Logan Tayler Pender is a graduate student in the Education Policy, Organization & Leadership (EPOL) program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, with a concentration in Global Studies in Education. His research interests lie in decolonizing U.S. higher education and education abroad systems, advancing education as smart diplomacy, and promoting equitable global engagement. He served as a 2024-2025 Gilman Alumni Ambassador for the U.S. Department of State, a 2025 LeadNext Global Ambassador Fellow with The Asia Foundation, and was selected as a delegate for the 2025 Sustainable Development League World Economic & Leadership Forum in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Logan aspires to become a university president and diplomat, shaping educational policy and global cooperation through inclusive, future-focused leadership.
Advisor: Allison Witt, Ph.D.
Anticipated Graduation Year: 2026
Academic Background
- Ed.M. (in-progress) Education Policy, Organization, and Leadership with a Concentration in Global Studies in Education, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 2026
- B.A Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in International Education for Higher Education Administration (IEHEA) with a Minor in Social Sciences, Winthrop University, 2024
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/logan-tayler-pender