Institute for Recruitment of Teachers

Alumni Accolades, June 2025

Reena Goldthree, IRT ’02
Congratulations to Dr. Reena Goldthree, who earned tenure at Princeton University. She is an Associate Professor of African American Studies.

Wilson Okello, IRT ’08
Congratulations to Dr. Wilson Okello, who earned tenure at Penn State University. He is an Associate Professor of Education (HIED) and Research Associate (Center for the Study of Higher Education).

Mariahadessa Tallie, IRT ’17
Mariahadessa earned her Ph.D. in Theatre Arts and Performance Studies from Brown University. Mariahadessa is a poet, artist, and scholar. Congratulations and best wishes are also extended to her daughter Joy-Shanti Sindayiganza, who graduated from Phillips Academy, Andover, class of 2025.

Courtney Murray Ross, IRT ’18
Murray earned her Ph.D. in English and African American Studies from Pennsylvania State University.

Gerald Jae Sevillano, IRT ’18
Sevillano earned his Ph.D. in American Studies from The George Washington University.

Joe Baez, IRT ’18
Baez earned her Ph.D. in American Studies from The George Washington University.

Let us know if you recently received your Ph.D. We would love to share your accomplishment in the IRT Newsletter!

Associate Director & Manager of Programs Update, June 2025

NCORE, Hope, and the Power of Collective Action at IRT

The recent NCORE conference in New York City was abuzz with keynotes, workshops, and conversations about hope and possibility in our ever-evolving educational landscape. But what truly resonated with me wasn’t just the aspirational talk; it was the tangible, on-the-ground manifestations of these ideals. We engaged in courageous intergenerational and cross-college conversations, actively building coalitions and fostering collective action.

This got me thinking: what does hope and possibility look like in real time for us at IRT?

Introducing the 2025 IRT Summer Workshop Faculty

The annual IRT Summer Workshop gathers current scholars, alumni, university deans, and liaisons during its month-long virtual program. IRT Alumni design the curriculum and engage with scholars through a series of presentations, seminars, and workshops. For more on the Summer Workshop Framework, please refer to a previous post:

IRT 2025 Summer Workshop Framework

2025 Summer Workshop Curriculum Coordinators

Heather Moore Roberson, IRT ’07 & ’10
Dean of Student & Community Development; Associate Professor-Community & Justice Studies & Black Studies Affiliate Faculty-Education Studies, Allegheny College

Heather Moore Roberson, Ph.D. (pronouns: she/her/hers) is a strategic visionary and transformative leader with 17 years of experience teaching and leading in higher education. Dr. Roberson is an award-winning leader, teacher, and researcher who advances initiatives related to race, equity, and justice in higher education. She has published articles on diversity, equity, and inclusion in Academic Leader and facilitated presentations on culturally relevant leadership for the Council of Independent Colleges and Leadership in Higher Education conferences. In 2024, Heather was listed as one of the top 100 Black Trailblazers in the state of Pennsylvania by City & State Magazine—named for leaders in politics, business, and education.

In addition to her administrative responsibilities, Heather is a tenured member of the faculty at Allegheny College in Community & Justice Studies and Black Studies. She is the first Black woman in the College’s history to attain tenure. Dr. Roberson is the recipient of the Thoburn Award for Teaching Excellence and continues teaching courses on race, identity, and education in the United States. As a scholar and lifelong learner, she conducts research in pop culture, Black Studies, Education, and Black youth masculinity. In 2024, her edited collection Thinking about Black Education: An Interdisciplinary Reader (with Dr. Hilton Kelly, Elon University) won the Society of Professors of Education Outstanding Book Award. Heather received two Bachelor’s degrees in Educational Studies and American Studies from Trinity College (Hartford, CT), a M.A. in American Studies from Purdue University, and a Ph.D. in American Studies from Purdue University in 2015.

IRT Associate Director & Manager of Programs Catherine Wong Presents at NCORE

Finding Clarity in the Chaos; Harnessing the Power of Intergenerational Women of Color Stealth Leadership Part I and Part II

NCORE Presenters: (L-R) Catherine Wong, M.Ed., Patricia Lowrie, M.S.
and Jacquelyn Reza, Ed.D.

Higher education faces unprecedented threats to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) initiatives, driven by new state laws and internal resistance, leading to institutional restructuring, defunding of DEIJ efforts, and a diminished sense of belonging. This critical juncture, exacerbated by generational shifts in leadership, necessitates a pivot toward “stealth leadership” for Women of Color. To navigate this complex landscape and sustain socially just systems, it’s crucial to cultivate adaptive skills, including intergenerational coalition-building and decolonized dreaming, and to implement stealth strategies that foster inclusion and belonging. This workshop empowered mid- to senior-level administrators, particularly women and Women of Color, with the tools to analyze real-world cases, understand the historical impacts of colonization on DEIJ, and leverage centriarchy to create “Islands of Equity” within their institutions.

Catherine Wong & Alyssa Stryker – IRT ’14

Executive Director Letter, April 2025

Earlier this month, I joined a webinar hosted by the African American Policy Forum, where I had the opportunity to hear Dr. David Johns, IRT ‘03, share his work and how he stands up for the LGBTQ+ community through these times. It was helpful to hear and see how our alums continue to shape our world through listening, engagement, and advocacy. We know this isn’t easy, and we appreciate your dedication to your field, scholarship, and praxis. This newsletter showcases how our alumni make a difference in their communities through scholarship and capacity building.

Alums like Viviana Cordero-García, IRT ‘15, show the importance of establishing community and working to support students in meeting their goals at Esperanza Academy. Dr. Tiffany Joseph, Andover ‘00, IRT ‘03, research and timely text illustrate how immigration and health care policies impacted communities here in Boston. The newsletter has stories of the impact of alums shaping their fields through text, art, and engagement.