Why did Rosalyn Earl choose the Education Graduate Group at UC Davis? Location, location, location! Physically, it’s close to home. Earl graduated from a high school near Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, Calif., and after receiving her B.A. from California State University, East Bay and a master's in Educational Counseling at San Jose State University, Earl made her way to UC Davis to study how policy affects the trajectory of underrepresented students into the higher education pipeline within California.

In the field of Education, UC Davis’ location also has influential advantages. Located in close proximity to the State Capital, the UC Davis reputation can’t help but have a consequential impact on state policy and legislation.

Being a doctoral student isn’t Earl’s only involvement on campus. She serves as the 2012 Graduate Student Assistant to the Dean of Graduate Studies and Chancellor (GSADC), a key leadership position that acts as a liaison between graduate students and campus administration.

Earl has also supported underrepresented scholars programs. She taught in the UC Davis McNair Scholar’s summer program, and previously coordinated the UC Davis Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) program. Currently, during her stint as the GSADC, she is part of the Professors for the Future program. “The program teaches advanced formal training in teaching methods and course design,” says Earl. These experiences have aided her in assisting disadvantaged youth in after school programs in Yolo County and the city of Elk Grove (both located near campus).

Fellowships have also played an integral role in Earl’s education. “Fellowships mean a lot to me because now I know I have secured funding to help me complete and reach my ultimate goal of attaining my doctorate degree,” she said. Earl has been the recipient of the Professors for the Future Fellowship and the GSADC Dissertation Year Fellowship, both a result of her mediating role between administration and the student body.

Earl’s advice is to never lose sight of your end goal. After graduation, she wants to become a postdoctoral scholar and to ultimately work in the professoriate of educational leadership and women’s studies. “Make a serious commitment to your education and research, you never know whom you might affect with your contributions,” she recommends.

Photo credit: Donna Justice.