#FirstGenDocs Yearbook DEDICATED TO THE
CLASS OF 2020
Letter to the Class of 2020 Dear #FirstGenDocs Community, When we started our doctoral journey, we had no idea that it would end this way. This pandemic interrupted the ways institutions operate nationwide. As a result, many universities made one major decision - to either cancel or reschedule commencement ceremonies. With so many of you anticipating culminating the years of work, the late nights and early mornings, the sacrifices, and the joys that is doctoral education, with graduation events and parties, life has been put on hold. This is exactly why we made the decision to celebrate this year’s graduates with a yearbook. We could not let all of the work you completed go unrecognized! You made it! Against the odds that have been stacked against you as a first-generation doctoral student and against the odds that have been stacked against you as an individual with multiple intersecting identities. What you have done is no small feat. As founders of #FirstGenDocs, we hope that this yearbook serves as a reminder of all of your hard work as first-generation scholars. We also hope that this labor of love serves as a reminder that together, even during the worst of times, we are unstoppable. “Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop” isn’t just our #FirstGenDocs mantra; it is a way of life! Congratulations on this significant milestone, and thank you for modeling the way for first-generation students worldwide. “We may be the first, but we won’t be the last.” Much love. Sincerely, Lamesha C. Brown, Ph.D. Raven K. Cokley, Ph.D. Jason K. Wallace, Ph.D. Your #FirstGenDocs Co-Founders
DR. ZYER BEATY Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision University of Georgia Athens, GA
Dr. Zyer Beaty is a Spelman Alumna & now Double Dawg from the University of Georgia. Dr. Beaty is a high school counselor in the metro DC area. Dr. Beaty's energy and passion for international travel, education & mental health, led her to pursue a terminal degree in counselor education.
Dissertation: We Can Travel, Too: A Qualitative Inquiry On The The Influence Of International Travel In High School On College Experiences For Black Women
Notable accomplishment(s):Â Gates Millennium Scholar
#FirstGenDocs 2020
DR. RAVEN K. COKLEY Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision University of Georgia Athens, GA
Dr. Raven K. Cokley, NCC, earned her PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision at the University of Georgia. Her research agenda explores experiences of Black students in P-20 and community settings, with an emphasis Black girls' sociocultural and socioemotional experiences in schools.
Dissertation: "Black Girls are Brilliant": A Qualitative Exploration of Giftedness
Notable accomplishment(s): Co-Founder of #FirstGenDocs, 2018 NBCC Minority Doctoral Fellow; 2019 ASGW Peg Carroll Scholarship Award; 2019 AMCD Emerging Graduate Student Leader Award
#FirstGenDocs 2020
DR. KEILA FOSTER Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership University of Maryland Eastern Shore Princess Anne, MD
Dr. Foster earned her BS in Journalism from Howard University and her MA in Curriculum and Instruction from Ole Miss. She has plans to further her research through writing educational books with a focus on brown and black girls, continuing with advancing restorative justice practices schools, and advocating for period equality for incarcerated women to have access to menstrual materials.
Dissertation: Creation of a New School Culture: Administrator Perceptions of Their Role in the Implementation of Restorative Justice Practices
Notable accomplishment(s):Â Teacher for over 10 years and still teaching in order to directly impact students. Graduated with a cumulative 3.9 GPA.
#FirstGenDocs 2020
DR. CANDACE N. HALL Doctor of Education in Higher Education Leadership Maryville University St. Louis, MO
Dr. Candace N. Hall is a scholarpractitioner committed to understanding how increased support impacts faculty's research productivity, development of innovative teaching strategies, and faculty-student engagement within and outside the classroom.
Dissertation: Faculty job satisfaction: A mixed methods study on the experiences of pre-tenured racially underrepresented faculty at predominantly white research institutions in the US
#FirstGenDocs 2020
DR. H. BRENT HENDERSON Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education & Supervision University of Georgia Athens, GA
Dr. Henderson is passionate about school counseling and preparing individuals who will carry the profession to new heights in the future. After graduation, Dr. Henderson hopes to become an adjunct instructor. After retirement from his current position, he hopes to become a full-time counselor educator. He loves singing, hiking, and bird watching.
Dissertation: A Framework for Success: Principals' Perspectives About Comprehensive School Counseling Programs
#FirstGenDocs 2020
DR. MERCEDES A. HIMMONS Doctor of Philosophy in Instructional Management and Leadership Robert Morris University Pittsburgh, PA
Dr. Mercedes Angelique Himmons is an assistant athletic trainer and clinical instructor at California University of Pennsylvania. She holds a B.S. in Athletic Training and a M.S. in Exercise Science and Health Promotion, both from California University of Pennsylvania. Her dissertation research focused on African-American collegiate studentathlete retention.
Dissertation: Understanding Reasons African-American Intercollegiate Student-Athletes Transfer Institutions: A Phenomenological Approach to the Student-Athletes’ Perspective
#FirstGenDocs 2020
DR. SHETINA M. JONES Doctor of Philosophy in Education Administration Indiana State University Terre Haute, IN
Dr. Shetina M. Jones received both her Bachelors and Masters degrees from Eastern Michigan University. Dr. Shetina M. Jones completed her PhD at Indiana State University on high-achieving Black women at HBCUs in STEM majors. She has over 12 years of experience working in Higher Education in Campus Life, Multicultural Affairs, Residence Life, and Student Affairs Leadership. Dr. Jones has worked at Texas A & M University-Commerce, Indiana State University, Michigan State University, The University of Michigan, Cornell University, Wilberforce University, and Eastern Michigan University. She has been an active member in ACPA and NASPA serving on Directorate Boards and presenting. Dr. Jones also is a co-founder of Fearlessly Fierce, LLC and The Classic Virtual Assistant. In her spare time, she loves to bowl, shop, and volunteer. Dr. Jones is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Rho Omega Chapter.
Dissertation: I deserve to be here: High-achieving Black women at HBCUs in STEM Majors
#FirstGenDocs 2020
DR. TAM LEE Doctor of Philosophy in Education Temple University Philadelphia, PA
Dr. Tamla "Tam" Lee is from Mississippi and committed to serving her community and underserved youth. She works as a behavior therapist and educational interventionist for students from culturally and linguistically diverse populations.
Dissertation: Comparing the Effectiveness of Student-Authored Multimedia Instruction to Teacherled Instruction at Increasing SAT scores for Urban High School Students Across RTI Tiers
Notable accomplishment(s):Â Future Faculty Fellow, LEND Fellow, Hammill Institute for Disability Studies Fellow
#FirstGenDocs 2020
DR. ARIEL LEGET Doctor of Education Rutgers University New Brunswick, NJ
Dr. Ariel Leget is an experienced Residence Life and Student Affairs professional who has worked in higher education for over a decade. As Assistant Director of Living-Learning Communities and Academic Initiatives, Ariel oversees livinglearning communities (LLCs), diversity education, and international programs for Residence Life at Rutgers New Brunswick.
Dissertation: A Paul Robeson LivingLearning Community Experience: Perceptions of Success, Belonging and Connectedness, and Exploring Hidden Figures
#FirstGenDocs 2020
DR. ASHLEY R. MARSHALL Doctor of Philosophy in Leadership Studies North Carolina A&T State University Greensboro, NC
Ashley R. Marshall currently serves as the Deputy Director for Forward Justice. In her role, she provides strategic leadership to the organization, manages and mentors a growing staff, and co-manages fundraising efforts and program development. Dr. Marshall is a mixedmethods researcher and a fierce advocate for transformative social change.
Dissertation: The Effects of Race, Gender, Education, and Personality Traits on Political Participation during the 2012 Presidential Election
#FirstGenDocs 2020
DR. EVANGELA Q. OATES Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Studies University of NebraskaLincoln Lincoln, NE
A native of southeastern NC, Evangela is looking forward to splitting her summer vacation between the sights of New York and the humidity of the South. Thanks to #FirstGenDocs for your presence during this journey!
Dissertation: Marginalized Faculty at Marginalized Institutions: Counternarratives as Resistance in the Experiences of Black Librarians at Public, Two-Year Colleges
Notable accomplishment(s): I PhinisheD my program without catching a charge ;-) AND my mind and heart intact. If you know, then you understand.
#FirstGenDocs 2020
DR. CATHERINE PÉREZ-GARCÍA Doctor of Philosophy in Gerontology University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA
Dr. Catherine Pérez-García is a Puerto RicanHonduran Latina whose research centers on the health and aging of the Latina/o/x population in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Her published work has primarily focused on how the demographic diversity of the Latina/o/x population lead to differential risk of disease in late life.
Dissertation: Raíces de Salud (Roots of Health): How Sociocultural, Cohort, and Contextual Factors Influence Health among Older Latinos in the United States
Notable accomplishment(s): Recipient of the National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Aging Research Dissertation Award to Increase Diversity; Recipient of the National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Aging Multidisciplinary Research Training Grant in Gerontology— Ruth L. Kirschenstein National Research Service Award; Recipient of the 2018 Association for Gerontology in Higher Education Student Leadership Award; Recipient of the 2015 Gerontological Society of America Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization Poster Award; Recipient of the 2015 Gerontological Society of America Minority Issues in Gerontology Student Poster Award; 12 peer-reviewed publications as a pre-doc.
#FirstGenDocs 2020
DR. SONYIA C. RICHARDSON Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum and Instruction University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NC
Dr. Sonyia Richardson is currently the BSW Program Director and Clinical Assistant Dissertation: Factors Influencing Professor in the School of Social Work. In the Teen Suicide-Related Behaviors fall, she will begin a new position as an Assistant Among Racially Diverse High School Professor at UNC Charlotte in the School of Students in a Southeastern Urban Social Work. Her teaching and service interests School District focus on urban education, mental health, and suicide attempts. Notable accomplishment(s):Â During her doctoral studies, Dr. Richardson received the following awards and honors: Urban Education Collaborative Doctoral Fellows Advisor (2017-2018, 2019-2020); Lucille P. and Edward C. Giles Dissertation Fellowship 2019; Honorable Mention, Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowship (2017); Recipient, College of Health & Human Services, UNC Charlotte, Diversity Award;
#FirstGenDocs 2020
DR. DIALIKA SALL Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology Columbia University New York, NY
Dialika Sall is a Ph.D. candidate in Dissertation: (Re)Defining Blackness: Sociology at Columbia University. Her Race, Ethnicity and the Children of research focuses on the racialized African Immigrants integration experiences of secondgeneration African children. She is the recipient of two National Science Foundation Fellowships. Articles based on her work have appeared in the Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, African and Notable accomplishment(s):Â Incoming post-doctoral fellow then Assistant Black Diaspora: An International Journal, Professor of Sociology and others. Prior to Columbia, Dialika graduated with a B.A. from Pomona College. She is a proud native of the Bronx, NY.
#FirstGenDocs 2020
DR. NURIA M. SANCHEZ Doctor of Education Leadership and Innovation Arizona State University Tempe, AZ
Dr. Sanchez is a single, co-parent of two young boys. She currently serves as an academic advisor in a community college in the greater Phoenix area. Dr. Sanchez has over 10 years experience serving in education-related fields.
Dissertation: The Influence of Validating Advising Practices in Intention to Persist for Women and Underrepresented Minority Students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math
Notable accomplishment(s):Â Wrote and was awarded a nearly $10,000 grant to implement a first year experience using the tenets of Guided Pathways. Dr. Sanchez is a Gates Millennium Scholar!
#FirstGenDocs 2020
DR. SACHA SHARP Doctor of Philosophy in Education, Leadership, and Policy Studies Indiana University Bloomington, IN
Dr. Sharp earned a doctorate in educational leadership and policy studies with an emphasis in higher education and student affairs at Indiana University. She also holds a Master of Arts in education and human development from the George Washington University. Born in Arkansas and raised in the south, Dr. Sharp is a firstgeneration scholar and military kid who enjoys building relationships. She currently serves as Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine at the Department of Medicine at Indiana University School of Medicine. Her research interests include student development in higher education, retention interventions for minoritized student populations, social media and identity, and she is especially interested in the experiences of Black women.
Dissertation: A dramaturgical analysis of Black women graduate students’ social media use as a space for reclamation, resistance, and healing
Notable accomplishment(s):Â Holmstedt Dissertation Fellow
#FirstGenDocs 2020
DR. SARAH SHUGARS Doctor of Philosophy in Network Science Northeastern University Boston, MA
Dr. Sarah Shugars (she/they) is a computational political scientist originally from Oakland, CA. Her research focuses on American political behavior and develops new methods for natural language processing, network analysis, and machine learning. In the fall, she will join NYU’s Center for Data Science as a Faculty Fellow.
Dissertation: Reasoning Together: Network Methods for Political Talk and Normative Reasoning
Notable accomplishment(s):Â Northeastern Outstanding Graduate Student Award for Community Service. April 2018; Deputy Recruiter, #FeministMafia. 2018-Present.
#FirstGenDocs 2020
DR. TRAVIS C. SMITH Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Leadership Clemson University Clemson, SC
Dr. Travis C. Smith is from Lafayette, AL. He is the proud son of Stacy and Willie Smith. As an alum of Alabama State University, Dr. Smith has dedicated his life to assisting the Black community through transformative education.
Dissertation: Picture this: Examining the experiences of Black SGA presidents at HBCUs using photo-elicitation
#FirstGenDocs 2020
DR. TIFFANY STEELE Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Studies The Ohio State University Columbus, OH
Dr. Tiffany Steele, originally born and raised in Detroit, MI, obtained her PhD from the Ohio State University. Dr. Steele aspires to become a tenuretrack professor in the field of Higher Education and Student Affairs. Her research interest centers the experiences of Black girls and women in relation to predominantly White institutions.
Dissertation: Disciplinary Disruption: Exploring the Connection between High School Sanctioning and Black Collegiate Women’s Experiences
#FirstGenDocs 2020
DR. SHEMEKA YOLANDA THORPE Doctor of Philosophy in Community Health Education The University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NC
Dr. Thorpe is a sexuality educator and researcher. She is the co-founder of The Minority Sex Report, LLC. Over the summer she will begin her position as a Lyman T Johnson Postdoctoral Fellow at University of Kentucky.
Dissertation: A Sex Positive Investigation of the Sexual Development of Black Women from Adolescence to Early Adulthood
Notable accomplishment(s): Dr. Thorpe is the 2019 recipient of the Doug Kirby Adolescent Sexual Health Research award. She serves as a planning team member for the 2020 National Sex Ed Conference and NCSEXCON.
#FirstGenDocs 2020
DR. JUAN VALDEZ Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN
Dr. Juan Valdez is a native of the south Texas borderlands, and studies Latinxled political change in Texas. His work examines democratization efforts spearheaded by Mexican-Americans in highly repressive local political contexts.
Dissertation: Democratizing the Lone Star State: How MexicanAmericans Challenge Texas Authoritarianism
Notable accomplishment(s):Â Awarded an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
#FirstGenDocs 2020
DR. JASON K. WALLACE Doctor of Philosophy in Education College Student Affairs Administration University of Georgia Athens, GA
Dr. Wallace holds a B.S. in advertising and Dissertation: "The ancestors are public relations and a M.Ed. in educational watching; make them proud": administration both from Texas Christian Narratives exploring Black firstUniversity in Fort Worth, TX - his hometown. generation doctoral recipients' use The son of Shellice Wallace-Vaughn, he is a of cultural capital at non-Black proud first-generation college student, big serving institutions brother, and educator. In the fall, Dr. Wallace will join the faculty at the University of Southern Mississippi as a tenure track assistant professor of higher education. Notable accomplishment(s): Co-Founder of #FirstGenDocs, SACSA and NASPA Region III Grant Recipient, Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society, American Association of Blacks in Higher Education Dissertation of the Year - 4th place.
#FirstGenDocs 2020
DR. DAWNE F. WASHINGTON Doctor of Philosophy in International Psychology The Chicago School of Professional Psychology Chicago, IL
Dr. Washington has been a social worker in the child protection field for more than 12 years. Working with marginalized populations has enhanced her learning experience through the doctoral program. Her program required in-country field experiences in Peru, South Africa, and Jamaica where she was able to assess each culture based on their individual norms and practices. Cultural specific learning experiences and understanding the need to provide advancement opportunities to lower socioeconomic communities has driven the development of Brown Girl’s Vision, LLC. Being able to connect with those in need is imperative to drive real change.
Dissertation: An Exploratory Case Study On Positive Youth Development In Jamaica
Notable accomplishment(s): Dr. Washington was a teen mom and continued her studies, adopted her cousin after fostering her for two years while in school. She is a single mother of three, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and established the Dr. Jack Washington book award/scholarship
#FirstGenDocs 2020
DR. JALEESA RENEE WELLS Doctor of Philosophy in Entrepreneurship University of Strathclyde Glasgow, Scotland
Dr. Jaleesa Renee Wells completed her PhD in Entrepreneurship at Strathclyde Business School in Glasgow, Scotland in 2019. Presently, Dr. Wells is an Assistant Professor in Arts Administration at the University of Kentucky. Her research focuses on cultural and creative enterprise, social entrepreneurship, and hybrid organising in the cultural sector.
Dissertation: Contextualising Social Enterprise: Hybrid Entrepreneuring in the Creative Industries
Notable accomplishment(s): President’s Award for Best Paper by an Early Career Researcher, 39th Annual Conference for the Institute for Small Business and Entrepreneurship honor description, Paper Title: "Entrepreneurial Axiology: Hybrid values in creative social enterprise"
#FirstGenDocs 2020
DR. MELVIN A. WHITEHEAD Doctor of Philosophy in Education University of Georgia Athens, GA
Dr. Whitehead is a Black queer transgender scholar from New Carrollton, MD. His research focuses on racism and anti-blackness in higher education. Dr. Whitehead expresses his utmost gratitude for his Africanascendant ancestors for their sacrifices and survival, and his parents, his fiancĂŠ, and his village for their love and support.
Dissertation: Facing the Disagreeable Mirror: A Critical Counter-narrative Exploring How White College Students Make Meaning of and Evade Disrupting Racism in Their Environments
#FirstGenDocs 2020
DR. AYOKA WILES Doctor of Philosophy in Public Policy and Administration Walden University Minneapolis, MN
Dr. Ayoka Wiles is a Queens, New York native and mother of five and works at Cool Culture as the Senior Director of Programs & Innovation which provides 50,000 families from historically marginalized communities in New York City with access to 90 cultural institutions through partnerships with over 440 schools.
Dissertation: Black Women Nonprofit Executives’ Use of Sustainable Funding Strategies in Marginalized Communities
Notable accomplishment(s):Â Member of Phi Alpha Alpha, National Honor Society for Schools of Public Affairs and Administration, GPA 3.8
#FirstGenDocs 2020
DR. QUA'AISA SHANAY WILLIAMS Doctor of Philosophy in Education University of Georgia Athens, GA
Dr. Qua’Aisa Williams holds a B.S. in Family & Child Sciences and M.S. in Higher Education Dissertation: Mothering While Administration from Florida State University. A Woke: Exploring the Consciousness proud first-generation college graduate and alum Development Process of Black of TRIO Educational Talent Search and Student Mothers Engaged in Student Affairs Support Services, Dr. Williams continues to Work support first-generation students as the Assistant Director of First Scholars Initiatives at the Center for First-generation Student Success. Her research centers Black women through the utilization of critical Black feminist frameworks and traditions focusing on the experiences of Black mothers, implications of counsciousness, and the identity development of Black first-generation college women.
#FirstGenDocs 2020
Si Se Pudo!
#focusforward
Rest when you need to. Ask for help when you need it. Do not let anyone Find what you love, do what you love, discourage you from your path of a and never forget why you love it. terminal degree; the field needs you #BeYou #BeTrue #OneLove and your contribution! Stay the course, be empowered and disciplined and grounded in your core values and Everything you authentic self. Continue to stay connected to a do, do it for supportive network that ensures that you are your hood. continually coached with love.
It always seems impossible until it's done. - Nelson Mandela There’s too much living to do to be sitting at
Don’t give up! Your journey Panera/Starbucks. This will be an inspiring needs to be done!!! Get it testimony to help someone else entire the world of done! scholarship. This journey Our graduations may be will build character and cancelled but do not let this mold you as a leader to pandemic steal our shine. We did assist others in need! Don’t it! Congrats Doctors! give up!
Keep moving forward.
WORDS OF WISDOM TO #FIRSTGENDOCS from the Class of 2020 Phil. 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Know you are always supported. This is achievable and You don’t have to go it alone. you can do this! Don’t let This journey is arduous. Expect obstacles along anyone tell you that you the way. Be flexible. Be kind. Take care of can’t do this. Don't give up! Even when yourself. Stay connected to this community. Oh, yes. The journey is challenging, but it is so very rewarding. No matter what....#KeepMovingForward
Black excellence cannot be suppressed!
It's okay, *nobody* knows anything.
#Rememberyourpurpose #BlackMindsMatter
times get hard, don't give up. Embrace your journey! You belong here #FirstGenDocs
Run your own race
There will be many firsts you will encounter. As much as you try to prepare for it, being the first is always a bit scary and uncomfortable. Know that there are other firsts just like you and together we’ll help each other accomplish our own goals and the dreams of our parents and loved ones.
As #FirstGenDocs, remember that our presence in the academy matters. However, we must also challenge the systems of power and oppression that bolster the Ivory Tower. Be proud of your achievements. However, don't forget to examine your positionality and privilege of the position you hold within the academy that others with our backgrounds do not have access to. We may have navigated the world of academia without a map but it is our responsibility to provide that map for others in our community.
#FirstGenDocs 2020
#FirstGenDocs WE MAY BE THE FIRST, BUT WE WON'T BE THE LAST