Dear Friends of Silverfield College,

As I approach the beginning of my third year as dean of Silverfield College, I continue to be amazed by the reach our faculty, students and staff have throughout Northeast Florida. I have been fortunate to meet many alumni from our college whose lives were positively impacted by their experiences on campus. Our forward momentum is strong.

This past year, we received $2.1 million from the U.S. Department of Education to improve civics education in Duval County Public Schools. We also partnered with Sporting Jax to provide our students with real-time sport data analytics experience during its inaugural season. Our faculty research continues to be recognized at prestigious national and international conferences, and we are just beginning.

Additionally, we added to the workforce by graduating more teachers, counselors, interpreters and leaders. This fall, we are excited to project our college's enrollment at around 1,500 students, which is the highest since the fall 2021 semester. 

Thank you so much for your interest in and support of our collective work. We look forward to updating you on how we improve the lives of our community throughout the coming academic year. Please contact me anytime to have a conversation about our programs and initiatives.

Sincerely,

The annual Seven Bridges Summer Writing Institute took place once again for a powerful three-day professional learning experience from June 15-17, 2026. The event brought together local educators who are committed to strengthening their craft as writers and teachers of writing.

The institute is a collaboration between the University of North Florida’s Silverfield College of Education and Human Services and the College of Arts and Sciences, which was led by Dr. Elizabeth Hale, Dr. Kadesh Lauridsen and Dr. Ash Faulkner. It offered participants space to explore their identities as writers while developing strategies to help students find their own writing voices.

The program’s unique structure allowed participants to fully immerse themselves in writing and engage in authentic, voice-driven exercises while also reflecting on how to create similar opportunities for their students.

Kayla Byrd, Coordinator of Strategic Initiatives

Kayla received her bachelor’s degree in communications from Florida Atlantic University in 2020. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in higher education administration at the University of North Florida.

In her free time, she enjoys creative writing, painting, reading and taking her dog for runs on the beach.

Emma Carbone, Office Manager

Emma received her bachelor’s degree in integrative general studies from the University of Central Florida in 2025. With coursework in stage management, communications, sociology and more, she is a lover of curiosity and learning.

In her free time, she enjoys reading and going to Disney. 

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Silverfield College Of Education and Human Services

University of North Florida

1 UNF Drive

Jacksonville, FL 32224

(904) 620-2520