• School of Education
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• Priorities & Impact
• Support Social Justice & Diversity

Give to support the School of Education's commitment to promoting and advancing the ideals of inclusion and diversity. These funds are used to support initiatives that help the school prepare culturally responsive, ethical, reflective and collaborative leaders to transform schools and communities.

SOCIAL JUSTICE AND DIVERSITY initiatives

Impact

For Elizabeth Auguste, a doctoral candidate in Educational Policy, Planning and Leadership with a focus on Curriculum Leadership, social justice and diversity are part of her identity both professionally and as a student. At W&M, she is part of the Holmes Scholars Program, which supports high-achieving students from traditionally under-represented backgrounds who are pursing doctoral degrees in education and demonstrate a commitment to equity and diversity. In addition to being a graduate student, she is also a reading specialist, working with elementary students who struggle with reading and writing.

She shared the impact of the Holmes Scholars program:

"By actively supporting the retention of underrepresented students in our programs, the school embraces the richness of different lenses, experiences, and views and shows a valuation of how these differences support diverse approaches to educational issues. Additionally, a diverse student body creates a platform for conversations that can engender critical thinking and empathy, qualities necessary for all educators as we train to serve diverse learners. Programs like Holmes Scholars support national efforts to ensure representativeness in the field of education, a necessary avenue for keeping pace with the increasingly diverse demographic profile of our nation’s students. Graduates from underrepresented groups can strengthen the pipeline as we will be provided with opportunities to mentor and nurture the minds, souls, and dreams of other underrepresented students encountered in our professional careers.”