Daria V. Lorio-Barsten M.Ed. ’09, Ph.D. ’25, joins W&M faculty

This fall, the School of Education welcomes new faculty members. Today, we introduce Clinical Assistant Professor Daria V. Lorio-Barsten M.Ed. ’09, Ph.D. ’25, program coordinator for William & Mary’s new M.A.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction in partnership with the W&M Washington Center and D.C. Public Schools.

Tell us a little about your background and what brought you to W&M.

I first fell in love with William & Mary and our community of scholars when I moved to Williamsburg to pursue my master’s degree in Educational Policy, Planning and Leadership. From my first class with Dr. Staples, I knew this was the learning space where I could thrive and be excited about learning.

Before moving to Williamsburg, I had the privilege of teaching students in a self-contained special education classroom in Jackson, Mississippi, after obtaining my undergraduate degrees in Education and Psychology from Millsaps College. My students and our experiences have taught me a great deal about the importance of advocacy and re-examining systems that do not serve all students. It was there that my passion for creating inclusive and supportive learning environments for all students ignited.

After obtaining my master’s degree from William & Mary, I have spent many years serving our students in the Commonwealth in a variety of roles: general education teacher, instructional specialist, and project specialist at our Training and Technical Assistance Center (T/TAC). Additionally, given my fascination with behavior, I obtained the professional certification of a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Throughout all of my experiences, I remained steadfast in my belief that our students need more educators who can help feed their curiosity, find and ignite their passions for learning, and foster meaningful relationships.

After completing my Ph.D. at William & Mary and my experiences with adjuncting in our teacher preparation program, I knew without the shadow of a doubt that supporting our educators is my ikigai. I am absolutely thrilled to take on a new role as a clinical assistant professor at William & Mary, where I look forward to continuing to support our teachers and leaders and help them build just systems with a focus on inclusive excellence.

What’s your area of research and what question are you most passionate about answering right now?

I am most curious about helping educators to create supportive learning environments for their students. My research interests include behavior analysis in school settings, deeper learning, leadership, building inclusive learning communities, systems change and effective teacher preparation and support.

What else are you hoping to get involved with on campus or in the community?

I am a firm believer in cross pollination of ideas and welcome interdisciplinary collaboration. I am also excited to grow, learn from, and get more involved with our Studio for Teaching & Learning Innovation.

Anything else you’d like to share?

I am originally from Belarus and remain fascinated with how education systems across the world design their teaching and learning.