Meet the Team
Kutztown South Africa
Curriculum Development Team
Emily Rudderow- Research Assistant
Meet Emily Rudderow! This is Emily's second year with the One Heart Source/South Africa Study Abroad Program. In the Fall she will be starting her Junior Year
at Kutztown University. Emily is pursuing a dual major in both Elementary Education (PreK-4) and Special Education (PreK-8). On campus she is heavily involved with various different organizations including Delta Phi Epsilon where she serves as the Coordinator of Public Relations, the National Society of Leadership
and Success, the National Association for Multicultural Education where she serves as the Treasurer and Fundraising Coordinator, the Student Pennsylvania State Education Association where she serves as the Vice President of the Kutztown Chapter as well as serving as the PACE Chair for the Eastern Region of PSEA and she is employed by the Rohrbach Library as a Circulation Worker and an Interlibrary Loan Assistant.
She got involved with this partnership through Dr. Bernstein-Danis who is her Academic Advisor. Last year while in Hout Bay working with OHS, she feel in love with the program and her students which is why she is back for a second year. As a research assistant she is working on Comprehension and Vocabulary inventions while working as a Fellow for One Heart Source. From this experience and work, she is hoping to gain perspective and a better understanding of cultural differences in education as well as to be a part of the development of a lasting curriculum that meets the needs of the students in the community.
Morgan Dobrosielski- Research Assistant
This is Morgan Dobrosielski, she is a Senior PreK-4 Elementary Education Major. Morgan wanted to be a part of of the Kutztown South Africa Research Project because she wanted contribute to the improvement of language development, vocabulary skills, and reading outcomes of students around the world. She intends to complete her Bachelors degree and continue to further her education. Morgan has always been interested in traveling and experiences other cultures around the
globe. When not studying for her degree Morgan enjoys spending time with her black lab, Moose, hiking, Geology, and spending time with friends and family.
"It always seems impossible until it's done." ~Nelson Mandela
Madison Bellesfield- Research Assistant
This is Madison Bellesfield. She got involved in the program in 2017 after Dr. Bernstein-Danis came into her class and advertised it.
She thought seemed like it would be really fun and an extremely rewarding program to be a part of. It was an extremely life changing experience and she is so grateful that she was a part of it.
After coming home, she and the other research assistants worked with Dr. Bernstein-Danis to make sure everything would run smoothly again in summer 2018. With this, being a research assistant came into play. She was extremely excited to take on this
role because she knew that it would make amazing moves to help students in South Africa. She is really excited to see where our research takes us. She knows that we will go very far and that we are working very hard to make everything perfect. She is a special education major with a dual enrollment in early education. And she is involved in student PSEA, NAME, and the National Honor Society for Leadership and Success.
Jennifer Jenkins- Research Assistant
This is Jennifer Jenkins. She is a Senior PreK-4 Elementary Education Major. Jennifer chose to be apart of the Kutztown South Africa Research Project because she wanted to make a difference in the delivery of reading for students who may be behind their grade level. Jennifer was immersed in the South
African culture while teaching students in the Hout Bay community along with five of her peers in 2017. During this time she experienced the education system and need for quality intervention. She is glad she got to have the
immersive experience and hopes to continue to plan reading interventions from United States soil.
Dr. Tabetha Bernstein-Danis- Professor
Dr. Bernstein-Danis is developed the South Africa study abroad program at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania and is primary investigator on the culturally responsive curriculum project. Dr. Bernstein-Danis has been an Assistant Professor of Special Education at Kutztown University since 2013. She is a graduate of Rhode Island College (B.S., 1999; M.Ed., 2002) and the University of Pittsburgh (Ph.D., 2012). Prior to arriving at Kutztown
University, she was a Fellow with the Institute for Learning at the University of Pittsburgh and before that held positions with the Providence Public School Department in Providence, RI as a Bilingual Special Education Teacher, Literacy Coach, and English Learner Specialist. Dr. Bernstein-Danis has research interests in the areas of culturally responsive curriculum, multicultural education, supporting English learners with literacy difficulties and disabilities, and preparing pre-service teachers to meet the needs of diverse learners. She resides in Kutztown, Pennsylvania with her husband Michael, daughter Chloe, and dog Piper.