SESP News

Featured News

SESP Grad Wins $100,000 on Shark Tank

Alumna Sloane Barry (BS22) and partner Brennan Hellmers appeared on Shark Tank, pitching SOMNIA+, a bed expander kit designed to make narrow dorm beds more functional and comfortable without replacing the mattress or using tools.

April 09, 2026

SESP Ranked No. 2 by U.S. News

Northwestern University's School of Education and Social Policy (SESP) has earned its highest-ever ranking — No. 2 among graduate schools of education in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report.

April 06, 2026

Recent Stories

Brayboy Champions Abundance Over Scarcity in AERA Lecture

April 10, 2026

The history of American schooling is tied to the forced removal of Indigenous peoples — and U.S. institutions must confront that legacy to build a fairer, more just future, School of Education and Social Policy Dean Bryan McKinley Jones Brayboy said during the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Distinguished Lecture, one of the signature events of the 2026 Annual Meeting.

Undergraduate Named Student Worker of the Year

April 10, 2026

School of Education and Social Policy senior Timothy Huff was named a Northwestern University Student Employee of the Year in Community and Belonging for his leadership work with Black Men LEAD, a mentoring program at Evanston Township High School.

Vakil Helps Shape National AI Curriculum

March 31, 2026

Northwestern University Professor Sepehr Vakil contributed to a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine that offers strategies for integrating data and computing into K-12 education.

Destin Joins Carnegie Foundation Push to Improve High School

March 31, 2026

Professor Mesmin Destin was named a senior fellow with the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, joining a national effort to bridge the gap between what young people need to thrive and what high school currently delivers.

SESP Scholars Head to Los Angeles for AERA 2026

March 30, 2026

Scholars from Northwestern University's School of Education and Social Policy will address Indigenous futures, AI justice, climate, democracy, and the ongoing effort to improve education at the 2026 American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting in Los Angeles.

Ecford Named to Bouchet Honor Society

March 23, 2026

Ozivell Ecford, a learning sciences graduate student at Northwestern University's School of Education and Social Policy, has been selected for the 2026 Edward Alexander Bouchet Graduate Honor Society, which recognizes outstanding scholarly achievement and excellence in doctoral education.

From SESP Magazine

Belief Meets Evidence

Fall 2025

In a world shaped by divisive social media, misinformation, and political polarization, Shapiro helps students think carefully and critically about complicated topics, from gun ownership and religion to antisemitism.

The Drive to Save National Service

Fall 2025

From campus roots to national impact, Kosman built America Learns to help the helpers—and to keep service alive when it matters most.

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Research

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Research-Practice Partnerships: Stories of Impact

The National Network of Research-Practice Partnerships in Education highlighted the impact of a School of Education and Social Policy initiative as part of its annual look at the work of members.

February 03, 2026

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Accolades

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Nuamah Earns Coveted Bellagio Residency

Northwestern University professor Sally Nuamah has been selected as a 2026 Bellagio Center resident by the Rockefeller Foundation — a prestigious 26-day residency on the shores of Lake Como, Italy.

March 06, 2026

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In the Media

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Life Isn't a Stage. It's a Story

Humans have a habit of dividing life into stages, but are these categories really useful or meaningful? In a recent New Yorker piece, SESP psychologist Dan P. McAdams tells writer Shayla Love that traditional life stages are limiting.

March 04, 2026

Emotional Well-Being in a Wired World

Smartphones and social media are making our emotional lives “choppier” by speeding up and intensifying the information we receive, stress researcher Emma Adam said during a recent Northwestern University conference on social and emotional well-being in a digital world.

February 05, 2026

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