PhD in Educational Administration and Policy

I currently serve as an assistant professor of educational leadership and policy studies at the University of Cincinnati. I can confidently say that my experiences in UGA’s EDAP program have been transformative and played an instrumental role in preparing me to serve in my current position and those to come. While I can remark on a number of these experiences, I will focus my attention around the people and the place.

EDAP is filled with many incredible individuals whose interests are clearly aligned with supporting the needs and investing in the development of students. These investments were expressed most profoundly to me through my advisors’ efforts to continually affirm my scholarly identity and support my professional growth. They expressed a vested interest in ensuring I acquired the necessary research, teaching, and mentoring skills to become an effective scholar and teacher. The EDAP program has a vibe that is energetic and family-oriented, which made transitioning out of the community both difficult and worrying. As I interviewed for jobs, I realized how natural it was to compare each place to EDAP. After some time, I affirmatively concluded that this EDAP place is uniquely special.

To EDAP—the people and place—thank you! I am forever indebted to you and will strive to make the spaces I occupy moving forward as inclusive of and kind towards others as the community was to me when I joined in 2016.

I am currently an assistant professor in the educational leadership program at the University of Iowa, where I joined the faculty in 2016. My research focuses on educational access and opportunity for students of color broadly, and Black students in particular, in P-12 contexts. I use the intersection of race, place, and socioeconomic class to examine the impact of historical and contemporary educational policies—including school desegregation, school choice, student attendance, and the retention of educators of color—on student achievement.

UGA’s educational administration and policy (EDAP) program was very instrumental to my current success. The guidance and mentorship I received from EDAP faculty helped me define and shape the academic I am now. I had numerous opportunities to publish manuscripts and present at national conferences with faculty, work as a graduate research assistant on large grants, and guest lecture in several courses. EDAP faculty encouraged my participation in professional organizations while ensuring my personal, professional, and academic needs were met. As a faculty member, I try to model the support and mentorship EDAP faculty provided me when advising my own doctoral students.

I am honored to share a professional update and reflection on how the PhD in Educational Administration and Policy program within the EDAP department has helped shape me professionally. Currently, I serve as the Assistant Vice President and Chief of Staff for Finance and Administration here at the University of Georgia. In this role, I provide leadership for Finance and Administration through continuous strategic planning and, holistic client relations mitigation while helping to manage the day-to-day operations. As an administrator with a faculty appointment, I appreciate the way EDAP was able to tailor the program for my academic and professional goals. The program was perfect for me as I continue working as a higher education practitioner that also directly serves students.

EDAP is a pivotal part of my new role as it expanded my knowledge and understanding of practices and policies within education and how they affect various groups of stakeholders. That knowledge directly translates as I represent my unit across campus in areas related to admissions and student affairs where this understanding is paramount. Equally as important were the courses that linked education to the greater community. The appreciation gained through the assignments, group discussions, and one-on-one time with professors broadened my knowledge of how the history of education and policy affects communities and their trajectory. Whether I am representing UGA on a community initiative or personally volunteering, the program has helped me become a better citizen. EDAP enhanced what I offered and gave me additional tools that are mutually beneficial for me and those I serve in this expanded role.

The program also allowed me to make lasting friendships with professors and classmates of which many are now my colleagues. We are able to network and encourage each other through personal and professional breakthroughs and struggles.

I work as a senior policy analyst at the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute (GBPI), a non-profit think-tank that examines the state’s budget, taxes, and public policies to provide thoughtful analysis and responsible solutions. I focus on state polices and research that affect public P-12 education in Georgia. In this role I research, write, and communicate reports/briefs/blogs to a variety of audiences and strategic partners. I also engage in legislative lobbying for, among other policies, an equitable school funding system for Georgia’s 1.8 million public school children.

UGA’s educational administration and policy doctoral program not only provided me with the content knowledge and frameworks to perform well in this role, it also changed how I view higher education altogether. The work and support I received push me to be a better writer, researcher, and analyst. I was able to learn from (and work with) professors with keen minds who were faithful to the curriculum, while also being compassionate to students. I rely on the work of those professors, my fellow classmates, and all the staff in the EDAP program daily, and am happy to forge a career in educational policy because of it.