Photo Gallery

Teacher Education Kickoff 2025 Photo Gallery

School of Education Welcomes 2025-26 Credential Cohort

Two students play rock paper scissors while their classmates cheer them onStudents look toward the front of the room, listening.A student smiles at the camera, holding up "quiet coyote" hand symbolsA student is playing rock paper scissors with another student out of frame. Their classmates cheer around them.Two students sit at a table, writing.A student smiles at the others at her table.Students hold up their fingers, trying to silently arrange themselves in a line by birth date.A student reaches up to catch a beach ballA student smiles and speaks to others at her table.Students smile and dance.Students hold up their fingers to arrange themselves in a line by birth date.A student smiles at the girl next to her.The ag cohort laughs, standing in a semicircle.A student in a green shirt speaks to the others at his table.The ag cohort explains the icebreaker games to the group.Two students play rock paper scissors while their classmates cheer.A student holds up a green envelope decorated with stickers.Two students play rock paper scissors. Behind them, a couple of their classmates smile and watch.A student sits at a table, writing.Dean Tom Smith addresses the group.A student smiles, speaking to the others at her table.Students sit at a round table, talking.Students smile at someone off-camera.Students stand in a circle, tossing a beach ball.Two students sit at a table, talking.Dr. Alexis Patterson Williams addresses the groupA student smiles softly at the student next to him.Kim Holsberry and Dr. Lola Muldrew hugA student smiles and speaks to the others at her table. Next to her, another student listens intently.A student places a cowbell medal around another student's neck.Students listen to someone off-camera, smiling.Dr. Cindy Passmore addresses the group.Students hold their fingers up to one another, trying to sort themselves into a line by birth date without speaking.Students sit at a table and smile for the camera.Two students from the science cohort shake hands.

The School of Education welcomed the 2025-26 credential cohort to UC Davis on August 1. More than 100 students, faculty, and staff gathered in the Alumni Center to discuss the upcoming school year, from monitoring degree requirements to navigating unplanned challenges.

Dean Tom Smith delivered the opening remarks for the event, reminding attendees that the School of Education community they are entering will continue to support and sustain them throughout their careers. Faculty speakers—including Dr. Alexis Patterson Williams, Dr. Cynthia Passmore, and Dr. Lola Muldrew—reiterated the importance of looking ahead: to the impact the credential students will have on their future students, the choices they’ll make to promote educational equity in their work, and the ways that they’ll grow and evolve as educators. As part of these reflections, they asked the new cohort to write letters to themselves that would be returned at graduation. The students were encouraged to reflect on their goals as pre-service teachers and the ways that they will continue to care for themselves and preserve their passion when disruptions arise.

In between information sessions, the credential students connected over icebreaker games, took cohort photos, and enjoyed lunch together. The icebreakers were led by the Agriculture credential cohort, who began their studies earlier in July and were tasked with planning games for their peers. One activity involved all 83 credential students silently organizing themselves into a single-file line, first by height order and then by birth date.

To conclude the teacher education kick-off, the students split up by credential subject and met with their cohort leads and supervisors to learn more about upcoming coursework and school placements. The 2025-26 cohort leads include:

Wishing all of the UC Davis credential and master’s students a great start to the new school year! Read more about the School of Education’s teaching credential and master’s programs.

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