A critical aspect of the IRT’s Advising Model that has expanded and become a very effective way to relay real-life graduate school experiences is the IRT Alumni Panels.
Since July 2023, IRT staff has moderated 7 alumni panels and had participation from 20 alums who addressed topics of interest such as graduate fellowship funding, pursuing a different discipline than one’s undergraduate or Master’s degree, issues for family caretakers and non-traditional students, and hurdles for DACA, undocumented, and international students. These conversations have been authentic, and insightful, and provide IRT Scholars with pertinent information many cannot acquire anywhere else. In early winter, three additional Alumni Panels will be held to tackle topics such as non-traditional career pathways, the rewards and challenges of being a higher education and student affairs professional, and experiences and “real talk” from current graduate students.
Additionally, the IRT team would like to extend a warm thank you to each alumnus who gave their time and shared their personal stories and field expertise. These interactions assist IRT Scholars as they create sustainable pathways to graduate school, investigate the landscape of graduate programs, and plan for work in academia and beyond. Your contributions are immeasurable in supporting the next generation of IRT Scholars and educational leaders and we could not do this work justice without your awe-inspiring involvement!
Stay tuned to the IRT Alumni Network this spring to find out how you can participate in an upcoming alumni panel!
Alumni Panelists
June – September 2023
Lauren Badajos, IRT ’22 – Ph.D. Student, University of Arizona; Master’s in Educational Counseling, University of Southern California
Vishal Jain, IRT ’22 – Ph.D. Student, Northwestern University: Master’s of Education, Harvard University
Kyra March, IRT ’22 – Ph.D. Student, Rutgers University; Bachelor of Arts in African American Studies, Studies of Women, Gender, and Sexuality with a language citation in Gullah, Harvard University
Elyx Desloover, IRT ’21 – Ph.D. Student, University of California, Davis; Master’s in Philosophy, Université de Montréal
Daisy Donaji Matias, IRT ’20 – Ph.D. Student, Northwestern University; M.A. Performance Studies, Northwestern University
Carl “CJ” Greer, IRT ’19 – Ph.D. Student, University of Wisconsin Madison; Dual Master’s in Educational Leadership & Policy/Social Work, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Jacky Neri, IRT ’13 – Executive Director, Student Involvement and Inclusion, Dominican University; M.Ed. Student Affairs, University of Maryland
Dr. Keisha-Khan Perry, IRT ’98 – Associate Professor, Africana Studies, University of Pennsylvania; Ph.D. Anthropology, University of Texas, Austin
Brighid Dwyer, Ph.D. IRT ‘01 – Vice Dean for Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, University of Pennsylvania; Ph.D. from the Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education, University of Michigan
Zaynab Baalbaki, IRT ’08 – Consultant, ZB Consulting; M.Ed. Culture and Society, University of Pennsylvania
Ivan Tiet, IRT ’16 – Analyst, California Department of Education; M.A. in Education, University of California, Berkeley
Alba Lamar, IRT ’14 – Private Consultant/Teacher; Ph.D. Curriculum, Instruction, and Teacher Education, Michigan State University
Natalia Ortiz, IRT ’04 – Clinical Assistant Professor/Director of the Office of School & Community Partnerships, Department of Teaching & Learning, New York Steinhardt School of Culture, Education & Human Development; Ph.D. in Urban Education, The CUNY Graduate Center
Marie Angeles, IRT ’14 – Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, The Nature Conservancy, Washington State University Chapter; Master’s in Higher Education, Concentration: Student Access & Success, University of Michigan
Dr. Christopher Vick, IRT ’02 – Founder, Associate Director, Sherman STEM Teachers Scholars Program, A2Z College Consulting; Ed.D. Education, Boston College
Mo Torres, IRT ’14 – Assistant Professor of Sociology & Public Policy, University of Michigan; Postdoctoral Fellow, Michigan Society of Fellows
Heidi Brandow, IRT ’13 – Master of Design Studies, Harvard University
Ashley May, IRT ‘22 – Ph.D. student, Anthropology, Brown University
Vivian Nguyen, IRT ’21 – Rackham Merit Fellow, University of Michigan; Master’s in Higher Education, concentration in Public Policy, University of Michigan
Véronique Charles, IRT ‘ 15 – Postdoctoral Fellow in the Humanities, Columbia University; Ph.D. in Comparative Literature, University of Pennsylvania
Institute for Recruitment of Teachers 