SADAH Alumnus awarded for career in Art Education

James Madison University Alumnus, Elizabeth O'Neill (‘05), was recently named the 2025–26 SADAH Alumni Achievement Award winner.  

SADAH faculty continue their relationships with past students and recognize outstanding work by nominating Alumni for the annual Alumni Achievement Award. SADAH Program concentrations take turns giving the award each year. This year, Art Education faculty nominated O'Neiil, a B.F.A. in Photography Alumnus who also completed the SADAH PK-12 Art Education Licensure program. 

Liz graduated from JMU in 2005 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art with a concentration in photography, a minor in art history, as well as licensure in K12 art education. As a student in my art education classes, I remember Liz to be a dedicated learner, a thoughtful communicator, and having an infectious laugh and smile. Liz was a great student to work with, and I know she was thought of highly by her peers.

After serving as a long-term substitute at Sterling Elementary in spring 2006, Liz has been the art teacher at Blue Ridge Middle School in Loudon County since fall of 2006. In addition to a very active teaching approach that consistently offers students engaging projects built around experimentation, risk-taking, meaningful self-refection exercises, not to mention regular field trips to the major art museums in the DC area, Liz has been dedicated in her participation with Loudon County’s “A Night of the Arts” annual event, developing arts advocacy efforts that allow her students to recognize the value of arts in fundraising for local charities, directing their work as a form of motivation and support for cancer survivors, implementing an art helper program in which select 8^th graders work with 6^th graders as well as support art-related in-school displays and exhibitions, and, providing artistic opportunities for the regular education teachers in her school.

Liz has been an active member of the Virginia Art Education Association and currently serves as the association’s Middle School level division chair. Liz has served on curriculum writing teams for Loudon County Public Schools, planning and implementing the after-school art program at her school, and actively maintaining a parent volunteers’ structure to better support her teaching. Liz also recently won the Northern Virginia VAEA teaching award.  

Liz, as an alum, you have shown great dedication with respect to teaching and learning, arts advocacy and outreach, and for valuing the artistic growth in all your students.

Congrats on this award—it is truly deserved!