A Madison university has now produced a state-honored student teacher every year for a decade.

Drew University graduate Nicole Sydor has been named a 2026 Distinguished Clinical Intern by the New Jersey Department of Education, the university announced Monday, July 20. Sydor, who earned her bachelor's degree from Drew in 2024 and her Master of Arts in Teaching this year, is the 10th Drew student in 10 years to receive the honor, a streak that began in 2017.

The distinction places Sydor among just 15 graduates selected statewide from New Jersey's educator preparation programs. Each year, university presidents nominate their three strongest student-teaching candidates, and an independent panel of veteran educators reviews the dossiers and picks the winners, according to the New Jersey Association for Colleges of Teacher Education. The award has been given annually since 1985.

In the most recent completed cycle, 42 clinical interns were nominated from 21 programs across the state. Only 15 earned the distinction.

A decade of recognition

Drew's run of honorees began in 2017. In 2024, three Drew MAT students earned the honor in a single year. Last year's recipient, Hannah Lucey-Tallamy, completed her clinical internship teaching first grade at Lafayette Township Elementary School, the same school she attended as a child.

Sydor studied languages and minored in psychology and teaching as a Drew undergraduate. She has worked as a substitute teacher in the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District while completing her graduate degree in Drew's Caspersen School of Graduate Studies. Her specific certification area and the school where she completed her clinical internship have not been disclosed.

Drew's MAT program, which leads to New Jersey certification in elementary or secondary education, earned national CAEP accreditation in May 2026. The 36-credit program can be completed in one year of full-time study or two years part-time.

The NJ DOE's official 2026 winners list had not been posted to the state education department's website as of Monday, July 20. Drew's announcement is the sole public confirmation of Sydor's selection so far.