In collaboration with Emmanuel graduate Kierstin Giunco ’17, Associate Professor of Education Christine Leighton and current student Kayla Balthazar '20 are working with local students to deepen reading engagement.
As an Emmanuel student, Kierstin Giunco ’17 worked with Associate Professor of Education Christine Leighton to study the intersection of language and literacy learning, even earning co-author credits on an article in the New England Research Association Journal. Now, as a graduate and full-time literacy teacher at OLPH Mission Grammar School, she still collaborates with her mentor and literacy coach Dr. Leighton, as well as current Emmanuel student, Kayla Balthazar ’20, on an award-winning proposal to deepen students’ reading engagement.
Much of Dr. Leighton’s work is centered on working with students and teachers in multilingual and multicultural classrooms to ensure meaningful and equitable learning opportunities. “I collaborate with practicing teachers to explore areas they identify as critical to their development as literacy instructors and to their students’ academic growth,” she said.
Propelled by a scholarship from the Massachusetts Reading Association, their teacher action research project increases the accessibility of representative texts in a fifth-grade classroom at an urban private, Catholic school. Kierstin strategically paired students as “literacy partners,” who then collaborated through meetings and dialogue journals. Students were provided with a wide selection of books, with a special focus on realistic fiction in hopes that it would foster more personal connections.
Kayla was given a firsthand look at the application of real-world research through her role in the data preparation and analysis phase of the project. Kierstin collected data on engagement and social interactions through recordings, anecdotes and scales. Their hope is this study will increase equitable research-based practices, as engagement is also linked with other essential reading skills.
Nick grew up in a family of medical professionals—his mother and grandmother are both nurses and his father is a paramedic. “I’ve always been surrounded with medical jargon and stories of health incidents, crises, and the rewarding benefits of providing care,” he said.
For Nadel, the stage is her “second home,” and the community she’s found within Emmanuel’s Theater program, a second family. While she originally thought she would pursue college theater as a hobby, she soon realized the work would define her student experience and provide a foundation for life beyond Emmanuel.
Prior to coming to Emmanuel, Gianna had never heard of the field of sociology, but was very familiar and passionate about issues of crime and justice. Her time at Emmanuel helped her to not only put a name—but also, a purpose—to that passion.
Propelled by a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant, students and faculty in the Mathematics Department are studying the rate of evolution in spatially structured populations using evolutionary graph theory, which may inform the estimation of important events in our evolutionary past, such as when humans split from our closest primate relatives.
Assistant Professor of Communications and Media Studies Mark Flynn and Tristyn Suprenant ’20 take a look at food advertisements and the effects of mindfulness on television binge watching.
In collaboration with Emmanuel graduate, Kierstin Giunco ’17, Associated Professor of Education Christine Leighton and current student Kayla Balthazar '20 are working with local elementary students to deepen reading engagement and comprehension.
As her research in economics education has focused on innovation in the classroom and finding ways to help students apply economic theories to real-world situations, students are vital in every aspect to Associate Professor of Economics Rebecca Moryl’s work.
When choosing a college, Eileen knew two things for sure—that she would be able to get to know her professors and peers and that she wanted to be in an area in which she would have myriad opportunities in the research and medicine.
Growing up in a suburban town outside of Boston, going to college in the city had always been a goal for Jake. After touring Emmanuel's campus he felt it had the perfect mixture of “small campus feel and big city appeal.”
When Melissa started at Emmanuel, she chose what she believed to be two separate and distinct majors—studio art and history—to fulfill her both her personal and professional interests.
Kai has always had the inclination to try to make any situation better. When he was searching for colleges, Emmanuel's social justice mission resounded deeply with his ideals of supporting those who need the help.
Robert’s interest in the workings of the wider world grew in 2011 as the Arab Spring became international news. “I love history,” he said, “so knowing the history of the states as well as their current affairs made their actions and interactions much more interesting to me.”
Emmanuel is a place where students broaden their sense of what’s possible and prepare for inspiring careers in an ever-changing world. Be here.
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