May 2021

May 4, 2021

Meet Amber Smith ’21PHD: ‘I Was Raised to Believe Education Is Very Important and Can Open the Door to Many Opportunities’

Amber Smith ’21PHD has had a passion for math for as long as she can remember -- earning both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in applied mathematics. After discovering a love for teaching, Smith decided to pursue a Ph.D. in learning and teaching in STEM mathematics and statistics education program area of study from the NC State College of Education. 

May 4, 2021

Meet Samuel Hammett ’21: ‘I Want to Reform Mathematics Education and Inspire Students to Love Mathematics’

In high school, Samuel Hammett ’21 hated math. But that changed when he got a teacher who made math more enjoyable. It was then that he realized the impact a teacher can have on a student’s life. In May, Hammett will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics education, hoping to make a similar impact on students as his favorite teachers had on him. 

May 3, 2021

Meet Briana Campbell ’21MED: ‘I Believe There is Power in Being Vulnerable and Sharing One’s Story’

Briana Campbell ’21MED has wanted to be a member of a helping profession for as long as she can remember, but she was ultimately drawn to counseling because of her passion for hearing other peoples’ stories and worldviews. She hopes to use her skills to expand counseling services to historically underserved communities when she graduates with a Master of Education in clinical mental health counseling in May 2021. 

May 3, 2021

Meet Iwinosa O. Idahor ’21PHD: ‘The College of Education Has Allowed Me To Learn More About Myself Personally, Academically and Professionally’

When Iwinosa O. Idahor ’21PHD came to the NC State College of Education as a North Carolina Teaching Fellow, she recognized the connections and opportunities the colleges offered in helping her to develop as a scholar and practitioner. For that reason, she returned to the College of Education to earn her doctorate degree and she will graduate with a Ph.D. in educational leadership, policy, and human development in May 2021 

May 3, 2021

Meet Jonathan Loss ’21EDD: ‘I Was Looking For an Opportunity to Further My Education and Broaden My Opportunities For the Future’

For the past 15 years, Jonathan Loss ’21EDD has served in the North Carolina Community College System and had an interest in ways to help students transfer from community colleges to four-year universities in the UNC System. When he enrolled in the NC State College of Education’s Doctor of Education in community college leadership program, he was able to study this topic further, learning more about the professional research process and publishing his first co-authored study in a peer-reviewed journal. 

May 3, 2021

Meet Zakiya Futrell ’21MED: ‘I Knew That I Wanted to Help Those in Need and Clinical Mental Health Counseling Has Provided Me With the Avenue to Do So’

Zakiya Futrell ’21MED wants to become an advocate for mental health, particularly for people who are Black, Indigenous and people of color and those from low-income backgrounds, so she enrolled in the NC State College of Education where she will graduate with a Master of Education in clinical mental health counseling in May 2021. 

May 3, 2021

Meet Gavin Bell ’21MED: ‘In Whatever Capacity I Step Into, I Want to Make Sure I Lead With Love’

Since the time Gavin Bell ’21MED was an undergraduate student, he knew he wanted to earn an advanced degree that would enable him to better support and develop students from underrepresented identities and communities. To do that, he enrolled in the NC State College of Education, where he will graduate with a master’s degree in higher education administration this May. 

May 3, 2021

Education Week: New Teaching Jobs May Emerge With Continued Demand for Virtual Learning

Hiller Spires, Ph.D., executive director of the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation and associate dean in the NC State College of Education, talks about how the COVID-19 pandemic has led to more personalized learning through digital platforms.