Three NC State College of Education students were recently recognized with awards from the NC State Student Government:
- Emily Baren ’26PHD, a doctoral student earning a Ph.D. in the Teacher Education and Learning Sciences social studies education concentration, won the Faculty Open Education Resource Award;
- Mary Ledford ’27, a middle grades English language arts and social studies education major, received the Outstanding New Student Senator of the Year Award; and
- Jodie Roberson ’25PHD, a doctoral student earning a Ph.D. in the Educational Leadership, Policy, and Human Development educational evaluation and policy analysis concentration, won the Jenny Chang Award for Outstanding Student Service and the Student Delegation of the Year Award.
More on Baren’s Faculty Open Education Resource Award
As a graduate assistant for the Students Advocating for Youth (SAY) Village living and learning community, Baren received the Faculty Open Education Resource Award, in part, because of her role in connecting students with resources around the NC State campus and in her office. These resources range from snacks and drinks to valuable educational materials students need for their SAY Village partnerships.
She says she prides herself on keeping an open door for all students and making sure they know that if she is unable to provide them with the resources or materials they need, she will do her best to find someone who can.
“I think accessibility in education is so important, and we may not always realize the barriers that our students face, so having an open door and being knowledgeable of all the resources on and around campus feels essential as someone who works with undergraduates,” she said. “My students are truly the heart and soul of our village and mean the world to me, and I’m not sure I could be prouder of anything or anyone else.”
More on Ledford’s Outstanding New Student Senator of the Year Award
As the winner of the Outstanding New Student Senator of the Year Award, Ledford said she is most proud of the fact that she has been able to bring the “light-hearted but hardworking attitude” of the College of Education to the Student Senate.
She believes her participation in Student Senate has led to improved interpersonal relationships among participants as well as opened other university students’ eyes to the value of including educators in conversations and pursuing education as a career.
“I love being a College of Education student, and I love getting to showcase that every day at every meeting,” Ledford said. “Receiving this award means recognition for all College of Education students to me. We are [a small college] but very mighty. It can be challenging to be a senator while being a College of Education student because both of those things take great emotional labor, so I feel very grateful to be recognized for that work.”
More on Roberson’s Jenny Chang Award for Outstanding Student Service and the Student Delegation of the Year Award
As a recipient of both the Jenny Chang Award for Outstanding Student Service and the Student Delegation of the Year Award, Roberson said she is most proud of the work she has done to advance graduate student representation in NC State governance.
Through outreach and relationship building, her work with others led to achieving full participation in the delegation for Graduate and Lifelong Education. Her efforts to expand participation in the Student Senate, she said, stems from her belief that student governance is stronger when it reflects the entire student body, and she is proud that her efforts to include the voices of more experienced students like herself has “created an environment where everyone’s voice truly mattered.”
“Serving in Student Government has been one of my most valuable experiences at NC State,” Roberson said. “These emerging leaders demonstrated remarkable maturity in seeking to understand how policies affect different student populations, including the distinct needs of graduate students.”
This post was originally published in College of Education News.
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