Texas Woman’s Joins Program to Increase Diversity in Education

By Joshua Flanagan

The Texas Woman’s University College of Professional Education (COPE) has been selected to participate in the Holmes Program sponsored by the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE), which supports racially and ethnically diverse students pursuing graduate degrees in education.

TWU is the only woman-centric university participating in the program to date. Founded in 1991 for doctoral students, the AACTE Holmes Program provides students mentorship, peer support, and professional development opportunities.

“The college is proud to be part of the prestigious Holmes Scholars program,” COPE Dean Lisa Huffman said. “Our participation — with our program’s unique focus on underrepresented women — will allow us to provide support to doctoral students that ensures their success and builds the next generation of diverse leaders in education.”

Frank Conic Named August Holmes Scholar of the Month

By Leslie Ekpe

Congratulations to Frank Conic, Holmes Scholar of the Month for August 2021. Conic successfully defended his dissertation titled, “Analysis of the Impact of SB 1720 on Gateway Math Courses” this summer. 

Currently, Conic serves as an assistant program director for the Community College Futures Assembly, a University of Florida Institute of Higher Education independent policy forum, where he works to prepare students for the many facets of post-secondary education.

Conic has been a Holmes Program participant since 2011 and continues to exhibit the values of excellence and leadership through his service as a student mentor and instructor. He is a mathematics instructor at Santa Fe College in Gainesville, Florida, and plans to continue in the professoriate at the community college level to support students who are often first-generation, low income, and minority students. 

To nominate a Holmes Scholar for the Scholar of the Month award, please use this online form. 

Join Me for AACTE’s 2021 Washington Week

By Robert Floden

AACTE Welcomes New Holmes Scholars

By Weade James

The AACTE Holmes Program continues to expand to support new scholars in their academic pursuit. We are pleased to welcome Ava Jackson, Holmes Post-doctoral Fellow at Boston University, and Elizabeth León Zaragoza, Holmes doctoral student at University of Nevada Las Vegas, to the Holmes community. Congratulations to these scholars and their institutions for their commitment to promoting excellence and success of diverse scholars.

A Scholar’s Reflection: Everybody is an Advocate

By Latifa Sebti

Washington Week 2020 sessions helped me, a Holmes Scholar and second-year doctoral student in special education, gain an understanding of how to advocate for equitable educational opportunities for marginalized students including students with disabilities by participating in interactive policy discussions and briefings with prominent speakers and participants. I mainly learned that everybody could advocate for promoting educational improvement and success in different ways. This advocacy work becomes a crucial duty especially in this unprecedented time where COVID-19 has exacerbated educational inequities and hit students of color disproportionally.

The amazing Jane West presented and discussed the 4 Ps of Policy Advocacy (People, Policy, Process, and Politics) and their use in planning an advocacy strategy. As an international doctoral student who is not familiar with the American legal system, I found that the session equipped me with the knowledge about the legislative and executive policy cycle with all its players as well as the process and skills needed for effective policy change advocacy.

Washington Week Reflection: Finding a Seat at the Table

By Anthony Webster

Have you ever felt like you were in the right place at the right time? Attending Washington Week during the early stages of a global pandemic was an experience I will never forget. It honestly helped solidify my why and purpose.

As a first-year Ph.D. student, I was looking forward to the learning experiences that laid ahead. However, I did not expect them to come so soon. During my first week in the Ph.D. program, I attended the 2020 Holmes Program Washington Week sessions. Between work and school, I was “Zoomed” out. So, I was skeptical of the impact this would have since it was virtual. As a natural extrovert, I was unsure how I would connect with others. So, you can see why I had my doubts.

Weade James and Jane West could not have hosted a better virtual Washington Week. Since my time as an admissions recruiter at the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, I have always been interested in policies, particularly educational policies that impact historically marginalized populations. From the achievement gap to the allocation of resources, I have witnessed first-hand how this hinders the success of students and educators within urban school districts. Attending Washington Week provided me with some fundamental tools to make a difference in my corner of the world.

During Washington Week, I learned how to connect with state senators and representatives regarding policies and ideas to move education forward. West insisted that Twitter was a great platform to connect with government officials because, believe it or not, someone is always watching. I had an opportunity to engage with dynamic leaders from across the world who are doing great work on behalf of students and educators. Everyone that spoke during Washington Week mentioned that there is much work to be done. The participants also talked about knowing that they make a difference motivates them to do their job. Despite the politics that come with policymaking and seemingly seeks to undo the impact educators and policymakers strive to have, they have no choice but to show up because people need them.

During our discussion, I heard that if you don’t have a seat at the table, you might end up on the menu. This phrase may sound a bit cliché’, but during Washington Week 2020, I found my voice. This statement will stick with me for the rest of my life. From this experience, I am looking forward to claiming my seat at the table and making a difference.

Anthony Webster is a Holmes Scholar and Ph.D. educational leadership and policy studies candidate at Wayne State University.

Connect with AACTE Holmes Scholars at Washington Week

By Weade James

This year’s Washington Week virtual conference is quickly approaching, and we have exciting events planned for AACTE members – including participants of the Holmes Program. Holmes Scholars are encouraged to participate in the Holmes Policy Institute (September 8 – 9) and Holmes Advanced Policy Short Course (September 14-15) during Washington Week. These events will focus on policy solutions to address systemic barriers that impede on the academic achievement of diverse students.

Some confirmed speakers include Jessica Cardichon, assistant deputy secretary, office of planning, evaluation, and policy development at the U.S. Department of Education; Erica McCray, co-Ddrector of the Collaboration for Effective Educator Development, Accountability, and Reform (CEEDAR) Center; Michael Brady, professor and chair at Florida Atlantic University; Amanda Lewis, director for research on race and public policy at the University of Illinois – Chicago; Amy Wells, professor at Columbia Teacher’s College, and Genevieve Siegel-Hawley, associate professor at Virginia Commonwealth University.

A Holmes Scholar Reflects on Advancing Anti-Racist Teaching through Educational Research

By Denise Michele Lewis

Keith Brooks of Chosen Path Consulting, LLC, opened the second Holmes Summer session on the afternoon of July 21 by asking participants to reflect on a video. I quickly recognized the animation from the Schoolhouse Rock! America Rock series. “Elbow Room” focuses on our nation’s expansion west and south from the 13 original colonies. Initially, this video brought to mind fond memories of watching Saturday morning cartoons with my sister and brothers as children. Those memories faded as I watched the images with a critical lens and listened intently to the lyrics with critical ears. Participants began to type their reflections into the chat space, and it was clear that our histories and perspectives were not reflected in this mini-lesson. Only one perspective was portrayed—that of whiteness, of white males in particular. There was little diversity, no regard for the brutal violation and experiences of BIPOC, and no mention of the contributions of Asian or Mexican Americans toward the expansion. There was a lot to unpack in the 3-minute vignette.

Kadija Moon Named July Holmes Scholar of the Month

By Leslie Ekpe

Congratulations to Kadija Moon, recent Holmes alumna of the University of Houston and Holmes Scholar of the Month for July 2021. Recently, Moon successfully defended her dissertation titled, “The Bidirectionality of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Sleep Disturbances among Firefighters with Military Veteran Status” and earned her PhD in Counseling Psychology.

Prior to attending TCU, Moon completed both her Bachelor of Science in psychology with a minor in human development and family studies and her master of education in counseling at the University of Houston. Moon has also interned at the Michael E Debakey VA Medical Center, the Harris County Juvenile Probation Department (HCJPD), Houston Fire Department, and the Krist Samaritan Counseling Center.

Practicing Radical Self-Care to Thrive in Scholarship and Life

By Paul Massy

The pandemic has impacted every dimension of the human spirit. Therefore, the recent session of the Holmes Program Summer Webinar Series was timely. When I signed up for the session titled, “Practicing Radical Self-Care to Thrive in Scholarship and Life,” I wondered what was radical self-care and why was it essential? The presenters’ knowledge, skills and dispositions eventually answered the question resoundingly with their stories and activities.

Kimberly-White Smith, dean of the LaFetra College of Education at the University of La Verne, reminded us of the critical context we are currently experiencing. Many of us are engaged in activities that have us navigating different spaces and experiences, especially doctoral students with a clear goal to graduate. Therefore, in the session, we were exposed to tools that will allow us to monitor our trajectory as we continued our scholarship.

Nakisha Whittington Named June Holmes Scholar of the Month

By Leslie Ekpe

Congratulations to Nakisha Whittington, Holmes Scholar of the Month for June 2021. Whittington is a scholar at Pennsylvania State University and recently defended her dissertation, “Exploring the Digital Literacy Practices of Black Elementary Students in a New Orleans Charter School.”

As an educator, Whittington has experience in K-12 classrooms and instructing undergraduate students in the Elementary Education program at Penn State.  

 Whittington’s research interests are centered around digital literacy practices of urban youth. She has published several articles on effective instructional practices to meet the needs of diverse learners, including Scaffolding inclusivity through making: A preliminary analysis of diverse learners’ meaning making through complex systems. Whittington also serves as a reading specialist and editorial assistant for an educational research journal.

Registration is Open for Washington Week 2021

By Linda Minor

Registration is now open for the 2021 virtual Washington Week.  Register today to ensure your voice is heard advocating for education. Every year, this popular gathering of like-minded members of the education preparation community attracts hundreds from around the nation. Join your peers at this year’s virtual Washington Week, which will feature the following four events:

CSUSB to Join Prestigious Program to Increase Diversity in Ed.D. Program

By Joe Gutierrez

Photo by Allison Shelley for EDUimages

The Doctor of Education degree (Ed.D.) in educational leadership program at California State University San Bernardino (CSUSB) has been accepted to participate in the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education Holmes Program, which supports racially and ethnically diverse students pursuing graduate degrees in education.

The AACTE Holmes Program was founded in 1991 for doctoral students, providing mentorship, peer support, and professional development opportunities. CSUSB becomes one of nearly 50 institutions in the program.

The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) represents more than 800 postsecondary institutions with educator preparation programs dedicated to high-quality, evidence-based preparation that assures educators are ready to teach all learners.

Washington Week 2021: Save the September Dates

By Linda Minor

Get ready to join AACTE at Washington Week 2021, which will be virtual again this year and scheduled throughout the month of September.  This year’s schedule includes the following:

• Holmes Policy Institute – September 8-9
  AACTE Holmes Scholars will learn how to advocate for their profession by participating in interactive policy discussions and briefings.
• Holmes Program Advanced Policy Short Course – September 14-15
  This short course is intended as an introduction to begin equipping you with the knowledge, desire, and skills to be an effective advocate and resource in the policy making process.
• Day on the Hill – September 21-23
  AACTE members, nonmembers, students, Holmes Scholars, and PK-12 partners will engage in advocacy training and visit congressional offices.
• State Leaders Institute – September 30-October 1
  AACTE state leaders will focus on capacity building and augmenting their chapters’ impact through leadership development.

Ariela Martinez Named May Holmes Scholar of the Month

By Leslie Ekpe

Congratulations to Ariela Martinez, Holmes Scholar of the Month for May 2021. Martinez is currently pursuing an Ed.D. in higher education leadership at Texas Christian University (TCU) in Fort Worth, TX. Her research interests examine enhancing undocumented and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) student college success. 

Prior to pursuing her doctoral studies, Martinez was a college access and higher education professional who served students from diverse academic, socioeconomic, and cultural backgrounds at the high school and collegiate levels. She has held professional titles that include TRiO Student Support Services Lead Ambassador, College Adviser via TCU College Advising Corps, Success Coach at Tarrant County College (TCC), and Senior Transfer Admission Counselor and adjunct instructor at TCU. Martinez earned her associate degree from TCC and her B.S. and M.Ed. degrees from TCU. As a critical scholar, her research interests center on issues of educational equity in higher education for minoritized students.