Avila Now

Avila School of Education graduates, Katie Mooneyham and Brooke Wells were awarded the MACTE Outstanding Beginning Teacher award. “We know that Brooke and Katie are making impacts at their schools in Districts not too far from Avila—in Blue Springs and Raytown. We have so many students who graduate from Avila and teach in Missouri districts...

Angela Danley, Ph.D., returns to Avila as the new Director of Clinical and Field-Based Experiences, where she earned her Special Education degree and obtained Missouri certification in elementary education and Special Education K-12 in 1996.  “As a first-generation college student, I chose Avila because of the rigorous program in education and the proximity to my...

Five Latinx Avila School of Education students were each recently awarded a $3000 grant to assist with the educational cost of pursuing their dream of being an educator. The grant was awarded to Avila University by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), and through it, Avila partnered with the Latinx Education Collaborative...

A Google search on higher education news today will turn up countless references to college “entry,” “access,” and even a call for “free college.” The federal government recently announced a student debt forgiveness program which will benefit millions of Americans. Several states, including Missouri, have created pathways to free community college, admirably seeking pathways for...

Avila University Welcomes its 105th Graduating Class During commencement exercises on May 14 at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, the Colleges of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences, Science & Health, and Professional Schools held individual graduation ceremonies for undergraduate and graduate degree earners throughout the day to fulfill social distancing requirements. “It is wonderful for...

Payton Kinnison was working a job that wasn’t fulfilling and knew she wanted a career. “Before I started my cert and MA, I was working in the millwork industry as a purchaser (really putting that English major to use lol) and realized that I was simply at an office job, and not doing anything that...

Vickery  Ottaway knew she wanted to earn her initial teaching certification and then proceed into a master’s program. Avila offers the opportunity for aspiring teachers to earn their certification, start working as a classroom teacher, and then earn their master’s with only an additional 18 credit hours.  Why was Avila and their program the right...

Women have been battling an uphill climb into leadership positions for decades and are slowly making headway, but gender equality remains an issue. Women are still fighting against gender pay disparities, a lack of opportunities and promotions against their male counterparts, and a missing voice at the table.  Women have faced harsh setbacks during the...

Danielle Sloop, Master of Arts in Education ‘22, was looking for a career change when she found Avila’s MAEd geared toward working professionals. “By offering evening and online courses, I could easily take classes that fit my schedule. The program also offered teaching certification within two years, which appealed to me, as I was eager...

Kate Sweeney is a mom, a full-time employee, and a current Avila student in the Master of Arts in Education program. She earned her initial teaching certification from Avila in 2020 and continued toward her master’s.  Sweeney is currently an ELA and Impact Academy Instructor at Guadalupe Centers High School. Sweeney said she would love...