Holmes Program Doctoral Scholar Reflects on First Year

From the Holmes Bulletin

By Gaurav Harshe

Who would take me under their wing? Why would they help me get into a doctoral program? Does anyone see me and any potential in me?

Questions of uncertainty, depreciation, and self-doubt were hurling at me as I searched for a doctoral program in Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration.

Phylicia Anderson Named Holmes Scholar of the Month

By Leslie Ekpe

Congratulations to Phylicia Anderson, on being named Holmes Scholar of the Month! Anderson is a doctoral candidate at Texas Woman’s University.

AACTE Welcomes New Holmes Scholars

By Weade James

We are excited to welcome four outstanding scholars to the Holmes Community. Please join us in welcoming Jordana Simmons (Rowan University), Zhan Shi (Texas Christian University), Denise Mugabe (Texas Christian University), and Monica Manzur (Texas Christian University).

Current and Prospective Doctoral Students: Attend the Holmes Research & Dissertation Retreat

By Weade James

 AACTE will host its annual Holmes Program Research and Dissertation Retreat in Boca Raton, FL on November 9 – 10. The event, co-sponsored by the PNC Foundation and Florida Atlantic University, is AACTE’s annual flagship event to advance research and scholarship of graduate students of color who are pursuing doctorate degrees in education.

Register Today: 2022 Holmes Research and Dissertation Retreat

By Weade James

AACTE is excited to announce that registration is now open for the 2022 Holmes Research and Dissertation Retreat! The event will take place November 9 -10, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. on both days at the campus of Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, FL.

AACTE Launches New Holmes Program Forms

By Weade James

To improve data collection, scholar support and alumni relations, AACTE has instituted these new Holmes Program forms for institutions and scholars:

Anamaria Arteaga Named Holmes Scholar of the Month

By Leslie Ekpe

Congratulations to Anamaria Arteaga, the July 2022 Holmes Scholar of the Month. Arteaga is a Ph.D. student at the University of Connecticut’s Neag School of Education. 

 

As the service-learning course instructor for the Human Rights and Action Learning Community, she currently works as a graduate assistant for Community Outreach. Arteaga is also a board-certified behavior analyst (BCBA) with a background in applied behavior analysis (ABA) who has worked with children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and other related disabilities. 

AACTE Welcomes New Holmes Scholars from UNLV and Austin Peay

By Weade James

The Holmes Program continues to grow! We are excited to welcome four new Holmes Scholars from the University of Nevada Las Vegas and Austin Peay State University. Learn more about the new scholars:

Adjoa Mensah is a doctoral student in Teaching and Learning with an emphasis on teacher education. She holds a bachelor’s in psychology from the University of Western Ontario, a M.Ed. from Daemen College, and a M.A. in French from the University of Kent. Her research interest focuses on the effective integration of technology for diverse learners in K-8 classrooms.

Washington Week was Life-Changing Experience for Undergrad Student

By LaDerrington Baldwin

AACTE’s Washington Week was a “a life-changing experience.” The event was a revelation that highlighted the courageous leadership we have within our nation. These leaders are devoted and determined to make sure education is not forgotten nor are educators overlooked. I have always had respect for the leaders that made the decision to go into education. I have even more appreciation for those who do not sweep the issues in education under the rug and tell it like it is.

Deependra Budhathoki Named Holmes Scholar of the Month

By Leslie Ekpe

Congratulations to Deependra Budhathoki, Holmes Scholar of the Month for May 2022.

Budhathoki is a fifth-year Ph.D. candidate at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. He was raised in Nepal and earned a master’s in education in mathematics education and a master of philosophy in mathematics education from Kathmandu University School of Education. He currently serves as the president of the International Student Union at Ohio University. The International Student Union fosters a sense of community and inclusivity for international students on campus by serving as an umbrella organization for other international student organizations.

Holmes Scholar Highlights Access to Government at Washington Week

By Brooke Evans

For the first time in three years, AACTE will be hosting its 2022 Washington Week in-person in Washington DC, June 6 – 8. This annual educational policy and advocacy event draws together AACTE’s State Chapter Leadership, Holmes’ Scholars, deans, and faculty for an opportunity to learn and advocate for education and for high quality educational preparation programs throughout the country.

This year, AACTE is combining the best programming from three separate events — State Leaders Institute, Holmes Policy Institute, and Day on the Hill — into one reimagined mini-conference for enhanced collaboration and networking. The 2022 Washington Week program includes shared keynotes and strand-based sessions on today’s most critical issues in education and teacher preparation: censorship, educator shortage, and educator diversity. Attendees can choose to align with a particular strand throughout the event or select sessions from among the three strands.

Holmes Scholar Vivian Medina-Messner is passionate about having conversations that build community. Washington Week provides this opportunity, “[At] Washington Week educators can meet other educators and have great conversations about educational policies and about issues important to our communities and students.” Read below for the rest of AACTE’s conversation with Medina-Messner.

Last Call for Washington Week

By Michael Rose and Weade James

We’re getting close to kick off for AACTE’s Washington Week, June 6 – 8! Join us in the nation’s capital for the first, in-person Washington Week since 2019.

We are excited to share our lineup of exemplary speakers, including DoE Deputy Secretary Cindy Marten. They will cover critical topics in education and teacher preparation, including censorship, teacher shortage, and educator diversity. View the full schedule here.

Ohio University Holmes Scholar Asks Policymakers ‘Hard Questions’ at Washington Week

By Brooke Evans

For the first time in three years, AACTE will be hosting its 2022 Washington Week in-person in Washington DC, June 6 – 8. This annual educational policy and advocacy event draws together AACTE’s State Chapter Leadership, Holmes’ Scholars, deans, and faculty for an opportunity to learn and advocate for education and high quality educational preparation programs throughout the country.

This year, AACTE is combining the best programming from three separate events — State Leaders Institute, Holmes Policy Institute, and Day on the Hill — into one reimagined mini-conference for enhanced collaboration and networking. The 2022 Washington Week program includes shared keynotes and strand-based sessions on today’s most critical issues in education and teacher preparation: censorship, educator shortage, and educator diversity. Attendees can choose to align with a particular strand throughout the event or select sessions from among the three strands.

Holmes Scholar and Ph.D. student from Ohio University, Shauna Torrington attends Washington Week because she loves how the training has helped her to find her voice, “I have been better able to articulate my views to support my stance on any subject.” Torrington shares the rest of her thoughts about Washington Week with AACTE.

PNC Bank Sponsors AACTE’s Holmes Program

By Brooke Evans

PNC Bank, N.A. has awarded AACTE with a charitable sponsorship to support the Holmes Program with the goal of helping to diversify the nation’s education workforce. This program provides mentorship, professional development and support to students who self-identify as racially and ethnically diverse and are pursuing graduate degrees in education at AACTE member institutions. More specifically, the PNC funding will support the Holmes Scholars’ Research and Dissertation Retreat, and the Career Expo.  

The Research and Dissertation Retreat brings together Holmes Scholars for an intensive, in-person professional development opportunity focused on research methods, academic writing, and scholarship while the Career Expo will connect these Holmes Scholars with AACTE member institutions to learn about opportunities and the faculty job search process. Scholars will have an opportunity to meet with faculty and search committee representatives face-to-face. Both the Retreat and Expo offer our diverse Holmes Scholars with unprecedented academic and career development. 

Addressing P-20 Education Censorship Washington Week

By Nicole Dunn

As of May 2, PEN America has noted that 34% of Live Educational Gag Order bills affect Institutes of Higher Education, and 100% of the teachers in the 15 states that have signed gag orders into law feel the impact on their work. In addition to these laws and the more than 80 live gag-order bills, rampant illegal and legalized banning of books is restricting the rights of educators to serve diverse students and their equally diverse needs. It is necessary for educators to understand and address this coordinated attack to protect students’ quality of education, human rights and mental health.

This year, at AACTE’s 2022 Washington Week, AACTE has dedicated one of its three strands to education censorship. The strand was developed based on feedback from members and AACTE’s research report on education censorship. Highlights from the report will be released at Washington Week. Sessions will cover the following objectives:

1. The scope, tactics, and themes within education censorship policies
2. Which policies implicate IHE, and how faculty can organize to address them
3. How these policies and the moral panic surrounding them affect the work of teachers, and therefore teacher educators