Scholars of Excellence

“… the three C’s -- Care, Collaboration, and Communication – are foundational to my mentoring philosophy and work with my students. Broadly imagined within an ethic of mutual care (and respect), I aspire to be a collaborative and lifelong mentor-learner, a process that is facilitated via transparent and affirming communication. … The three C’s thread my singular commitment to mentoring as an opportunity to initiate and/or partake in transformations that benefit not only my mentees, but students in general, and minority students in particular.”

“My goal is to encourage individuals to learn and see the world around them with a new perspective. I aim to educate, enrich and challenge students as I attempt to weave my enthusiasm and joy of teaching, research, service, and mentoring into their learning experience. I encourage students to reach their learning goals by promoting engagement through cooperation among students, active learning, high expectations, respect for diverse talents and ways of learning, involving students in research, approachability, and instilling creativity. I encourage critical thinking and utilize a spectrum of techniques in both my teaching and research with graduate students.”

“A defining aspect of my mentorship philosophy is treating students as colleagues-in-training. I encourage them to develop their independent voices and engage in scholarly conversations within their respective fields. By involving them in collaborative research projects, co-authoring publications, and facilitating interdisciplinary discussions, I prepare students to seamlessly transition from mentees to peers within the academic community. I take pride in the accomplishments of my mentees, who have presented at conferences, published in peer-reviewed journals, secured awards, being confident that the work done together will certainlv allow them to secure important positions in academia and industry.”