Two Education Doctoral Students Selected as TCALL Fellows

August 7, 2009

Merlissa Alfred and Rhonda Goolsby, doctoral students in the College of Education and Human Development at Texas A&M University, were selected as Texas Center for the Advancement of Literacy and Learning (TCALL) research fellows for 2009-2010. Each will receive $25,000 in fellowship funding through The Texas Adult Literacy Clearinghouse Project.

Alfred is a doctoral student in human resource development (HRD) in the department of Educational Administration and Human Resource Development. Her research interests include workplace learning (including access issues), diversity in the workplace and HRD’s role in promoting a literate workforce. Alfred will investigate the intersection between the professional field of HRD with its goal of developing individual and organizational performance, and the practice of workforce literacy in programs that are designed to serve low-literate adults.

Goolsby, a doctoral student in the department of Teaching, Learning and Culture, focuses on health literacy. Her dissertation research is being advised by faculty of the Texas A&M Health Science Center as well as the College of Education and Human Development. She will explore making life-saving health information more accessible to low-literate adults, including English-language learners.

Since 2005, the TCALL Research Fellowship has provided monetary support and guidance to doctoral students with an interest in adult literacy and learning. The TCALL Fellowship consists of a one-year award, which may be used to offset the cost of travel expenses to conferences, dissertation research, and tuition, fees, and maintenance while a student is enrolled at Texas A&M University. During their fellowship year, students have the opportunity to present their work at state, regional and national adult literacy conferences and to publish their research in peer-reviewed journals and other venues.

Back to TCALL Fellowship Page