Every year, The College of Education recognizes outstanding graduate students at the master's and doctoral levels. We want to congratulate all of our students for their dedication to their education, community, and respective fields.
College of Education
Outstanding Master's and Doctoral-Level Students
Dr. Semilore Adelugba
Outstanding Graduate Student - Doctoral Level
Student Success in Learning, Literacy, and Mathematics Program
Dr. Semilore Adelugba has established herself as an exceptional scholar whose graduate education has directly fueled a high-impact professional trajectory. Her doctoral work at Texas State University centered on student motivation and self-regulation, resulting in a dissertation that innovatively reframes help-seeking as a student-centered, interpretive process. This academic rigor, combined with her expertise in educational assessment, led to significant scholarly contributions through publications and conference presentations. Her ability to translate advanced training into real-world success is evidenced by her competitive postdoctoral appointment at The Ohio State University, where she leads efforts to transform STEM learning through the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Success in Science/Driving Change initiative.
Beyond her research productivity, Dr. Adelugba is distinguished by her remarkable leadership and commitment to student success. She notably led a research team whose investigation into African American male students on academic probation resulted in all participants returning to good academic standing—a project she has since disseminated across multiple national conferences. Her leadership extends to professional service, having served a three-year presidential term for the Texas Division of the National Organization for Student Success (NOSS). Colleagues and mentors alike highlight her rare blend of intellectual creativity and interpersonal effectiveness, noting her ability to mentor others and collaborate across disciplines with the highest standards of integrity.
Audrey-Anna Scalici
Outstanding Graduate Student - Master's Level
School Psychology Program
Audrey Scalici has established herself as a standout scholar and leader within the School Psychology graduate program, demonstrating an exceptional ability to master complex psychometric and statistical concepts. Her academic excellence led to her selection as a Graduate Instructional Assistant, a highly selective role where she mentored first-year students in clinical test administration with both technical precision and compassion. Audrey’s clinical skills are further highlighted by her work in the University Assessment Clinic and her development of creative, school-based intervention tools. Her commitment to the field is underscored by her selection for the prestigious U.S. Department of Education PAIR-IT grant, which required her to complete additional coursework to enhance her collaboration with special education professionals.
Beyond her clinical training, Audrey has distinguished herself through her prolific research contributions and strong interpersonal leadership. By pursuing the program’s optional Research Track, she has focused on equitable and sustainable behavioral interventions, resulting in two first-author national poster presentations and a co-authored manuscript in a peer-reviewed international journal. Faculty and peers alike recognize her for her warmth, wit, and sophisticated communication skills, noting her ability to navigate challenging social dynamics and foster a collaborative learning environment. With her rare combination of clinical empathy, research initiative, and academic rigor, Audrey is positioned as a future leader and an ideal candidate for doctoral-level study.
Nominated Doctoral Level Outstanding Graduate Students
Dr. Juanita Galaviz
Dr. Juanita Galaviz has distinguished herself as a scholar of exceptional depth and courage within the School Improvement doctoral program. Utilizing Chicana feminist frameworks and testimonio methodology, her research tackles critical and complex issues in educational leadership, specifically school-related gender-based violence. Her work is characterized by a sophisticated integration of theory and lived experience, providing original insights that hold institutions accountable and advance the field of equity-centered research. This academic excellence is reflected in her perfect 4.0 GPA, a testament to her intellectual rigor and methodological care.
Beyond her scholarly achievements, Juanita’s ability to balance high-level research with demanding PK–12 leadership roles sets her apart from her peers. While completing her doctoral studies, she served as an assistant principal, overseeing vital areas such as Title IX processes, special education, and campus-wide improvement initiatives. Her graduate education and professional practice have existed in a productive synergy, with each informing and strengthening the other. Known for her integrity and generosity, she has emerged as a disciplined leader and mentor who translates academic insights into grounded, impactful leadership within the school community.
Outstanding Graduate Student - Doctoral Level
Educational and Community Leadership Program
Outstanding Graduate Student - Doctoral Level
Adult, Professional, and Community Education Program
Dr. Adrienne Taylor
Dr. Adrienne Taylor has established a distinguished scholarly identity as a scholar-practitioner focused on normalizing disability within organizational learning systems. Their doctoral research at Texas State University advocates for a critical shift from individualized accommodations to universal accessibility, challenging deficit-based narratives through a strengths-based framework. This impactful agenda is supported by an impressive publication record, including two peer-reviewed journal articles and multiple book chapters addressing neurodivergence and community activism. Dr. Taylor’s academic reach is global, having presented their findings at international conferences in places such as Padua, Italy, where they consistently reshape professional discourse around workplace accessibility and adult learning theory.
Beyond their research, Dr. Taylor has demonstrated exceptional leadership and service, marked by a deep commitment to peer mentorship and university governance. They have served in high-level roles as the Parliamentarian for the Graduate House of Representatives and as a member of the prestigious Gold Star Society and the Graduate Council. Their professional versatility is further evidenced by their work with the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship, where they designed professional learning modules and facilitated faculty development. By combining methodological rigor with significant service—including an appointment to the Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching Selection Committee—Dr. Taylor exemplifies a rare blend of intellectual courage and collaborative leadership.
Nominated Master's Level Outstanding Graduate Students
Francis Abakah
Francis Abakah has distinguished himself as a scholar and selfless leader through a remarkable academic transformation, evolving from a primary educator in Ghana to an emerging researcher specializing in multicultural equity and postsecondary student success. His versatility is evidenced by his success in graduate instructional assistantships across two departments and his recent application to doctoral study, where he bridges the gap between complex pedagogical theory and practical application. Beyond his academic rigor, Francis is defined by a "can-do" spirit and a commitment to uplifting others, notably through his development of comprehensive orientation resources and mentorship for fellow international students. By leveraging his global perspective and prioritizing the success of his peers over his own financial security, he has made an indelible impact on the intellectual and interpersonal climate of the College of Education.
Outstanding Graduate Student - Master's Level
Early Childhood Education Program
Outstanding Graduate Student - Master's Level
Student Affairs in Higher Education Program
Emily Gray
Emily Gray has utilized the Student Affairs in Higher Education (SAHE) program as a transformative platform to bridge her lived experience as a first-generation student with a sophisticated, research-informed professional identity. Her academic evolution is defined by a commitment to institutional equity and a shift toward excellent analytical writing, skills she applies directly as a graduate assistant through evidence-based interventions and student advocacy. Distinguished by her proactive leadership and interpersonal warmth, Emily builds deep trust with marginalized populations while pursuing challenging scholarly endeavors and independent research. Her ability to navigate professional hurdles with resilience and a problem-solving orientation makes her a standout practitioner poised to make a lasting impact on the field of higher education.
Sarah Mercado Garcia
Sarah Mercado Garcia has demonstrated a profound commitment to bilingual education by masterfully integrating theoretical frameworks like Ruiz’s "language-as-resource" orientation with her seven years of teaching experience in the Austin Independent School District. Her scholarly work synthesizes her intersectional experiences as an international student, Montessori-certified teacher, and language learner to advocate for educational equity and culturally sustaining practices. Beyond her academic success, Sarah is a distinguished leader and founding member of the Bilingual Education Alumni Network, where she has been instrumental in supporting future educators. Described as a reflective lifelong learner, she fosters inclusive, nurturing environments and builds strong community relationships, embodying the transformative potential of graduate education as a powerful advocate for emergent bilinguals and social justice.
Outstanding Graduate Student - Master's Level
Bilingual/Bicultural Elementary Education Program
Outstanding Graduate Student - Master's Level
Adult, Professional, and Community Education Program
Niki Ouellette
Niki Ouellette has demonstrated a profound professional evolution, transitioning from a retail management background at James Avery Craftsman to becoming a dedicated leader in adult learning and development. Her graduate education has served as a catalyst for this shift, fueling her transition from a corporate training manager to an aspiring consultant who applies complex organizational development concepts with an intense, "headlong" commitment to growth. What truly distinguishes Niki is her dedication to "modeling" the principles she teaches; she transcends traditional instruction by actively integrating servant leadership and crucial conversation skills into her daily life through constant metacognitive reflection. By combining this courageous, empathetic approach to communication with a lifelong motivation to help others achieve their potential, Niki stands as an exceptional representative of the transformative power of graduate-level study.
Eric Peets
Eric Peets has demonstrated exceptional dedication and academic rigor in the Teaching Advanced Academics program, maintaining a perfect 4.0 GPA while teaching high school Social Studies full-time. On track to graduate this May, Eric is recognized by faculty as a highly self-regulated learner who navigated a demanding 36-hour degree plan with independent foresight and professional discipline. Beyond his administrative competence, he distinguished himself in the classroom as a reflective practitioner whose analytical contributions consistently exceeded assignment expectations. By successfully balancing his professional responsibilities with an accelerated graduate timeline, Eric has proven himself to be a motivated educator poised to excel in dual-credit instruction at the high school and community college levels.
Outstanding Graduate Student - Master's Level
Secondary Education Program
Outstanding Graduate Student - Master's Level
Educational and Community Leadership Program
Cecilio Suarez
Cecilio Suarez has distinguished himself as an exemplary scholar and aspiring educational leader, maintaining a perfect 4.0 GPA while working full-time as a bilingual educator. Throughout his graduate career, he has masterfully integrated equity-centered research and data-driven instruction into his professional practice, specifically focusing on two-way immersion and asset-based perspectives for emergent bilingual students. His academic work is characterized by analytical depth and a systemic approach to school change, while his classroom presence is marked by a unique blend of humility, professional courage, and servant leadership. By bridging the gap between rigorous theoretical study and practical campus leadership, Cecilio has demonstrated the self-discipline and inquisitive passion necessary to drive meaningful improvement in his school community.
Morgan Ward
Morgan Ward has distinguished herself as an exceptional scholar and emerging professional within the Special Education program, consistently demonstrating a mastery of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) principles and their evidence-based application. Her academic work is characterized by high-quality analysis and intellectual curiosity, often going beyond core requirements to engage deeply with behavioral literature and clinical reasoning. Beyond her classroom success, Morgan exemplifies the highest professional and ethical standards, showing a proactive commitment to feedback and leadership that enhances the learning environment for her peers. Her blend of academic excellence, maturity, and dedication to ethical service delivery makes her a standout representative of the program and its core values.
Outstanding Graduate Student - Master's Level
Special Education Program