M.S. Urban Educational Leadership

Why did you choose graduate school at IUPUI?

I selected IUPUI for this degree program, because I wanted to continue my journey as a school leader, specifically focusing on issues related to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility. I also know that IUPUI professors would give me individualized attention, and I knew there were opportunities for women on our campus.

What has been your favorite academic accomplishment since you’ve been here?

Participating in the 3MP research competition has by far been my greatest, formal accomplishment. My research is about the ways in which care is expressed by bilingual public libraries in United States Border Towns. I am especially grateful for Drs. Scribner and Nguyen (School of Education) for mentoring me while I’ve been taking classes and thinking about this particular research project. Without them, this experience and award would not have been possible.

I think my greatest academic accomplishment has been pursuing a master’s degree during the pandemic. I am a tenacious student, and I’ve had to give a lot of grace to myself while I balance my studies, full-time work, and being a mama to an active four-year-old. Graduate students who are balancing the emotional and physical challenges of this era are developing/enriching important soft skills like adaptability, flexibility, balance, and open-mindedness.

Please provide some details about your work/research as a graduate student and/or any activities you are involved in.

I’ve been completing an educational leadership internship under Christopher Finley in Bloomington, Indiana. This semester, I designed a parent survey for the school’s International Baccalaureate self-study, which examines parents’ perspectives about inquiry-based teaching, student agency, and school culture. I’ve also been providing my leadership team with scholarship about what is behind student resistance. Many people see resistance in the classroom or schoolhouse through dominant culture lenses, and there is a perspective and depth of action that is often misunderstood and missed.

I am also an educational volunteer for the Afghan women who are currently living at Camp Atterbury. My Grandpa Frye originally came to Indiana for his Korean War Army training at Atterbury, so it’s especially meaningful for me to return to the land with a spirit of peace, focused on community-building.