Fellowship Program

News Writer with a demonstrated history of publication in Education. In her free time she volunteers at k-12 schools and encourages students to believe anything is possible— to dream BIG. For she believes, when we invest in children, we are investing in a brighter tomorrow and this is how we can change the world, one bright mind at a time.

Currently a graduating senior at Georgia State University, Mark Lannaman is excited to attend Georgia Tech this fall to explore his passion for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion via the masters program in global media and cultures. Mark is working with SXSW EDU to meaningfully engage students and implement online hybrid conference models and is also a student mentee for the National Association of Hispanic Journalists working on a documentary centered around gentrification in Atlanta. Mark is inspired by random acts of kindness, learning Spanish, etc. 

Outgoing, adventurous, and growth-minded, Kimberli Bruso is an ELE Fellow at Digital Promise working on survey data about online course equitable learning. Kimberli is excited to explore the accounting profession to help others by realizing their potential. She is seeking her MBA and studying for her CPA testing. Currently she works part-time as an established creative hairdresser of 25 years and loves the make over aspect of the work. She enjoys the outdoors, crafting, and family life.

Christa’s lifelong love of all facets of art and visual storytelling started when they drew daily comics for their parents about the life around them. They work in traditional, digital, and mixed media and are currently working towards their bachelor’s in animation while working as a social media designer. Christa is passionate about helping others and digging into the roots of issues to address them face on—they hope to show the community around them to look at the world from a different perspective whenever possible.

With a passion for educational advocacy, Barbara plans to work at a higher education facility after obtaining a bachelor’s degree. As a student intern, she brings leadership, honesty, and organization to assist with Achieving the Dream’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion events. Barbara is also a Student Leadership Advisory Council (SLAC) member at The Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice and an intern at OpenStax advocating for free college digital textbooks. She is a self-proclaimed political nerd who believes in the power of educational advocacy, faith, and hearing others personal stories.

Dedicated to improving the human experience, Manuella conducts research on efficacy and equity to help design the ideal courseware with her project team at Intentional Futures. Not to be limited by her academic background in computer science, she is a creative at heart who enjoys making digital art and ink sketches with inspiration stemming from the people she meets. As an advocate for social justice with an INFJ personality, Manuella is a self-proclaimed “social debugger,” while also prioritizing her own personal development.

Currently a fellow at Every Learner Everywhere network, Eeman is inspired by life and its ever-presenting opportunities for change. She was drawn to the Every Learner Fellowship because of its focus on educational reform and action-based equitable solutions. As a college student, Eeman participated in and created community-based educational initiatives and believes that racial inequity and preparedness for the real world are missing in current curriculums. She believes that change starts at the most basic, intrinsic level and that by listening, understanding, and implementing diverse perspectives and experiences, reform can be achieved.

Kristina Tucker is a senior psychology major at Oregon State University who finds herself continually inspired by the beauty, idiosyncrasy, and ingenuity of life and how it unfolds each day. While most of her time is spent being a mother to her four children who inspire her to keep trying to reach her dreams, you may also find her splattered in acrylic paint or alcohol ink dye from creating her newest artwork, reading about quantum physics, delving into theories about consciousness, and sometimes reading mystery novels… or you might find her singing karaoke in her living room. She is excited to announce that she was accepted into the Applied Psychology PhD program at Portland State University, where she will be doing research to understand the science behind human development — an aspect of psychology that she has always found interesting. She lives in Beaverton, Oregon with her four children.

An aspiring economist with a deep passion to find solutions to economic inequality, Jonathan is on the Digital Promise team as an Every Learner Everywhere Fellow. As a program manager for Digital Promise, Jonathan conducts qualitative research on inequity in digital learning while pursuing his degree in Economics at the University Of Mississippi. He draws inspiration from and is thankful for his mother who he grew up with in Haiti– he believes that her qualities of courage, perseverance and wholeheartedness inspired him to be the person he is today. His favorite quote is from Dr. Seuss: “Why fit in when you were born to STAND OUT!”

JeVon Franklin is native of Brooksville, Mississippi. He is currently a senior at the University of Mississippi, majoring in African American Studies with a minor in Education. As an Every Learner Fellow, Je’Von is working with Achieving the Dream on a project focused on instructional design in higher education.

As a student Fellow for the Every Learner Everywhere network, Venus likes to integrate her experiences from growing up in the Bronx, NY with her work and address the equity gaps that are present in higher education today. With a passion for the healthcare field, Venus dreams of becoming a physician assistant and working in underserved communities as a bilingual primary care provider. Venus currently attends Kennesaw State University and is the president of the Pre-PA Association at her school. Her goal after getting her bachelor’s degree is to attend PA school. Venus is also very passionate about serving at her church and loves singing in the worship team and being a Sunday school assistant. In her free time, Venus enjoys trying new foods and watching Korean dramas. 

Asia is a dual enrollment student at Valencia College and Lake Nona High School excited to continue her education as a Biology major at the University of Miami next year. She is an Every Learner Everywhere fellow on the SXSW EDU team, where she provides her perspective for future education and equity. As a black and hispanic woman in STEM, Asia is applying her unique point of view to education while currently working in a research diagnostics lab. She is inspired by her non-verbal, severely Autistic brother named Noah and advocates for bridging the gap and spreading awareness about the Autism community.

As a first-year student at Georgia State University, Ariana Castro has found inspiration through the struggles she encountered on her pathway to higher education. She works as a Paraprofessional at a charter school, where she strives to help out marginalized students like herself by providing access at an early age to the information needed for a smooth transition from secondary school to college. As an Every Learner Fellow, Ariana conducts research on the topic of equity in Higher Education and provides insight into experiences with digital learning as a Latina woman. She is proud of her recent induction into Phi Theta Kappa, because it demonstrates that she is capable of anything in the world with effort. Outside of school, you will see Ariana participating in Women in Stem Experience (WiSE) or conducting research in Biology through the LSAMP program, which increases access to research programs and internships for minoritized students. She is currently the recipient of the 2020 Goizueta Pipeline scholarship and the 2020 Coca Cola First Generation Scholarship. A quote that Ariana cherishes is: “You should never let your fears prevent you from doing what you know is right,” by Aung San Suu Kyi.

Destiny Adams is a teen Entrepreneur that embraces her majestic powers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. She is a Philanthropist, Trainer, Mentor, and Speaker that enjoys sharing her amazing and exciting journey through STEM. Miss Destiny is an advocate for technology and uses her passion and skills to teach coding courses to youth. In her free time, she enjoys tapping into her artistic abilities by designing and crocheting clothes. 

Timmy Thongkham is entering his senior year at the esteemed Morehouse College, pursuing a degree in Cinema, Television, and Emerging Medias with a minor in Sociology. He plans on working in the film industry, either with the camera or coloring films. With a passion for representation and inclusion, he works to portray accurate and authentic stories. During the Every Learner Fellowship, Timmy worked with SXSW EDU, providing student-centered feedback to help the program grow and evolve to meet the needs of students. 

Born from a Dominican mother and a Filipino and African American father, Kiara Williams is radiant Afro-Asian-Latina with a passion for education. Her hard work and dedication in high school earned her a full ride to Georgia State University as the 2017 Goizueta Endowment Scholar, where she received a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies in Human Learning and Development with a minor in Spanish, as well as her TEFL certification. Outside of school, she worked with the Apple College Program and also served as a student ambassador to Apple’s College Inclusion and Diversity team. Kiara served as a mentor, role model, world traveler, school ambassador, programs director, and now a fellow with the Every Learner Everywhere Network, supporting SXSW EDU to incorporate student voice into their 2022 planning.