Georgette Jacobs Selected as Inaugural UH COE Holmes Scholar
Ph.D. in School Psychology student, Georgette Jacobs has been selected as the inaugural University of Houston, College of Education (UH COE) Holmes Scholar. The program provides mentorship, peer support, and rich professional development opportunities to doctoral students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds who are pursuing careers in education, school administration, or the professoriate. Additionally, the program also aims to help AACTE (American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education) member institutions develop an outstanding pool of diverse candidates for faculty and other leadership positions.
As an added benefit to the Houston community, UH COE Holmes Scholars will strengthen collaborative partnerships to improve K-12 schools in the Third Ward through translational and implementation research and service.
The Holmes Scholar program is a large network of nationally recognized Scholars at universities and colleges throughout the nation. As a Holmes Scholar, Jacobs will receive mentorship from COE faculty members who are highly invested in her academic and scholarly success. “To be the inaugural UH COE Holmes Scholar is a great privilege,” said Jacobs. “The College of Education is initiating a notable program that will greatly impact the academic and professional success of graduate students.”
As a Holmes Scholar, Jacobs will research and promote innovative and effective practices for improving educator preparation to benefit student learning locally and nationally. “Locally in Houston, I will represent the College of Education by providing evidence-based interventions and practices to community schools and other organizations,” she said.
Although Jacobs says all of her professors have taken a vested interest in seeing her succeed, she credits PHLS assistant professor Samuel McQuillin and her graduate advisor, PHLS associate professor Jorge Gonzalez who have nurtured her development on an individual basis. “They have both spent individual time providing direction in developing my research agenda and encouraging me to enrich my professional and personal growth as a future academician,” she said.
“I think the Holmes Scholar Program is a wonderful addition to the great work being done in the UH College of Education,” said associate dean of Research, Andrew Daire. “Georgette will be an outstanding inaugural scholar.”
Jacob’s current research and clinical interests are to advance academic achievement with ethnic minority students by enhancing the home linguistic environment. “As a University of Houston, College of Education Holmes Scholar I will be afforded the opportunity to collaborate with community partners addressing the oral language and literacy needs of young children,” said Jacobs. “I am eager to listen, learn, and collaborate with community partners to foster oral language development, specifically aiming to improve the home language environment of young learners before entering kindergarten.”