On June 3, 2025, Kean University hosted the Distinguished Clinical Intern & Cooperating Teacher Awards Ceremony—a memorable event celebrating the dedication and excellence of nominated clinical interns and their cooperating teachers. Sponsored by the New Jersey Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (NJACTE), Kean University, The College of New Jersey, and Visions Federal Credit Union, the event honored these inspiring educators for their exceptional contributions to the field.
Since 1985, the educator preparation programs within New Jersey’s teacher training institutions have been invited to submit the dossiers of their three most outstanding teacher candidates into competition for this award. The annual award publicly recognizes the top clinical interns of the year, with special distinction given to the fifteen highest-achieving graduates. This year, 42 clinical interns and 52 cooperating teachers were honored for their incredible work and mentorship during the 2024–2025 academic year.
An independent panel of esteemed New Jersey educators evaluated the dossiers and selected 15 recipients to be awarded with distinction from 21 educator preparation programs in New Jersey’s colleges and universities.
The ceremony was an excellent opportunity to honor the top-performing clinical interns and their dedicated cooperating teachers while also bringing well-deserved attention to the commitment of educators and the field of education throughout New Jersey.
Congratulations to the 42 clinical interns and 52 cooperating teachers recognized at this year’s annual Distinguished Clinical Intern Awards Ceremony!
Please visit the New Jersey Department of Education’s Distinguished Clinical Intern Awards and the Distinguished Cooperating Teacher Awards webpages for more information about the program, including this year’s and past years’ awardees. In addition, please feel free to watch the virtual streaming of the ceremony.
Submitted by the NJ Distinguished Clinical Intern Award Committee:
Nancy Besant, New Jersey Department of Education
Shai Dunham, New Jersey Department of Education
Lauren Eakin, Felician University
Corina Earle, Monmouth University
Karen Grove, Kean University
Eileen Heddy, The College of New Jersey
Alexis Morgan, New Jersey Department of Education
Julie Norflus-Good, Ramapo College of New Jersey
Erica Russomanno, Seton Hall University
Deborah Snyder, Georgian Court University
Brandi Warren, New Jersey City University