{"id":201441,"date":"2018-01-03T13:02:04","date_gmt":"2018-01-03T18:02:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/?p=201441"},"modified":"2023-07-18T13:04:42","modified_gmt":"2023-07-18T17:04:42","slug":"10-questions-with-ph-d-students-in-educational-leadership","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/2018\/01\/10-questions-with-ph-d-students-in-educational-leadership\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Questions With Ph.D. Students in Educational Leadership"},"content":{"rendered":"

In\u00a0our recurring\u00a0<\/em>10 Questions series<\/em><\/a>, the Neag School catches up with students, alumni, faculty, and others throughout the year to offer a glimpse into their Neag School experience and their current career, research, or community activities.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Learning, Leadership, and Education Policy (LLEP)<\/a>\u00a0is a doctoral program available through the Neag School\u2019s\u00a0Department of Educational Leadership<\/a>, offering concentrations in three areas: adult learning; leadership and education policy; and sport management. This installment of \u201c10 Questions\u201d connects with two current Ph.D. candidates in the LLEP program:<\/p>\n

Shannon Holder<\/strong>\u00a0of Hartford, Conn., is currently a doctoral student in the Neag School\u2019s LLEP program with a concentration in leadership and education policy. She also is co-host of an education-focused podcast titled EduCulture.\u00a0<\/em>She completed her bachelor\u2019s degree in history and master\u2019s degree in teaching at Hampton University in Hampton, Va.<\/p>\n

Jesse Mala \u201914 MS<\/strong>, a native of New Britain, Conn., and a veteran of the U.S. Army, earned his bachelor\u2019s degree in physical education from Central Connecticut State University and his master\u2019s in exercise science from UConn. His concentration in the LLEP doctoral program is sport management.<\/p>\n

\"Jesse
Jesse Mala \u201914 MS, a native of New Britain, Conn., and a veteran of the U.S. Army, is pursuing a Ph.D. in the Neag School\u2019s Learning, Leadership, and Education Policy (LLEP) program with a concentration in sport management. (Photo courtesy of Jesse Mala)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Where did your interest in your particular LLEP concentration originate, and how did you come to realize that you wanted to pursue a Ph.D. \u2014 and, ultimately, a career \u2014 in that field?<\/strong><\/p>\n

SH:\u00a0<\/strong>I was a teacher for eight years, and I wanted to impact educational policy. I knew UConn had the leadership and education policy concentration, so I decided to apply.\u00a0 As a teacher, I felt that there were always new policies being implemented that didn\u2019t seem like a match for the students I taught every day. It felt like no one was listening to teachers, and teachers were also being blamed for the problems in schools. Teachers around me were frustrated, and I wanted to do something to help them. At UConn, I\u2019m constantly thinking about my former coworkers and reflecting on the frustration that they expressed to me. I also think about the past students I had and how I could change what they experienced in the classroom.<\/p>\n

JM:\u00a0<\/strong>I took a graduate course called sport-based youth development with\u00a0[Professor Jennifer] McGarry<\/a>, and throughout the whole course,\u00a0the content just resonated with me.\u00a0One aspect of the course examined how sport can be used as a\u00a0tool to teach life skills among youth in poverty, which was basically my life experience.\u00a0I enjoyed and believed in the concepts so much, I knew I had to get into this field.<\/p>\n

How have your current and\/or past experiences led you to where you are now?<\/strong><\/p>\n

SH:<\/strong>\u00a0In the back of my mind, I always thought I could pursue a doctorate, but it took me a while to make the decision to leave the classroom. I was raised in Hartford, Conn., by my mother, a middle school music teacher in Hartford Public Schools. She instilled in me at an early age that education was extremely important. As a single mother, she made sure I was exposed to opportunities through school and my community; her master\u2019s and bachelor\u2019s degrees were from Howard University and New York University, and she was committed to making sure that I had similar opportunities to pursue my passions. I\u2019ve always known that education was an American right, but as I moved through school, I also recognized that the quality of education was not the same for everyone.<\/p>\n

When I was going into third grade, my mother transferred me to parochial school from my neighborhood public school. This early experience made me see the disparities in education at a very young age. I knew I was behind other students because I had to stay after school to practice skills my peers had learned in second grade. I also knew that my mom was paying tuition for me to attend my new school \u2014 a burden for her. This inspired me to pursue education and create a more equitable system where it doesn\u2019t matter where you live or whether your parents can afford to send you to another school to get an excellent education.<\/p>\n

JM:\u00a0<\/strong>I grew up in\u00a0the projects in New Britain, and for the\u00a0first 15 years of my life lived in poverty.\u00a0Yet in the midst of poverty, I found an outlet in sport.\u00a0Participating in youth sports taught me basic life lessons and gave me the opportunity to practice these life skills.\u00a0I feel like the foundations of perseverance, discipline, and resilience were laid while I was playing youth sports.\u00a0These skills have helped me throughout my military and academic career.\u00a0So when I found out there was a field of study that actually examines experiences of young persons in poverty playing sports\u00a0and the benefits and skills that are transferred to other domains, I realized that this is what I wanted to study.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have learned a great deal about school leaders: both the challenges they face, and efforts to support them to make the changes we need.<\/em>\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2014\u00a0<\/em>Shannon Holder, LLEP Ph.D. Candidate<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

What is the focus of your dissertation research?\u00a0<\/strong>What about this particular topic interests you?<\/strong><\/p>\n

SH:\u00a0<\/strong>I\u2019m currently working on my qualifying paper, which is a qualitative study of high school teachers that examines how they made sense of a\u00a0detracking<\/a>\u00a0reform. I will continue studying detracking for my dissertation. I would like to do a case study of multiple schools that are detracked and study how it has impacted teachers, students, and the school community.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

JM:\u00a0<\/strong>My dissertation is examining the relationship of sport and physical activity participation on cognitive\u00a0development and stress regulation among youth in poverty.\u00a0I hope to grant\u00a0insight into the cognitive and physiological benefits of sport and physical activity among youth in poverty, hopefully making a case that sport and physical activity can act as a buffer to the negative effects of stress on the brain.\u00a0This topic interests me\u00a0because this basically examines my experiences as a child who grew up in poverty and participated in sports and physical activity.\u00a0I will be defending my\u00a0dissertation in the late spring of 2018. \u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

What are your future career goals? How do you envision your Ph.D. in LLEP helping you to meet those goals?<\/strong><\/p>\n

SH:\u00a0<\/strong>After graduating, I want to be a professor at a research institution. The LLEP faculty have helped develop my research and writing skills.\u00a0Jennie Weiner<\/a>, [assistant professor and] my advisor, has exposed me to many opportunities so that I am prepared for the professorship.<\/p>\n

JM:\u00a0<\/strong>I would like to be a professor at a research university, where I would be\u00a0able to do more research along my research interests. The classes, faculty and\u00a0specifically my advisor in the LLEP program have helped me tremendously with training me how to think write and have provided me with the tools to be a successful scholar in my field.<\/p>\n

What have you found most valuable about your experience in the Neag School\u2019s LLEP doctoral program?<\/strong><\/p>\n

SH:\u00a0<\/strong>I have learned more about how we are more segregated than we were in the 1960s. Even in areas where there is desegregation, racialized tracking within schools maintains the segregation status quo, perhaps more covertly. I have also learned a great deal about school leaders: both the challenges they face, and efforts to support them to make the changes we need.<\/p>\n

JM:\u00a0<\/strong>My most valuable experience would be learning how to be a scholar with my advisor,\u00a0and\u00a0the relationships built with my fellow Ph.D. students.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like the foundations of perseverance, discipline, and resilience were laid while I was playing youth sports. \u2026 When I found out there was a field of study that actually examines experiences of young persons in poverty playing sports\u00a0and the benefits and skills that are transferred to other domains, I realized that this is what I wanted to study.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2014\u00a0Jesse Mala, LLEP Ph.D. Candidate<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

How has your perspective changed over the course of your time in the LLEP doctoral program, or what important lessons have you learned?<\/strong><\/p>\n

SH:<\/strong>\u00a0I left the classroom with a very narrow view of policy research. I have a better understanding of how policy is made and then implemented in schools.<\/p>\n

JM:\u00a0<\/strong>I feel like each class helped me expand my knowledge as a scholar and pushed me to practice different skills as a future scholar.\u00a0A very important lesson that I\u2019ve learned is that all social\/biological phenomena is so complex. A simple explanation to a complex issue just reveals a limited understanding of\u00a0the\u00a0phenomena of interest.\u00a0My work as a scholar addresses a very small\u00a0piece\u00a0of very complex issue.<\/p>\n

How would you define an effective leader?<\/strong><\/p>\n

JM:\u00a0<\/strong>An effective leader is one who cares, empowers, and is a living example of\u00a0the\u00a0principles they teach.<\/p>\n

\"Shannon
Shannon Holder is a doctoral student in the Neag School\u2019s LLEP program with a concentration in leadership and education policy. She also is co-host of EduCulture, an education-focused podcast. (Photo courtesy of Shannon Holder)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Who has been your greatest mentor? What kind of support or insight have they provided to you along the way?<\/strong><\/p>\n

SH:\u00a0<\/strong>Jennie Weiner my advisor has been my best mentor. She has been the greatest support and motivator to me at the University of Connecticut. As my advisor, she makes sure that I\u2019m on track with my coursework and I\u2019m developing as a scholar. She frequently treats me as an equal and pushes me to apply for opportunities at UConn and beyond. This past year she helped me apply for a grant and a leadership opportunity and I received both. If I had not had Jennie\u2019s support, neither of these opportunities would have occurred.<\/p>\n

What is one thing that most people perhaps don\u2019t know about you, but that you believe gives you a unique or valuable perspective?<\/strong><\/p>\n

SH:\u00a0<\/strong>I love futuristic science fiction books and movies. I think my love of sci-fi helps me to always have in the back of my mind that innovation and change are possible even though the world can feel overwhelming and negative sometimes.<\/p>\n

JM:\u00a0<\/strong>Upon meeting me, you probably wouldn\u2019t guess that I spent the first 15 years of my life in urban poverty. I believe this experience gives me a valuable perspective as a scholar who is examining issues among youth in poverty.<\/p>\n

Why did you choose the Neag School for your doctoral program?<\/strong><\/p>\n

SH:\u00a0<\/strong>Wherever you go in the U.S., children of color lag behind their peers in most academic areas and access to a quality education. Of course, creating access to quality education for urban students is a thorny problem that eludes simple, quick solutions. And the current emphasis on fast results does not encourage the kind of deep-rooted reform our schools and communities need. In fact, it is reinforcing historical trends, and children of color suffer and are receiving an inferior education. I\u2019ve seen this firsthand as Hartford students are grade levels behind their suburban peers. UConn was doing research on these inequalities, which is why I wanted to be a student here.<\/p>\n

JM:\u00a0<\/strong>My advisor, Jennifer McGarry, studies sport-based youth development, which is my passion.<\/p>\n

What advice would you give to those who may be interested in pursuing a Ph.D. through the Neag School\u2019s LLEP doctoral program?<\/strong><\/p>\n

SH:\u00a0<\/strong>It\u2019s a great program, and it\u2019s good to brainstorm some topics you would be interested in studying prior to starting the program. Education is a large field, so it\u2019s a good idea to know what you would like to focus on.<\/p>\n

JM:\u00a0<\/strong>If you have the opportunity, do it!\u00a0Talking to other doctoral students on campus and from other universities, I\u00a0believe that my experience here at UConn in the LLEP doctoral program is very special and unique.\u00a0I have felt so supported by my advisor both academically and personally to be the scholar and person that I envision myself to be. Also, experiencing this program with such a racially and experientially diverse group of students has been awesome.\u00a0When I graduate this spring, I will miss my Neag School LLEP family.<\/p>\n

Learn more about the LLEP program at\u00a0<\/em>llep.education.uconn.edu<\/em><\/a>.\u00a0<\/em>Read other installments of the\u00a0Neag School\u2019s 10 Questions\u00a0series.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Learning, Leadership, and Education Policy (LLEP) is a doctoral program available through the Neag School\u2019s Department of Educational Leadership, offering concentrations in three areas: adult learning; leadership and education policy; and sport management. This installment of \u201c10 Questions\u201d connects with two current Ph.D. candidates in the LLEP program.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_crdt_document":"","wds_primary_category":0,"wds_primary_series":0,"wds_primary_attribution":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2427,1855],"tags":[],"magazine-issues":[],"coauthors":[1878],"class_list":["post-201441","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-educational-leadership","category-neag"],"pp_statuses_selecting_workflow":false,"pp_workflow_action":"current","pp_status_selection":"publish","acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-06-06 11:20:37","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/201441","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/users\/33"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=201441"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/201441\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":201443,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/201441\/revisions\/201443"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=201441"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=201441"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=201441"},{"taxonomy":"magazine-issue","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/magazine-issues?post=201441"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=201441"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}