Sixth Annual Clinical Internship Awards and Appreciation Dinner Recognizes Classroom Success and Mentorship

On the evening of May 7, amidst Teacher Appreciation Week, the College of Human Development, Culture, and Media’s (CHDCM) Office of Fieldwork and Certification hosted its sixth annual clinical internship awards and appreciation dinner. This event honors graduating teacher candidates from the Department of Educational Studies and the mentors who supported them in their student teaching.

The event was made possible by the unwavering support of the educational studies faculty and the CHDCM Office of the Dean. Juliana Gijima, director of fieldwork and certification in the CHDCM, emphasized the significance of this annual event in acknowledging exceptional clinical interns and teaching candidates.

“We are in a uniquely critical moment for the field of education,” Gijima said. “I find encouragement in knowing how much time, energy and care students put into their work to ensure that current and future students in New Jersey and beyond will receive an excellent education and thoughtful attention.”

The evening featured a distinguished alumna guest address from three-time Seton Hall graduate Marissa Muoio, '12/M.A.E. '14/Ed. D. '19, and a keynote address from 2025 New Jersey Teacher of the Year, Stefanie Lachenauer.

Muoio is closing her fifth year as the head of upper school at Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart, a Catholic school in Princeton, N.J., serving girls from preschool through grade 12. She is also the director of the national center for girls' leadership at Stuart. Throughout her career, Muoio has demonstrated excellence in her advocacy for young women to emerge as leaders and her holistic approach to education.

Muoio spoke about the mentors who supported and guided her throughout her time at Seton Hall, the lessons she took with her as she transitioned into the role of mentor, and offered words of wisdom to graduating students as they take their next steps. “May your classrooms be filled with curiosity, courage and care, and may you always move forward no matter the hazard.”

Lachenauer, a civics and mindfulness teacher at Montgomery Upper Middle School in Skillman, N.J., is a dedicated middle school educator, mindfulness teacher, author, speaker, trauma-informed and resilience practitioner, coach and trainer. She excels in developing and teaching innovative curricula for her unified global leadership and skills for success classes. Beyond the classroom, Lachenauer plays a pivotal role in her district’s professional development, leading self-care days and wellness programs as a district wellness champion, title 1 family engagement coordinator and co-chair and founding member of the compassionate care team.

Her forthcoming book, Let the Glitter Settle: Mindfulness for Teens will be released in May 2025.

During her address, Lachenauer shared stories about her experiences as a student teacher and the unexpected lessons she and her students taught each other as she introduced mindfulness into her school. She also had some encouraging words for graduates as they approach this new, sometimes overwhelming phase of life.

Following the alumna and keynote address, two groups of students were recognized: the inaugural educational studies cohort joining the CHDCM Honors and Alumni Mentor Program and the New Jersey Distinguished Clinical Intern Awards finalists and state nominees.

Jeronimo Valcarcel, director of student success in the CHDCM, welcomed Hailee Bissell, Molly DeSena, Arianna Fottis, Jessica Marciniak, Cameron Sims and Kaitlyn Spadaro as the inaugural educational studies cohort in the CHDCM Honors & Alumni Mentor Program.

A collaborative effort between the New Jersey Association of Colleges for Teacher Education and the New Jersey Department of Education, the annual New Jersey Distinguished Clinical Intern award recognizes the year's fifteen top graduates of educator preparation programs in New Jersey's colleges and universities. An independent panel of esteemed New Jersey educators evaluates these dossiers to select the award recipients. At Seton Hall, the Office of Fieldwork and Certification solicited recommendations from clinical supervisors and cooperating teachers, and of these, 11 teacher candidates were selected as Seton Hall finalists. After a rigorous application process, a committee of CHDCM administrators selected two nominees to move on to the state level.

Molly DeSena, Nicholas Jensen, Sarah Leitao, Hailee Liberti, Kelly Murphy, Jenna Ryan, Madelyn Sens, Ivona Szaro and Victoria White were the finalists.

Matthew Gutierrez and Marissa Todd were selected as Seton Hall’s two nominees for the New Jersey awards, with the state ceremony to be held on June 3.

Categories: Education