Ivana Marshall M.Ed.'23
Education
- University of Richmond, Bachelor of Arts in Leadership and International Studies, with a concentration in World Politics and Diplomacy
What is your current graduate assistantship/job?
I am the Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement and Inclusion Initiatives at William & Mary.
What organizations are you involved in?
- Member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
- Member of 4-H
- Member of Red Spider Society at the University of Richmond
- President of the Higher Education Student Association
What are your research interests?
My research interests are women of color in higher education and the pipeline to the college presidency, as well as, the history and future of diversity, equity, and inclusion on college campuses.
Why did you choose William & Mary?
I chose William & Mary for a number of reasons. In my full-time work with our alumni, I get to see how passionate, driven, and successful W&M graduates are. People who attend W&M tend to have a couple of things in common, first their intelligence and next their commitment to excellence. I knew that I wanted to be among the ranks of our outstanding alumni. The next reason I chose W&M was because of its growing commitment to diversity and inclusion. Through my studies, I am gathering the tools necessary to ensure that I'll know what kinds of policies and practices to utilize at institutions that are not doing as well as W&M on the D&I front. Similar to W&M alumni, I think that W&M as an institution is a model of excellence and I'm excited to be at an institution where positive change continues to happen.
What is your favorite thing about the program?
My favorite thing about this program is the mixture of master's level students and doctoral students. In addition to learning from our professors during class, I also have the opportunity to learn from my peers. Through conversations about our research areas, I've been able to learn and grow in a way that would not be possible if were not at different levels of our academic journeys. Although we are are all students, it is clear that each person brings a level of expertise to our individual work and research interest areas.
How has attending William & Mary impacted your career to date?
Attending William & Mary has impacted my career to date because I am gaining a much better understanding of how institutions of higher education function. Obtaining a degree from the institution where I work is allowing me to delve deeper into my diversity and inclusion focus and approach it from a heightened academic standpoint, instead of a personal standpoint. In addition, I continue to be drawn towards gaining a better understanding of organizational theories as they relate to institutions of higher education. Specifically, I have an interest in how diversity and inclusion affects organizational behavior in changing climates, and either contributes to or prohibits the creation of dynamic environments. This impacts my career because I am having to wrestle with the question of who has the best opportunity to implement positive change. I have considered higher education law programs, doctoral research programs, and various policy-changing agencies for future career steps and I am hoping to have my answer by the time graduation rolls around!
