The School of Education is proud and excited to welcome three new full-time faculty members!
Dr. Shannon Meers-Gimon, Associate Professor, was born in Charleston, S.C. She spent the better part of her childhood moving around the country, as her father was in the Air Force. She has lived in Maryland since 2000, after earning her BA from The University of Washington. Upon her return to Maryland, she began her teaching career in a variety of non-public and public schools. She earned her MAT in Special Education from Goucher College, then an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Reading at Concordia University in Portland, OR. She went on to pursue an Ed.D. at Concordia University in Chicago, and successfully defended her dissertation in June 2024. Dr. Meers-Gimon brings 26 years of teaching experience to Stevenson’s School of Education. “Besides work and school,” she tells us, “I have a husband, Mike, two bonus children, Michael and Jasmin, and two daughters, Ashlea and Abby, and we have four furry full-time residents of our family: three dogs and a cat, and some part time foster greyhounds. As far as hobbies are concerned, I like walking my dogs, watching Netflix, listening to music, and reading the news. I look forward to working with each of you in the coming days and weeks.”
Dr. Ariel Borns, Assistant Professor, graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a PhD in Educational Policy Studies with a specialization in International and Comparative Education. She also holds a MA in Educational Policy Studies from University of Wisconsin-Madison, a MA in Teaching from Clark University, and a BA in International Development and Social Change and Spanish from Clark University. Prior to her doctoral studies and joining Stevenson University, Dr. Borns was a public middle school Spanish teacher in Maryland. Dr. Borns states, “I am thrilled to join the faculty at Stevenson and look forward to teaching and mentoring students.”
Dr. Khadeeja Shafi, Assistant Professor, is excited to transition to a full-time role in the School of Education, where she will oversee our Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) programs. Dr. Shafi’s connection to Stevenson runs deep. A proud Stevenson alum, Dr. Shafi earned her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education in 2009 and a master’s degree in 2019 from the Community-Based Education and Leadership program. She brings a wealth of experience, having taught in both public and private K-12 schools, and has held positions at Howard Community College and Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Talented Youth. Since 2022, Dr. Shafi has been a valued part of our graduate programs as an adjunct faculty member and undergraduate university mentor. She earned her Doctor of Education last year, with research dedicated to understanding racially diverse faculty in higher education. Dr. Shafi and her husband live in Catonsville with their three children, Saad (15), Adam (12), and Asiya (10). She says, “I am excited to bring my passion for equitable learning opportunities and diverse communities to this new role.”