Curious about what it’s like to pursue a PhD in Educational Studies at the Marsal Family School of Education?
Our PhD ambassadors are passionate about their work and eager to share their experiences with prospective students like you. Whether you have questions about coursework, research, or life as a doctoral student, they’re here to help!
Schedule a one-on-one chat or send us an email—we’d love to connect and support you on your journey.
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Check out our Prospective Student Informational Guide
Jennifer aracely Rodriguez
Research Interests: Math and statistics education, emotional and intellectual student well being, quantitative and qualitative methods, psychometrics, measurement and assessment
Schedule Office Hours with Jenn: https://calendly.com/jaracely/es-phd-student-ambassador-office-hours-with-jenn
Happy to Chat About: Funding opportunities, graduate student instruction, moving to Michigan, housing, courses
Jennifer Aracely Rodriguez is a doctoral student in Educational Studies with a focus on statistics education. Prior to coming to Michigan, Jennifer completed a bachelor’s degree in applied mathematics, with an additional concentration in statistics and a minor in computer science, at California State University, Bakersfield in 2020. The same year, she moved to Michigan and worked on her master’s in applied statistics at the University of Michigan. In her graduate studies, she worked as a graduate student instructor and mentor for an introductory statistics and data science course.
Jennifer is a first generation Hispanic/Chicana student. She loves to explore the outdoors, try food around campus, and start hobbies like nail art and jewelry making!
Kyle P. Smith LAMBROS
Schedule Office Hours with Kyle: https://calendly.com/kpsmi-umich/es-phd-student-ambassador-office-hours-with-kyle
Research Interests: English education, Queer literacies, teacher educati
Kyle (he/him) is a doctoral student in Educational Studies. A former public school teacher from Kentucky, Kyle maintains a commitment to secondary English language arts by examining the promises and precarity of critical literacy instruction. With a particular emphasis on exploring the pedagogical possibilities of LGBTQ+ young adult literature to talk across differences, his work interrogates how race, religiosity, and nationhood are refracted through literary analysis and classroom conversation.
KETURAH ABDULLAH
Research Interests: Historical and contemporary schooling contexts, African American education, alternative schooling models, homeschooling, parents as educators
Schedule Office Hours with keturah: https://calendly.com/keturaha-umich/es-phd-student-ambassador-office-hours-with-keturah
Happy to Chat About: Student caregiving responsibilities, university resources for student-caregivers, moving to Michigan
keturah abdullah is a doctoral student in Educational Studies. She is interested in learning about homeschooling communities and practices.
Before coming to Michigan, keturah was a homeschooling parent and an educator. Her experiences as a homeschooling parent motivated her to research and explore African American homeschoolers' unique experiences. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Africana Studies and a Master of Science in Reading from the University at Albany, as well as a Master of Science in Education in Special Education from Long Island University, Brooklyn.
Beyond her life as a student, keturah enjoys spending time with family and friends, crocheting, sewing, and exploring non-caffeinated alternatives to caffeinated beverages.
Isabelle Eng
Research Interests: Teacher professional development, teacher preparation, instructional coaching models
Schedule Office Hours with Isabelle: https://calendly.com/isabeltz/30min-with-isabelle
Happy to Chat About: International student experiences, and transitioning from teacher to student
Isabelle is a doctoral student in the Educational Studies program. Her research interests lie in the professional development of in-service teachers and teacher preparation, specifically in instructional coaching. Before coming to Michigan, Isabelle was a lecturer at the National Institute of Early Childhood Education (Singapore) and pursued her Master of Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. In her free time, she hikes, reads, and watches comedies.
Marcela Ortiz Guerrero
Schedule Office Hours with Marcela: https://calendly.com/marcelao-umich/es-phd-student-ambassador-office-hour-with-marcela
Research Interests: Refugee education, education in emergencies, international and comparative education
Happy to Chat About: Being an international student at the University of Michigan; searching for funding for international fieldwork.
Hello, I'm Marcela! Originally from Chillán, Chile. My academic background lies in Sociology and Public Policy. I am a fifth year PhD student in Educational Studies interested in the educational experiences of Venezuelan immigrant and refugee students attending school in Colombia. Before joining the PhD program, I collaborated with international organizations such as UNESCO and the Inter-American Development Bank on projects spanning various countries in Latin America. When I'm not immersed in my studies, you'll find me exploring the outdoors or getting active with a workout.
VICTORIA PÉREZ NIFOUSSI
Research Interests: Teacher education, math education, antiracist teaching, school and family connections
Schedule Office Hours with Victoria: https://calendly.com/nifoussi/es-phd-ambassador-office-hours-with-victoria
Happy to Chat About: Being a student parent/starting a family during your doctoral journey, moving to Michigan, parent/family resources
Victoria Pérez Nifoussi is a doctoral student in Educational Studies with a focus on teacher education. She is interested in how teachers enact antiracist teaching, especially within mathematics classrooms. Victoria spent many years working as a middle-school mathematics teacher in multiple locations including Boston, Massachusetts, Trenton, New Jersey and San Diego, California. In her free time, Victoria enjoys being a mother and a wife, going on walks, cooking, and spending time with family and friends.
ALAKA G. VARMA
Research Interests: Language and literacy education, critical literacies, children’s literate identities, children’s literature
Schedule Office Hours with Alaka: https://calendly.com/alaka-umich/es-phd-student-ambassador-office-hours-with-alaka
Happy to Chat About: International student experiences, building a sense of home and community in a new country, transitioning from teaching to being a doctoral student, housing in Ann Arbor—or just about anything!
Alaka (she/her) is a doctoral student in Educational Studies. Before moving to Michigan, she was an elementary school teacher in India. Passionate about fostering inclusive and equitable literacy education for all learners, she explores the possibilities of critical literacy in shaping students’ agency, positioning them as active participants in their learning. In her free time, she enjoys reading, visiting libraries, being outdoors, and watching movies.