Meet Some of Our Current Students
Leana Cabral is a PhD candidate at Teachers College, Columbia University in the Sociology and Education Program. She is also a Research Associate at Research for Action in Philadelphia, where she is the Primary Investigator on an educator diversity study, examining the root causes of Black teacher attrition in Philadelphia. She previously worked as a researcher at The Public Good as well as Consortium for Policy Research in Education, and the Black Education Research Center, all at Teachers College.
Her research interests include the racial politics of public education, K-12 educational inequality, and historical perspectives on educational and social inequality. Her dissertation research centers the complicated interplay of history, racial politics, and community sensemaking to explore how racism and antiblackness are reproduced over time and in different public school contexts within Philadelphia.
In addition to her research interests, Leana is committed to supporting youth activists and organizers as she was one herself--which greatly shaped her world-view and political consciousness. She is also a proud board member of the Philly Student Union.
Leana holds a B.A. in Women's Studies from Spelman College.
Leana Cabral is a PhD candidate at Teachers College, Columbia University in the Sociology and Education Program. She is also a Research Associate at Research for Action in Philadelphia, where she is the Primary Investigator on an educator diversity study, examining the root causes of Black teacher attrition in Philadelphia. She previously worked as a researcher at The Public Good as well as Consortium for Policy Research in Education, and the Black Education Research Center, all at Teachers College.
Her research interests include the racial politics of public education, K-12 educational inequality, and historical perspectives on educational and social inequality. Her dissertation research centers the complicated interplay of history, racial politics, and community sensemaking to explore how racism and antiblackness are reproduced over time and in different public school contexts within Philadelphia.
In addition to her research interests, Leana is committed to supporting youth activists and organizers as she was one herself--which greatly shaped her world-view and political consciousness. She is also a proud board member of the Philly Student Union.
Leana holds a B.A. in Women's Studies from Spelman College.
Yeonsoo Choi is a Ph.D. student in Sociology and Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. She earned her B.A. and M.A. in Education from Yonsei University, South Korea. Her research interests include the sociology of elite education, globalization and education policy, school choice, and critical policy analysis. Yeonsoo is interested in better understanding how broader social discourses shape education policies and students’ educational experiences. Prior to coming to Teachers College, she worked as a research assistant for education policy research projects funded by the Ministry of Education, South Korea, and the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education.
Previous Education:
B.A. in Education, Yonsei University and M.A. in Education with concentration in Curriculum and Instruction, Yonsei University
Yeonsoo Choi is a Ph.D. student in Sociology and Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. She earned her B.A. and M.A. in Education from Yonsei University, South Korea. Her research interests include the sociology of elite education, globalization and education policy, school choice, and critical policy analysis. Yeonsoo is interested in better understanding how broader social discourses shape education policies and students’ educational experiences. Prior to coming to Teachers College, she worked as a research assistant for education policy research projects funded by the Ministry of Education, South Korea, and the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education.
Previous Education:
B.A. in Education, Yonsei University and M.A. in Education with concentration in Curriculum and Instruction, Yonsei University
Alicia is a Ph.D. student in the Sociology and Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University. She is a Paraguayan sociologist, educator, activist, and dancer; serving as the Sociology and Education program representative of the Student Advisory Council for the EPSA department. Alicia is a Fulbright alum and part of the research team of the Network for the Right to Education (Paraguay). Alicia has been related to education in various roles. She has worked as a dance, kindergarten, and high school teacher; and as a non-formal educator with activists and teachers in Asunción, Paraguay. As an undergraduate student, she was a member of a student movement that advocated for students’ voices representation and democratic government in national and local education policies. Her work as a non-formal community educator brought her close to adaptable pedagogical experiences in low-income communities that despite adversities achieve important outcomes which go beyond the curriculum. These educational experiences are models of community-based pedagogy that inform her research and teaching philosophy. Her academic interests include community-school relations, critical, feminist and decolonial pedagogies, Educación Popular, and understanding the emergent experiences of communities innovating in education and its potential to inform education policy.
Previous Education:
B.A. in Sociology from Universidad Catolica Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion
M.A. in Sociology and Education from Teachers College, Columbia University
Alicia is a Ph.D. student in the Sociology and Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University. She is a Paraguayan sociologist, educator, activist, and dancer; serving as the Sociology and Education program representative of the Student Advisory Council for the EPSA department. Alicia is a Fulbright alum and part of the research team of the Network for the Right to Education (Paraguay). Alicia has been related to education in various roles. She has worked as a dance, kindergarten, and high school teacher; and as a non-formal educator with activists and teachers in Asunción, Paraguay. As an undergraduate student, she was a member of a student movement that advocated for students’ voices representation and democratic government in national and local education policies. Her work as a non-formal community educator brought her close to adaptable pedagogical experiences in low-income communities that despite adversities achieve important outcomes which go beyond the curriculum. These educational experiences are models of community-based pedagogy that inform her research and teaching philosophy. Her academic interests include community-school relations, critical, feminist and decolonial pedagogies, Educación Popular, and understanding the emergent experiences of communities innovating in education and its potential to inform education policy.
Previous Education:
B.A. in Sociology from Universidad Catolica Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion
M.A. in Sociology and Education from Teachers College, Columbia University
Siettah's research interests are all deeply informed by her own perspective as a Black woman and scholar, and her experiences working with Black and brown students. These interests include teacher education and preparation, sociocultural contexts of schools, teachers’ relationships with students, the role of love and care in the classroom, and Black students' lived experience with schooling in the U.S. She plans to explore these interests using methodologies that are aligned with Critical Race Theory and Critical Feminist Methodologies. Her goal is to conduct research that will contribute to improved educational experiences for Black students, while also empowering and respecting the participants.
Previous Education:
Siettah's research interests are all deeply informed by her own perspective as a Black woman and scholar, and her experiences working with Black and brown students. These interests include teacher education and preparation, sociocultural contexts of schools, teachers’ relationships with students, the role of love and care in the classroom, and Black students' lived experience with schooling in the U.S. She plans to explore these interests using methodologies that are aligned with Critical Race Theory and Critical Feminist Methodologies. Her goal is to conduct research that will contribute to improved educational experiences for Black students, while also empowering and respecting the participants.
Previous Education:
Anuraag Sensharma is a Ph.D. student in the Sociology and Education program. He is interested in school and community structures that support student autonomy, and particularly interested in studying the prevalence and nature of those structures in high needs public schools. The mission of empowering students from all backgrounds to direct and craft their own meaningful learning experiences while engaging with their communities is central to his work in education.
Anuraag taught high school physics for four years at the H-B Woodlawn Secondary Program in Arlington, VA. Teaching at this public democratic alternative school had a profound impact on clarifying his mission, both as a teacher and as a researcher. Prior to teaching, he majored in physics and participated in two physics research groups as an undergraduate at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA. He is excited to unite his research and teaching experiences during his time at Teachers College.
Previous Education:
B.S. in Physics and M.A. in Education from the College of William and Mary
Anuraag Sensharma is a Ph.D. student in the Sociology and Education program. He is interested in school and community structures that support student autonomy, and particularly interested in studying the prevalence and nature of those structures in high needs public schools. The mission of empowering students from all backgrounds to direct and craft their own meaningful learning experiences while engaging with their communities is central to his work in education.
Anuraag taught high school physics for four years at the H-B Woodlawn Secondary Program in Arlington, VA. Teaching at this public democratic alternative school had a profound impact on clarifying his mission, both as a teacher and as a researcher. Prior to teaching, he majored in physics and participated in two physics research groups as an undergraduate at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA. He is excited to unite his research and teaching experiences during his time at Teachers College.
Previous Education:
B.S. in Physics and M.A. in Education from the College of William and Mary
Cami Touloukian’s dedication to the collective effort to create a socially just and humanizing system of schools is at the heart of her personal and professional life. Formerly an elementary and early childhood educator, Cami has taught in many public, private and charter schools across the country. After years of teaching and learning with young people, Cami moved to higher education to work as a teacher educator. Her work with both classroom students and future teachers has allowed her to observe the many ways in which schools contribute to the social reproduction of inequity and injustice. As such, Cami’s research interests focus on better understanding and illuminating some of the barriers to building a more just and loving world through education. She is particularly interested in researching white supremacy in education, the sociology of whiteness in schools, and the potential for social change that lies at the intersection of critical race theory and sociology. In her free time, Cami enjoys spending time with the people she loves, being in nature with her dog, experiencing the world around her, and getting lost in a good book.
Previous Education:
Indiana University, B.A. in General Studies with a focus on Sociology, History and Education
Indiana University, M.S.Ed. in Elementary Education
Lewis and Clark, Certification in Teacher Leadership for Equity and Social Justice
Cami Touloukian’s dedication to the collective effort to create a socially just and humanizing system of schools is at the heart of her personal and professional life. Formerly an elementary and early childhood educator, Cami has taught in many public, private and charter schools across the country. After years of teaching and learning with young people, Cami moved to higher education to work as a teacher educator. Her work with both classroom students and future teachers has allowed her to observe the many ways in which schools contribute to the social reproduction of inequity and injustice. As such, Cami’s research interests focus on better understanding and illuminating some of the barriers to building a more just and loving world through education. She is particularly interested in researching white supremacy in education, the sociology of whiteness in schools, and the potential for social change that lies at the intersection of critical race theory and sociology. In her free time, Cami enjoys spending time with the people she loves, being in nature with her dog, experiencing the world around her, and getting lost in a good book.
Previous Education:
Indiana University, B.A. in General Studies with a focus on Sociology, History and Education
Indiana University, M.S.Ed. in Elementary Education
Lewis and Clark, Certification in Teacher Leadership for Equity and Social Justice
Jose Luis Vilson is a doctoral student in Sociology and Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. Prior to starting his doctoral program, he was a math teacher in New York City public schools for 15 years. He is the author of the best-selling This Is Not A Test: A New Narrative on Race, Class, and Education, and executive director of EduColor, an organization dedicated to race and social justice issues in education. He is primarily interested in how the nexus of policy, practice, and research proliferate or inhibit the recruitment and retention of educators of color. He earned a BS in Computer Science from Syracuse University and a MA in Mathematics Education from City College of New York.
Previous Education:
Syracuse University, B.S. in Computer Science
City College of New York, M.A. in Mathematics Education
Jose Luis Vilson is a doctoral student in Sociology and Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. Prior to starting his doctoral program, he was a math teacher in New York City public schools for 15 years. He is the author of the best-selling This Is Not A Test: A New Narrative on Race, Class, and Education, and executive director of EduColor, an organization dedicated to race and social justice issues in education. He is primarily interested in how the nexus of policy, practice, and research proliferate or inhibit the recruitment and retention of educators of color. He earned a BS in Computer Science from Syracuse University and a MA in Mathematics Education from City College of New York.
Previous Education:
Syracuse University, B.S. in Computer Science
City College of New York, M.A. in Mathematics Education
Shawn Saunders is an M.Ed candidate in the Sociology and Education program. Before TC, Shawn received a B.A. in Anthropology from Brown University and a M.A.T. from Relay Graduate School of Education with a focus in Childhood Education.
Shawn has spent 9 years teaching various grades in elementary schools in Brooklyn, most recently teaching 4th Grade in Canarsie. During the summer, Shawn works as the Academic Director for Jacob's Ladder, a sleep-away summer camp in Virginia for gifted middle school students.
Through his work with students and other educators, Shawn has developed many interests for study including the intersection of race, socioeconomic status and education, evaluation systems for students and teachers, and the effectiveness of discipline and school systems in urban contexts (with a particular interest in these topics within the world of charter schools).
Shawn has experienced the educational process in the private, public, and charter sectors as a student and teacher. This has allowed him to see the best of these spaces as well as areas in which there is still work to be done. By joining the TC/Columbia community, Shawn hopes to conduct research that helps better the educational experience for both educators and students especially within urban environments.
Shawn Saunders is an M.Ed candidate in the Sociology and Education program. Before TC, Shawn received a B.A. in Anthropology from Brown University and a M.A.T. from Relay Graduate School of Education with a focus in Childhood Education.
Shawn has spent 9 years teaching various grades in elementary schools in Brooklyn, most recently teaching 4th Grade in Canarsie. During the summer, Shawn works as the Academic Director for Jacob's Ladder, a sleep-away summer camp in Virginia for gifted middle school students.
Through his work with students and other educators, Shawn has developed many interests for study including the intersection of race, socioeconomic status and education, evaluation systems for students and teachers, and the effectiveness of discipline and school systems in urban contexts (with a particular interest in these topics within the world of charter schools).
Shawn has experienced the educational process in the private, public, and charter sectors as a student and teacher. This has allowed him to see the best of these spaces as well as areas in which there is still work to be done. By joining the TC/Columbia community, Shawn hopes to conduct research that helps better the educational experience for both educators and students especially within urban environments.
Grace Bradley is an MA candidate at Teachers College, Columbia University in the Sociology and Education program. During her time at TC, Grace works in Admissions at Barnard College as a Senior Admissions Officer, recruiting competitive students to the community, co-leading the Tour Guide program, and supervising digital and print communications. Prior to working at Barnard, Grace worked at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville. Grace earned her BA in Dance and Sociology from Connecticut College.
Her research interest includes single-gender education and the economic and social mobility impact, higher education retention based on identity, social and emotional well-being of education leaders, and effective higher education communication to students in underrepresented and marginalized communities. At Barnard, she sat on the NACAC Committee for Advising Young Professionals, working to increase retention in first-year admission workers. She was given the opportunity to assist Dr. Drago-Severson in her research during her first-year.
Additionally, Grace’s other interests include eating disorder prevention and intervention and food access. During her undergraduate career, Grace created an eating disorder prevention and intervention education program for Connecticut College’s dance department with support from the Sociology Department and her colleagues at the National Eating Disorder Association in New York City. Outside of her time in school and work, Grace is an avid cook and baker, proud cat mom, and a runner.
Grace Bradley is an MA candidate at Teachers College, Columbia University in the Sociology and Education program. During her time at TC, Grace works in Admissions at Barnard College as a Senior Admissions Officer, recruiting competitive students to the community, co-leading the Tour Guide program, and supervising digital and print communications. Prior to working at Barnard, Grace worked at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville. Grace earned her BA in Dance and Sociology from Connecticut College.
Her research interest includes single-gender education and the economic and social mobility impact, higher education retention based on identity, social and emotional well-being of education leaders, and effective higher education communication to students in underrepresented and marginalized communities. At Barnard, she sat on the NACAC Committee for Advising Young Professionals, working to increase retention in first-year admission workers. She was given the opportunity to assist Dr. Drago-Severson in her research during her first-year.
Additionally, Grace’s other interests include eating disorder prevention and intervention and food access. During her undergraduate career, Grace created an eating disorder prevention and intervention education program for Connecticut College’s dance department with support from the Sociology Department and her colleagues at the National Eating Disorder Association in New York City. Outside of her time in school and work, Grace is an avid cook and baker, proud cat mom, and a runner.
Eric Carrera (He/Him) is an M.A. student in the Sociology and Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University. Born and raised in New York, Eric grew up seeing how one's zip code could determine so much of their educational outcomes, and so he's committed to finding ways to make sure that our schools are better able to support students from all backgrounds. Furthermore, as a product of New York City public schools, he's seen how life-changing education can be for immigrant and low-income communities and how important it is to fight for education equity.
Currently, Eric is the Community Affairs Fellow at the Office of Councilmember Shekar Krishnan (Elmhurst - Jackson Heights) where he works on the Constituent Services team helping neighbors navigate complex social services, organize events, as well as conduct outreach to better understand some of the issues facing this district. His experiences working in the most diverse neighborhoods on the planet have helped him show how people from different backgrounds can actively uplift and stand in solidarity with each other. Additionally, he is an educator at the Moth where he works in local NYC High Schools teaching young people the art of storytelling. An artist by heart and education, Eric has a passion for narratives and looks forward to combining his background as an artist, educator, and public servant to build a more equitable city for everyone.
During his time as an undergraduate student at NYU Eric was deeply involved in fostering student success and belonging through NYU Welcome Programs which was the primary orientation and events programming body for students across the university. This experience allowed him to contribute to building spaces for students from underrepresented backgrounds and demonstrated the importance of diversity in higher education and leadership.
In his off-time, Eric enjoys jogging around the city, making music on Ableton, and doing environmental photography. He's currently learning Portuguese and his favorite animal is the capybara.
Previous Education: B.F.A. in Collaborative Arts from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts
Eric Carrera (He/Him) is an M.A. student in the Sociology and Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University. Born and raised in New York, Eric grew up seeing how one's zip code could determine so much of their educational outcomes, and so he's committed to finding ways to make sure that our schools are better able to support students from all backgrounds. Furthermore, as a product of New York City public schools, he's seen how life-changing education can be for immigrant and low-income communities and how important it is to fight for education equity.
Currently, Eric is the Community Affairs Fellow at the Office of Councilmember Shekar Krishnan (Elmhurst - Jackson Heights) where he works on the Constituent Services team helping neighbors navigate complex social services, organize events, as well as conduct outreach to better understand some of the issues facing this district. His experiences working in the most diverse neighborhoods on the planet have helped him show how people from different backgrounds can actively uplift and stand in solidarity with each other. Additionally, he is an educator at the Moth where he works in local NYC High Schools teaching young people the art of storytelling. An artist by heart and education, Eric has a passion for narratives and looks forward to combining his background as an artist, educator, and public servant to build a more equitable city for everyone.
During his time as an undergraduate student at NYU Eric was deeply involved in fostering student success and belonging through NYU Welcome Programs which was the primary orientation and events programming body for students across the university. This experience allowed him to contribute to building spaces for students from underrepresented backgrounds and demonstrated the importance of diversity in higher education and leadership.
In his off-time, Eric enjoys jogging around the city, making music on Ableton, and doing environmental photography. He's currently learning Portuguese and his favorite animal is the capybara.
Previous Education: B.F.A. in Collaborative Arts from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts
Emily Chow is an M.A. student in the Sociology and Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University. Emily was born and raised in Taiwan but has also lived in California and Boston. During college, Emily was a Learning Assistant for an introductory gender studies course. Through this position, she developed a passion for education and began to take interest in gender/LGBTQIA+ inclusive education. After college, she worked at an educational organization that partners with public schools in Taiwan, providing teachers with leadership and character education resources. During her time at the organization, she worked closely with various schools around Taiwan, met and talked with different students, teachers and school administrators. From these experiences, she saw the importance of equal access to non-academic educational resources in supporting teachers’ teaching and creating a safe and inclusive learning environment. Therefore, through the Sociology and Education program, she hopes to utilize social analysis to explore the factors that contribute to educational resource inequality, and to figure out strategies to ensure equitable access to resources for all schools. Currently, Emily serves as the Residential Senator on the Teachers College Student Senate and is serving on the Student Experience and Grounds/Resources Committees. She is excited to continue her academic journey and to learn from the amazing faculty and peers at TC.
Previous education:
B.A. in International Relations with a minor in Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies from Boston University
Emily Chow is an M.A. student in the Sociology and Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University. Emily was born and raised in Taiwan but has also lived in California and Boston. During college, Emily was a Learning Assistant for an introductory gender studies course. Through this position, she developed a passion for education and began to take interest in gender/LGBTQIA+ inclusive education. After college, she worked at an educational organization that partners with public schools in Taiwan, providing teachers with leadership and character education resources. During her time at the organization, she worked closely with various schools around Taiwan, met and talked with different students, teachers and school administrators. From these experiences, she saw the importance of equal access to non-academic educational resources in supporting teachers’ teaching and creating a safe and inclusive learning environment. Therefore, through the Sociology and Education program, she hopes to utilize social analysis to explore the factors that contribute to educational resource inequality, and to figure out strategies to ensure equitable access to resources for all schools. Currently, Emily serves as the Residential Senator on the Teachers College Student Senate and is serving on the Student Experience and Grounds/Resources Committees. She is excited to continue her academic journey and to learn from the amazing faculty and peers at TC.
Previous education:
B.A. in International Relations with a minor in Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies from Boston University
I am pursuing my M.A. degree in Sociology and Education in the Department of Ed. Policy and Social Analysis. As an educator and immigrant, I have come to realize that passion and perseverance is my driving force in pursuing this degree. Both my sister and I were merely toddlers when my mother made the decision to leave the Dominican Republic and come to the States for a better life and opportunities. That propelled my love to keep on learning and not take the life that I was offered here for granted.
Education became the love that I was hungry to pursue and during my undergraduate time at Saint Peter’s University I came to a decision that teaching was where I needed to be. Teaching offered me a place where I can gradually see the seeds that I plant at the beginning of the school year grow and thrive towards the end. That has been my most rewarding experience. I currently teach 6th grade Humanities in an independent school in Jersey City. Though this role has given me an opportunity to learn and grow as an educator I have also seen the inequities that are built around a system that is supposed to motivate and love. I began questioning my role not only as a teacher, but someone who needed to speak up and challenge this system that places BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ people as an afterthought. I found myself researching and T.C. was the first place that answered my questions and allowed me to feel connected.
With this degree, I want to work outside of the classroom and be part of a system that includes opportunities for BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ students within schools where their values and lives are appreciated and loved. My goal once I receive this degree is to work in an educational non profit organization or education reform to further understand why these things are happening. That will provide me with the tools and knowledge to help and guide schools, educators, principals, and everyone involved in that community to provide students with the necessary opportunities that rightfully fits their needs.
I am pursuing my M.A. degree in Sociology and Education in the Department of Ed. Policy and Social Analysis. As an educator and immigrant, I have come to realize that passion and perseverance is my driving force in pursuing this degree. Both my sister and I were merely toddlers when my mother made the decision to leave the Dominican Republic and come to the States for a better life and opportunities. That propelled my love to keep on learning and not take the life that I was offered here for granted.
Education became the love that I was hungry to pursue and during my undergraduate time at Saint Peter’s University I came to a decision that teaching was where I needed to be. Teaching offered me a place where I can gradually see the seeds that I plant at the beginning of the school year grow and thrive towards the end. That has been my most rewarding experience. I currently teach 6th grade Humanities in an independent school in Jersey City. Though this role has given me an opportunity to learn and grow as an educator I have also seen the inequities that are built around a system that is supposed to motivate and love. I began questioning my role not only as a teacher, but someone who needed to speak up and challenge this system that places BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ people as an afterthought. I found myself researching and T.C. was the first place that answered my questions and allowed me to feel connected.
With this degree, I want to work outside of the classroom and be part of a system that includes opportunities for BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ students within schools where their values and lives are appreciated and loved. My goal once I receive this degree is to work in an educational non profit organization or education reform to further understand why these things are happening. That will provide me with the tools and knowledge to help and guide schools, educators, principals, and everyone involved in that community to provide students with the necessary opportunities that rightfully fits their needs.
Ruohan Li is an M.A. candidate in the Sociology and Education Program at Teachers College, Columbia University. She received her B.A. degree in Sociology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. During her high school and college years, Ruohan led a team of volunteers in the organization she founded in high school to help children from Bairin Left Banner, Inner Mongolia continue schooling. There, she witnessed firsthand how learning disabilities, poverty, and gender stereotypes denied access to schooling for girls in the village. During her college years, Ruohan also participated in research projects at Peking University and Beijing Institute of Technology. Before coming to TC, Ruohan had a couple of internship experiences. She worked as a curriculum design assistant at Westminster School in the UK and several international schools in China. These experiences helped her to develop academic interest in social inequality, gender inequality, and education policy. She hopes to gain more knowledge about educational inequality and education policy through her study at TC. After graduation, she aspires to become a researcher at a non-profit organization specialized in children with learning disabilities and from disadvantaged communities to help them get better educational opportunities.
Ruohan Li is an M.A. candidate in the Sociology and Education Program at Teachers College, Columbia University. She received her B.A. degree in Sociology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. During her high school and college years, Ruohan led a team of volunteers in the organization she founded in high school to help children from Bairin Left Banner, Inner Mongolia continue schooling. There, she witnessed firsthand how learning disabilities, poverty, and gender stereotypes denied access to schooling for girls in the village. During her college years, Ruohan also participated in research projects at Peking University and Beijing Institute of Technology. Before coming to TC, Ruohan had a couple of internship experiences. She worked as a curriculum design assistant at Westminster School in the UK and several international schools in China. These experiences helped her to develop academic interest in social inequality, gender inequality, and education policy. She hopes to gain more knowledge about educational inequality and education policy through her study at TC. After graduation, she aspires to become a researcher at a non-profit organization specialized in children with learning disabilities and from disadvantaged communities to help them get better educational opportunities.
Nicole (Nic) Mora is an M.A. student in the Sociology and Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University. She recently graduated from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with her BA in Human Development & Family Science and a double minor in LatinX Studies and Sexuality Studies.
During her undergraduate career Nic worked alongside Dr. Dorothy Espelage on several projects aiming to make schools a safer and more equal space for all students. Nic assisted on projects focusing on bullying and sexual violence prevention.
As a queer, first-generation student, Nic is very passionate about access to education for minority and LGBTQ+ students. She hopes to evaluate schools as organizations and the role student-teacher engagement plays in students’ identity formation and belonging. Nic is also interested in school-based social-emotional learning and education policy.
During her free time Nic loves to be active, hangout with her cat Finn, explore the music and art scenes in New York City, and eat traditional Colombian cuisine.
Nicole (Nic) Mora is an M.A. student in the Sociology and Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University. She recently graduated from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with her BA in Human Development & Family Science and a double minor in LatinX Studies and Sexuality Studies.
During her undergraduate career Nic worked alongside Dr. Dorothy Espelage on several projects aiming to make schools a safer and more equal space for all students. Nic assisted on projects focusing on bullying and sexual violence prevention.
As a queer, first-generation student, Nic is very passionate about access to education for minority and LGBTQ+ students. She hopes to evaluate schools as organizations and the role student-teacher engagement plays in students’ identity formation and belonging. Nic is also interested in school-based social-emotional learning and education policy.
During her free time Nic loves to be active, hangout with her cat Finn, explore the music and art scenes in New York City, and eat traditional Colombian cuisine.
Satoria Ray is an M.A. candidate in the Sociology and Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University. Prior to attending Teachers College, Satoria taught 8th grade social studies in Dallas, Texas. Her teaching experience actualized educational inequity and put faces and lived realities to the statistics she was only abstractly familiar with before entering the classroom. This experience and the desire to reimagine the public school system for her students, and students around the country like them, drew her to TC.
Satoria is currently the LEE Public Policy Fellow at The Education Trust–New York where she conducts data analysis of educational issues spanning from early childhood to higher education in an effort to advance educational equity at regional and statewide levels. She is also an Arthur Zankel Fellow and works with the Youth Historians in Harlem project where she empowers youth to approach history through a critical lens and through their own cultural experiences.
Satoria’s previous research and publications focus on the experiences of Black youth. She has penned OpEds on the adultification of Black children and the harmfulness of exclusionary discipline policies. Satoria is interested in the intersection of K-12 schooling and the criminal justice system, the experiences of Black girls in schools, and culturally relevant and sustaining pedagogy.
A native of Greensboro, North Carolina, Satoria holds a Bachelor’s degree in communication studies and Hispanic studies from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. When she isn’t buried in academic texts or crunching numbers, Satoria loves reading, traveling, and going to museums.
Satoria Ray is an M.A. candidate in the Sociology and Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University. Prior to attending Teachers College, Satoria taught 8th grade social studies in Dallas, Texas. Her teaching experience actualized educational inequity and put faces and lived realities to the statistics she was only abstractly familiar with before entering the classroom. This experience and the desire to reimagine the public school system for her students, and students around the country like them, drew her to TC.
Satoria is currently the LEE Public Policy Fellow at The Education Trust–New York where she conducts data analysis of educational issues spanning from early childhood to higher education in an effort to advance educational equity at regional and statewide levels. She is also an Arthur Zankel Fellow and works with the Youth Historians in Harlem project where she empowers youth to approach history through a critical lens and through their own cultural experiences.
Satoria’s previous research and publications focus on the experiences of Black youth. She has penned OpEds on the adultification of Black children and the harmfulness of exclusionary discipline policies. Satoria is interested in the intersection of K-12 schooling and the criminal justice system, the experiences of Black girls in schools, and culturally relevant and sustaining pedagogy.
A native of Greensboro, North Carolina, Satoria holds a Bachelor’s degree in communication studies and Hispanic studies from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. When she isn’t buried in academic texts or crunching numbers, Satoria loves reading, traveling, and going to museums.
Diana Tiburcio (they/them) is an M.A candidate in the Sociology and Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University. As a critical race scholar and abolitionist, their current research interests in education examine the neoliberal structures and policies that undervalue the cultural assets of BIPOC students in school.
Their undergraduate thesis, "Challenging College Readiness at Passaic High School (PHS)," explored PHS alumni counter-narratives to their alma mater’s college-oriented curriculum. Diana’s findings demonstrated how first-generation, low-income students’ socioeconomic status, aspirations, and familial values shape their response and/or resistance to PHS’ lack of contextualized college access interventions.
Today, Diana is the co-founder and COO of LOGRO, an aspiring non-profit organization that supports the holistic development of Passaic City youth by drawing upon the cultural wealth and resistance of BIPOC communities. LOGRO’s focuses include youth empowerment programming, community-building initiatives, and social advocacy.
Previous Education:
B.A in Sociology and Education Studies from Amherst College
Diana Tiburcio (they/them) is an M.A candidate in the Sociology and Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University. As a critical race scholar and abolitionist, their current research interests in education examine the neoliberal structures and policies that undervalue the cultural assets of BIPOC students in school.
Their undergraduate thesis, "Challenging College Readiness at Passaic High School (PHS)," explored PHS alumni counter-narratives to their alma mater’s college-oriented curriculum. Diana’s findings demonstrated how first-generation, low-income students’ socioeconomic status, aspirations, and familial values shape their response and/or resistance to PHS’ lack of contextualized college access interventions.
Today, Diana is the co-founder and COO of LOGRO, an aspiring non-profit organization that supports the holistic development of Passaic City youth by drawing upon the cultural wealth and resistance of BIPOC communities. LOGRO’s focuses include youth empowerment programming, community-building initiatives, and social advocacy.
Previous Education:
B.A in Sociology and Education Studies from Amherst College