by Claire Miller
Though she’s still relatively new to the teaching profession, Tisha Y. Lewis has been an active member of the Literacy Research Association/National Reading Conference over the last three years.
It’s no surprise then that Lewis, an assistant professor in the Department of Middle-Secondary Education and Instructional Technology, was thrilled to be chosen for the LRA/NRC’s Scholars of Color Transitioning into Academic Research (STAR) Mentoring Program.
The STAR Mentoring Program seeks “researchers of color and/or researchers whose first language is not English in the early years of their academic careers to conduct high-quality, literacy-related research that addresses the issues and opportunities related to diversity,” according to the program’s application.
“This program interested me because it provides scholars of color with the opportunity to pair up with a renowned tenured mentor in the field of literacy research to assist towards a tenure-track trajectory,” Lewis said. “This kind of mentorship is rare, especially for new faculty of color.”
As one of the four faculty selected nationwide, Lewis will attend writing retreats, communicate with her mentor at least twice each semester for three years and attend this year’s LRA/NRC’s annual conference in Fort Worth, TX this December.
Through this program, Lewis hopes to receive guidance in determining her research goals, securing funding and publishing her research.
“I look forward to one day providing service to the STAR Mentoring Program or ones similar, in an effort to support other scholars of color who are transitioning into academic research institutions,” Lewis said.
For more information on the STAR mentoring program or the LRA/NRC, visit www.nrconline.org.
