09/05/2026
✨ Student Spotlight ✨
Maria Zaman is in her final year of the Teaching & Leadership Ph.D. program. On the day of her M.A. English defense, Maria's graduate director encouraged Maria to explore her "knack for teaching". "He actually walked me over to the College of Education and Human Development, introduced me to someone there, and encouraged me to apply.... his encouragement helped me see education as more than something I enjoyed doing. I began to see it as the field in which I wanted to build my career."
She has viewed her experience in the program as transformative. Beyond the opportunities to contribute to research and present her work, she also values the mentorship from faculty. They have challenged her to think deeply and create her own scholarly identity. "The program has also strengthened my understanding of how teaching, research, leadership, and equity connect. I came into the program knowing that I loved teaching. I am leaving it with a much clearer understanding of the kind of scholar and educator I want to become."
Beyond the classroom, Maria works as a Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) on NSF-funded projects focused on STEM education, rural schools, teacher development, and multilingual learners. She also published a children's book! 📚
