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Assistant professor Laura Lee McCartney stands with Makenna Connors, Minerva Castro and Tatiana Scott-Anchietta

April 13, 2026 — DENTON — A Texas Woman’s art professor and alumna have been recognized by a national group devoted to art education for the pair’s efforts in launching an art education student organization.

Laura Lee McCartney, an assistant professor in the Division of Visual Arts, , and Makenna Connors, a 2025 BFA in Art graduate, received the Western Region Preservice Art Educator Award at the National Art Education Association National Convention in March.

“Receiving this award from the NAEA Higher Education Division for my work at ²ÝÝ®´«Ã½¹ÙÍøÏÂÔØ with our art education students is a true honor of my lifetime,” McCartney said. 

“I am so humbled to receive this honor and be recognized for the work we preservice art teachers do before even entering the classroom full time,” Connors said. “It is extremely affirming to know that my small contributions to art education are making a difference in this world and are being recognized at such a high level.”

Connors served as the inaugural president of the Preservice Pioneers in 2024-25 after bringing the idea of starting a student organization to McCartney, who serves as the faculty sponsor.

“We worked closely together to make the dream of starting this student organization together, and it has exceeded our expectations,” McCartney said. 

The purpose of the organization is to collaborate with other collegiate student organizations around the country, attend state and national art education conferences and learn about innovative ways to make teaching art more meaningful.

Since the organization has launched, the Preservice Pioneers have offered over 40 programs, professional development workshops, service opportunities and creative artmaking activities to its members. 

“In our first year as a student organization, our Preservice Pioneers officers were selected to present their creative student organization programming ideas in competitive juried conferences at both the Texas Art Education Association annual conference in Round Rock and at the National Art Education Association annual conference in Chicago,” McCartney said. “The Preservice Pioneers officers positioned ²ÝÝ®´«Ã½¹ÙÍøÏÂÔØ on the state and national stage as exemplary future art educators and leaders.”

Connors nominated McCartney for the division award. 

“I nominated Dr. McCartney because she gives her all to her students and goes above and beyond to make meaningful relationships with everyone who takes her classes,” said Connors. “Dr. Art is selfless, encouraging, knowledgeable, and her students' biggest cheerleader!”

Connors and two current Texas Woman’s students, Minerva Castro and Tatiana Scott-Anchietta, also presented at the national conference about starting the organization.