Holmes Program Supports Graduate Students
(L-R) Ava Jackson (Holmes postdoctoral associate), Rafael Villa, Jr. (Holmes Master’s Scholar), Efe Shavers (Holmes Scholar), and Laura Ottoni (Holmes Master’s Scholar) at the 2022 AACTE Annual Meeting in New Orleans, LA. Photo courtesy of Efe Shavers.
Holmes Program Supports Graduate Students
Since 2014, BU Wheelock has partnered with the American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education’s Holmes Program to support current master’s and doctoral students and postdoctoral scholars who self-identify as racially and ethnically diverse. As part of the Holmes Program, participants receive mentorship, peer support, and professional development opportunities.
This year, BU Wheelock’s Efe Shavers, a third-year doctoral student in applied human development, was named a Holmes Scholar. As a new Holmes Scholar, Shavers was able to attend the recent AACTE annual meeting to meet with other program participants.
“The Holmes conference during AACTE was life-changing for me,” says Shavers. “To be in a room filled with people of color partaking in excellence while supporting each other was very inspiring.” Shavers hopes to present at AACTE next year.
“Efe’s research focuses on critically conscious teacher pedagogy and contextual issues around resilience and success of youth from historically marginalized groups,” says BU Wheelock’s Tina Durand, who is Shavers’ advisor. “Her work fits beautifully with the mission of the Holmes Scholars Program.”
At BU Wheelock, the Holmes Scholar Program is supported by Michael Dennehy, executive director of College Access & Student Success, and Beth Warren, Sylvia Earl Professor & director of the Earl Center for Learning & Innovation, Detris Adelabu, clinical professor of applied human development, and Andrea Bien, clinical assistant professor of elementary education. We spoke with several Holmes Program participants, both current and recent, about where they are now.