster Kimberly Ann Krannawitter Christine Marie Mancillas Caroline A. Mark |
Ndeye K. Mbaye Stacia Ilene Pfau Hsin-Yi Tsai Abby Rochelle Vieux-Revell |
Sung Jik Bae Patricia G. Sampson Graner Monica L. Harris Susan Lynn Keetle Catherine Danielle Krammer Paul George LaCava |
December 2006 |
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Masters Degree (11) |
Doctoral Degree (2) |
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Hilary A. Berry |
Susan Kay Phillips
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Diana Lynn Haynes Sheridan Leigh Davis Stevens |
August 2006 |
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Masters Degree (32) |
Doctoral Degree (3) |
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Andrea Albrecht Maureen Demko Allinder Kathryn Bassity James Derek Brauer Megan Christine Brewer Jennifer Emily Brown Jeong Hoon Choi Melissa Ann Cline Carrie Ann Clopton Sandra Crable Angela Kay Danner Kristin Michelle Dubois Jennifer Anne Duggan Heather Michelle Frye Jennifer Ann Gessley Sara Elizabeth Lindsay |
Barbara June Mendez Mariah Ann Neff Mindy Marie Neumann Bruce Alan Owens Kendra Elaine Parris Molly Marie Pomeroy Katie Lynn Putnam Elaine Irene Roberts Vinya Sankaran Vasu Lisa Renee Schneider Raj Narayan Sharma Hollie Leann Temple Kristine Michele Tillery Masashi Wakitani Rebecca Weiler Virginia Marie Moss Wilson
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Sunday Christine Dove Sanna Mari Harjusola Webb Blanche Cecile Perry Komara |
May 2006 |
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Masters Degree (34) |
Doctoral Degree (12) |
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Caroline Anderson Rene Armbruster Elisabeth Baldwin Jannice Barland Devon BellChristine Bertrand Megan Brewer Michael Brouwer Kristin Brunnell Eileen Burrow Paula Burton Rita Gienapp Deborah Gordon Kristen Hagen Jennifer Harms Lindsay Hill Jill Hundley |
Christy Kilpatrick Rebecca Kirchenbauer Amy Melissa Long Stephanie Omanson Mary Peacock Betsy Pipkin Michele Pippens Sara Rowden Vinya Sankaran Vasu Tina Shea Jeniffer Shepard Hye Jeong Shin Jamie Thomas Hui-Min Wang Rebecca Winner Keri Young Katie Zerr |
Irma Brassuer Michael Faggella-Luby Nanette Salim Fritschmann Amy Gaumer Stelios Gragoudas Kyeong-Hwa Kim Stacie McClay Kirk Suk Hyang Lee Michael O'Connor Amy Scheuermann Karrie Shogren |
December 2005 |
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Masters Degree (25) |
Doctoral Degree (2) |
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Gargi Advaithi Katie Marie Anderson Aubrey Leigh Dease Karla Aneva Dennis Lindsay Rae Dennis Sara Nicole Gerard Shari L. Hardinger Michelle Therese Hass Elisha Marie Henderson Jeanne A. Holverstott Emily Beth Kessler Hyo Eun Lee Catherine Lynn Lentz |
Carolyn Jane Morgan Spencer Daniel Nolan Hye Ran Park Rebecca Kaye Showalter Michial Alexander Templeton Kai-chien Tien Lisa Brynn Toler Emma Katherine Whitt Amy Dawn Wilcox Lori Beth Wood Lindsay Ann Wuttke Sara Christine Young |
Ali H. Alzahrani Shih-hua Yang |
August 2005 |
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Masters Degree (33) |
Doctoral Degree (4) |
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Sonia Jo Bellesine Kimberlee Renae Burgardt Mindy Carlson Lezli R. Carson Erin Kathleen Cerny Angie Alana Dalbello Mari Wheeler Flake Kathleen Henderson Gledhill Eileen Michelle Gorup Elaine P. Hamm Rachele L. M. Hill Dalene Janette Hoge Anastasia Lee Stokes Hubbard Rachel Kay Humes Karen S. Jaime Jean Kang Jill Nicole Kennedy |
Jodi Sue Kuluva Jennifer Elizabeth Kummer Kristin Quinn Muellner Cassie Rae Olberding Heather Leanne Petrey Marci Nicole Reed Sally Hare Schriner Chris Carla Coleman Self Aimee Ann Shrimplin Sharla Renae Sommer Hsien Su Brandy Marie Taylor Katherine H. Tejada-Jitsuya Stephanie Lynn Titus Ameshia Tubbs Elizabeth Sue Young |
Michael Fitzpatrick Lisle Kauffman, III Maura Wechler Linas Chien-Hui Yang |
May 2005 |
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Masters Degree (33) |
Doctoral Degree (4) |
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Jennifer Adkins Deborah Lynn Allen Barbara Lucille Anderson Cynthia Ann Apple Gary Lee Bailey Taylor Cameron Burson Hyun Jeong Cho Carol Misenhimer Evans Molly Jo Mathais Gentz Janet Fletcher Graham Steven Scott Graves Lindsay L. Harvey Kirsten Lee Henzlik Maya Israel Stacey Lynae Jemison Lenette Gaye Johnson Donna Jo Lang |
Youngsun Lee Christina Michele Leonard Nan Li Alyssa Leann Linn Chia-Fen Liu April Dawn McNeill Susan Dow Meyer Kevin L. Milner Cathy Jean Moseley Jennifer Lynn Reach Elizabeth Katherine Schmit Dawn Rizai Seals Alison Ann Simonelli Carin M. Smutny Tirney Kathleen Thompson Teri Ann Varuska |
Debra Terese Benitez Sonja Rae de Boer-Ott Hasheem Mannan Laila J. Richman |
December 2004 |
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Masters Degree (25) |
Doctoral Degree (3) |
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Teri Christine Bowman Jana Sue Bradfield Michelle Lee Detweiler Stacy Lynn Fallucca Emily Janette Graham Angela Lynn Harris Marilyn Louise Helgeson Connie Henderson Kristan Rene Holland Rebecca Lynn Holmes Joung-Min Kim Cindi Ann Williams Lawson Barbara Johnson Loyd |
Annemarie E. McRorie Rebecca Irene Munjak Amy Lynn Neuburger Julie Kathleen Siebert Michele Stalker-Hoffman Marie Kathryn Taylor Holly Rachelle Wales Marlena Dorin Walley Amy Ann Walsh Lori Deann Weaver Michelle Wonburn-Tyrel Vanessa Renee Yergovich |
Barbara W. Martin Chelie A. Nelson Patricia Mercedes Noonan |
August 2004 |
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Masters Degree (33) |
Doctoral Degree (1) |
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| Vicki Asher Teresa Barnes Amy Beaver Linda Gail Becker-Willie Kelli Anne Brown Janis Johnson Brownson Natasha Ann Burns Terri Cooper Christine Marie Dawson Maureen Elaine Finholm Kelly Jo Frantz Melanie Lavonne French Misty Dawn Gann Jill Noel Hudson Suzanne M. James Laura Green Kimrey Candace S. King |
Anastasia L. Martin Beverly Marusak Karen Marie McNellis Diane E. Methner Aimee Kathleen Pedersen Rebecca Eve Rast Jaime Anne Rivetts Amy Schapman Ronda Lee Schelvan Jennifer Jill Schulz Jerri Kaye Sitek Sandra Lyn Smith Kelly Ann Van Gilder Krista Denise Wilson Kimberly D. Woodard Suzanne N. Woodward |
Robin A. Wells |
May 2004 |
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Masters Degree (26) |
Doctoral Degree (7) |
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| Meridith Emilyn Ashley Rashida Banerjee Alicia Marie Beckett Kelli Ann Brown Natasha Ann Burns Derek A. Caraway Whitney Ann Coupe Connie E. Mistler Davidson Jennifer Lyn Hare Kimberly A. Hawkins Kathryn Ann Lents Kerry Marie Lida Lorraine D. Martinez |
Karen M. McNellis Michele R. Mullendore Diane M. Plunkett Kelly Michelle Prestia Shanna Lynn Sommers Kathryn Stutler Jae Lynette Tillman Mary Bonita Travis Alberta Lucille Tucker Sabrina Ellen VanBuskirk Cynthia Klehr VanHorn Shari L. Walker Suzanne N. Woodward |
Sara Elizabeth Sibilsky Byrd Jennifer Isobel Byrne Joan Houghton Ronda Jean Jenson Kim Brown Kurz Hyun-soo Kwon Jane Helen Wortman Soukup Mian Wang |
December 2003 |
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Masters Degree (15) |
Doctoral Degree (6) |
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| Julie Moses Altman Greta Jean Danner Luz Eugenia Forero Heather Jean Fredericksen Amy S. Gaumer Amy Michelle Hardwick Phaedra L. Klementowski Tina Lynn Krup |
Melissa Lorraine McCauley Kerry Hope Mehaffey Marilyn Jo Murphy Erin Elise Passman Josh Saunders Katie L. Setzer Stephanie Denise Stansberry |
Dorothy Lea Fulton Kimberly Ann Harrison Richard J. Harrison Kaye Lynn Otten Christine Marie Rogers Claude Earl Tidwell, Jr. |
