Allison Anderson is an undergraduate student at the University of Alabama, where she is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and English with minors in Psychology, Education Policy and Reform, and Social Innovation and Leadership. This summer, Allison will be placed with the Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students (GEEARS), a nonprofit organization that works to advance high-quality early learning and healthy development for children from birth to age five by championing effective policies, promoting innovative practices, and building public support for early childhood education. Allison is a member of the Honors College and the 18th Cohort of the Dr. Robert E. Witt Fellows Program and serves as an undergraduate research assistant in the Well-being Intervention for Teachers and Youth (WITY) Lab, where she contributes to research on teachers’ occupational and mental health. Outside of academics, she enjoys hosting dinner parties and trying new recipes with friends.

Angela Maria Villamizar is a Ph.D. student in Curriculum & Instruction with a focus on Bilingual/Bicultural Education at the University of Texas at Austin. This summer, Angela will be placed with LatinxEd, an educational initiative in North Carolina that provides multi-year support to Latinx students and immigrant families seeking greater access to higher education and opportunity. Angela began her undergraduate studies at the University of Southern California after being accepted as a junior in high school and starting college a year early, and she has presented her research at 13 academic conferences, with two additional presentations planned this semester. Outside of her academic and professional work, Angela enjoys reading, traveling, baking, walking her dog Luna, listening to music, and practicing yoga.

Carson Alexander is an Elementary Education major at Prairie View A&M University with several years of experience working with youth through after-school programs, summer camps, and educational internships. This summer, Carson will be placed with the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education (CHE), the state’s coordinating board for South Carolina’s 33 public institutions of higher learning, which works to strengthen higher education through academic oversight, financial aid administration, college access initiatives, and statewide data and research efforts. Carson serves as the inaugural Mr. Whitlowe R. Green College of Education at Prairie View A&M University, representing future educators through leadership and service. Outside of academics, Carson is a car enthusiast and enjoys playing and watching basketball.

Kyra Tucker is a Master of Education student in Learning, Design, and Technology at the University of Georgia and a graduate of Tennessee State University with a degree in Political Science. This summer, Kyra will be placed with the Center for Outcomes Based Contracting at the Southern Education Foundation, which supports districts and providers in implementing outcomes-based contracting through research, technical assistance, public resources, and cohort-based learning experiences designed to improve long-term student outcomes. Kyra is the recipient of the Dean’s Student Leadership Award at Tennessee State University and served as the inaugural Chair of the Student Government Association’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, where she led the university’s first student-led DEI committee and supported initiatives that fostered a more welcoming and inclusive campus environment.

Montray Love is a Ph.D. student in Educational Leadership and Policy at the University of Florida whose research focuses on educational equity and the historical experiences of Black educational institutions. This summer, Montray will be placed with Georgia State University’s College of Education and Human Development, a nationally recognized leader in preparing equity-centered educators, researchers, and policymakers committed to advancing justice-oriented teaching and scholarship. Montray previously served as a public school history teacher in Broward County Public Schools, where he taught U.S. History, Government, and Economics and helped students develop critical thinking skills about democracy and civic life. Outside of academics and work, Montray enjoys staying active outdoors through running, hiking, playing basketball, and fishing.

Sandtori Solomon is an Educational Studies major at Morehouse College with a minor in History. This summer, Sandtori will be placed with City Schools of Decatur, an independent public school district that serves approximately 5,700 students from early childhood through 12th grade across ten schools and a virtual academy. Sandtori is a Bonner Scholar at Morehouse College with more than 600 community service hours and currently serves as an intern with “These Halls Can Talk,” an oral history project documenting the accomplishments and experiences of alumni from the historic Booker T. Washington High School in Atlanta. Outside of academics and work, Sandtori enjoys researching African diasporic art and learning about the history behind the pieces.

Tinghan Wang is a Public Policy, Health, and Economics major at Emory University. This summer, Tinghan will be placed with the Georgia Budget & Policy Institute, a nonprofit research organization that advances lasting solutions to expand economic opportunity and well-being for all Georgians through policy analysis and state budget research. Tinghan helped design a diversionary rehabilitation program at the Newton County Juvenile Court aimed at reducing youth recidivism and serves as an intern with the Atlanta Urban Debate League, where she coaches K–12 students, helps host debate tournaments, and develops research briefs. Outside of academics and work, Tinghan enjoys crocheting, baking, and exploring new restaurants around Atlanta.

Zhané Waye is a Master of Public Policy student at Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy. This summer, Zhané will be placed with the Dudley Flood Center for Educational Equity & Opportunity, an organization that works collaboratively to address systemic racism in education by advocating for structural changes in policy and practice to support equitable learning environments for North Carolina’s diverse student population. A Teach For America alumna and former secondary English Language Arts teacher, Zhané was named Teacher of the Year during her first year in the classroom and is also a Z. Smith Reynolds recipient. Outside of academics and work, she performs as a member of the Duke Symphony Orchestra.