Syracuse University School of Education welcomes four new faculty members in fall 2025, bringing expertise in literacy and learning; inclusive teacher preparation and special education; counseling and counselor education; and K-12 educational leadership.
“Our new faculty strengthen the School of Education’s research and teaching capacity in some of our core academic offerings—inclusive teacher preparation, mental health counseling, and educational leadership—continuing our commitment to advance teaching and learning through interdisciplinary scholarship, experiential pedagogy, and inclusive practices,” says Dean Kelly Chandler-Olcott.
“We are excited to welcome these accomplished teachers and scholars to our community at a time when the world desperately needs their expertise. I look forward to the impact their work will have on our School, University, and communities near and far.”
Alex P. Corbitt joins SOE as Assistant Professor of Literacy Education, after serving as an assistant professor of literacy at SUNY Cortland. Prior to working in higher education, Corbitt was a seventh-grade English Language Arts teacher in the Bronx, NY.
An expert in literacy and learning, especially through play and gaming, Corbitt’s research focuses on how youths and adults represent their identities, communities, and civic lives through processes of play and co-authorship. His recent scholarship examines how gamers collaboratively build worlds and compose narratives across digital role-playing communities and online video game platforms.
Yehyang (Hanna) Lee joins as Assistant Professor of Inclusive Education. Most recently, Lee was an assistant professor in the Department of Special Education, Illinois State University. Before her move to the United States, she served as a Cognitive Behavioral Therapist and Special Education Teacher in her native South Korea.
As a first-generation immigrant scholar, Lee explores the intersectional oppressions faced by students at the interplay of disability, race/ethnicity, language, culture, and other social markers. Specifically, her research examines the post-high school experiences of transition-age youths with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are experiencing homelessness.
Meredith Si Snieckus G’21, G’25 joins as Visiting Assistant Teaching Professor of Counseling. A National Certified Counselor and Licensed Mental Health Counselor, while studying for her Ph.D. in Counseling and Counselor Education, Snieckus served as a Teaching Assistant and Instructor at Syracuse University, teaching Career Counseling and Group Work, among other classes.
Snieckus’ research interests include motivation and self-determination; feminism; fear, trauma, and resilience; mind-body connection; eating disorders; and parenting and education. She is a member of The Health and Resilience Interdisciplinary collaboratiVE (Lab THRIVE), which explores collegiate mental health using a wide range of research methods
Rhonda Zajac G’07 joins as Assistant Teaching Professor in the Educational Leadership program. She holds a Certificate of Advanced Study in Educational Leadership from SOE, as well as a master’s degree from SUNY Oswego and bachelor’s degree from Hobart and William Smith Colleges.
With extensive experience in K-12 teaching and leadership, Zajac has worked as a literacy coach in the Syracuse City School District, instructional specialist at Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES, Dean of Students at SCSD’s Grant Middle School, and, most recently, SCSD’s Director of English Language Arts.