“The EDEF faculty and curriculum greatly impacted my growth as a scholar. The critical work being done by faculty and students in the department is incredible.”

Hometown

Mililani, HI

Department

Educational Foundations

Related Degrees

• PhD, Education: Educational Foundations
• MEd, Educational Foundations

Where do you work?
I am in the Education Studies department at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. Currently, this is my first year as a tenure-track assistant professor in curriculum studies with a global and political economy focus. Last year, I was a postdoctoral scholar, so I’m grateful to continue my work with the amazing faculty and students in my new position. I teach core courses such as Foundations of Education and Deconstructing Difference. I also developed upper-level electives, including Educational Futures this semester and a course I’m excited to teach next spring, Education, Empire, Eco-crisis, and Ethics.

How did you become interested in the field of education? The Educational Foundations Program?
Prior to starting my graduate studies at the COE, I worked for the Hawai‘i State Legislature’s Senate Committee on Ways and Means as a budget analyst. One of the departments I focused on was HIDOE. Surprising, considering that my undergraduate degree was in Art History and the Visual Arts. In time, I recognized it is because I enjoy interdisciplinary work, and the faculty in the Educational Foundations program are exceptional leaders in this regard.

While a budget analyst, I suddenly had many questions about the larger project of education in society. I have to credit my supervisor at the time, Brian Hallett, for encouraging me to ask these questions. They became what philosopher of education Gert Biesta has called irritations, and I knew I had to answer them. It led me to the COE where I discovered that EDEF had a master’s degree that did just that! After talking with Dr. Hannah Tavares, I realized I had found an academic home that I didn’t know I was looking for in EDEF and the COE.

How has the COE program impacted or benefited your career path?
The EDEF faculty and curriculum greatly impacted my growth as a scholar. The critical work being done by faculty and students in the department is incredible. The guidance from Dr. Tavares and Dr. Alexander Means was indispensable, helping me to navigate the three pillars of research, teaching, and service.

At every point, the level of care practiced by those in the COE—towards each other, towards doing creative, original, and meaningful research, towards students—remained unsurpassed. I consider myself extremely lucky to have this not only as a model of practice but also as a core value to carry with me going forward in my career.

Is there anyone in particular who inspired you to pursue a career in education?
There have been so many. I’m always inspired by the generosity of others in education. I think about the work that Tinalak and COEDSA do and also how meaningful Marsha Ninomiya’s chats were throughout the years. Witnessing them be so giving with their time, advice, and support serves as inspiration to pay that generosity forward.

What are your future career plans?
I’m currently adapting my dissertation into a book. Once finished, I look forward to more interdisciplinary work with scholars, practitioners, and artists across the globe. This includes thinking through possibilities in which pedagogy can creatively and ethically transform ways of relating to others and things in the world. Just like the COE and EDEF, DePauw is tremendously supportive in this aspect. I’ve been able to sustain my relationships in the Philosophy of Education Society of Australasia as well as build new ones with colleagues I met this year as a fellow at the New School’s Institute for Critical Social Inquiry Summer Session.

Anything else you would like to include?
If anyone has advice for navigating a Midwest winter, please send it my way!