We are pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Jamie Colwell as the Dean’s Fellow for Teacher Apprenticeships.Ìý

This new role is vital as we pursue partnerships with school divisions across Virginia to establish apprenticeship pathways to teacher licensure for paraprofessionals employed in schools. With approximately 25,000 paraprofessionals in Virginia, many of whom are eager to complete their degrees and become teachers, this initiative holds significant potential to support future teachers and fill significant vacancies in schools. Additionally, Dr. Colwell will lead efforts to seek large grants from the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) and federal sources to support the initiative.

Dr. Colwell, who will continue to serve as Chair of the Department of Teaching & Learning, will focus on the following key responsibilities as Dean’s Fellow for Teacher Apprenticeships:

  • Leading grant-writing teams and securing external funding to build and sustain registered teacher apprenticeship pathways.
  • Collaborating with teacher licensure program faculty, school division partners, and other ¹ÏÉñÍø and community college entities to develop accelerated bachelor’s programs and support paraprofessional pipelines.
  • Ensuring the development of comprehensive student services, effective cohort strategies, and a sustainable, scalable model for teacher apprenticeships across Virginia.

Dr. Colwell brings an exceptional background to this role. As a Professor of Literacy, she has secured over $2.5M in grant funding focused on teacher education and school-university partnerships. Her expertise in research, grant work, and leadership in the literacy community makes her well-suited to guide this critical initiative. Through this position, she will leverage her extensive experience to address the current needs of teacher apprenticeships and further support our college’s commitment to innovation in teacher preparation.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Colwell on her appointment as Dean’s Fellow, and feel free to reach out to her with any questions or ideas that will enhance this important effort.