Arcadia University alumni Dr. Kimberly Jacoby Morris and Dr. Stephanie Blake will be featured at this year’s annual Pioneer Series event on Thursday, February 22, at 5 p.m. Hosted by the Honors Program, with support from Alumni Relations and the Office of Career Education, this year’s event centers around the importance of teaching and learning in the workforce and will be held in room 102 of Brubaker Hall.

Dr. Morris, who was named to the 40 under 40 alumni list in 2020, is a Program Manager at the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR). She manages programs facilitating informal education and outreach opportunities, and internships/fellowships for folks interested in exploring STEM pathways. 

Dr. Morris earned her bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Arcadia University in 2010. She then went on to earn a doctorate. in Chemistry from Temple University and completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the National Institutes of Health. When she’s not working with students, Dr. Morris plays with her dog herd of five rescue pups, attempts to keep a garden alive, and toys with fiber arts. 

Dr. Blake is an accomplished early childhood professional with over 15 years of experience. She is the co-founder of Learn, Empower, Grow Consulting Group, which offers professional services in early education. Dr. Blake has experience in consulting, technical assistance, and training in culturally and socio-economically diverse settings. In addition, she serves as the Early Childhood Racial Equity Coordinator at Children First (formerly PCCY), where she works to close the racial equity gap in early childhood education. Recently, Dr. Blake served as a workforce fellow at Philadelphia’s Office of Children and Families as part of Temple University’s Diversifying Early Education Leadership Fellowship program. Previously, she worked as a preschool program specialist at the Pennsylvania Keys, supporting state-funded preschools and Head Start programs.

Dr. Blake earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and an MBA from Arcadia University in 2006 and 2012 respectively. She also earned both a Master of Arts in Education and a Doctor of Education with a focus on educational leadership from Gratz College.

The Pioneer Series is among many signature professional opportunities offered by the Honors Program to both members of the program and other students at Arcadia. It was created to highlight values-driven, successful careers.