Education Graduate Students Present at the Annual Research Symposium

The Department of Advanced Studies, Leadership, and Policy (DASLP) at Morgan State University proudly hosted its Annual Graduate Research Symposium in January 2025. The 2025 Graduate Research Symposium Committee, consisting of four faculty and one staff person, designed the event as an opportunity for students in the graduate programs to share their original research. Dr. Shondricka Burrell, Assistant Professor and committee chair, shared the committee’s intention for the event to be a platform for emerging scholars in the School of Education and Urban Studies to present current research projects inclusive of research conducted as part of a course assignment, thesis project, dissertation, or work conducted with a faculty member. The goal was a forum for dynamic and generative discussion about research and a venue to highlight the work done by emerging scholars in DASLP. The event lived up to the expectations. 

The 2025 Graduate Research Symposium highlighted over a dozen graduate and doctoral students across the graduate programs in DASLP. During both the oral and poster sessions, presenters engaged in scholarly dialogue with faculty, peers, staff, and community members. The symposium attracted a broad audience, including prospective students and supporters from across the School of Education and Urban Studies and Morgan State University.

A Platform for Research and Scholarly Identity Development

The 2025 Graduate Research Symposium was a cornerstone event for DASLP and was intentionally designed to:

• Highlight the research conducted by Education graduate students.
• Provide formative professional development experiences for emerging scholars.
• Support students in cultivating their scholarly research identity.
• Facilitate generative discussions on education research topics.
• Offer a venue for students to receive constructive feedback on their research.

Expanding Research Opportunities for Emerging Scholars

The symposium provided a platform for research presentation, academic communication, and feedback from faculty and stuednts. Students received mentorship from faculty and the 2025 Graduate Research Symposium Committee, refining their presentation skills and summarizing research effectively. For many students, this was their first formal research presentation, reflecting DASLP’s commitment to inclusive academic development through diverse research projects. Student presentation included:

• “Exploring Anti-Blackness, Misogynoir in Special Education: A Critical Look at Access and Equity” – Tiffany Brockington, PhD student in Higher Education

• “Between Foresight and Hindsight: The Dilemma of Black Women Principals’ Complicity in Urban Disproportionate School Discipline” – Mallory Wright Gayle, PhD student in Urban Educational Leadership

• “Empowering Environmental Literacy in Teacher Education: A Faculty-Centered Approach” – Chelsea McClure, PhD student in Science Education

The Graduate Research Symposium is an annual event that aligns with Morgan State University’s vision-driven commitment to cultivating equity-oriented transformative leaders and scholars. Through research, mentorship, and academic engagement, ASLP continues to foster a culture where emerging scholars are empowered to contribute meaningfully to the field of education.