Ece Yilmaz ’24PHD: ‘I Want to Live in a More Inclusive World, Where Individuals Are Not Confined by Societal Expectations, Stereotypes and Biases’
When Ece Yilmaz ’24PHD received a Fulbright Grant and started applying to doctoral programs in the United States, the welcoming environment at the NC State College of Education stood out to her. She made the move from Turkey to North Carolina and soon discovered a community of supportive mentors and colleagues who helped her grow as a scholar and researcher.
Now, she will be graduating with her Ph.D. in the Educational Leadership, Policy, and Human Development higher education opportunity, equity, and justice concentration.
Meet Ece:
Hometown: Nazilli, Aydin, Turkiye
Activities (Research or Extracurricular): In the 2022-2023 academic year, I served on the NC State College of Education’s Graduate Student Advisory Board. We organized a graduate student gathering, monthly meetings with graduate students and other social events. In the 2021-2022 academic year, I served as a graduate student ambassador. Currently, I work as a research associate at the Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research. As a member of the PACE Team, I work with clients to administer the PACE Climate Survey for Community Colleges in their institutions.
Why did you choose the NC State College of Education?
In the summer of 2019, I received a Fulbright doctoral grant, and I started applying for Ph.D. programs that fall. As I explored potential institutions, I loved the welcoming environment NC State offered. If you are an international student and are not able to travel to the United States to see the real campus environment, the most important part of choosing a graduate program is your communication with your department and advisor. My academic advisor, [Alumni Distinguished Graduate Professor] Alyssa Rockenbach, and our department head at that time, [Associate Dean for Faculty and Academic Affairs] John Lee, were incredibly supportive and responsive to my needs and questions considering the challenges of the pandemic situation in March and April 2020. This responsiveness and the supportive environment are two highlights of NC State for me, and they played a big role in my decision to pursue my graduate education here. Throughout my doctoral journey, Dr. Alyssa Rockenbach has always been incredibly supportive, confirming that I made the right decision coming to NC State’s College of Education.
Why did you choose your concentration?
I want to live in a more inclusive world, where individuals are not confined by societal expectations, stereotypes and biases. I’m passionate about challenging these norms and advocating for equality and inclusivity in education.
What’s your next step? What do you have planned after graduation?
I will continue to work with the Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research as a postdoctoral research scholar. In this role, I will continue to work with the PACE team. I also plan to use this time to disseminate my dissertation research findings and collaborate with my research sites on how to utilize the study’s findings effectively.
How has the College of Education prepared you for that next step?
My degree in Educational Leadership, Policy, and Human Development and my research associate job at the Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research both prepared me very well for this new position. Through my degree, I gained a strong theoretical foundation and practical skills that will be invaluable in my postdoctoral work. Additionally, my experience as a research associate at the Belk Center provided me with firsthand insight into the challenges and opportunities within the realm of community colleges. I’m eager to apply what I’ve learned and collaborate with my research sites to ensure that the findings from my study are utilized effectively to foster positive change in higher education.
What are your research interests? What inspired those interests?
My research interests are centered around gender issues in higher education. I am involved in ongoing projects regarding women in faculty positions, graduate student mothers’ experiences and women in community college engineering programs.
My dissertation research was about women’s experiences in the associate in engineering degree programs in North Carolina community colleges. I worked with three community colleges in North Carolina and conducted observations and interviews to collect data to learn more about how women decide to enroll in this program, what their experiences are like in the program and what their transfer aspirations are. I gained valuable insights by working directly with students on-site, sharing the same space, and receiving support from faculty and program directors.
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