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THE CONNIE BELIN & JACQUELINE N. BLANK INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR GIFTED EDUCATION AND TALENT DEVELOPMENT 2021–2022 ANNUAL REPORT

CHANGE IS.

DEDICATION TO OUR FOUNDERS

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever does.” MARGARET MEAD

David and Connie Belin and their close family friends, Myron and Jacqueline Blank, inspired each other with an enduring spirit of service and philanthropy. That spirit, shared by other close family friends, Martin and Melva Bucksbaum, and Joanne and Milton Brown, spread throughout Iowa, the nation, and the world. The dedication to service and philanthropy from these core Des Moines families, now passed down to their children and grandchildren, acts as a beacon of inspiration. The Belin-Blank Center exists and evolves because of their expansive vision.

SUSAN G. ASSOULINE, PH.D. DIRECTOR EMERITA

Change is constant. Greek philosopher Heraclitus, credited with the common saying that “change is the only constant,” offers a fitting theme for the September 1, 2021– August 31, 2022, annual report. The last month of the 2021–2022 report was the first month of a significant change for the Belin-Blank Center when, on August 1, the faculty and staff welcomed a new director, Professor and Myron & Jacqueline N. Blank Endowed Chair in Gifted Education, Megan Foley-Nicpon. Preparation for this significant leadership change took place in the context of the day-to-day routine and responsibilities of the administrative staff and faculty of the Belin-Blank Center. The predictability of the annual schedule of events and programs made possible the continuation of the many impactful programs and services reported on the following pages. In addition to providing our traditional student programming, and offering professional development and clinic services, we completed a Regents Review of the Belin-Blank Center. The external committee’s report offered validation of the Center’s many strengths and provided guidelines for moving forward.

MYRON & JACQUELINE N. BLANK

DAVID & CONNIE BELIN

I am grateful to have worked with dedicated colleagues, including the new director, to follow through on our vision of nurturing potential and inspiring excellence. Only through change can we realize progress.

Change is here. Change is hard. It represents the unknown, which can be scary and overwhelming, or seem threatening. Change is also exciting. It can be a time to reflect on current practices and consider new ways of looking at issues or topics. Change is here at the Belin-Blank Center – I started as Director on August 1st.

MEGAN FOLEYNICPON, PH.D. DIRECTOR, MYRON & JACQUELINE BLANK ENDOWED CHAIR IN GIFTED EDUCATION

In the Belin-Blank Center’s 34-year history, there have been only two directors before me: Nicholas Colangelo and Susan Assouline. Both are giants in the field, known internationally for their development of the Center, love for and dedication to talented youth, and commitment to creating best practices for acceleration and twice-exceptional intervention. I am honored to continue their legacy and the legacy of the Center. Three Directors in over 30 years? That is not a lot of change. However, I am not new to Iowa or the Center. I arrived in January 2004 as a postdoctoral scholar in the Center’s Assessment and Counseling Clinic. I later became a licensed psychologist, focusing mainly on assessment and intervention with twice-exceptional youth. In 2008, I joined the University of Iowa Counseling Psychology faculty. There, I have had the honor of training future child psychologists, researching talent development among underrepresented groups, and serving the college, University, and Iowa community. Am I ready for this change and new challenge? I have big shoes to fill. Fortunately, I join a dedicated staff and faculty who care deeply about the Center and its mission. We seek to be the leaders in talent development for elementary through university-aged students; diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in gifted education; research and discovery for high ability and twice-exceptional youth; and collaboration and outreach both within and outside the University. We are ready for this change, and we need your help. We seek to revisit our mission, vision, and values, and update the strategic plan, which was last updated in 2013. The 2022– 2023 academic year represents a perfect time to examine our practices, consider what programs and activities are central to our mission, and reflect on changes we want to make. We want you to participate. Together, we will embrace this new beginning; honor the legacy of Nick, Susan, and the founding Belin and Blank families; and continue the Center’s impact far into the future.

BELIN-BLANK CENTER 2021–2022 ANNUAL REPORT

CHANGE

STEM Excellence educators

Required for grant-funded programs

228

STEM Excellence students

TICE educators

TICE students

In 2017 the Belin-Blank Center was awarded two major, multi-year federal grants, both of which focused on

GRANT PROGRAMS

enhancing opportunities for Iowa’s students and teachers in rural and/or under-resourced schools. Both grants were due to conclude in 2022; however, the COVID-19 pandemic’s

LORI IHRIG

MEGAN FOLEYNICPON

NESIBE KARAKIS

EMILY LADENDORF

DUHITA MAHATMYA (STAFF AFFILIATE)

SABA ALI (FACULTY AFFILIATE)

BELIN-BLANK CENTER 2021–2022 ANNUAL REPORT

interruption required changes in delivery and focus.

The National Science Foundation STEM Excellence and Leadership Program, a two-pronged after-school program that includes professional development for educators and specialized programming for middle-school students, was established to enhance rural middle-school students’ achievement and aspirations in STEM. The final years of the project focused on dissemination of the findings. A highlight of dissemination was a publication in a Phi Delta Kappan special issue on rural education. By virtue of its inclusion of a career-exploration curriculum, the Javits-funded Talent Identification-Career Exploration (TICE) grant offered a unique approach to the discovery and development of talent for under-served students. The pandemic interrupted the major activity of the grant, the delivery of a career exploration curriculum. However, the creative team worked with educators to make the curriculum accessible online. The Javits-TICE team included four graduate assistants who collaborated with their advisors to create presentations and articles to disseminate the findings.

IS.

Expected in an evolving educational environment The College of Education’s Teacher Education Program, housed in the Baker Teacher Leader Center, now includes a gifted and talented track as part of the required certification for undergraduate students studying to become teachers. Pre-service teachers who graduate from the University of Iowa have greater exposure to critical components of gifted education through sessions on identification, academic acceleration, differentiation, and creative problem solving.

The State of Iowa Endorsement in Gifted Education is available to practicing teachers as well as pre-service teachers. After several years of collaboration with the UI Graduate College and the College of Education Executive Council, the professional development team rolled out the Graduate Certificate in Talent Development. This graduate certificate reflects changes within the field of gifted education and recognizes the importance of discovering and developing talent.

COE students enrolled in the Baker Teacher Leader Center Gifted and Talented Track

After a two-year pandemic-imposed hiatus from an on-campus Advanced Placement Summer Institute (APSI), we were eager to welcome APSI participants back to campus for a week of intensive instruction in Advanced Placement content. The pandemic imposed the introduction of an online approach to APSI in 2021; and in summer 2022 we hosted an on-site program as well as an online program.

States represented (IA, IL, ME, NE, OH, PA, TX)

APSI participants

196

Enrolled in Gifted and Talented Coursework

398

Credit hours earned

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT LAURIE CROFT

RANDY LANGE

ANN LUPKOWSKISHOPLIK

BELIN-BLANK CENTER 2021–2022 ANNUAL REPORT

Responsive to on-site student programming The pandemic imposed a two-year suspension of on-site, residential summer programming, so we were ready to welcome back to campus dozens of students who thrived as participants in one of our three signature residential programs, the Summer Writing and Art Residencies, the Perry Research Science Institute (PRSI), and the Secondary Student Training Program (SSTP). The robust demand for SSTP, evidenced by more than 1000 applicants for 60 mentors, inspired the Belin-Blank Center student programs team to find unique ways to increase the number of mentors. One course of action was to offer an online option, which gave more students the opportunity to work with UI researchers across campus. Summer programs for high school students offer more than academics. Summer 2022 brought increased attention to students’ overall mental health and well-being through a series of masterclasses for the program staff provided by a faculty member from the College of Education’s Counseling Psychology Program. Masterclasses addressed social-emotional considerations, including anxiety and selfharm. In addition to the masterclasses for summer program staff, the enhanced focus on student mental health included an opportunity for students to have brief discussions with an advanced doctoral student who provided support to students on campus.

BELIN-BLANK CENTER 2021–2022 ANNUAL REPORT

“At the time, I was doing diabetes research and [my friend] was doing obesity-related research … our respective interests opened a bunch of new avenues to pursue. A year later, we decided to start a cardiovascular health nonprofit together during our undergraduate years, and it has been incredible. Recently, we were able to land a partnership with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.” SSTP ALUMNUS

459

American Regions Mathematics League, Invent Iowa, and Junior Sciences & Humanities Symposium participants

Scholastic Art and Writing Awards

996

Among the 6,379 submissions from the Belin-Blank

1,271

William Meng, from Novi, MI, was selected as a Gold

Emily Igwike, of Milwaukee, WI, was chosen to serve

Center’s regions, two participants received national

IOAPA participants and student program participants

honors.

Medal Portfolio Award winner earning a $10,000

Belin-Blank Exceptional Student Talent Search (BESTS) participants

scholarship for college.

as a National Student Poet for the 2022-23 year. The

States (AK, AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, ME, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, PA, TN, TX, VT, VA, WI) and Australia, Canada, China, India, Mexico, and the United Kingdom

256

University credits earned

National Student Poets Program (NSPP) is the country’s Johnnnie Each, from Liberty High School, Iowa City Community School District, earned a gold medal and was designated as an American Voices Nominee.

highest honor for youth poets presenting original work. Five outstanding high school poets whose work exhibits exceptional creativity, dedication to craft, and promise are selected annually for a year of service as national poetry ambassadors. “You bloomed from a rib, which is to say,

6,379

Scholastic Art & Writing submissions from students across the Midwest

you can grow from anything. And now that you are here, now that I’m looking at you, you seem more garden than girl.”

STUDENT PROGRAMMING

ASHLEE DONITHAN

BRIAN DOUGLAS

EMILY LADENDORF

LORI IHRIG

JAN WARREN

Excerpt from Ode to Womanhood by Johnnie Each

Marisa Lopez, SAR participant, from Dewitt, IA

BELIN-BLANK CENTER 2021–2022 ANNUAL REPORT

“Sure I miss some things from high school, but this has been one of the best things to happen to me. I also probably needed the support Bucksbaum provided in order to get the best experience out of college. It’s nice to know you aren’t alone in something.”

BUCKSBAUM EARLY ENTRANCE ACADEMY RANDY LANGE

JAN WARREN

BELIN-BLANK CENTER 2021–2022 ANNUAL REPORT

Opportunity for university students

CHA IS.

BUCKSBAUM EARLY-ENTRANCE ACADEMY Being accepted into the Melva and Martin Bucksbaum STEAM Academy offers young, advanced high school students, who are ready for university, a community of like-minded peers. The myriad activities in the classroom, such as the weekly seminar, as well as outside of the classroom, including a welcome dinner for first-year students and families, a welcome-back dinner for all students, and a fall wellness retreat, foster the sense of community and support the transition from high school to university. HONORS OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM The Honors Opportunity Program (HOP), housed in the Belin-Blank Center, is the Honors in the Major program for the College of Education. The goals of this long-running program have evolved to the current focus on promoting inclusive participation, fostering mentorships between students and faculty, and providing a challenging experience. Through coursework and research-based learning experiences, students prepare for their culminating Honors Exploratory (a research thesis, co-authored article, or an original project). Beyond collaboration with faculty, HOP has many benefits for the students including graduating with Honors distinction and eligibility for the David & Connie Belin Honors Award.

HANGE 88

High schools

Appreciated when programs are long-standing For more than 20 years, the Iowa Online Advanced Placement Academy® (IOAPA) has made Advanced Placement coursework accessible to Iowa’s students who would not otherwise have the opportunity for advanced coursework. Although the impact of the pandemic continued during the 2021-2022 academic year, by virtue of its online platform for distribution of curriculum, IOAPA was well-positioned to offer the full complement of services. Small, rural schools (preschool-12th grade enrollments of 600 students or fewer) accessed IOAPA courses more than any other size school, indicating that IOAPA remains true to its mission of offering opportunity to students from those schools.

Middle schools

Courses

Scholarships awarded to offset the cost of the AP exam

IOWA ONLINE ADVANCED PLACEMENT® ACADEMY

ACTIVE IOAPA PROGRAMS, 2019-2022

DOMINIC BALESTRIERIFOX

KRISTIN FLANARY

RANDY LANGE

3,422 semesters of advanced coursework provided to rural Iowa schools from 2019–22.

SEATS PER COUNTY n

500

ANN LUPKOWSKISHOPLIK

BELIN-BLANK CENTER 2021–2022 ANNUAL REPORT

171,385 pageviews

THE ACCELERATION INSTITUTE SUSAN ASSOULINE

BRIAN DOUGLAS

KRISTIN FLANARY

JOSH JACOBS

RANDY LANGE

ANN LUPKOWSKISHOPLIK

BELIN-BLANK CENTER 2021–2022 ANNUAL REPORT

Enhanced with technology. The Acceleration Institute encompasses research, outreach, and services. Over the past several years, the Belin-Blank Center administrative staff creatively collaborated to combine research, clinical experience, and technical expertise to develop the Integrated Acceleration System, an online, interactive, data-driven system that uses a proprietary algorithm to generate a comprehensive recommendation about a student’s readiness for academic acceleration. Families, educators, and administrators have confidence in the Integrated Acceleration System process because it uses objective data to generate a recommendation and report for an individual child.

CHANGE

“Everything. Seriously. We love you.” THE PARENT OF A CLINIC CLIENT

IS.

“To be accepted within this process is powerful.” THE PARENT OF A CLINIC CLIENT

Flexibility in providing clinical services.

The Assessment and Counseling Clinic had an excellent year with our three licensed psychologists continuing to provide services in the clinic and via Zoom. Each of the three psychologists has different areas of expertise and interest, thereby resulting in a well-rounded team. The resoundingly positive feedback from clients and their parents reveals their recognition of the depth of commitment and care demonstrated by our psychologists’ approachability and thoroughness. This past year, the clinic’s services expanded when Dr. Amanda Berns facilitated a group for 7th-9th grade students with high cognitive and/or academic abilities and social skills challenges. The online intervention was adapted from the UCLA PEERS curriculum and was designed to meet the unique social learning needs of twice-exceptional students. Students met virtually for 12, hour-long sessions involving structured teaching and opportunities for application of skills through group interactions. Congratulations to Dr. Katie Schabilion, who was awarded first place in the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) Research and Evaluation Dissertation Award Competition. Dr. Schabilion’s dissertation investigated cognitive and psychosocial variables related to the diagnosis of Specific Learning Disabilities — Written Language (SLD-W) among high ability students.

102

Assessments

332

Therapy sessions

ASSESSMENT & COUNSELING CLINIC AMANDA BERNS

“All schools/communities should have some way to preliminarily identify students who could benefit

KATIE SCHABILION

from further assessment. If I wasn’t lucky enough to know you existed and privileged enough to have good insurance and the means to travel to Iowa City for 2 days, my daughter would still be struggling.”

CHRIS SMITH

THE PARENT OF A CLINIC CLIENT

BELIN-BLANK CENTER 2021–2022 ANNUAL REPORT

CHANGE IS. Found in novel approaches to twice-exceptional research and services

RESEARCH AND SERVICES SUSAN ASSOULINE

AMANDA BERNS

MEGAN FOLEYNICPON

RANDY LANGE

BRANDON LEBEAU

KATIE SCHABILION

CHRIS SMITH

The partnership between the Belin-Blank Center and the Iowa Neuroscience Institute (INI) took on a new dimension when Professor Jake Michaelson, a psychiatric geneticist, led a research collaboration in successfully obtaining Carver College of Medicine funds for Research Programs of Excellence (RPOE) grant. The funded project, Exceptional Ability and Autism: Insights into Cognitive Divergence, will expand upon the current twice-exceptional research by closely examining the links among the clinical, neuroimaging, and genetic aspects of this unique manifestation of cognitive divergence. The Belin-Blank Center’s clinic staff collaborated with the INI and the Carver College of Medicine Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology to offer a one-day Twice-Exceptional Neuroscience Program for high-school students. The goal was to provide exposure to neuroscience experiences and careers. Students also had an opportunity to conduct a lab experiment. This program had positive impacts on the students’ confidence and career development, and one participant even expressed a renewed intention to attend UI for college in a pre-med track after this experience. Services for twice-exceptional UI students increased through the Belin-Blank Center’s pilot program, the Twice-Exceptional Academy. The primary aim of the Twice-Exceptional Academy is to offer academic, socialemotional, and life skills support.

BELIN-BLANK CENTER 2021–2022 ANNUAL REPORT

PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS PEER-REVIEWED ARTICLES • Casten, L. G., Taylor, R. T., Doobay, A. F., FoleyNicpon, M., Kramer, S., Nickl-Jockschat, T., Abel, T., Assouline, S., & Michaelson, J. J., (2022). The combination of autism and exceptional cognitive ability increases risk for suicidal ideation. MedRxiv, preprint. • LeBeau, B., Schabilion, K., Assouline, S. G., FoleyNicpon, M., Doobay, A. F., & Mahatmya, D. (2022). Developmental milestones as early indicators of twice-exceptionality. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory. • Park, S., & Foley-Nicpon, M. (2022). Excellence expected, needs overlooked: Implications for working with Asian American twice-exceptional students. Teaching Exceptional Children. • Stuart-Maver, S. L., Foley-Nicpon, M., StuartMaver, C. I. M., & Mahatmya, D. (2021). Trends and disparities in suicidal behaviors for heterosexual and sexual minority youth 19952017. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity. • Teriba, A., & Foley-Nicpon, M. (2021). Connectedness and perseverance: Examining grit’s relation to age, academic performance and interest, and adult attachment. International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology. • Lupkowski-Shoplik, A., Assouline, S. G., & Lange, R. (2022). Whole-grade acceleration: From student to policy. Gifted Child Today, 45(3), 143-149.

EDITED BOOK CHAPTERS • Assouline, S.G., & Lupkowski-Shoplik, A.E. (2022). Acceleration: Practical applications and policy implications. In J.L. Roberts & T. Inman (Eds.). Introduction to gifted education (2nd Edition). Routledge Press. • Foley-Nicpon, M., & Lin, C. L. L. (2022). Identifying and providing instructional services for twiceexceptional students. In K. L. Chandler & J. A. Castellano (Eds.). Identifying and serving diverse gifted learners: Meeting the needs of special populations in gifted education. Taylor & Francis. • Foley-Nicpon, M., & Cederberg, C. (2021). Moving beyond disabilities: Twice-exceptional students and self- advocacy. In J. L. Davis & D. Douglas (Eds.). Empowering underrepresented gifted students: Perspectives from the field. Free Spirit.

PRESENTATIONS AT THE ILLINOIS ASSOCIATION FOR GIFTED AND TALENTED CONFERENCE

PRESENTATIONS AT THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR GIFTED CHILDREN CONFERENCE

• Foley-Nicpon, M. Twice-exceptional students: Identification and talent development. Invited Presentation. • Foley-Nicpon, M. Social-emotional considerations for twiceexceptional students. Invited Presentation. • Foley-Nicpon, M. Parenting your twice-exceptional child. Invited Presentation. • Lupkowski-Shoplik, A., Assouline, S.G., & Lange, R. Academic acceleration 101: The Integrated Acceleration System.

• Doobay, A., Schabilion, K., & Foley-Nicpon, M. (2021, November). Essential tips for parenting your twice-exceptional child. • Gilman, B., Rimm, S., Silverman, L., Kearney, K., Foley- Nicpon, M., Raiford, S., & Peters, D. (2021), November). WISC-V and the NAGC position statement: Implications for gifted identification and inclusion. • LeBeau, B., Foley-Nicpon, M., & Assouline, S.G. Impact of COVID-19 on student time and well-being of academically talented students. • Corwith, S., Hinshaw, M. Assouline, S.G., & Lupkowski-Shoplik, A. A key to equity: Access to talent development through talent discovery. • Lupkowski-Shoplik, A. & Behrens, W. What do counselors need to know about acceleration? • Shaff, T., & Croft, L. J. Gifted emerging adults coming of age stories from our class and radio interviews.

(OCTOBER 2021, VIRTUAL)

PRESENTATIONS AT THE IOWA TALENTED AND GIFTED CONFERENCE (OCTOBER 2021, DES MOINES, IA)

• Croft, L. J. Focus on teacher-student relationships that impact gifted learners. • Foley-Nicpon, M. Psychosocial skill development in twiceexceptional youth. Invited Presentation. • Kircher-Morris, E., Krisel, S., Croft, L. J., Beisser, S., & Wayne, K., Panel of Experts. Panel presented at the Shining a Light on Giftedness Session. • Shaff, T., & Croft, L. J. Gifted emerging adults coming of age stories from our class and radio interviews.

PRESENTATIONS AT THE OHIO ASSOCIATION FOR GIFTED CHILDREN CONFERENCE (OCTOBER 2021, COLUMBUS, OH)

• Lupkowski-Shoplik, A. Digging deeper into whole-grade acceleration. • Lupkowski-Shoplik, A. Making decisions about grade-skipping.

PRESENTATION AT THE WISCONSIN ASSOCIATION FOR TALENTED AND GIFTED CONFERENCE (OCTOBER 2021, VIRTUAL)

• Lupkowski-Shoplik, A., Assouline, S.G., & Lange, R. Making informed decisions about academic acceleration.

(NOVEMBER 2021, DENVER, CO)

POSTERS AT THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR GIFTED CHILDREN CONFERENCE (NOVEMBER 2021, DENVER, CO)

• Croft, L. J., Professional learning: an independent QUEST.. • Croft, L. J., & Payne, A. What gifted students say about teachers who make a difference.

IOWA BEST SUMMIT

(NOVEMBER 2021, DES MOINES, IA)

• Foley-Nicpon, M. Strength-based approaches to address the unique needs of high ability youth with mental health concerns.

PRESENTATIONS AT THE PENNSYLVANIA ASSOCIATION FOR GIFTED EDUCATION CONFERENCE (NOVEMBER 2021, CRANBERRY, PA)

• Lupkowski-Shoplik, A. Tools and resources for academic acceleration. • Lupkowski-Shoplik, A. Whole-grade acceleration: Making the decision and creating a transition plan.

BELIN-BLANK CENTER 2021–2022 ANNUAL REPORT

PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS, CONTINUED

CHANGE IS.

PRESENTATIONS AT THE TEXAS ASSOCIATION FOR GIFTED AND TALENTED CONFERENCE (DECEMBER 2021, DALLAS, TX)

• Lupkowski-Shoplik, A. & Assouline S. G. Acceleration: A deeper dive. Invited keynote presentation. • Lupkowski-Shoplik, A. Academic acceleration: Is grade-skipping a good idea? • Lupkowski-Shoplik, A. Acceleration: Early entrance to kindergarten or first grade.

WILLIAM & MARY TWICE-EXCEPTIONAL CONFERENCE (FEBRUARY 2022, VIRTUAL)

• Foley-Nicpon, M. Translating research into practice: What do we know about twice-exceptional learners? Keynote Presentation. • Foley-Nicpon, M. The ups and downs of parenting your twice-exceptional child. Invited Presentation.

PRESENTATION AT THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE AMERICAN EDUCATION RESEARCH ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE

Extending our reach through technology

Now more than ever, technology plays a crucial role in connecting us. Projects like the Integrated Acceleration System demonstrate technology’s ability to help us understand the educational needs of gifted children. Our communications and technology teams collaborate to introduce modern marketing technology into the Center. We use our social media and website analytics to inform our advertising efforts, and we fine-tuned our promotional materials to be consistently aligned with our brand. This approach allows us to optimize our programming and messaging to better meet the needs of talented students. Combined with our online programming and services, the Belin-Blank Center’s impact is spread across Iowa, the US, and beyond.

(APRIL 2022, SAN DIEGO, CA)

• Mahatmya, D., Ihrig, L. M., Assouline, S.G., & Lynch, S. Development of STEM Identity in High-Achieving rural students through after-school programming. Roundtable “Opportunity Gaps and Engagement in Rural Schools.”

SYMPOSIUM PRESENTATION AT THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE (AUGUST 2022, MINNEAPOLIS, MN)

• Worrell, F., Olszewski-Kubilius, P., Subotnik, R., Portenga, S., FoleyNicpon, M., & Metzler, J., Simonton, D. K. Presidential Programming: Insider knowledge for high performance.

POSTER PRESENTATIONS AT THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE (AUGUST 2022, MINNEAPOLIS, MN)

• Pauley, J., & Foley-Nicpon, M. Benefits and barriers to sports participation for youth with autism spectrum disorder. • Shearer, E., Foley-Nicpon, M., Ali, S., Assouline, S., & Mahatmya, D. Comparing students’ sense of belonging and enjoyment in a career exploration intervention. • Teriba, A., Foley-Nicpon, M., Assouline, S., Ali, S., & Mahatmya, D. Influences of achievement goal orientation among high-ability rural middle school students.

BELIN-BLANK CENTER 2021–2022 ANNUAL REPORT

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BELIN-BLANK CENTER STAFF DIRECTOR Megan Foley-Nicpon Ph.D. Myron and Jacqueline Blank Endowed Chair in Gifted Education

FACULTY AND STAFF Dominic Balestrieri-Fox, B.A. Administrative Services Coordinator Amanda Berns, Ph.D. Licensed Psychologist Laurie Croft, Ph.D. Associate Director, Clinical Professor for Professional Development Brian Douglas, M.B.A. Assistant Director, Finance, Operations and Technology Ashlee Donithan, M.A.T. Administrator for Curriculum and Instruction

Joshua Jacobs, A.A.S. Administrator for Technology and Project Management

GRADUATE STUDENTS Pam Bozec, M.S.

Nesibe Karakis, Ph.D. Post-Doctoral Fellow

Cole Denisen, M.S.

Emily Ladendorf, B.A. Administrator for Technology and Public Relations

Danae Fields, B.S.

Randy Lange, Ph.D. Coordinator for Professional Development and Curriculum Brandon LeBeau, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Educational Measurement and Statistics Ann Lupkowski-Shoplik, Ph.D. Administrator for Acceleration Institute Bridget Pauley, B.A. Secretary Katie Schabilion, Ph.D. Licensed Psychologist

Kristin Flanary, M.A. Administrator for Communications

Christopher Smith, Ph.D. Licensed Psychologist

Lori Ihrig, Ph.D. Supervisor of Curriculum and Instruction

Jan Warren, M.A. Assistant Director, Student Services Nancy Whetstine Secretary

AFFILIATED FACULTY AND STAFF Saba Ali, Ph.D. Associate Dean for Research

Eric Field, M.Ed. Gennifer Humphreys, B.A. Emmy Kuhlmann, M.A.

Alissa Doobay, Ph.D. Clinical Director, Scanlan Center for School Mental Health Duhita Mahatmya, Ph.D. Assistant Director, Grants, Research, and Services Center

Hannah Luden, B.A. Tristan Szymanski, B.S.

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

UI CENTER FOR ADVANCEMENT

Caylee Fuqua Claire Graham

Nicole Evans Associate Director

Faith Hope

Cally Murray, M.P.A. Executive Director of Development

Jillian Schenck Haoyu Zheng

DIRECTORS EMERITI Susan Assouline, Ph.D. Director Emerita Nicholas Colangelo, Ph.D. Director Emeritus

ADVISORY BOARD CHAIR Thomas Belin

BOARD MEMBERS Susan Assouline Pat Ballou Laurie Belin Bennett Brown Mary Bucksbaum Scanlan Julius C. Carter Nicholas Colangelo Bob Downer Tracy Drew

Dick Ferguson Ann Hoffman James E. Hoffman Alyssa Levitz Randi Levitz Heidi Molbak Jeffrey Perry William Perry Barbara Ross Belin Theodore (Bob) Scarborough Sarvjeev Sidhu Shabana Sidhu Ann Smith

Linda Snetselaar Don Swartz Paul Thompson Bret Ulery Alex Vacca Gregory Walker

Tanya Uden-Holman Shaun Vecera Barbara Wilson

FOUNDERS (IN MEMORIAM)

EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS Daniel Clay Megan Foley-Nicpon Sarah Hansen Kevin Kregel Lynette Marshall

David Belin Connie Belin Myron Blank Jacqueline Blank

BELIN-BLANK CENTER 2021–2022 ANNUAL REPORT

UI INDIGENOUS LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

600 Blank Honors Center, The University of Iowa Iowa City, Iowa 52242-0454 800-336-6463 • 319-335-6148 www.belinblank.org Josh Jacobs, Project Manager Benson & Hepker Design, Designer

The University of Iowa is located on the homelands of the Ojibwe/ Anishinaabe (Chippewa), Báxoǰe (Iowa), Kiikaapoi (Kickapoo), Omāēqnomenēwak (Menominee), Myaamiaki (Miami), Nutachi (Missouri), Umoⁿhoⁿ (Omaha), Wahzhazhe (Osage), Jiwere (Otoe), Odawaa (Ottawa), Póⁿka (Ponca), Bodéwadmi/Neshnabé (Potawatomi), Meskwaki/Nemahahaki/Sakiwaki (Sac and Fox), Dakota/Lakota/Nakoda, Sahnish/Nuxbaaga/Nuweta (Three Affiliated Tribes) and Ho-Chunk (Winnebago) Nations. The following tribal nations, Umoⁿhoⁿ (Omaha Tribe of Nebraska and Iowa), Póⁿka (Ponca Tribe of Nebraska), Meskwaki (Sac and Fox of the Mississippi in Iowa), and Ho-Chunk (Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska) Nations continue to thrive in the State of Iowa and we continue to acknowledge them. As an academic institution, it is our responsibility to acknowledge the sovereignty and the traditional territories of these tribal nations, and the treaties that were used to remove these tribal nations, and the histories of dispossession that have allowed for the growth of this institution since 1847. Consistent with the University’s commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, understanding the historical and current experiences of Native peoples will help inform the work we do; collectively as a university to engage in building relationships through academic scholarship, collaborative partnerships, community service, enrollment and retention efforts acknowledging our past, our present and future Native Nations.

CHANGE IS.