By Megan Sayles
AFRO Staff Writer
msayles@afro.com
The University of the District of Columbia (UDC) is reinvigorating its founding mission of training educators with the launch of its School of Education and Learning Sciences (SELS). The new school will offer bachelor’s and master’s degrees in adult education, early childhood education, elementary education and special education, teaching and human development.
Part of the motivation behind the creation of the SELS is to help tackle teacher shortages that school districts are confronting across the country. UDC President Maurice D. Edington said the school will support a diverse pipeline of future teachers.
“From our earliest roots, UDC has served students who reflect the incredible diversity of Washington, D.C., and this school builds on that legacy by creating clear, supported pathways into education careers—from early childhood through adult and lifelong learning,” said Edington. “In practice, this means preparing future educators through hands-on clinical experiences, strong partnerships with local schools and targeted supports that move students from preparation to placement. When our students can see themselves in the roles and are equipped to succeed, we strengthen representation across the educator workforce and improve outcomes for learners throughout the District.”
UDC’s origins date back to 1851 when Myrtilla Miner established the Miner Normal School to train Black women to become teachers. Over the next century, that institution evolved and eventually merged with other public colleges, including Federal City College and the Washington Technical Institute, culminating in the creation of UDC in 1977 as the District’s only public university.
Last November, UDC’s board of trustees approved the launch of the SELS. Anika Spratley Burtin, a tenured associate professor and former associate dean of academic affairs at the UDC’s College of Arts and Science, was selected as interim dean.
She will manage the transition of programs and students from the College of Arts and sciences into the SELS, oversee day-to-day operations and steer the school’s initial growth. Under her leadership, SELS also plans to add a doctorate program and collaborate on education policy.
“Helping to launch UDC’s School of Education and Learning Sciences is humbling for me both personally and professionally. It is an honor that I do not take lightly, particularly within an institution that has a legacy of advancing teaching and learning in the District of Columbia,” said Burtin. “As interim dean, my focus is on fostering a collaborative culture, strengthening coherence across our programs and aligning our work around shared commitments to quality, impact and service as a trusted community partner.”
