Image: Dr. Denisa Gándara (IHE PhD) has been selected for the William T. Grant Scholar class of 2026. The Scholars Program supports the development of early-career researchers whose work can inform future policy development for US higher education institutions. Scholars receive a grant of $350,000 for a five-year research plan, access to a network of scholars and experts, and professional development through retreats and workshops. She will explore how administrative burdens of free-college programs impact racial or ethnic minorities, and her research will develop policy and program design that narrows the gap in enrollment and degree completion for students of color. Her research should give insights on how to expand access to higher education. It should help educators better design free-college programs with racial and ethnic minority students in mind, so that the burdens of such programs do not unintentionally widen the gap in higher education. Gándara will be working with a number of scholars in the field, including Ken Frank (Michigan State University), Judith Scott Clayton (Columbia University), and Cecilia Rios Aguilar (UCLA). She is currently an Assistant Professor of Education Policy and Leadership at the Simmons School of Education and Human development at Southern Methodist University. http://wtgrantfoundation.org/five-early-career-researchers-selected-for-the-william-t-grant-scholars... Type of News/Audience: Alumni
