From Commons to Core

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Posted on June 16, 2026 by Alumni

Alumni

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The College of Education and Professional Studies considers itself to be a welcome center. There are big plans for its new home.

Because it provides extensive professional development opportunities, especially for educators, the college draws thousands of visitors every year — all of them potential University ambassadors. They fill their social media feeds with photos and gush to their friends back home about their experiences.

Dr. Angela Barlow, the college dean, hopes to supercharge that promotional opportunity. The college resides across Old Shell Road in University Commons. South’s new comprehensive campaign, Where Bold Begins, will bring it back to the primary campus footprint.

The college offers undergraduate and graduate programs for teachers as well as those in such other fields as counseling, hospitality and tourism management, nutrition, exercise science and sports.

Barlow envisions a building explicitly designed to show off the college, with suitably striking photo backdrops, flexible event spaces and classrooms with big windows so tour groups can witness education in action.

“We’re sort of the unofficial welcome center for the University,” she says. “This is allowing us to really dream up purposeful spaces that support our research and our work.”

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