2025 Outstanding Graduates

As a scholar of teaching, Devon Hedrick-Shaw puts his heart into preparing tomorrow’s teachers

Tyler Caldwell — Thu, 08 May 2025 16:42:44 +0000

As a scholar of teaching, Devon Hedrick-Shaw puts his heart into preparing tomorrow’s teachers Tyler Caldwell Thu, 05/08/2025 - 10:42

Through his belief that “relationships and community are the bedrock of meaningful teaching and research,” Devon Hedrick-Shaw would come to know he had found himself in the right place when he joined the PhD program at the School of Education.

A former elementary school teacher in New York City, Hedrick-Shaw found himself drawn to the opportunity to integrate the scholarly study of bilingual education and teacher preparation offered by the program.

“Devon views his teacher self as core to who he is and all he does, including who he is and is becoming as a scholar,” commented his faculty nominators.

A view that is not only supported by his faculty colleagues, but also by his former students that would comment, “he puts his heart into education, and it really shows.” They shared how Hedrick-Shaw encouraged and enabled them to “dive into their future selves as teachers.”

“As a scholar of teaching and teacher education, Devon has expertise about pedagogy and practice that many do not,” stated his faculty nominators, expressing gratitude for “the many ways we have learned about teaching alongside and from him” in their letter nominating Hedrick-Shaw for the 2025 Outstanding Teaching Award.

Hedrick-Shaw feels grateful to work with other scholars he feels exemplify his beliefs about meaningful teaching and research, attributing many of his most important learning experiences to collaboration with colleagues across program areas he had not originally planned on.

After graduation, Hedrick-Shaw is headed to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign where he has accepted a position as an Assistant Professor of Curriculum and Instruction.

In his own words:

Please tell us a bit about yourself?

Prior to CU, I was a bilingual elementary school teacher in Washington Heights, NYC. I chose CU for the opportunity to integrate the scholarly study of bilingual education and teacher preparation. Few programs around the country had an explicit focus in both of these areas at the PhD level."

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

Relationships and community are the bedrock of meaningful teaching and research. This is something I knew before coming to CU but was reaffirmed time and again throughout my time in the program. I feel so grateful to have worked with excellent teacher educator scholars who exemplify what it means to place relationships and community at the center of academic work."

What does graduating from CU Boulder represent for you or your family/community?

While I am the first in my family to graduate with a PhD, it mostly involves them making jokes and requesting medical advice, as they call me 'Dr'."

What is your best piece of advice for incoming students?

My biggest piece of advice for new PhD students is to make the experience your own. CU has so many incredible faculty and learning opportunities at the PhD level, but it is important to trust your gut and invest in the opportunities and relationships that will help you accomplish your goals for the degree. Alongside that, it's important to be open to new ideas and areas of study that you might not have expected or planned on engaging with. Some of my most important learning experiences throughout the program resulted from working with an expansive group of colleagues and across program areas that were not part of my plans when first admitted to the program."

What are your next steps after graduation?

I will be an Assistant Professor in Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign."

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From global experience to classroom impact: Abi Wirbel hopes to share the benefits of living consciously with her students

Tyler Caldwell — Mon, 05 May 2025 21:45:20 +0000

From global experience to classroom impact: Abi Wirbel hopes to share the benefits of living consciously with her students Tyler Caldwell Mon, 05/05/2025 - 15:45

Abi Wirbel is originally from Colorado, but has always had a strong sense of wanderlust and with a deep passion for seeking new cultural and linguistic experiences in diverse, urban environments. Abi’s nomadic drive led her on a journey of over a decade, living in metropolitan centers within Spain, Los Angeles and Mexico City before returning to Boulder to pursue her MA+ teacher licensure in English Language Arts.

Teaching has always been something that Abi knew she wanted to do, and it was a love of learning that she believes opened up her world in countless ways. Abi hopes to utilize her experiences to impress on the magnitude of limitless possibilities that come with living consciously upon her students.

Borrowing a phrase from respected author and education professor Bettina Love’s “theory is the North Star” of pedagogy, Abi notes that there’s “indispensable alchemy” in the intersection of theory and practice. “Teaching is deeply instinctual, but bureaucracy is data-driven,” she added. “Having the facts and the ‘whys’ behind what you’re doing will not only bolster your teaching style, but broaden it as well.”

A belief that may come at no surprise to Abi’s mentors and faculty, who commend her for her commitment to high-quality, research-informed innovation throughout her coursework.

“Abi’s inquiry into spatial pedagogy is an innovative and impactful contribution to the field of education,” her faculty nominator said.

“The insights from her work have already influenced her classroom and provide a valuable framework for educators seeking to create more inclusive and responsive learning environments.”

It’s these contributions, among many others, that led faculty to nominate Abi for the 2025 Outstanding Graduate Practices in Process Project Award.

Feeling the pull of wanderlust once more and their love for the Pacific coast, Abi and her girlfriend are heading West after graduation, where Abi hopes to find an English teacher position, and she can embrace the incredible asset of being bilingual and work with newcomer and immigrant students.

In her words:

Please tell us a bit about yourself?

Hi! I’m Abi. I'm originally from Colorado, but have always been affected by extreme wanderlust: I harbor a deep passion for cultural and linguistic experiences and diverse, urban environments. These proclivities led me to a decade-plus of living in various metropolitan centers including Spain, Los Angeles, and Mexico City before returning to Boulder to get my MA+ in English Language Arts. I always knew I wanted to teach: young people are infinitely interesting to me, and a love of learning has opened my world up in countless and wonderful ways. If I can impress even a little of the limitless and joyful possibilities of living consciously on my students, then I will consider myself a success (and contented to boot)."

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

At the meeting of theory and practice, there is an indispensable alchemy. To use Bettina Love’s words, “theory is the North Star” of pedagogy. Teaching is deeply instinctual, but bureaucracy is data-driven. Having the facts and the ‘whys’ behind what you’re doing will not only bolster your teaching style, but broaden it as well.

Additionally, the educators I have studied under in this program have surprised me with their wisdom, their intellect, their consideration, and their understanding of the work. To be perfectly frank, their expertise snuck up on me. For most of us education has existed in a box which is neither comprehensive nor correct. Over the course of this year I have learned to unlearn those boundaries which myself and my own educational experiences had imposed on my understanding of what pedagogy can be. Active learning is primarily not what you expect ‘learning’ to be."

What does graduating from CU Boulder represent for you or your family/community?

As a queer, nomadic, expatriotic (yes I made that up), amorphously-white girl, community to me is a space that you create for yourself, amongst people and places of your choosing. I hope that the lessons and understanding I take with me from this program will translate into a vibrant, critical, authentic and relevant classroom experience for the student communities I will engage with."

What is your best piece of advice for incoming students?

I’ve got two for you:

Intimacy breeds conflict. Embrace both for best results.

Teaching (and becoming a teacher) is an act of supreme organization. Find a system that keeps you on track and you will halve your workload."

What are your next steps after graduation?

My girlfriend Amanda and I are moving back to California to be closer to our lifelong love of the Pacific coast. I’m hoping to fast track an English Learner Authorization and get a job working as an English teacher with a focus on Newcomer and Immigrant students. Being bilingual is an incredible asset both inter-and intra-personally, and it’s past time that we educators embrace the fruitful potentialities of nurturing and validating the versatility inherent in wielding multiple modes of communication."

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MA+ Graduate Hannah Kaiser found her own path to a college in the mountains

Tyler Caldwell — Mon, 05 May 2025 17:59:37 +0000

MA+ Graduate Hannah Kaiser found her own path to a college in the mountains Tyler Caldwell Mon, 05/05/2025 - 11:59

As an eighth grader growing up in Carson City, Nevada, just a short drive from Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Hannah Kaiser had dreamed about attending CU Boulder ever since she had searched for colleges in the mountains and saw the Flatirons in the backdrop.

Kaiser's path didn’t include the same turns and route her thirteen-year-old-self had hoped for, but as she now graduates from CU Boulder, she finds herself gaining strength from Mary Oliver’s question in the poem The Summer Day — “what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”

Kaiser knew she felt a strong calling to make a difference, but she wasn’t quite sure of where it would lead her. After her first year of college, Kaiser started working at the same summer camp she had attended throughout her childhood, and would continue to return after each year of college. It was Kaiser’s time on staff where she realized her “place for positive change was working in a community dedicated to the growth and well-being of young people.”

Her passion for literature and language led her to pursue a career as a secondary English Teacher through the MA+ Teacher Licensure program.

Faculty and mentors who worked closely with Kaiser commend her ability to build meaningful relationships with students fosters a learning environment where all feel valued and encouraged, demonstrating an exceptional commitment to teaching through innovative classroom practices and strong instructional leadership, which ground her nomination as the 2025 Outstanding Contribution to Teaching Award.

Kaiser can imagine pursuing a PhD in the future, but for now, she’s excited and proud to join the ranks of a long line of educators in her family that stretches back at least four generations. Grateful for the friends she’s made while planting her roots in Colorado, Kaiser is looking forward to investing in the growth of her students and community here in the Front Range.

In her words:

1) Please tell us a bit about yourself?

I grew up in Carson City, Nevada, at the base of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and a short drive from the beautiful shores of Lake Tahoe. At the start of college, though I knew I wanted a career working in community to make a difference in the world, I was unsure what path this purpose would lead me towards. The summer after my freshman year, and every summer of college following, I worked at the summer camp I had attended from elementary through high school. Through my time on staff, I realized my place for positive change was working in a community dedicated to the growth and well-being of young people. Rooted in this knowledge and my passion for literature and language, I decided to pursue a career as a secondary English teacher.

��’s MA+ program, which unites a master’s in education and teaching licensure program with a focus on justice and equity in education, was my dream program. It united my interest in social justice, an interest that almost led me to a career in civil rights and international human rights law, with my passion for education, all at the base of the breathtaking Flatirons.

I love Colorado and I love teaching, and I am excited to continue to develop my roots in this wonderful state as I pursue a career I love."

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

Mary Oliver asks using “The Summer Day.” Oliver asks “Tell me, what is it you plan to do / with your one wild and precious life?,” and it is answering this question that I can best distill my most significant lessons from my time at CU.

I carry both a value of delayed gratification and a sense of joy that comes from the surprises of the journey. University of Colorado, Boulder had been my dream school since I had googled “colleges in the mountains” in eighth grade and got my first glimpse of the Flatirons. To be graduating from CU with a master’s degree is the fulfillment of a dream deferred. Looking back, even though my path here did not take the turns I thought it would as a thirteen-year old, I walk forth with a sense of strength, and an even greater appreciation for the opportunities and joys that come in this wild and precious life."

3) What does graduating from CU Boulder represent for you or your family/community?

I come from a long line of public educators stretching back at least four generations. Joining their ranks fills me with a sense of possibility, responsibility, and joy. I look forward to investing my life in the lives of my students, and growing into an educator and person who will bring my community joy."

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

Build. Your. Community. I cannot reiterate this point enough. I moved in July to pursue my degree, knowing I wanted to build my life in Colorado without actually knowing what that life could look like or who would be in it. I wouldn’t have made it through graduate school or the beginning months of planting my roots in a new state had it not been for my community, both the community I am building here in Colorado and that I bring with me from all across the miles through phone calls and weekend visits.

It won’t always be easy. Building relationships in any capacity is a vulnerable endeavor, but ultimately it is these relationships that will sustain you and bring you joy. It was CU and the mountains that brought me to Colorado, but it is the community I am lucky enough to have built that will keep me here."

5) What are your next steps after graduation?

After graduation, I am excited to continue to grow into an active member of the Boulder-Denver community through a career in secondary English education. In the future, I can imagine pursuing a PhD, likely researching social emotional learning and trauma pedagogy at the secondary level.

I am excited to continue to grow my roots here in Colorado, spend some time out on the trails running and hiking this summer, and I can’t wait to see where my path takes me next."

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Stepping out and stepping up: Iliana De La Rosa prepares for next chapter at Harvard

Hannah Fletcher — Sun, 04 May 2025 04:53:27 +0000

Stepping out and stepping up: Iliana De La Rosa prepares for next chapter at Harvard Hannah Fletcher Sat, 05/03/2025 - 22:53

Iliana De La Rosa’s graduation from the �� fulfills a promise she made to her grandfather when she was eight years old.

“One evening, while I was doing homework, he called me over, asked about what I was learning, and then said, ‘Promise me that one day you’ll go to college,’” she said. “I laughed, but I promised.”

After losing both of her grandparents to COVID-19, Iliana felt sad, lost, and unsure about college, but she wanted to make good on her promise.

Originally from El Paso, Texas, and raised in Denver from the age of nine, Iliana credits her tight-knit, multi-generational family for instilling in her a deep respect for education and community.

“I was fortunate to be raised by so many loving people who taught me invaluable lessons—one of the most important being the value of education,” she said.

“This lesson showed up in many ways. I heard stories from my grandparents about the segregation they faced in school and their deep desire to learn. I also saw it in my mom, who took me to her college classes when I was little and later graduated with her bachelor’s degree.

“These experiences instilled in me a strong appreciation for education and its power to transform lives. They also inspired me to become a teacher, so I could give back to my community and help open doors for future generations.”

When Iliana first arrived at the ��, she felt uncertain about how she would fit in as a reserved student of color at a predominantly white institution. She often stayed close to what felt familiar, but over the next few years, she learned to embrace discomfort and view it as a path to growth.

Through her time at CU Boulder, Iliana stepped outside her comfort zone and leaned into the unfamiliar. She has participated in various community groups while managing the strenuous requirements of the Elementary Education program, and she has excelled in her student teaching, including stepping up as the lead teacher when her mentor teacher was hospitalized.

Today, Iliana is a confident leader, community advocate, and voice for change. Her impact on the community within and beyond the classroom is being recognized with the Outstanding Undergraduate Contribution to Community Engagement Award and the Overall Outstanding Graduate for the School of Education.

With her CU Boulder degree that she notes belongs to her family and community, Iliana plans to continue learning and leaning in at Harvard University in the fall, where she will pursue a master’s degree in Human Development with a concentration in International and Global Education.

Just as she did at CU Boulder, she hopes to continue using her knowledge and experiences to challenge inequities and expand opportunities for others.

“What drew me to CU Boulder was the School of Education’s commitment to equitable and justice-oriented teaching, values that deeply reflect what my family taught me,” she said.

“That connection is what brought me here, and I’m proud to be part of a community that shares my vision for what education can and should be."

In her own words

Please tell us a bit about yourself

I was born in El Paso, Texas, and moved to Denver, Colorado, when I was nine years old. Before moving, I grew up in a multi-generational home surrounded by family. I was fortunate to be raised by so many loving people who taught me invaluable lessons, one of the most important being the value of education.

This lesson showed up in many ways. I heard stories from my grandparents about the segregation they faced in school and their deep desire to learn. I also saw it in my mom, who took me to her college classes when I was little and later graduated with her bachelor’s degree. These experiences instilled in me a strong appreciation for education and its power to transform lives. They also inspired me to become a teacher, so I could give back to my community and help open doors for future generations.

My journey to CU Boulder and the Elementary Education Program began with a promise I made to my grandpa when I was about eight years old. One evening, while I was doing homework, he called me over, asked about what I was learning, and then said, “Promise me that one day you’ll go to college.” I laughed, but I promised.

I didn’t realize then how much that promise would shape my life. After losing both my grandparents to COVID, I felt lost and unsure of how to move forward without them. I even began to second-guess applying to college. But when I remembered the promise I made to my grandpa, I opened my computer and completed my college applications.

What drew me to CU Boulder was the School of Education’s commitment to equitable and justice-oriented teaching, values that deeply reflect what my family taught me. That connection is what brought me here, and I’m proud to be part of a community that shares my vision for what education can and should be."

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

My time at CU Boulder has been transformative, both personally and academically. Among the many lessons I've learned, the most valuable has been the importance of stepping outside of my comfort zone. As someone who is naturally reserved and who initially felt out of place as a person of color at a predominantly white institution, I spent much of my early college time gravitating toward what felt familiar and safe.

However, I came to realize that in order to fully experience all that college had to offer, I needed to push beyond those boundaries. The more I challenged myself to engage with new people, opportunities, and environments, the more I grew, not just as a student, but as an individual. I gained confidence, earned new opportunities, and achieved greater academic success.

This experience has taught me that meaningful growth often requires discomfort, and as I move into the next chapter of my life, I am committed to continuing this mindset. I will no longer confine myself to what is comfortable, but instead embrace new challenges as opportunities for growth."

What does graduating from CU Boulder represent for you and/or your community?

For my family and me, graduating from CU Boulder is more than just an accomplishment, it’s a step toward opening more doors for future generations. Growing up, I often heard phrases like, “You’ll have to make your own opportunities,” “Make sure you present yourself well,” and “Stand up straight when talking to those people. If not, they won’t take you seriously.” For people of color, it’s easy to be underestimated or written off by those in power. But with this degree, I’m in a position to help challenge and change those misperceptions.

I also think that for students who grew up similar to me, earning a degree isn’t just about completing school, it’s about uplifting the family that came before you and paving a path for those who come after you. It means becoming a connection for others in your community who might not have access to the same opportunities compared to kids in more privileged positions. It means defying the odds that were stacked against you.
When I think about this degree, I think about the people who came before me who weren’t able to earn theirs, and this is for them. I think about my younger brother and cousins, and this is for them, too.

This degree doesn’t just belong to me. It belongs to my whole family and my community.”

What is your best piece of advice for incoming students?

For incoming students, it’s important to remember that everything will feel new, and it can be daunting, but don’t let that hold you back. This is your time to step outside your comfort zone and grow as a person. The best way to do that is by embracing uncertainty, not avoiding it. Some things will go your way and be great, and some might not, but that’s okay. Those moments are opportunities to learn and grow.

For students of color, remember: you belong here, and you earned your spot. Your diverse perspective is not a weakness, but it’s your strength. It’s what will propel you forward and set you apart. It’s easy to feel imposter syndrome, especially when you’re the only one in the room with a different experience/perspective, trust, I have been there. But that uniqueness is powerful. It’s what brings critical, necessary conversations to the table.

Change doesn’t come from everyone having the same experiences and ideas. It comes from the richness of our differences. So, I’ll leave you with something my grandma used to say to me and my cousins: “Don’t be scared to show the world who you are.”

What are your next steps after graduation?

Post graduation I will be attending Harvard to receive my master’s degree in Human Development and Concentration in International and Global Education this upcoming Fall."

Iliana De La Rosa’s graduation from the �� fulfills a promise she made to her grandfather when she was 8 years old. De La Rosa received the 2025 Outstanding Undergraduate Contribution to Community Engagement Award.

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Meet Ashley Kim, future third grade teacher and cheerleader for new generations of students

Tyler Caldwell — Fri, 02 May 2025 23:11:34 +0000

Meet Ashley Kim, future third grade teacher and cheerleader for new generations of students Tyler Caldwell Fri, 05/02/2025 - 17:11

Some of Ashley Kim’s greatest inspirations and biggest cheerleaders were her teachers while growing up in nearby Longmont, Colorado. It was those teachers who continued to welcome her back into the classroom, encouraged her, and inspired her desire to do the same for new generations of students.

“Throughout the program, Ashley has designed innovative curricular materials and has been able to use them in her practicum and student teaching placements,” her faculty nominator said.

Kim’s mentors believe that her innovation and her dedication to always looking to improve by engaging faculty and course content is just the start of why they believe her to be an excellent recipient of the 2025 Outstanding Undergraduate Contribution to Teaching Award.

Proud to honor the hopes of her grandparents who moved to the United States to give their descendants the opportunity of education, Kim is thankful for the hard work of her family that came before her so she could achieve this dream.

Kim hopes to take the teachers, mentors and friends she’s made in her time at the CU Boulder along with her as she ventures into the next chapter of her life, where she’ll be a new third grade teacher in the Jefferson County School District in Colorado.

In her own words:

Please tell us a bit about yourself?

I am originally from New Jersey but grew up in Longmont, Colorado. My teachers in Longmont were some of my greatest inspirations and biggest cheerleaders. Even after I left their classrooms, my teachers always welcomed me back and continued to encourage me. I am SO forever grateful for them, and I ended up in the Elementary Education program because I want to be a cheerleader for new generations of students. CU Boulder's School of Education stood out because of its commitment to valuing all students, and I'm proud to be an (almost) graduate!"

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

Find your people and lean on them. I couldn't have done this year of student teaching without people to support me, both inside the classroom and back at home. CU has connected me with some truly amazing teachers, mentors and friends, and I hope to take them all with me into the next chapter!"

What does graduating from CU Boulder represent for you or your family/community?

My grandparents moved to the United States so that their descendants could have the opportunity to seek an education. I am proud to honor their hopes by earning this degree, and I am so thankful for the hard work that came before me that helped me get here."

What is your best piece of advice for incoming students?

Make as much use of belonging to a college campus as you can! I definitely took dorm life, events, and amenities for granted, and now I know that I'm going to miss everything so much! There are so many cool opportunities for college students and at CU Boulder specifically–don't pass them up!"

What are your next steps after graduation?

I am so excited to have a job for next year as a third grade teacher in Jeffco school district :)"

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Trang Tran’s journey in learning, affirmation and growth

Hannah Fletcher — Fri, 02 May 2025 04:53:22 +0000

Trang Tran’s journey in learning, affirmation and growth Hannah Fletcher Thu, 05/01/2025 - 22:53

Trang Tran’s educational journey spans continents and disciplines rooted in a love of learning and a deep commitment to justice that help lead her way to graduate studies at CU Boulder.

Raised in the coastal city of Da Nang, Vietnam, Tran completed her K-12 education and earned a degree in international studies before moving to the United States to study public policy at Oregon State University and later moving to University of Alaska Anchorage as a policy researcher at the Institute of Social and Economic Research. Her passion for understanding how and why people learn led her to pursue a PhD in the Learning Sciences and Human Development program in the CU Boulder School of Education.

Tran’s outlook on learning is that education is a space for transformation, affirmation, and growth.

“Learning is not merely the acquisition of knowledge, but an ongoing process of becoming,” she said. “This philosophy has been inspired and embodied by my advisor, Dr. Joe Polman, whose pedagogy demonstrates that through affirmation of identities, we make space for individuals to grow, transform, and fully embrace who they are and who they are becoming.”

Polman enthusiastically nominated Tran for the School of Education's Outstanding Dissertation Award due to the depth, rigor, and impact of her impressive three-article dissertation on STEM equity and identity development.

In her research, Tran explores how the dynamics between social structures and the agency of individual and collective actors conflict and hold potential for equity-focused change within and beyond science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. Her research explored three different STEM education contexts: state-level leadership and STEM policy implementation, a university engineering outreach program, and a middle school interdisciplinary curriculum. Each article in her dissertation showcases innovative conceptual frameworks and methods.

The first, published in the respected Science Education journal, analyzes how STEM education leaders navigate policies promoting and hindering equity. The study offers a novel framework integrating policy implementation, politics, and science education.

The second investigates a university engineering outreach program where college students mentored rural high schoolers. The study reveals and advocates for participant and activity structures that value cultural transformation, which include designs and enactments that are attuned to and foster learners’ multiple identity development.

The third, co-authored with a middle school teacher, examines emotional engagement and critical data literacy through a project on Japanese American incarceration during World War II. Challenging perspectives that render epistemic practices of emotion and subjectivity as disruptive and irrelevant in STEM and formal learning spaces, this article emphasizes expansive visions, iterative practices, and emergent pathways safeguarded by an educator who leveraged students’ feelings and civic engagement to foster more responsible and ethical interactions with data.

Tran's research is ambitious, rich, and rigorous, and she has published 18 times since beginning her doctoral studies at CU Boulder.

Beyond her research accolades and well-deserved awards, Tran always carries thoughts of her family with her, calling them the roots and nourishment that sustain her learning and guide her path ahead. She is also graduating alongside a powerful cohort of fellow femme scholars who are each working to build a more just and equitable world.

After graduation, she returns to the University of Alaska Anchorage as a Research Assistant Professor of Education Policy, and she is excited to collaborate on projects to cultivate more equitable and just participation across communities of learners. Additionally, she’s looking forward to something just as meaningful: her annual trip home to Vietnam, where she savors time spent with her parents, sibling and beloved dogs.

In her own words

Please tell us a bit about yourself

I grew up in Da Nang, a beautiful coastal city in Viet Nam, where I completed k-12 schooling and earned my undergraduate degree in International Studies. I moved to the U.S. for grad school after receiving a scholarship to study public policy at Oregon State University. After finishing my master’s, I worked as a research associate at the Institute of Social and Economic Research at the University of Alaska Anchorage. Eventually, I decided to pursue a PhD in Learning Sciences and Human Development because I love learning and love research about learning. I’ve always been passionate about exploring how and why people learn—what motivates them, and the different ways learning shows up in our lives. I chose CU Boulder School of Education because of the community’s strong commitment to creating more equitable, just, and humanizing learning environments."

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

I cherish the relationships nurtured and cultivated among educators, learners, partners, and with my friends, sister scholars, and mentors. I will keep drawing on how members of these communities show up for one another and support each other for collective growth, learning, and thriving. For the next chapter of my life, I will continue to recognize that learning is not merely the acquisition of knowledge, but an ongoing process of becoming. This philosophy has been inspired and embodied by my advisor, Dr. Joe Polman, whose pedagogy demonstrates that through affirmation of identities, we make space for individuals to grow, transform, and fully embrace who they are and who they are becoming."

What does graduating from CU Boulder represent for you and/or your community?

I think my family is proud of me, and glad that I have been able to transform what once felt like messy bundles of emergent ideas, wonderings, and observations of learning, identity, equity, and justice into a coherent body of research—one that serves communities that have been historically othered and marginalized. I hope that, in seeing me reach this milestone, they might worry a little less about me living so far away from home. For my community, I am graduating alongside my sister scholars—Drs. Ashieda McKoy, Marlene Palomar, Adria Padilla-Chavez, Beatriz Salazar Medina, and Brenda Aguirre-Ortega. I hope we take a moment to celebrate this milestone and recognize the processes that we have taken to craft narratives, practices, and values we want to see in the world while working together to sustain collective creativity, solidarity, and hope.”

What is your best piece of advice for incoming students?

Find and build community where you go. Prioritize time to care of yourself and your loved ones. Offer and reach out for help."

What are your next steps after graduation?

I have accepted a position to be a Research Assistant Professor of Education Policy at the Institute of Social and Economic Research, University of Alaska Anchorage. I am excited for new collaborations that deepen and expand understandings, practices, and services to diverse groups of learners, educators, and communities. Personally, I am doing what I love the most: arranging my annual trip to be home with my sibling, parents, and puppies."

Trang Tran’s educational journey spans continents and disciplines rooted in a love of learning and a deep commitment to justice that help lead her way to graduate studies at CU Boulder. Tran received the 2025 Outstanding Dissertation Award.

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From doubt to doctorate: Beatriz Salazar is proving them wrong while uplifting youth and her community

Hannah Fletcher — Thu, 01 May 2025 22:01:09 +0000

From doubt to doctorate: Beatriz Salazar is proving them wrong while uplifting youth and her community Hannah Fletcher Thu, 05/01/2025 - 16:01

For Beatriz Salazar, graduating with a PhD from the �� is more than a personal milestone—it’s the realization of a promise she made as a child and the transformative power of community.

Raised in Commerce City and a graduate of a Denver high school, Salazar was once told by a school administrator that she wouldn’t do anything with her life “except get married and have babies.” The comment ignited something in her. But when she failed her first college physics exam, the doubt crept in and that administrator’s harsh, incorrect statement rattled in the back of her mind.

“I kept going, I graduated with honors, and I earned my master’s degree,” Salazar said. “But I always carried this feeling that I was a failure, just waiting to be found out.”

Everything shifted when Salazar started working with youth during college. Seeing young people label themselves as failures broke her heart—and witnessing their concerns reflected her own internal battles.

“They became the mirror I didn’t know I needed,” she said. Their experiences prompted a powerful question that would shape her scholarship: “Who has the social capital to fail?”

This question became foundational to her studies in the Learning Sciences and Human Development program in the CU Boulder School of Education, where she focused her research on community-engaged, healing-centered education. Through long-standing partnerships with schools and youth organizations in Denver, Salazar co-designed programs that supported youth voice, healing justice, and culturally sustaining education.

From leading a photovoice project and coaching local high students to serving as lead author on a cutting-edge publication on collaboratively designing a healing justice framework with community partners, Salazar and her work blur the lines between research and relationships. She listens deeply. She shows up. She stays.

Even when access to research in Denver Public Schools was paused, she continued volunteering her time and supporting student leaders in Manual High School, not as a researcher but their trusted mentor, as the students led professional development for their teachers and presented at American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, the largest national conference for education research.

Professor Ben Kirshner, her advisor, gave his strongest recommendation for her Outstanding Community Engagement Award from the School of Education, noting that her work “exemplifies qualities of care, respect, and collaboration that are central to community-engaged research.”

Her dissertation, “Latina Testimonios of Failure: Trenzas of Failure, Learning, and Survivance in the Latina Experience,” redefines failure through stories of resilience and survivance, presenting a compelling call to action for more humanizing approaches in education.

Salazar’s commitments to community are deeply personal, and graduating with a PhD is a full-circle moment— one that honors the memory of a woman who was “like a mother” to her. As a ten-year-old, Salazar confided in this mentor, saying she aimed get her doctorate one day, even though she was not clear on what that would entail. Her mentor encouraged her and later kept her from dropping out of high school. Unfortunately, the mentor passed away before Salazar’s high school graduation.

“She passed away just a few short months before she could see me walk the high school stage and pick up my diploma, but I am grateful every day for her belief in me,” Salazar said.

Today, with her newly minted doctorate, Salazar aims to continue community-engaged work in research or student affairs. She will continue to support youth in following their hearts, knowing that mentors like her will be there to help them reframe internal and external critics.

“I would not be here if it wasn’t for all of the amazing mentors and support that I received from my community,” she said. “I carry those lessons forward. They are the reason why I do what I do. I want to leave this world just a little better than I found it. I hope to continue to give back all that my community has given to me.”

In her own words

Please tell us a bit about yourself

I grew up in Commerce City, CO, and I graduated from a high school in Denver. I was told by an administrator in my high school that I wasn't going to do anything with my life except get married and have babies. I remember thinking that I was going to prove her wrong. Then, I failed my first physics exam, and I remember thinking that maybe this administrator had seen something in me that I didn't. That maybe she was right. I persisted and graduated with honors from undergrad, and went on to obtain my master's degree. But in the back of my mind I always felt that I was a failure - and I wondered when the rest of the world was going to see it. Working with youth in high school and college changed my life. Seeing them see themselves as failures broke my heart. I wanted them to know that you could not be a failure. They were the mirror that I didn't know I needed. I began to wonder, "Who has the social capital to fail?" This question, coupled with my desire to better serve students in college and improve their learning experiences, brought me to apply to the Learning Sciences and Human Development department at CU Boulder. I hoped to be able to give back to the students and community who had taught me so much about myself and had gotten me to where I was. Meeting my advisor, and some of his advisees, assured me that I was applying to the right place with the right advisor."

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

One of the most significant lessons from my time at CU Boulder was actually learned through my GRAs and fellowship with CU Engage and Ben. CU Engage and Ben opened up a world beyond the historical extractive practices in research. At first, I actually resisted calling myself a researcher because I knew firsthand the impact of those extractive, deficit practices in research. I remember my teachers, year after year, telling our class of majority Latine students that we were expected to drop out of high school. The first time I heard it, I remember wondering why someone would tell a group of second graders that. Then, it kind of became the norm. Through CU Engage and my work with Ben, I learned how to use my skills as a researcher to improve the lives of my community. To tell our stories on our terms and with our voices. I hope to never forget the impact I can have by working with my community. After all, as a public institution, I believe that we have a responsibility to serve the public, to improve the lives of those around us, and to make research legible to our community. I hope we find a way to center and bring back centers like CU Engage. Programs that teach researchers how to work ethically and responsibly with our communities and ones that center reciprocity at its core."

What does graduating from CU Boulder represent for you and/or your community?

Graduating from CU Boulder with a PhD is a dream come true. I remember being a 10-year-old, not knowing what a PhD was (or how to get here), and telling the person who was like a mom to me, that I would get a ""doctorate"" someday. She said, ""A PhD?"" and I said, ""No, a doctorate."" She told me that a PhD was a doctorate. She told me that I could do it, that it would just be hard. A few years later, it was this person who kept me from dropping out of high school, and she passed away just a few short months before she could see me walk the high school stage and pick up my diploma. I am grateful everyday for her belief in me.

My family, both immediate, and very very extended, remind me all of the time what a feat this is. They inspire me. Seeing my younger cousins drives me to pave a way for them. One that reminds them that they can follow their hearts - whatever that looks like - and that we will be here, no matter what.

For my community, they are the ones who give me my drive. I would not be here if it wasn't for all of the amazing mentors and support that I received from my community. My community consistently reminded me that I am not alone. I carry those lessons forward. They are the reason why I do what I do. I want to leave this world just a little better than I found it. I hope to continue to give back all that my community has given to me. ”

What is your best piece of advice for incoming students?

Just because we are taught that research has always been done this way does not mean it cannot change. Don't be afraid to push what research is - especially if it is for the betterment of those at the margins. ”

What are your next steps after graduation?

TBD! I am applying to jobs in student affairs, as well as grants for post-doc opportunities with the research teams I have had the honor to work with."

For Beatriz Salazar, graduating with a PhD from the �� is more than a personal milestone—it’s the realization of a promise she made as a child and the transformative power of community. Salazar received the 2025 Outstanding Community Engagement Award.

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