Linzy Andre, doctoral student in counseling and counselor education in the School of Education, and Cassaundra Guzman G’21, an incoming doctoral student in cultural foundations of education, have been named as the third cohort of Orange Holmes Scholars with the .
The AACTE Holmes Scholars program supports students from historically underrepresented communities enrolled in doctoral programs in education. Orange Holmes Scholars are first- or second-year 鶹ƵUniversity School of Education doctoral students interested in teacher, leader or counselor education.
Linzy Andre and Cassaundra Guzman G’21
Andre has “a strong passion for serving diverse populations and advocacy for underserved clients and students,” says Yanhong Liu, assistant professor of counseling and human services and Andre’s nominator. Andre is the president-elect of the 鶹ƵUniversity chapter of Chi Sigma Iota, the international counseling honor society, and the founder of Sunshine Advocacy, a private practice offering a wide spectrum of mental health services to diverse clients, especially those who are marginalized and underserved.
Guzman works with students across the 鶹ƵUniversity campus through the Office of Multicultural Affairs and Office of Financial Literacy. She has “very clear interests in understanding the educational experiences of first-generation students, how schools reproduce and reduce inequality, and transforming education,” says nominator Gretchen Lopez, assistant professor of cultural foundations of education. Guzman is a graduate of the cultural foundations of education master’s program and currently serves as the financial secretary of the School of Education Graduate Student Council.
Andre and Guzman will work closely with Courtney Mauldin, who joins the Orange Holmes Scholars as the faculty advisor this year. Mauldin is an assistant professor of educational leadership whose research looks at the impacts of youth voices in school leadership, with a particular focus on elementary youth voices of color.
“I’m thrilled to advise and be in community with the Holmes Scholars students,” says Mauldin. “They each bring such relevant and needed perspectives to the field of educational research, as well as meaningful experiences that I see as timely and essential in our current society.”
Joanna Masingila, dean of the School of Education, has seen the benefits of being a Holmes Scholar for previous cohorts. “The program has been great for our students to gain experience in teacher and leader advocacy and grow as scholars of color in a very supportive space.” Holmes Scholars enter a national cohort of peers and alumni for networking and mentoring. During their three-year term, they receive financial support to attend and present their research at the AACTE Annual Meeting and attend the Holmes Scholars Summer Policy Institute. Orange Holmes Scholars will also be mentors in a local mentoring program and present their research at other regional or national conferences.
Current Orange Holmes Scholars are Tiffany Hamm (science education), Phillandra Smith (special education), Kirsis A. Dipre (counseling and counselor education) and Robin Maxile (cultural foundations of education).
