SHU Hires New Exec Dir to Grow Teacher Residency Program
FAIRFIELD, Conn.—Sacred Heart University has appointed Luciana Testani as executive director of residency programs and partnerships for the Isabelle Farrington College of Education & Human Development (FCEHD). Her main responsibility is to expand the college’s residency partnerships.
“Luciana is a great resource for the FCEHD because she has worked so closely with those in the community with whom we are hoping to develop relationships,” said Mel Horton, FCEHD interim dean. “She has been a classroom teacher and therefore understands the importance of a successful residency. Our students are lucky to have someone who knows what they are experiencing firsthand.”
Testani earned her bachelor’s degree in linguistics from Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora in Brazil in 1997 and her master’s degree in bilingual education from Southern Connecticut State University in 2004.
Prior to SHU, Testani worked for Bridgeport Public Schools for nearly 25 years. She was a full-time bilingual teacher at Central High School while she completed her master’s degree, after which she was coordinator for the district’s adult English as a second language (ESL) program.
In a question-and-answer interview, Testani discussed how her experience with Bridgeport Public Schools has given her the necessary knowledge to expand the FCEHD’s residency programs.
What are some of your responsibilities as the executive director of residency programs and partnerships?
Some of my main responsibilities are to expand our successful school residency partnerships, with a focus on Alliance Districts, which have been identified as needing improved student outcomes. I have a specific goal aligned to this broader task, which is to tailor programs to these districts’ needs with a focus on building capacity for residencies within their school communities and increasing the participation of teachers of color, among both residents and mentors. Some of my other responsibilities include developing and implementing recruitment and marketing strategies to attract exceptional candidates to our residency programs and to actively seek out funding opportunities to support them.
How will your role as Bridgeport’s adult education ESL program coordinator, along with your experience as a bilingual teacher of English to non-English speakers, help you in your new role at SHU?
My experiences, both as an educator and district leader in Bridgeport, will bring valuable insight to my new role, not only as I seek to expand our partnerships with school districts, but also as I work more closely with school personnel and teacher residents. As the ESL program coordinator for Bridgeport adult education, I built partnerships with community organizations and educational institutions to expand our program and connect students with resources beyond the classroom. I am confident that I possess the knowledge, expertise and disposition to maintain and establish partnerships with school districts to expand SHU’s high-quality teacher residency program.
As an experienced teacher in an urban district, I know firsthand the challenges teachers face. I am also acutely aware of the challenges these districts face with the recruitment and retention of new teachers, especially minority teachers. Working closely with all stakeholders, I believe I can leverage this experience to further develop our programs in collaboration with the residency leadership team.
What is it about SHU and the Farrington College of Education & Human Development that made you take this position?
The college’s commitment to preparing highly qualified, professional educators to provide meaningful and equitable opportunities for students attracted me. SHU’s teacher residency program is at the forefront of highly effective, evidence-based teacher preparation models in the state, so I wanted to be part of it.
What makes SHU’s Bridgeport teacher residency program unique?
Our long-standing partnership with Bridgeport Public Schools has enabled us to establish a successful residency program committed to preparing educators to serve children and families in this community. For students who join the Bridgeport teacher residency family, it is about more than becoming a teacher in your own classroom; it is about being part of a community of educators working toward equity and social justice in schools.
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About Sacred Heart University
As the second-largest independent Catholic university in New England, and one of the fastest-growing private doctoral institutions in the U.S., Sacred Heart University is a national leader in shaping higher education for the 21st century. SHU offers nearly 90 undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs on its Fairfield, Conn., campus. Sacred Heart also has a campus in Dingle, Ireland, and offers online programs. More than 10,000 students attend the University’s nine colleges and schools: Arts & Sciences; Communication, Media & the Arts; Social Work; Computer Science & Engineering; Health Professions; the Isabelle Farrington College of Education & Human Development; the Jack Welch College of Business & Technology; the Dr. Susan L. Davis, R.N., & Richard J. Henley College of Nursing; and St. Vincent’s College. Sacred Heart stands out from other Catholic institutions as it was established and led by laity. The contemporary Catholic university is rooted in the rich Catholic intellectual tradition and the liberal arts, and at the same time cultivates students to be forward thinkers who enact change—in their own lives, professions and in their communities. The Princeton Review includes SHU in its Best 389 Colleges: 2024 Edition, and Best Business Schools: 2023 Edition. Sacred Heart is home to the award-winning, NPR-affiliate station, WSHU Public Radio, a Division I athletics program and an impressive performing arts program that includes choir, band, dance and theatre. www.sacredheart.edu