Welcome to the Center for Gifted and Talented Education!
The purpose of the Center for Gifted and Talented Education at the University of Northern Colorado is to encourage positive outcomes for gifted students, their families, and the educators who support them.
The Center promotes research, programs, and policies that support the whole gifted child. The Center also provides leadership and coordination for projects and programs to improve gifted and talented education within the University, and at the local, state, national, and international levels.
The following goals are pursued through the Center:
- Promote high-quality research and policy recommendations in gifted and talented education through meaningful partnerships with stakeholders within the University and at the local state, national, and international levels.
- Provide meaningful and impactful professional development for gifted and talented education professionals at the in-service level.
- Provide meaningful and impactful workshops for families of gifted students.
- Offer programs, such as the Summer Enrichment Program, to enhance the learning experiences of gifted students.
- Explore, promote, and disseminate innovative ideas in the field of gifted and talented education.
- Facilitate and encourage dialogue among educational and non-educational entities regarding common needs of students with gifts and talents.
- Support faculty and graduate students in obtaining grant support for projects related to the mission of the Center.
- Support families of gifted and talented students in obtaining scholarship support to participate in the Summer Enrichment Program and related programs supported by the Center.
- Provide service and outreach to diverse stakeholders such as gifted and talented professionals, administrators, and faculty, staff, and students in higher education.
Center Administration
Jennifer Ritchotte, Ph.D.
Center Director and Associate Professor
Dr. Jennifer Ritchotte is an Associate Professor of gifted education at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC). She teaches undergraduate and graduate-level courses in both special education and gifted education. She is also the co-coordinator of graduate programs in gifted and talented education at UNC. Her research primarily examines the cognitive and affective needs of at-risk gifted student populations. Prior to completing her Ph.D. in special education with an emphasis in gifted education, Dr. Ritchotte was a middle and secondary language arts teacher. Her years teaching language arts to gifted 7th graders, in particular, inspired her advocacy in gifted education. During this time, she saw, firsthand, the diverse characteristics and needs of her gifted students. In addition to her experiences as an educator and researcher in gifted education, Dr. Ritchotte is also the mother of two gifted children. Her experiences as a parent have also informed her work in the field and motivated her to help other parents understand and advocate for the unique learning needs of their gifted children.cursor at the end of this sentence and press [enter] to add more content.
Amy Graefe
Center Coordinator and Assistant Professor
