(L-to-r) Tina Durand, Emily Glenn-Smith, Laura Jiménez , and Rebecca Shangraw

Promotions

Four BU Wheelock Faculty Receive Promotions

Four faculty members were recently promoted at BU Wheelock in recognition of their commitment to excellence in teaching and scholarship and dedication to the BU Wheelock community. Tina Durand in the Applied Human Development program was promoted to clinical professor. Rebecca Shangraw, also in the Applied Human Development program, was promoted to master lecturer, as was Laura Jiménez in the Language & Literacy Education Department. Emily Glenn-Smith in the Deaf Studies program was promoted to senior lecturer.

Tina Durand

Tina Durand is a clinical professor in the Applied Human Development program, and she also serves as program director of the PhD in Counseling Psychology & Applied Human Development. Her scholarship examines how schools, teachers, and communities can foster equitable learning environments and positive developmental outcomes for young people. She is the recipient of BU’s 2025 Metcalf Cup & Prize, the University’s highest honor for excellence in teaching.

Emily Glenn-Smith

Emily Glenn-Smith is a senior lecturer of American Sign Language (ASL) in the Deaf Studies program. She is committed to advancing students’ understanding of ASL as a rich, naturally occurring language while promoting cultural competence and bridging communication between Deaf and hearing communities. Her teaching experience encompasses introductory through advanced ASL courses, and she regularly facilitates workshops for ASL interpreters and other professionals seeking to deepen their language proficiency and cultural understanding.

Laura Jiménez

Laura Jiménez is a master lecturer in the Language & Literacy Education Department and director of the Center for Educating Critically. Her scholarship examines the ways marginalized communities are represented in children and YA literature, and explores how educators can create anti-oppressive learning environments and critically examine their teaching practices. 

Rebecca Shangraw

Rebecca Shangraw is a master lecturer in the Applied Human Development program. Her work focuses on identifying and applying effective teaching practices for students in physical education settings, with particular attention to learners with specific learning disabilities, ADHD, and autism. She also serves as the Provost’s Faculty Fellow for Academic Integrity and recently began her new role as BU Wheelock’s associate dean for academic affairs.