blog posts

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  Danté R. Studamire (he/him/his)

  May 14, 2021 3:15 pm98 views

  Dante Studamire is a scholar-activist who attributes social activism and purposeful scholarship as key motivations. Presently, a doctoral student in Education Policy, Organization, and Leadership (EPOL), I also serve as a mentor through the Office of Minority Student Affairs (OMSA) and a Teaching Assistant within the College of Education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

  My scholarly research activity engages, troubles, and interrogates experiences in academe across a multiplicity of identities. I bring intersectional framing and a critical theoretical lens to explore the intersections of race, class, gender, sexuality, and education. I aim to contribute counternarratives to dominant discourse and add to an emerging body of literature on African American social and educational resilience, but more largely, to provide visibility to a population that is often pathologically approached, if represented at all, in research concerning Black men in America and education scholarship.

  Advisor: Dr. Adrienne Dixson

  Anticipated Graduation: 2023

  Academic Background

  • Ph.D. Student, Education Policy, Organization & Leadership,University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

           Concentration: Social Sciences & Education Policy

  • M. A., Africana Studies, Georgia State University
  • B. A., Africana Studies, Georgia State University
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  Nathan Tanner (he/him/his)

  May 13, 2021 4:30 pm72 views

  Program of Study, Research Interests, & Advisor

  As a doctoral student in Education Policy, Organization, and Leadership (EPOL) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign my research critically examines Whiteness in historic and contemporary educational contexts; I seek to document and illuminate its pernicious influence on educational opportunity structures, and the ways racially minoritized students navigate and resist oppressive educational configurations. A major focus of my research agenda is drawing educators and policymakers’ attention to the intersections in place, race, and religion on schools, past and present. I transitioned to doctoral studies and educational research after working as an ESL teacher in Tianjin, China and a public school social studies teacher in Salt Lake City, Utah.

  My advisor is Dr. Christopher M. Span.

  Expected Year of Graduation: 2023

  Professional & Educational Background

  •  Ph.D. Student, Education Policy, Organization & Leadership in Social Sciences & Education Policy, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
    
    
  • M.Ed., Educational Leadership & Policy, The University of Utah
    
    
  • B.A., History, Brigham Young University

  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathan-tanner-a5b35439/

• Nicole M. DelMastro-Jeffery (she/her/hers)

  Nov 1, 2021 12:15 pm24 views

  Nicole DelMastro-Jeffery is a doctoral student in the Department of Education Policy, Organization & Leadership, with a concentration in higher education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her research interests center on undergraduate student experiences to and through math pathways amid the COVID pandemic.

  DelMastro-Jeffery's professional experience includes a decade of education equity work in higher education administration, student services, and program coordination in both the two- and four-year college sectors. Before joining OCCRL, she served as a community college research assistant, TRIO advisor, UIUC academic advisor, faculty member, and higher education administrator for students pursuing graduate degrees in the field of public health.

  Advisor: Dr. Eboni Zamani-Gallaher

  Anticipated Graduation: 2022

  Academic Background:

  M.Ed., Higher Education Organization and Leadership at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

  B.S.W., American Social Policy, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

  A.A., Liberal Arts: Arts and Humanities; Social Sciences at Long Beach Community College