doctoral program
Ph.D. student Ela Ziv awarded Lucille P. and Edward C. Giles Dissertation-Year Fellowship for research on AI perspectives in classrooms
Ela Ziv, a doctoral candidate in the Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction program, has been selected as the recipient of the Lucille P. and Edward C. Giles Dissertation-Year Fellowship for the 2026–2027 academic year, which covers tuition and fees as well as funds for travel to present her research. Her dissertation examines teacher perspectives on […]
‘She is the fabric of UNC Charlotte.’ Three-time Niner Jennifer Merry ’04, MSA ’23 leaves lasting legacy, earns Ph.D.
In 2004, Jennifer Merry graduated from UNC Charlotte with a B.M. in Music Education and a license to teach, and eventually became a band director, first at Kannapolis Middle and later at Hickory Ridge Middle. That’s how most graduate profiles end, but for Merry, her bachelor’s degree was just the beginning of her Niner story. […]
A Life of Purpose: Thai Ray Williams, Ph.D. ’25
Thai Ray Williams is not your typical graduate. A 32-year classroom teacher, Williams felt called to do more for her exceptional education students after taking part in Charlotte research. Now, she’s graduating with a Ph.D. in Special Education and is turning over a new leaf as faculty at Utah State University, where she will inspire […]