Jennifer Johnson, a doctoral candidate in educational studies in the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education at the University of Oklahoma, was named a 2020 Dissertation Fellow by the National Academy of Education/Spencer Foundation.
“I am so appreciative to my dissertation committee and my committee chair, Dr. Mirelsie Velazquez, as well as Dr. Sabina Vaught, for their support of my research,” Johnson said.
The Dissertation Fellowship Program seeks to encourage a new generation of scholars from a wide range of disciplines and professional fields to undertake research relevant to the improvement of education. These $27,500 fellowships support individuals whose dissertations show potential for bringing fresh and constructive perspectives to the history, theory, analysis or practice of formal or informal education anywhere in the world.
“As her adviser, it has been a great pleasure to watch Jennifer grow as a student and scholar,” Velazquez said. “Her exemplary academic accomplishments and commitment to her intellectual endeavors are quite impressive. But more so, I am impressed and humbled by Jennifer’s kindness in both her daily interactions with us all, and especially with how she approaches her lifework. Her community is central to everything that she does, and I am so glad to see her being recognized, especially with such a prestigious award. Our field (history of education) and university are better for it.”
This highly competitive program aims to identify the most talented researchers conducting dissertation research related to education. Only 35 fellowships were awarded.
Johnson is an enrolled citizen of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma and is also of Sac & Fox descent. Her entire career has been in service to Tribal Nations and communities. She was an elementary school teacher on reservations in Arizona and Florida, and later worked for her Tribal Nation as a part of a team that developed and implemented Maskoke language revitalization and documentation efforts. Johnson’s dissertation focus is on the history of education within the Seminole Nation.
“Jennifer’s dissertation research focused on Seminole Education (1848-1930) contextualizes educational access for Seminole and Seminole-Freedmen students during Reconstruction through State Formation and ensuing Jim Crow legislation,” said Stacy Reeder, interim dean of the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education. “Her work exemplifies the critical scholarship underway in education studies in the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education. This recognition speaks to the quality of Jennifer’s work and to that of her dissertation chair, Dr. Mirelsie Velasquez.”
“During my first semester at OU, I took a History of US Education course with Dr. Velazquez and later worked as a graduate assistant at the Western History Collections,” Johnson said. “I was excited to find some incredible historical photos and documents that provided details of the Seminole Nation’s schools that were established before Oklahoma statehood.
“Two of my grandmothers had attended these early schools, and as an educator, I wanted to learn more. I am extremely grateful to the National Academy of Education/Spencer Dissertation Fellowship for their recognition and encouragement of my research. The support from this award will allow me the opportunity to focus on the completion of my dissertation.”
Johnson earned a bachelor of arts degree in elementary education and a master of education degree in curriculum and instruction with an emphasis in language and literacy from Arizona State University.
