Student Organizations

The Association of Aspiring Leaders in Education (AALE) is open to all graduate students of the School of Education. Its purpose is to help students meet new people, expand professional and social networks, navigate through graduate programs, develop practitioner and researcher skills, and answer any questions students may have about the journey to becoming an educational leader.

Student Leaders:

• Erin Stehle Wallace, President, Ph.D. Concentration: Special Education
• Ashlee Lester, Vice President, Ph.D. Concentration: Educational Psychology
• Katie Brendli, Treasurer, Ph.D. Concentration: Special Education
• Jenna Furman, Social Chair, Ph.D. Concentration: Educational Psychology

Chi Sigma Iota Counseling and Academic Professional Honor Society International is one of the largest counseling organizations in the world with the sole mission of recognizing and promoting excellence in the counseling profession. Students must have earned at least nine hours in the Counselor Education Program and have a GPA of at least 3.5 in order to be considered for membership. The VCU Counselor Education Chapter of Chi Sigma Iota is the Omega Lambda Iota Chapter. The chapter was established in 2008 and has over 50 student, alumni and faculty members.

Faculty Advisor: Donna Gibson, Department of Counseling and Special Education
Email: dgibson7@vcu.edu
Phone: 804-828-1332

Student Leader: Amy Sarcinella, President

The Counselor Education Student Networking Association (CESNA) is organized for the purposes of networking with local counselors and to provide orientation for incoming students. It sponsors a social to welcome new students and to welcome back returning students. The club is involved with the university or local causes of interest.

Faculty Advisor: Donna Dockery, Ph.D., NCC, NCSC, Department of Counseling and Special Education
Email: djdockery@vcu.edu
Phone: 804-827-2632

Student Leader: Hannah Leopold, President

Our goal is to provide School of Education doctoral students, with support from faculty advisers, a series of workshops focused on scholarly discourse – academic journal selection, writing for academic publication, reviewing scholarly manuscripts, as well as academic conference selection, submission and presentation. These workshops will be open to all doctoral students and include trainings, “how-to” sessions, and discussions led by faculty members, peers and guest speakers. Throughout the year, members will have the opportunity to collaborate with faculty and peers in an inclusive, constructive environment culminating in a showcase of our written scholarship. Our purpose is to help Ph.D. students hone the publication and reviewing skills, knowledge and resources they will need now and in the future as they progress in their academic careers.

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Faculty Advisor: Jose Alcaine, Ph.D., Office of Research and Faculty Development/Department of Foundations of Education
Email: jgalcaine@vcu.edu
Phone: 804-828-2009

Student Leaders:

• Matt Caratachea, President
• Sandra Ting, Vice President
• Brook Spotts, Treasurer
• Jacqueline Wilson, Secretary
• Hannah Seward, Community Service and Outreach

Th National Science Teachers Association Student Chapter (NSTA@VCU) promotes the mission of NSTA, which is to acquaint pre-service teachers of science with support resources available from NSTA, provide additional professional development in science education to pre-service teachers, and create a network of pre-service teachers of science at universities or colleges across the world.

Faculty Advisor:
Katherine Dabney, Ph.D., Department of Teaching and Learning
Email: kdabney@vcu.edu
Phone: 804-827-2661

Student Leaders: 

• Katherine Gallager, President
• Jin Kim, Vice President
• Arica Fowler, Secretary
• Michaela Richmond, Treasurer
• Frances Marquez, Outreach Chair
• Tiffany Power, Social Chair

The Student Affairs Networking Association (SANA) provides a voice and promotes advocacy, service and other networking for students interested in the field.

Faculty Advisor: Abigail Conley, Ph.D. (ahconley@vcu.edu), Department of Counseling and Special Education
Email: ahconley@vcu.edu
Phone: 804-828-1788

Student Leader: 
Emily Quinn, President

Learn more about the Student Leadership Council.

The Student Virginia Education Association (SVEA) is a professional pre-service teacher organization. It provides opportunities for college students to explore education as a profession. One of the SVEA's primary goals is to inform, educate and involve its membership in issues related to education. All education majors (Elementary, Secondary Education, Special Education, Music, Art, Health and Physical, etc.) are encouraged to join. VCU's SVEA chapter also participates in several community outreach programs. To gain experience and skills, members also attend conferences and workshops.

Faculty Advisor: Danielle Apugo, Ph.D., assistant professor and visiting faculty scholar, Department of Teaching and Learning 
Email: apugod@vcu.edu
Phone: 804-828-1305 [main number for Department of Teaching and Learning]

Student Leader: Jodi B. Larson
Email: jblarson@vcu.edu

Learn more about the VCU Holmes Scholars Program.