The TCU College of Education hosted the 2024 Holmes Research and Dissertation Retreat from Oct. 31 through Nov. 1, in collaboration with the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE). The AACTE Holmes Scholars Program supports students who self-identify as racially and ethnically diverse and are pursuing graduate degrees in education at AACTE member institutions.
Throughout the weekend, attendees engaged in focused writing sessions, community-building and professional development all within TCU's supportive environment.
Empowering Future Leaders in Education
The Holmes Program under AACTE supports students from underrepresented backgrounds
in their journey to become education leaders and advocates. By creating a community
of scholars, the Holmes Program helps to elevate education through research, professional
practice and advocacy. This retreat offered students a blend of structured writing
time, mentorship and networking opportunities.
Focused Learning & Developmental Tracks
The retreat’s agenda catered specifically to different stages of the doctoral journey
from prospective and first-year doctoral students to those approaching candidacy and
doctoral candidates.
- Writing and Mentorship Sessions: Attendees participated in intensive writing blocks and received personalized guidance from writing mentors including TCU faculty Melissa Mendoza, Ph.D. and Stephanie Cuellar, Ph.D. These sessions provided support in developing and refining scholars' research agendas.
- Faculty-Led Sessions: TCU faculty members led impactful sessions tailored to scholars’ needs. Endia J. Lindo, Ph.D, Jo Beth Jimerson, Ph.D., Cathryn van Kessel, Ph.D., Miriam Ezzani, Ed.D., Francyne Huckaby, Ph.D., Taryn Ozuna Allen, Ph.D., Pablo Montes, Ph.D., Steve Przymus, Ph.D. and other esteemed faculty offered workshops on topics such as developing a research agenda, selecting conceptual frameworks and navigating the dissertation process.
Special Guest Presentation
Leslie Ekpe, Ph.D. ’23, assistant professor at Texas A&M University Commerce, delivered
a powerful presentation on Saturday, Nov. 1 sharing insights from her experiences
and inspiring scholars to leverage their research for positive change in the education
field.
Scholars Across the Nation
This retreat brought together Holmes Scholars from various universities across the
country fostering a rich exchange of ideas and perspectives. Participants represented
institutions such as Syracuse University, The Ohio State University, University of
Nevada Las Vegas, University of South Carolina, University of Florida, Sam Houston
State University, Texas Woman’s University and Seattle University, among others.
Looking Ahead
As the Holmes Program continues to grow, the TCU College of Education remains dedicated
to supporting this vibrant community of scholars. By providing resources mentorship
and meaningful networking opportunities TCU and AACTE aim to empower these doctoral
students to become leaders who will drive impactful change in education.
The TCU College of Education is proud to partner with AACTE, reinforcing a shared vision of transforming education for all learners.
