28 Mar2024
By Amelia Q. Rivera
For March’s AACTE Holmes Scholar of the Month, we are thrilled to highlight Jaminque L. Adams, a doctoral candidate in the Educational Theory and Practice program at the University of Georgia (UGA). Adams’ research focuses on Black studies in education, centering the voices, labor, and experiences of Black women educators and their students. Her passion stems from her own journey as a student in Detroit Public Schools and a former teacher at a public charter school in Houston, TX.
Adams’ commitment to uplifting Black women educators shines through her impressive scholarly work and involvement. In the summer of 2023, she was a summer research fellow and later selected as a graduate research assistant for the Black Teacher Archive Project at Harvard University. She is currently guest editing a special issue of Educational Studies Journal titled “When We See Us: The Interior Lives of Black Women Educators and Their Students Within Carceral Spaces.”
25 Mar2024
By Amelia Q. Rivera
As the vice president of Holmes Scholars and an emerging scholar forging my own path, I am utterly resolute in amplifying the voices of fearless women leaders who are radically transforming educator preparation. For too long, the narratives shaping how we mold future teachers have been exclusive and upheld oppressive systems. But, trailblazing women are boldly dismantling these barriers through revolutionary leadership — and their impact demands thunderous celebration.
My role in Holmes Scholars has granted me witness to the seismic power of centering equity and justice. By elevating scholars from systematically marginalized backgrounds, we unapologetically disrupt the status quo. Our work challenges educator preparation programs to embrace culturally sustaining, anti-racist pedagogies as the unbending foundation. This is the path we must persist on with relentless courage.
18 Mar2024
An #AACTE24 Session Recap and Reflection
By Amelia Q. Rivera
The session “Election 2024: Implications of Federal and State Races for Educator Preparation” at the AACTE 2024 Annual Meeting provided a comprehensive analysis of the potential impacts of the upcoming elections on educator preparation programs (EPPs). The panel comprised political strategists, policy experts, and representatives from membership organizations, offering diverse perspectives on the subject.
08 Feb2024
By Amelia Q. Rivera
Congratulations to Linzy Andre, the distinguished Holmes Scholar of the Month for February 2024. Andre (she/her/hers) is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in counseling & counselor education at Syracuse University. Originally hailing from Brooklyn, NY, she completed her undergraduate studies in psychology at Hunter College, followed by her master’s in mental health counseling.
Andre’s research focuses on the lived experiences of students of color within counseling. She specializes in various areas, including but not limited to issues of client, student, and educator diversity in counseling. Her captivating dissertation, “Becoming a Counselor: Narratives from Black Women Counselors about Healing Wounds,” provides a unique perspective as it is written from the standpoint of a fellow Black woman counselor who has dedicated a decade to this field.
08 Feb2024
By Amelia Q. Rivera
Congratulations to Paris C. Pruitt, the distinguished Holmes Scholar of the Month for January 2024. Pruitt (she/her/they) is a Black feminist counselor educator and advocate for Black girls. A National Certified Counselor and licensed professional school counselor in both Maryland and Connecticut, Pruitt centers her research around supporting the academic, social/emotional, and career needs of Black girls to educate school counselors and community partners.
Pruitt has worked as a professional school counselor in Maryland and Connecticut. In 2016, she founded the non-profit “Imprint Initiative, Inc”, which provides scholarships, mentoring programs, and workshops, to help students discover their passions and define success for themselves. Upholding her principles of service as a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Pruitt was named “Activist of the Year” by the University of Connecticut’s chapter of the NAACP in 2019 and awarded the Community Service Award from the Phi Delta Zeta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta.
21 Dec2023
By Amelia Q. Rivera
Terrance J. Lewis
Congratulations to Terrance J. Lewis, the distinguished Holmes Scholar of the Month for November 2023. McNeil, a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., is a doctoral candidate in secondary education social science at Auburn University, where he currently serves as a presidential research fellow and graduate assistant. McNeil’s research agenda spans the exploration of pedagogical beliefs and practices of Black men social studies teachers, the factors associated with teaching Black history in K-12 classrooms, and the use of documentary film as an instructional tool in social studies.
Before enrolling at Auburn, Lewis taught U.S. government, world geography, and Georgia studies at the high school and middle school levels for four years in Columbus, GA. During his time as a classroom teacher, he served in various roles including student council sponsor, robotics coach, and wrestling coach. He was also the founder of a mentoring program, Building Better Men Lunchroom Mentoring, which provided mentorship and support to male students in sixth through eighth grades.
McNeil’s research has been featured at national conferences including the Men of Color Summit hosted by Clemson University and the Teaching Black History Conference hosted by the University of Missouri-Columbia. He has also conducted research on topics related to diversifying social studies curriculum and the impacts of Black history education.
McNeil is a graduate of the University of Alabama where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in secondary education and a master’s degree in secondary education from Columbus State University. His professional goal is to obtain a tenure-track faculty position at a university where he can continue his research while educating and mentoring future social studies teachers. Lewis firmly believes a life spent serving others is a life well lived.
31 Aug2023
By Amelia Q. Rivera
Congratulations to Charles A. Barnes, II Holmes Scholar of the Month for July 2023!
Barnes holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Rowan University-Glassboro (RU) and a Juris Doctorate from Rutgers University School of Law-Camden. He returned to Rowan to pursue a Ph.D. in Urban and Diverse Learning Environments. His area of research focuses on the intersectionality of social identities and related systems of oppression, discrimination, or domination as it relates to LGBTQIA+ communities.
25 Apr2023
By Amelia Q. Rivera
Congratulations to Adriana C. Labarta, Holmes Scholar of the Month for April 2023. In 2021, Labarta was awarded the grand prize for the Tomorrow’s Counselor Essay Contest and was recognized as Outstanding Graduate Student of the Year in the Department of Counselor Education. Florida Atlantic University. Additionally, she has been recognized from 2020-2022 as a Southern Association of Counselor Education and Supervision (SACES) Emerging Leader.
Labarta completed her M.Ed and Ed.S. in Counselor Education with a specialization in Mental Health Counseling from University of Florida. She received her B.S. in Psychology from the University of Florida.
