College of Education Faculty Honored at Convocation

Three College of Education faculty members are among 32 ��ɫAV faculty and staff honored at the on September 17. These awards reflect their deep commitment to teaching, scholarship and service to the university community, as well as their demonstrated academic excellence.

Distinguished Scholar-Teacher Award

Megan Madigan Peercy, professor and special assistant to the Provost for strategic initiatives

For the growing number of multilingual students in Maryland and across the country, Peercy has made exceptional contributions as a scholar and a teacher working to transform their educational opportunities and outcomes. 

She is the co-director of the Multilingual Research Center and an internationally known expert on teacher education and applied linguistics. Over the last two decades, she has published more than 40 articles in top journals, two books and 25 chapters, as well as given more than 120 presentations and talks, leading to more than 2,300 citations. She and collaborators have received almost $5 million in research grant funding, and she was recognized by the American Educational Research Association with the 2024 Leadership Through Research Award.

As part of her commitment to putting research into practice, Peercy has also developed YouTube videos with strategies for practitioners as well as a reading curriculum in partnership with PBS. As an educator, she teaches many graduate-level courses and has advised, mentored and served on dissertation committees for more than 50 students, including advising seven current doctoral students. 

As part of this award, Peercy will deliver a lecture, “Listening to Learn, Learning to Listen: How Educator Voices Can Drive Real Change,” on November 6 at 4:30 p.m. in the Edward St. John Learning and Teaching Center, room 0201.

The Provost’s Excellence Award for Professional Track Faculty (Research)

Loren Jones, associate chair, associate clinical professor & TESOL programs coordinator

Jones’ extensive publication record has expanded the understanding of educational equity for multilingual learners in public schools while preparing undergraduate and graduate students to become effective teachers. 

In 2023, Jones co-wrote the book “Teaching Young Multilingual Learners: Key Issues and New Insights,” published by Cambridge ��ɫAV Press. In addition, she has authored or co-authored 14 book chapters and 11 peer-refereed articles, with additional ones under review—remarkable productivity for someone whose primary role is not research. 

In addition, Jones has received multiple internal grants, including three Teaching and Learning Grants and an inaugural Do Good Grant. She has twice been awarded the College of Education’s Excellence in Scholarship for Professional Track Faculty.

As the Department of Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership’s associate chair, she oversees all initial certification teacher and leader participation programs, all general education course offerings, all advanced/post-baccalaureate offerings and all M.Ed. programs. 

The Provost’s Excellence Award for Professional Track Faculty (Service)

Alison Leigh Jovanovic, principal faculty specialist, social studies education pathway coordinator, secondary/K-12 education program coordinator

Working for over a decade with student teachers as well as public school social studies faculty and administrators, Jovanovic has proven herself to be deeply dedicated to the success of College of Education students.

In 2010, she joined the ��ɫAV of Maryland as field supervisor for secondary social studies education. Since 2012, she has been the Department of Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership’s professional development schools coordinator for secondary social studies education, and was named principal faculty specialist in 2024, developing student workshops, representing the program at community events, and revising curricula.

Jovanovic has created a professional learning community focused on preparing student teachers to work with AI, advised on recruitment efforts, and developed and redesigned courses intended to support students transitioning to working in schools; she’s also taught five courses.

She serves as a principal investigator for the EdTerps CARES Network: Building Community, Access, and Resources for Educator Success, funded by the College of Education and the Do Good Campus Fund and designed to recruit and retain community college transfer students into teaching programs at ��ɫAV. She is also an affiliate faculty member with the Artificial Intelligence Interdisciplinary Institute at Maryland.

These recognitions celebrate faculty whose work changes lives,” said Dean Kimberly Griffin.” Convocation fills me with pride, as it allows others to see just how impactful our EdTerps community truly is.”

For the full list of honorees, read the .