鶹Ƶ

Skip to main content
  • Home
  • 鶹Ƶ
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • ’Cuse Conversations Podcast
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Campus & Community
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • University Statements
  • 鶹ƵUniversity Impact
  • |
  • The Peel
Sections
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • University Statements
  • 鶹ƵUniversity Impact
  • |
  • The Peel
  • Home
  • 鶹Ƶ
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • ’Cuse Conversations Podcast
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Campus & Community

Professor Julia White Awarded $1.14M Grant for Recruitment of Special Education Teachers, Counselors

Monday, August 29, 2022, By Martin Walls
Share
disabilitiesgrantSchool of Education
Julia White

Julia White

Julia M. White, associate professor in the School of Education’s (SOE) Department of Teaching and Leadership and director of the atrocity studies and the practices of social justice minor, has been awarded a $1.14 million U.S. Department of Education grant, with the primary aim of recruiting, preparing and retaining fully certified, diverse special education teachers and school counselors to work with students with disabilities with high-intensity needs.

Project IMPRESS (Interdisciplinary Master’s Preparation of Urban and Rural Educators in Special Education and School Counseling) will focus on recruiting professionals for two high-needs school districts in Central New York: the LaFayette Central School District (which includes the Onondaga Nation School) and the 鶹ƵCity School District.

Working with are Sultan Kilinc, assistant professor in SOE’s Department of Teaching and Leadership, and Yanhong Liu, associate professor in SOE’s Department of Counseling and Human Services.

“Project IMPRESS responds to the critical need to increase the number of special education teachers and school counselors prepared to work with students with disabilities with high-intensity needs in high-needs urban and rural schools,” says White. “This cohort-based project will prepare highly effective, equity conscious professionals with the knowledge, skills and disposition to serve these communities.”

To prepare and retain diverse (including Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color) master’s level scholars, Project IMPRESS will provide inclusive, culturally responsive training with the goal of improving learning, developmental, social and transition outcomes for students with disabilities who have high-intensity needs. The professionals in training also will be encouraged to collaborate across disciplines through shared project experiences, including distance learning.

“This project represents an innovative partnership between our programs in inclusive special education and counseling, a key related service provider,” says Beth Ferri, professor of inclusive education and disability studies and SOE associate dean for research. “School of Education scholars will benefit from cross disciplinary training, particularly around supporting students’ social emotional learning and integrating high-intensity supports in inclusive and high needs settings. The project will have a lasting impact, addressing critical shortages of highly qualified teachers and counselors who are able to meet a range of student learning, social, and emotional needs in culturally responsive ways.”

Starting in May 2023, Project IMPRESS will prepare four cohorts of 12 special education (elementary and secondary) and school counseling (P-12) scholars per cohort over five years. To thoroughly prepare them to serve in high-needs schools, the students will be offered interdisciplinary collaborative experiences, including shared coursework, assignments, and mentored field experiences.

Upon program completion, graduates will be able to meet requirements for New York State certification in their respective fields, be prepared to work with students with disabilities who have high-intensity needs, and diversify the teacher population in school districts they serve.

  • Author

Martin Walls

  • Recent
  • 鶹ƵViews Fall 2025
    Monday, September 22, 2025, By News Staff
  • VPA Film Alumna Nominated for American Society of Cinematographers Student Award
    Monday, September 22, 2025, By Erica Blust
  • Libraries to Host Annual Qualtrics Workshop Series
    Monday, September 22, 2025, By Cristina Hatem
  • Applications Open for 2025 ’Cuse Tank Competition
    Thursday, September 18, 2025, By News Staff
  • Chancellor Syverud Updates Senate on University Finances, Enrollment, Leaders and Shared Governance
    Thursday, September 18, 2025, By News Staff

More In Campus & Community

College of Visual and Performing Arts Welcomes New Full-Time Faculty

Nine new full-time faculty joined the College of Visual and Performing Arts for the 2025-26 academic year. One of the faculty members is the college’s new chair of the Department of Drama. The new full-time faculty members are: Adrienne Dagg…

Libraries to Host Annual Qualtrics Workshop Series

鶹ƵUniversity Libraries is hosting its annual Qualtrics online workshops on Thursdays from 3 to 4 p.m. from Oct. 9 through Nov. 20. The seven workshops will be held virtually using Zoom. Participants must register in advance for any one…

Applications Open for 2025 ’Cuse Tank Competition

Applications are open until Monday, Sept. 22, for the Blackstone LaunchPad’s ’Cuse Tank competition. This year’s annual ’Cuse Tank, a featured event kicking off Family Weekend, will take place Friday, Sept. 26 at 2 p.m. in Bird Library’s Peter Graham…

Brynt Parmeter Joins Maxwell School as Phanstiel Chair in Leadership

The Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs’ new Phanstiel Chair in Leadership brings expertise from top roles in the military, government and private sectors. He also brings enthusiasm for technology that’s rapidly transforming the workforce. Brynt Parmeter served as…

Chancellor Syverud Updates Senate on University Finances, Enrollment, Leaders and Shared Governance

Good afternoon. Welcome to a new year of University Senate. This is my last “first” senate meeting of the year as chancellor. I had to miss the last Senate meeting of this past year, which I regret. I have now…

Subscribe to SU Today

If you need help with your subscription, contact sunews@syr.edu.

Connect With Us

For the Media

Find an Expert
© 2025 鶹ƵUniversity News. All Rights Reserved.