COE Graduate Students Recognized by University of Maryland

This year, five COE graduate students are recognized by the Graduate School as Outstanding Graduate Assistants at the University of Maryland. Outstanding GAs are recognized for their substantial contributions to the university. 

 

Virigina L. Byrne, Doctoral Candidate in Technology, Learning and Leadership, Department of Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership (TLPL)

Byrne is a research assistant in TLPL for Dr. Diane Jass Ketelhut, Dr. Ebony Terrell Shockley and Dr. Sarah McGrew. She conducts research on technology in learning across the lifespan. Byrne had this to say about the outstanding GA recognition, "It's been an honor to serve on such incredible research teams here at Maryland. I'm so thankful for the opportunity to learn from this community of scholars."

 

 

Briella Baer Chen, Doctoral Student, Special Education, Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education (CHSE)

Chen works as a Graduate Research Assistant for CHSE. More specifically, she collaborates with her advisor, Dr. Gulnoza Yakubova, on research studies using technology-based interventions to teach mathematics, vocational, and daily living skills to students with ASD. Her duties include facilitating the IRB process, creating study materials, assisting with study recruitment and scheduling, conducting baseline and intervention sessions, analyzing student intervention data, and writing manuscripts and conference presentations. "I'm so honored to be nominated and recieve this award. My experience as a graduate research assistant has been invaluable to my career and development as a doctoral student, as it has taught me many new skills and applications for conducting research in special education." Chen stated when asked about being recognized by the University. 

 

Manqian Liao, Doctoral Candidate, Measurement, Statistics and Evaluation Program, Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology (HDQM)

Liao worked as a research assistant at the Maryland Assessment Research Center (MARC) in the department of HDQM. Her major responsibilities include conducting data analyses to address the technical and practical assessment issues and composing technical reports, with the goal to support Maryland State Department of Education in making assessment policy decisions. Liao had this to add about this honor, "I am humbled to be chosen from so many dedicated graduate assistants in the department ad across the campus, and I am deeply honored by the nomination from my supervisors. It is with the support from my colleagues that I am able to achieve what I have." 

 

Kelsey McCurdy, Doctoral Student, School Psychology, Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education (CHSE)

McCurdy is a GA in CHSE. her responsbilities include a combination of teaching and administrative duties. She teaches a summer course for graduate students called "Advanced Topics in Counseling and Personnel Servies: College Teaching Seminar." Additionally, her hours this year have gone towards helping coordinate a counseling pre-practicum course for school psychology and school counseling students, as well as helping with administrative needs for the school psychology program. "I'm extremely honored to have recieved the Graduate School's Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award. I loved my experience teaching an undergraduate course and growing as an instructor and individual because of my interactions with the students. I'm also very grateful for the support of my mentors in the COllege of Education who made my teaching experience positive and continue to make my whole graduate school experience positive." McCurdy stated. 

 

Lijuan Shi, Doctoral Student, Applied Linguistics & Language Education (ALLE) Program, Department of Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership (TLPL)

Shi was an instructor of TLPL 446 (Language Variaton and Multilingualism in Elementary Classrooms) in 2019. Her students were preservice teachers in elementary education and from the world language program. Apart from teaching, Shi worked with Dr. Kellie Rolstad on redesigning course TLPL 446. Specifically, they constructed new class modules, created interactive assignments and introdcued novel reading materials. She also worked with individual students who were intereste in bilingual education and advised them in their quest to attend fraduate school. Shi had this to say about her award, "I am proud of being a teaching assistant at COE and appreciate the opportyunituy to prepare teacher candidates to work with Maryland's diverse students. I am grateful for Dr. Kellie Rolstad's continuing inspiration and support in my growth as a researcher and an educator."