Winter 2024: From the Dean

CEHD IS A DESTINATION college. 

This past fall, we were visited by White House staff, MN state legislators, and European school leaders, among many others. And as in the past, CEHD faculty, staff, and students continue to expand boundaries by connecting with communities locally and around the world. Some of these stories are on the following pages. 

Introduced in 2023, we are providing a new feature in some stories. Be on the lookout for QR codes that provide access to videos and other resources. For example, at the end of the story about the work of Pauline Boss on page 21, there is a QR code in the bottom right corner. With your smartphone, start the camera and point it at the QR code—then tap the banner that appears on screen to access the online resources. 

Did you notice the QR code in the Fall 2023 issue following the story about Josie R. Johnson? If not—be sure to revisit that issue to see two great videos on her incredible achievements and impact. 

Finally, I would like to take a moment to reflect on the work of Pauline Boss in ambiguous loss. Knowing that it’s okay to be angry, my adopted son deals with the pain and trauma of spending several years in the child welfare system. When parental rights are terminated, while those parents remain alive yet absent, many children experience repeated trauma and develop a false sense of fault. Ambiguous loss calls out the unrealistic expectation of closure, allows us to acknowledge the loss, grants permission to be angry, and provides a pathway to move forward. Pauline’s work impacts my life daily—Thank you Pauline. 

And thank you for your continued support and partnership with CEHD. I hope 2024 brings you great things.