Student News

Meet Collette Heskett, a mountain biker, bug watcher and passionate advocate for neurodivergent learners

Tyler Caldwell — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 20:58:24 +0000

Meet Collette Heskett, a mountain biker, bug watcher and passionate advocate for neurodivergent learners Tyler Caldwell Mon, 04/27/2026 - 14:58

Cherishing her own neurodivergent identity, Heskett believes that 91��ý’s commitment to fostering curiosity and community played a significant role in her school choice.

“[91��ý] also gave me the chance to build a community of incredible peers and professors who push me to think bigger,” Heskett said.

Originally from England, Heskett has spent over half her life falling in love with the many outdoor adventures that Colorado has to offer, eventually finding herself building upon her academic interests during her undergraduate studies in 91��ý’s Environmental Biology and Education programs.

During her graduate studies in the School of Education’s Learning Sciences & Human Development program, Heskett was able to refine her interests and academic passion into a focus on neurodivergent representation in education and AI literacy, “areas I believe are increasingly inseparable as technology shapes how we teach and learn,” Heskett said.

Heskett’s capstone project is a testament to this passion, a project that Professor Bill Penuel was enthusiastic about when he nominated Heskett for this year’s Outstanding Capstone Award.

Using innovative strategies and an intervention method originally developed here at 91��ý, Heskett's capstone study focused on inclusivity of neurodivergent learners and showed that students in her treatment groups were more likely to pay attention to each other in collaborative activities.

“These innovations, moreover, are likely to be integrated fully into future curriculum materials in our Institute for Student AI-Teaming’s work to cultivate AI literacy,” Penuel said.

While Heskett’s parents may see her academic achievement as the lifelong fruition of the curiosity and determination of their little backyard bug watcher, Heskett herself feels that it marks a commitment to the work she cares most about, “ensuring that neurodivergent students see themselves represented in the classroom and that educators are equipped to meet them there.”

After graduation, Heskett will begin a doctoral program in Educational Theory and Practice - Curriculum and Pedagogy at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia.

In her own words

Please tell us a bit about yourself

I am originally from England but have lived in Colorado for over half my life. My parents love to remind me that I was born to be in science education as I would often play "teacher" with my toys or watch bugs in their habitat for hours. Coming to 91��ý as an undergraduate in EBIO and Education played on these interests and led me to the Learning Sciences and Human Development MA program, where I was able to deepen my understanding of what it means to support all learners in the classroom. This passion grew into a focus on neurodivergent representation in education and AI literacy, areas I believe are increasingly inseparable as technology shapes how we teach and learn. I chose CU for both my undergraduate and graduate careers because this school not only fosters academic curiosity but also gave me the chance to build a community of incredible peers and professors who push me to think bigger.

What is one of the most significant lessons from your time at 91��ý that you’ll carry with you into the next chapter of your life?

Hard work means nothing without balance. One of the most valuable things my advisor taught me is that stepping away from your work isn't a setback, it's part of the process. Giving your mind space to rest and wander is what allows you to come back sharper and more creative. For me, that usually looks like mountain biking, hiking, swimming, or camping with friends in the mountains I've been lucky enough to call my backyard. Besides, it's hard to overthink your thesis when you're flying down a mountain trail and your brain has exactly one job: don't crash.

What does graduating from 91��ý represent for you or your family/community?

Graduating from 91��ý represents the beginning of something, not just the end. For my parents, who watched their "neurospicy" kid fall in love with adventures in Colorado, this degree is a reminder that curiosity and determination can take you far. For me personally, it marks a commitment to the work I care most about: ensuring that neurodivergent students see themselves represented in the classroom and that educators are equipped to meet them there. I will always carry CU with me, not just as a credential, but as the place where incredible advisors and peers helped me find the shape of my ambitions.

What is your best piece of advice for incoming students?

Ask questions and stay curious! My professors in undergrad used to say that as teachers, we need to support our students in being "little scientists", but we also need to remember to embrace that mindset in our own lives. Whether you're talking to a professor, a peer, or someone you just met, asking genuine questions can open doors you never knew existed. Some of my most unexpected opportunities came simply from being curious and willing to start a conversation.

What are your next steps after graduation?

I will be pursuing a PhD at Simon Fraser University in the program: Educational Theory and Practice - Curriculum and Pedagogy.

Collette Heskett’s parents always lovingly remind her that she was born to be in science education. From a young age, Heskett spent most of her time playing “teacher” with her toys or observing bugs in their habitats for hours. Many years later, Heskett is now the 2026 91��ý School of Education's Outstanding Capstone graduate.

Traditional

White

Meet Lex Hunter, a rising scholar whose work is rooted in care, connection and community healing

Hannah Fletcher — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 22:04:04 +0000

Meet Lex Hunter, a rising scholar whose work is rooted in care, connection and community healing Hannah Fletcher Fri, 04/24/2026 - 16:04

Alexis “Lex” Hunter’s advisors put it simply: the field needs more scholars like her.

“Lex is positioning herself to be both a leading theorist and practitioner of community-engaged research,” said her advisors, Ben Kirshner, professor of learning sciences and human development, and Terrenda White, associate professor of educational foundations, policy and practice, who nominated her for the School of Education’s Outstanding Graduate in Community Engagement Award.

“Our field needs more scholars like Lex, who combine radical imagination, communal care and analytic rigor.”

Hunter arrived at 91��ý at age 21, bringing with her lived experiences and learning shaped by family, community and the everyday spaces where wisdom is shared. She is a researcher who not only practices the core values of community engagement—reciprocity and respect for local knowledge—but she is someone who is pushing the boundaries of what community engagement can be. She was a key contributor to two major participatory action research projects, Voices of Healing and Building a Legacy in Engineering, and both reflect her commitments to collaborating with youth and social justice youth organizations to “understand the ways young people in racially marginalized communities interpret and resist injustice, build community and heal from intergenerational trauma through activism and culturally sustaining practices.”...

“I came to CU for my doctoral studies with the desire to study the intersections of youth activism, mental health, and healing with communities of color,” she said. “It has been a blessing to be in Colorado, where the community carries a long and continued legacy of loving, justice-centered, powerful and potent community organizing work…”

Hunter’s dissertation work, which focused on a project co‑designed with Black and Latina femme youth to surface ancestral archives, demonstrates her gift for creating spaces rooted in trust, shared decision‑making and cultural grounding. Her trust in youth is demonstrated in the ways she has centered youth as co‑researchers in academic spaces, for example co‑authoring published work and co‑presenting at several national conferences with youth partners.

For Hunter, her work is inseparable from the relationships that shaped her research.

“I continue to find that the most tender and precious moments—both personally and professionally—happen through connection,” she said. “Whether it was through collaborative projects with youth, grabbing food with friends or being in conversation with mentors, these cherished relationships remind me that shared presence and witnessing are precious.”

Hunter hopes students who follow will stay present to their experiences and seek community to allow themselves to “feel deeply, question boldly.”

After graduation, Hunter will join the University of Cincinnati as an Assistant Professor of Human Development and Community Engagement, to continue working alongside historically marginalized communities and engaging in organizing and social change.

Her mentors consider her a remarkable scholar and person poised to help redefine what ethical, community‑engaged research can be.

In her own words

Please tell us a bit about yourself.

My journey as a learner, educator, and researcher began long before I ever entered graduate school. It began with my family and in community spaces - at the kitchen table, at the park, in my auntie's garden. I came to CU for my doctoral studies at 21 years old with the desire to study the intersections of youth activism, mental health, and healing with communities of color. It has been a blessing to be in Colorado, where the community carries a long and continued legacy of loving, justice-centered, powerful, and potent community organizing work.

What is one of the most significant lessons from your time at 91��ý that you’ll carry with you into the next chapter?

One of the most important reminders for me throughout my time at 91��ý is the importance of slowing down and truly spending time in community. I continue to find that the most tender and precious moments -- both personally and professionally -- happen through connection. Whether it was through collaborative projects with youth, grabbing food with friends or being in conversation with mentors, these cherished relationships remind me that shared presence and witnessing are precious.

What does graduating from 91��ý represent for you and/or your community?

Graduating represents something so much larger than me. It reflects the sacrifices and persistence of the people and communities who continue to carry me. I know my family is proud of me and how I honor our lineage through my work as I sit with deep, unresolved grief, given the atrocities of antiblackness, and work to transform that pain into practices of healing and solidarity alongside community. This moment is not mine alone, as it is part of a continuum of struggle and possibility.

What is your best piece of advice for incoming students?

Stay present to the work and to the world you carry within you. Do not separate your experiences as they are the foundation of your insight, your creativity, and your impact. Allow yourself to feel deeply, to question boldly, and to sit with what is unresolved. Seek community intentionally, and lean into relationships that lovingly challenge, support, and sustain you.

What are your next steps after graduation?

After graduation, I will begin my journey as an Assistant Professor of Human Development and Community Engagement at the University of Cincinnati. I move into this next chapter with a desire to continue building with Black youth and marginalized communities who are engaged in organizing work.

Alexis “Lex” Hunter’s advisors put it simply: the field needs more scholars like her. “Lex is positioning herself to be both a leading theorist and practitioner of community-engaged research,” said her advisors, who nominated her for the School of Education’s Outstanding Graduate in Community Engagement Award.

Off

Traditional

White

Meet Esperanza Zárate, a passionate bilingual educator and the 2026 School of Education Outstanding Graduate

Ichigo Takikawa — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 17:53:55 +0000

Meet Esperanza Zárate, a passionate bilingual educator and the 2026 School of Education Outstanding Graduate Ichigo Takikawa Fri, 04/24/2026 - 11:53

Esperanza Zárate always liked working with kids—from coaching summer soccer camps to volunteering at local elementary schools. Now graduating with her elementary education degree, she is ready to continue this passion through her own classroom.

Zárate, who received the School of Education Outstanding Contributions to Leadership in Education award and Outstanding Overall Undergraduate award, attributes her success at 91��ý to finding her community through friends and family.

“Being one of the eight people of color in my program, it felt isolating at times,” said Zárate. “The impact that being around people who genuinely want to see you succeed and want to support you is amazing.”

For Zárate, a critical lesson she learned was the importance of advocating for herself and her community.

As an undergraduate, Zárate launched 91��ý’s new chapter of the Bilingual Education Student Organization (BESO), a national organization with chapters across the country. While students in the elementary education program learn about bilingual education in their coursework and earn an endorsement in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education, she noticed the need for a space where future teachers could connect and reflect together.

Students in BESO are committed to advancing bilingual education, supporting emergent bilingual students and connecting with the local community through events. For the last two years, the BESO group has participated in the Dia del Niño community event hosted by the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art. Last year, they helped kids construct their own alebrijes and shared where the tradition comes from. This year, helped kids visually portray their own identities as constellations.

“[Esperanza] embraces a holistic view of bilingualism, recognizing students’ diverse language repertoires and lived experiences as assets in the classroom,” said Katie Leigh, director of elementary education and one of her award nominators.

“In her work with emergent bilingual students and their families, she models this asset-based stance by affirming students’ identities and nurturing their potential in ways that reflect the same vision she advances through her leadership of BESO.”

After graduation, Zárate will bring her knowledge and passion to a dual language school in Edgewater, Colorado as a sixth grade teacher and teach the Spanish component classroom.

In her own words

1) Please tell us a bit about yourself:

I am from Lakewood, Colorado. I am very family-oriented, so being close to home influenced part of my decision to go to 91��ý. I have worked with kids for a long time: I was part of a club in high school where we would visit our nearby elementary school and build relationships with young students and I coach soccer camps every summer for third to fifth graders. Children are the most interesting, intelligent, curious and caring people—working with them is so rewarding.

2) What is one of the most significant lessons from your time at 91��ý that you’ll carry with you into the next chapter of your life?

The importance of advocating for myself and my community.

3) What does graduating from 91��ý represent for you or your family/community?

Being one of the eight people of color in my program, it felt isolating at times. But finding support in my community through friends and family is what got me to this point. I am proud of everything that I have accomplished, and I know I have made my family proud too.

4) What is your best piece of advice for incoming students?

Find your community! The impact that being around people who genuinely want to see you succeed and want to support you is amazing!

5) What are your next steps after graduation?

I will be working at a dual language school (Edgewater Elementary) as a sixth grade teacher and teach the Spanish component classroom.

Off

Traditional

White

Meet Alyssa Shappee, a future high school science teacher ready to step into the unknown

Isabella Del Barco — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 18:58:34 +0000

Meet Alyssa Shappee, a future high school science teacher ready to step into the unknown Isabella Del Barco Wed, 04/22/2026 - 12:58

Isabella Del Barco

“I was drawn to the School of Education because of its emphasis on equity, hands-on learning and preparing teachers to build meaningful relationships with their students,” said Shappee, the 2026 School of Education Outstanding Contribution to Teaching award recipient.

“Through classroom observations, lesson planning artifacts and mentor feedback, Shappee has demonstrated a strong commitment to equity- and justice- seeking science teaching, reflective practice and engaging students in scientific practices to figure out scientific ideas," said Will Lindsay, associate teaching professor and Shappee's award nominator.

She is now more than ready to begin her teaching career, and carry those experiences with her in her future classroom.

“Alyssa is an exceptional preservice science teacher whose instruction consistently engages students in meaningful scientific sense-making,” said Lindsay.

Shappee found that success isn't about having a perfect plan, but rather it is about showing up, taking chances and learning to trust in yourself.

“It’s okay to not have everything figured out, and sometimes the best growth happens when you step into the unknown,” Shappee said.

“There were times where I felt uncertain or out of place, but leaning into those moments, being curious, and trying anyway often led to the experience that mattered most.”

She hopes to carry those lessons of curiosity, resilience and embracing uncertainty as she begins teaching high school science in the fall. She is also excited to begin coaching a high school dance team.

In her own words

Please tell us a bit about yourself

I grew up in Colorado, so I was fortunate enough to know the reputation CU has for a strong sense of community, and how beautiful the campus is. I came into college knowing I was passionate about science, but it was through my experiences at CU that I realized I wanted to pursue education. I was really drawn to the School of Education because of its emphasis on equity, hands-on learning, and preparing teachers to build meaningful relationships with their students, values that have shaped the kind of educator I hope to be.

What is one of the most significant lessons from your time at 91��ý that you’ll carry with you into the next chapter of your life?

One of the most significant lessons I’ll carry with me from my time at 91��ý is that it’s okay to not have everything figured out, and sometimes the best growth happens when you step into the unknown. There were times where I felt uncertain or out of place, but leaning into those moments, being curious, and trying anyway often led to the experiences that mattered most. 91��ý taught me that success isn’t just about having a perfect plan; it’s about showing up, taking chances, and learning to trust yourself along the way. Those lessons about resilience, curiosity, and embracing uncertainty, are the ones I’ll carry with me into whatever comes next.

What does graduating from 91��ý represent for you or your family/community?

To me, graduating from 91��ý represents stepping into a new chapter with confidence and purpose. My time here challenged me in ways I didn’t always expect and helped me grow into someone ready to make an impact in my classroom and community.

This moment is just as much my family’s as it is mine, because their love, encouragement, and sacrifices made this journey possible, and graduating feels like a celebration of all we’ve accomplished!

What is your best piece of advice for incoming students?

Be open to new opportunities! Try new things, talk to new people, join that random club, go to that event, even if it’s a little scary. Some of the best experiences, the ones that stick with you and teach you who you really are, come from the moments you didn’t expect at all. Never underestimate the power of simply being willing to try!

What are your next steps after graduation?

After graduation, I am excited to begin my career teaching high school science in the fall. Beyond the classroom, I will also be coaching a high school dance team! I can’t wait to connect with my students and create a classroom where they feel supported and challenged. I’m also looking forward to contributing to the school community and continuing to learn as an educator and from my colleagues.

Alyssa Shappee came into college with one big thing in mind: that she was passionate about science. However, it was through the many experiences that she went through at 91��ý where she realized that she wanted to pursue education. “I was drawn to the School of Education because of its emphasis on equity, hands-on learning and preparing teachers to build meaningful relationships with their students,” said Shappee, the 2026 School of Education Outstanding Contribution to Teaching award recipient.

Off

Traditional

White

Meet Jinjae Han, a future teacher who brings authenticity, vulnerability, an asset-based mindset and joy to her communities

Isabella Del Barco — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 18:36:11 +0000

Meet Jinjae Han, a future teacher who brings authenticity, vulnerability, an asset-based mindset and joy to her communities Isabella Del Barco Wed, 04/22/2026 - 12:36

Isabella Del Barco

Growing up in Aurora, Colorado, Jinjae Han had originally decided on 91��ý because she wanted to stay close to my family. Now, Han is grateful to have picked Boulder.

As a senior in high school, Han wasn't sure on what she wanted to do. At CU, she ended up switching majors into Middle and High School Teaching. After a conversation with her mother, she was reminded of her career of choice as a kid: wanting to be a teacher.

Han, the 2026 Outstanding Contribution to Community Engagement award recipient, is now student teaching. At her school, she quickly built strong relationships with her students and has numerous opportunities to learn.

“She recognized the importance of seeing students as whole humans with lives and communities outside of the school, which meant paying attention to and being aware of how ICE raids were directly and indirectly impacting her students’ lives,” said Ashley Cartun, director of secondary humanities, associate teaching professor and award nominator for Han.

“She also embodies commitments to justice and equity in her approaches to curriculum and pedagogy. For example, she designed a unit for her students that was explicitly designed to incorporate primary sources of African Americans to question dominant narratives about Reconstruction in the United States. Those who are lucky enough to enter Jinjae’s orbit get to experience the authenticity, vulnerability, asset-based mindset and joy she brings to her communities. ”

Han enjoys growing interdisciplinary connections and during her time at CU, she regularly attended extracurricular ethnic studies events on campus and engaged with communities outside of CU to grow and learn.

Currently for her Practitioner Inquiry Project project, Han is investigating how cultivating peer-to-peer relationships contributes to a caring and democratic classroom community. She hopes she can find a teaching job either in a middle or high school.

Han's advice for students and fellow future teachers? “Don't let perfectionism keep you from enjoying the experience of learning.”

In her own words

Please tell us a bit about yourself

I am from Aurora, CO and I decided on 91��ý because I wanted to stay close to my family. However, I am so grateful to have picked CU. Initially, as a senior in high school I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, and eventually I switched from the major I applied for and decided to pursue teaching. When I talked to my mom about it she told me that when I was little I used to say I wanted to be a teacher.

What is one of the most significant lessons from your time at 91��ý that you’ll carry with you into the next chapter of your life?

In some ways, 91��ý has taught me more about other people than it has about any sort of curriculum. I am so grateful for having met so many lovely people here. I am also grateful to have learned how to better interact with and be a safe person for students. College gives opportunities for so many different kinds of human connection, and my time at CU has really shown me what to prioritize.

What does graduating from 91��ý represent for you or your family/community?

Honestly my mom deserves this degree almost more than me. I could have never done this without her unwavering support and reassurances. I love her so much and am grateful for her. Additionally, I am Asian American and can say that I have only ever had one teacher that looked like me. In my experiences at CU this has been reinforced by the fact that I am one of a handful of students of color in the program.

What is your best piece of advice for incoming students?

Don't let perfectionism keep you from enjoying the experience of learning.

What are your next steps after graduation?

I would really love a teaching job somewhere, either in middle or high school.

Growing up in Aurora, Colorado, Jinjae Han had originally decided on 91��ý because she wanted to stay close to my family. Now, Han is grateful to have picked Boulder. Han is the 2026 Outstanding Contribution to Community Engagement award recipient.

Off

Traditional

White

Your 91��ý Guide to AERA 2026

Ichigo Takikawa — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 18:37:56 +0000

Your 91��ý Guide to AERA 2026 Ichigo Takikawa Tue, 03/31/2026 - 12:37

Each year, the American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting represents the world's largest gathering of education researchers and is a showcase for groundbreaking, innovative research.

AERA Colorado Reception

Attending this year's AERA? Join Colorado colleges and schools of education for the AERA Colorado Reception in Los Angeles.

Friday, April 10, 7:15-9:15 p.m.

Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites Floor 3, Emerald Bay Room

Enjoy food, drink and good company. Please register to join.

The 2026 AERA Annual Meeting will take place in Los Angeles from April 8 to 12. The theme for this year’s meeting is "Unforgetting Histories and Imagining Futures: Constructing a New Vision for Education Research."

Our faculty, students and alumni will be busy presenting, learning and exchanging ideas. Use this guide to follow and support 91��ý researchers and their work. This year, we have current 91��ý faculty and students featured in over 50 sessions!

See the full 91��ý AERA guide

Each year, the American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting represents the world's largest gathering of education researchers and is a showcase for groundbreaking, innovative research. The 2026 AERA Annual Meeting will take place in Los Angeles from April 8 to 12. Read the 91��ý's guide to AERA to see our faculty and graduate students participating in this year's conference.

Off

Traditional

White

Different Classrooms, Shared Leadership: How 91��ý’s Teacher Leadership Program Empowers Educators Across Colorado

Hannah Fletcher — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 01:59:52 +0000

Different Classrooms, Shared Leadership: How 91��ý’s Teacher Leadership Program Empowers Educators Across Colorado Hannah Fletcher Wed, 12/03/2025 - 18:59

Teacher leadership doesn’t look the same in every classroom or every community. Learn about how two educators—one from a rural district and another working in a Denver metro suburban district—connecting through the Online Teacher Leadership program and how the program is helping them discover new confidence and clarity in their leadership roles.

Off

Traditional

White

Two 91��ý education scholars earn prestigious National Academy of Education/Spencer dissertation fellowships

Hannah Fletcher — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 15:21:51 +0000

Two 91��ý education scholars earn prestigious National Academy of Education/Spencer dissertation fellowships Hannah Fletcher Mon, 08/25/2025 - 09:21

Earlier this year, the National Academy of Education (NAEd) announced two University of Colorado Boulder doctoral candidates, Jackquelin “Jackie” Bristol and Alexis “Lex” Hunter, have been named recipients of the 2025 NAEd/Spencer Dissertation Fellowship, one of the nation’s most prestigious honors for emerging education scholars.

The fellowship recognizes exceptional doctoral research and provides funding and professional development to early-career scholars whose projects address critical issues in the history, theory and practice of education nationally and globally.

Bristol and Hunter were selected as two of just 35 dissertation fellows chosen by leading education researchers from an extremely competitive pool of over 400 scholars.

Bristol’s dissertation, “Teacher Housing Initiatives: An Embedded Case Study of Race, Place and the School-Housing Nexus,” explores how teachers access to affordable housing intersects with race, space and public education. Through mixed-methods research, including national surveys, interviews and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping, she examines how the increasing precarity of housing experienced by teachers connects to their professional behaviors, struggles, views of work and subsequent accounts and descriptions of their teaching and its impact on their students—many whose families also face housing precarity.

Hunter’s dissertation, “We Have Everything We Need: Ancestral Healing Informing Pathways to Collective Liberation in the Lives of Youth of Color,” investigates how Black/African, Latine and Indigenous youth in community organizing spaces view healing as intimately connected to social justice. Drawing on Black/African extra-colonial traditions and healing justice frameworks, her work challenges Eurocentric models of mental health and offers insights for educators on supporting student well-being through culturally grounded, justice-oriented practices.

Both scholars are doctoral candidates in the 91��ý School of Education’s Educational Foundations, Policy and Practice program. Hunter is also pursuing a dual focus in Learning Sciences and Human Development program.

With the support of the NAEd/Spencer Dissertation Fellowship, both Bristol and Hunter will have expanded opportunities to complete and share their impactful research, which is already contributing to more equitable and justice-centered approaches to education.

Bristol brings a sociological and critical geographic lens to her work, grounded in personal experiences with housing instability.

This support often contributes to life-altering opportunities for the fellows. At this critical time when we must continue to support educational research that expands our understanding of pressing challenges in society, these fellows and their work represent hope and a new future of creative and impactful scholarship.”

“Teacher Housing Initiatives are increasing across the country without a thorough examination of their efficacy—or their potential to unintentionally exacerbate the very issues they aim to address,” Bristol said. “With the Spencer Foundation's support, I am able to pursue in-depth, nuanced analysis of teacher housing initiatives: exploring when, where, why and how they may serve as meaningful interventions, and conversely, how they may reinforce existing inequalities.

“This work also contributes to a broader understanding of the evolving role school districts are being asked to play in addressing challenges that extend well beyond the traditional scope of public education."

Hunter's research is informed by cultural memory, storytelling and her identity as a triplet.

“For me this fellowship expands my capacity to continue organizing while carrying out my three-article dissertation in community,” Hunter said. “This research is honoring how our lineages understand healing and collective liberation as a life practice, so receiving this fellowship is an aligned and sacred responsibility.”

Ben Kirshner, professor of learning Sciences and human development added: “I’m thrilled that Lex has received this recognition from the Spencer Foundation and National Academy of Education. Lex’s study is innovative in the way she uses participatory methods to explore the ancestral sources of healing among youth of color. Lex brings theoretical sophistication and a deep ethic of care to her research, which promises to take our field in needed directions.”

Kirshner co-advises Hunter with Terrenda White, associate professor in the Educational Foundations, Policy and Practice program, who is also Bristol’s advisor. Both mentors are excited for what the future holds for Bristol and Hunter.

“This support often contributes to life-altering opportunities for the fellows," said White, a past NAEd/Spencer dissertation fellow herself. "At this critical time when we must continue to support educational research that expands our understanding of pressing challenges in society, these fellows and their work represent hope and a new future of creative and impactful scholarship.”

Two doctoral candidates, Jackquelin “Jackie” Bristol and Alexis “Lex” Hunter, have been selected for National Academy of Education/Spencer Dissertation Fellowships, one of the most prestigious honors for emerging education scholars. Bristol explores how teachers' access to affordable housing intersects with race, space and public education. Hunter investigates how youth of color in community organizing spaces view healing as intimately connected to social justice.

Off

Traditional

White

Going with the flow: How Marisa Mendoza-Maurer is rewriting what education is and can be

Ichigo Takikawa — Wed, 21 May 2025 20:38:00 +0000

Going with the flow: How Marisa Mendoza-Maurer is rewriting what education is and can be Ichigo Takikawa Wed, 05/21/2025 - 14:38

When Marisa Mendoza-Maurer moved from Hawai’i to Colorado to begin her PhD program, she didn’t come alone. She brought with her a husband, two young children and a decade's worth of classroom experience as a secondary English teacher. The leap across an ocean and into a rigorous doctoral program is just one of the many monumental ventures she is undertaking.

Mendoza-Maurer is now in her second year in the 91��ý School of Education's Learning Sciences and Human Development program, a space that aligns with her passions for literacy, identity and compassion.

Her work seeks to bridge metacognition—thinking about one's thinking—with self-compassion, aiming to help adolescents construct more empowering narratives about themselves.

"So many students would tell me, 'I’m not a reader or writer,' or 'I’m stupid,'" she said. "I realized that the type of narrative that youth say about themselves, particularly as they negotiate their literacy identity, really matters."

Centering Compassion in the Classroom

That realization propelled her towards research and led Mendoza-Maurer to the Renee Crown Wellness Institute, where she facilitates a course for the compassion and dignity certificate that’s part of the School of Education's Master's in Teacher Leadership program, part of 91��ý Online. There, she helps current educators learn to extend compassion not only to their students but also to themselves.

"It's really easy for educators to have negative self-talk, too," she said. "There’s this expectation to do it all and do it well. Consequently, a lot of us put guilt and judgment and self-blame on ourselves, saying that if we’re not able to grade all our papers on time, we’re failing. If we’re not attending to the students and the parents and doing our curriculum the way we planned, we’re not 'good teachers.'"

Things like meditative practices are part of the curriculum, reframing teaching as an emotional practice as much as an intellectual one.

"You can rewire your brain for compassion, it teaches you to be more mindful and aware of your thoughts," she said. "It’s about being mindful and aware enough to recognize the suffering, and then doing mindful practices to alleviate that suffering."

Mendoza-Maurer believes that at the end of the day, it’s about educators— and others—giving themselves grace. There’s a lot of pressure for both students and educators to be perfect, but she believes we are all learning.

“It’s about being comfortable with the mess and knowing how to be happy and compassionate regardless.”

Creative, Expressive Education

This ethos drives her work at The Laboratory for Ritual Arts & Pedagogy, or The RAP Lab, a creative scholarly community led by Assistant Professor Kalonji Nzinga. There, Mendoza-Maurer used the transdisciplinary research hub to explore her academic voice through oral recitation, particularly by way of spoken word poetry.

It was in that experimental space, she says, that she felt empowered in a way traditional learning environments hadn’t quite offered. She felt like she had found an avenue where she was able to have fun with theory and ideas and engage with them in a way that made sense to her.

While she acknowledges that there is certainly a place for the traditional academic journal, she also believes "there's an opportunity to make space for more creative forms of writing and publishing," she said. “I want to push forward different notions of what academic writing could look and sound like.”

From the RAP Lab, Mendoza-Maurer has found that there are others like her, critical scholars looking to be creative in their work. She recalls a member who plays the violin and facilitates community-based improv workshops to aid in music composition.

"People often say, 'It didn’t just make me think—it made me feel," she said of the lab’s community gatherings and open mic events.

She finds this particularly important, as many people will not read an academic journal, but they are more likely to listen to music or watch videos. After watching a performance, audience members have said “it's inspiring me to act on the things that I've learned,” she says, "I’m feeling it."

She believes that this is what good education should do: "It connects these ideas, and helps you want to do something to help the world."

The Power of Paddling and Persistence

Outside the classroom and research settings, Mendoza-Maurer finds renewal in another passion: outrigger canoe paddling.

It’s a sport she's practiced while living in Hawai’i, and it's deeply connected to Hawaiian culture and community.

Mendoza-Maurer turned to canoeing during a painful chapter of her life. When she was not selected for a competitive paddling race, she organized her own crossing of the Moloka’i Channel, the waterway between the islands of O'ahu and Moloka'i that is known for its mentally and physically grueling conditions for paddlers. In a one-woman canoe she paddled across 46 miles of open ocean, supported by friends and family in an escort boat.

“I just needed to prove to myself that I could do it. And I did,” she said.

Her journey from classroom teaching to PhD seminars, from ocean waters to Boulder's foothills, has been far from linear, but her passions flow and interconnect with deep intentionality. Mendoza-Maurer doesn’t just study identity development—she lives it.

"Ultimately, I want students and teachers alike to know: you are enough," she said.

When Marisa Mendoza-Maurer moved from Hawai’i to Colorado to begin her PhD, she didn’t come alone. She brought with her a husband, two young children and a decade's worth of classroom experience as a secondary English teacher. The leap, across an ocean and into a rigorous doctoral program, was nothing short of monumental.

Off

Traditional

White

Loraine Glidewell's passion for rural education runs as deep as the Arkansas River

Ichigo Takikawa — Wed, 21 May 2025 20:04:27 +0000

Loraine Glidewell's passion for rural education runs as deep as the Arkansas River Ichigo Takikawa Wed, 05/21/2025 - 14:04

Maddie Rudolph

Before stepping into the world of academia, Loraine Glidewell was waist-deep in the waters of the San Luis Valley, sometimes literally. The photo of Glidewell proudly holding a trout on the Arkansas River says it all: “The level of stoke on my face is basically the same level of stoke I feel when I get to talk about rural education!”

“I originally worked with fish,” said Glidewell. “But I accidentally became a middle school science teacher—best accident ever.”

In Monte Vista, Colorado, Glidewell taught seventh grade, everything from chemistry to dance. But more than the subjects, it was the students and the landscape that shaped her. A snapshot from a field trip to the Great Sand Dunes shows a class of seventh graders learning about science under a sky wider than any classroom ceiling.

“I believe there is magic in rural schools,” said Glidewell. “I've seen it, felt it, experienced it and loved it. I miss it every day.”

The first in her family to graduate from high school and college, Glidewell never imagined pursuing a PhD. But her students sparked a new mission: to advocate for rural schools that are too often overlooked.

Now in the 91��ý School of Education’s STEM Education program, Glidewell is working to ensure that the realities of rural teaching aren’t just known, they’re respected. That’s why she launched the Rural Breakfast Club, a space where future teachers gather at on Friday mornings to talk about rural education and eat donuts—reviving a tradition Glidewell used to do with her middle school students.

“I piloted a survey in 2023 here at 91��ý to see what our pre-service teachers know and think about rural education,” said Glidewell. She was shocked to learn that they knew very little and didn’t think much about it.

“Given that nearly 85% of school districts in Colorado are rural, many of those districts experience severe and continual teacher shortages, and the intersectionality of some of these districts being in some of the highest poverty counties in Colorado and the United States...I felt like I had to do something.”

The breakfast club has since become a small but mighty community, diving into everything from social justice in rural contexts to dismantling stereotypes. Eventually, the group will create a product to promote rural education on campus.

Glidewell originally dreamed of running a field program—Teaching Science in the San Luis Valley—to bring pre-service teachers to rural schools to learn “what science education looks like when you have small class sizes, access to the outdoors and an environment where the school is the heart of the community.” But funding challenges shifted her plan. Instead of bringing students to the valley, she brought the valley to CU.

“It still makes my guts churn that I had to leave my students,” she said. “But I told myself I’m going to bring badass teachers back to them.”

Glidewell's work is personal, purposeful and packed with pride, just like the slides she prepares for class.

“I spend way too much time making them beautiful,” she said. “I know the content is more important than the appearance, but I can’t help myself. I'll spend way too much time on colors, pictures, finding the perfect gif...it's really inefficient, but it makes my heart happy.”

Glidewell will fight tooth and nail—and apparently eyeball—to seek joy and stand up for what she believes in. She once got a fishhook in her eyeball. Yes, really.

In between research, club meetings and dreaming big for rural kids. Glidewell finds joy in the little things.

Because for her, teaching isn’t just about the content, it’s about the community, connection and believing that even the most remote corners of Colorado are full of brilliance worth celebrating.

In her own words

Tell me a bit about yourself:

"I am a fourth-year PhD student in Teacher Education and STEM Education at 91��ý. That’s crazy to say, considering I was the first person in my family to go to college and even to graduate from high school. Before coming to CU, I lived in what some people describe to be “the middle of nowhere”- also known as the San Luis Valley, a magical rural place on the border of Colorado and New Mexico. I highly encourage you to road trip there. Maybe wrestle alligators at the Gator Farm, summit the 14er called Mt. Blanca, see the Sandhill crane migration, learn about the Sangre De Cristo National Heritage Area, or visit the Great Sand Dunes National Park like I used to do with my students. I originally worked with fish, but accidentally became a middle school science teacher. Best accident ever. I taught 7th-grade science along with a slew of other subjects, ranging from dance to chemistry. It was a privilege to teach the students of Monte Vista, and I think about them and miss them every single day. My students are the ones who inspired me to pursue a PhD and become an advocate for rural schools."

Tell me about the Rural Educator Breakfast Club!

"I believe there is magic in rural schools. I've seen it, felt it, experienced it, and loved it. I miss it every day. I piloted a survey in 2023 here at 91��ý to see what our pre-service teachers know and think about rural education. I was shocked to learn that they knew very little and didn't think much about it. Given that nearly 85% of school districts in Colorado are rural, and many of those districts experience severe and continual teacher shortages, and the intersectionality of some of these districts being in some of the highest poverty counties in Colorado and the United States...I felt like I had to do something. Rural students, families, and communities deserve for these pre-service teachers to know they exist. My hope is that this club can create opportunities for pre-service teachers to come together to learn about rural education. To me, the fact that folks have shown up at 8 am on a Friday morning is amazing, and it honors rural places and people that are often left out of the conversation."

What’s something you’d want people to understand about your research?

"It was really hard to leave my students out in the San Luis Valley, to come here, I had to contribute to the teacher shortages in my area. This is something that still makes my guts churn when I think about it. But I told myself it was going to be okay because I was going to help bring badass teachers back to them. My original goal was to run a field experience called "Teaching Science in the San Luis Valley", where I'd bring a group of pre-service teachers out there to learn about what science education looks like when you have small class sizes, access to the outdoors, and an environment where the school is the heart of the community. But then a reality bomb got dropped on me....money. It turns out, as a doctoral student, the logistics and cost associated with bringing a group of CU students 4-5 hours away just were not feasible for my dissertation. So I had to get creative and instead think about how I could bring rural education to pre-service teachers. That led me to the breakfast club, something I actually used to do with my middle school students, where we got together in the morning, shared donuts, and built community. I rekindled this memory and retooled this idea to work for pre-service teachers, where we get together, still with donuts, but build community through having conversations about rural education. It's been a small but mighty club so far, and our conversations have been richer than I could have dreamed of. So far we have spent time blowing up stereotypes, discussing why rural education needs to be included in conversations around social justice, sharing ideas on how rural education could be incorporated into teacher education courses, exploring the challenges and benefits of teaching in rural schools, and we are going to end by creating some type of product that helps promote rural education to pre-service teachers here on campus. These conversations have been inspired and driven by club members' questions, which is really cool."

What’s your motto?

"Nothing, what's a motto with you! JK- Sorry, I couldn't help myself."

Off

Traditional

White

Student News

Meet Collette Heskett, a mountain biker, bug watcher and passionate advocate for neurodivergent learners

In her own words

Related Articles

Meet Lex Hunter, a rising scholar whose work is rooted in care, connection and community healing

In her own words

Off

Meet Esperanza Zárate, a passionate bilingual educator and the 2026 School of Education Outstanding Graduate

In her own words

Off

Meet Alyssa Shappee, a future high school science teacher ready to step into the unknown

In her own words

Off

Meet Jinjae Han, a future teacher who brings authenticity, vulnerability, an asset-based mindset and joy to her communities

In her own words

Off

Your 91��ý Guide to AERA 2026

Off

Different Classrooms, Shared Leadership: How 91��ý’s Teacher Leadership Program Empowers Educators Across Colorado

Off

Two 91��ý education scholars earn prestigious National Academy of Education/Spencer dissertation fellowships

Off

Going with the flow: How Marisa Mendoza-Maurer is rewriting what education is and can be

Centering Compassion in the Classroom

Creative, Expressive Education

The Power of Paddling and Persistence

Off

Loraine Glidewell's passion for rural education runs as deep as the Arkansas River

In her own words

Discover more from Voices, vol. 8:

Cross-Cultural Connections

The Heart of Public Education: Redefining our Roots

Now & Then

Off