The research team is comprised of undergraduate and graduate students seeking to advance racial equity and accessibility in higher education spaces.
Kirsten Straughan (She/Her) MS, RDN, CSSD is a Clinical Assistant Professor and Director of the Nutrition Science Program in the Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She is a PhD student in Policy Studies in Urban Education under Dr. Luedke. She earned her BS in Nutrition and completed her dietetic internship at Loyola University Chicago and her MS in Exercise Physiology from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She has been a Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics since 2012 and has worked with collegiate athletes since 2010. As program director and instructor, she strives to create a space where students are supported and feel a sense of belonging and inclusion.
Angelina LG Ortiz (She/Her/Ella) is a recent graduate of the Urban Higher Education Master’s program at the University of Illinois Chicago. As a first-generation, mixed Latina, her experiences have driven her to seek academic spaces that prioritize diversity and empathy. Her role as an undergraduate research aide in UIC’s Educational Psychology department deepened her understanding of the vital intersections between a student’s identity and their academic journey. Now, as a Research Assistant on Dr. Luedke’s research team, she is eager to further explore the fields of higher education and research, with a career goal that integrates both. Angelina’s interests include community engagement, relational repair, and healing-centered approaches in postsecondary education.
A Chicago native, Mohammed (“Moe”) manages the Chicago Early Learning Workforce Scholarship (CELWS) initiative, where he leads data systems and analysis to improve outcome tracking and enhance the scholarship recipient experience. His work highlights the program’s impact on Chicago’s early childhood education workforce. Moe brings experience in higher education and teaching, with a strong emphasis on data-informed practices and building pathways that advance equity in access and educational outcomes. He earned his master’s degree in Urban Higher Education from the University of Illinois Chicago and currently contributes to Dr. Luedke’s research team. His research interests center on student experiences and outcomes in higher education, particularly within community colleges, with an emphasis on how institutions can design more equitable systems. He is especially interested in approaches that account for the intersections of race, gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status to provide more responsive and differentiated support. Outside of work, Moe enjoys unwinding in local cafes, listening to music, and spending time with his cat, Charlie.
Cherish Golden (She/Her) is a PhD student in the Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis department at The University of Wisconsin–Madison. A three-time graduate of The University of Wisconsin–Whitewater, Cherish joined Dr. Luedke’s research team as a master’s student and continues to collaborate in different capacities. She has over eight years of experience working in education and was most recently an Assistant Director of Admissions. During this time, she saw issues of disparities in K-12 and postsecondary education, as well as systemic barriers to college access for historically marginalized students. As a result, her research interests are largely informed by her professional experiences and explore how historically marginalized students navigate to and through higher education. In-depth, she focuses on three tenets: (1) student experiences, (2) persistence, retention, and educational attainment, and (3) how institutions attempt to dismantle or perpetuate systemic barriers.
Isabella Virrueta (she/her) is the Success Coach for the MKE Scholars program at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. As a retention specialist, Isabella works with historically underrepresented students through holistic 1:1 coaching methods to support their success at UW-Milwaukee. Isabella received her Master’s degree in Professional Development with an emphasis in Higher Education Leadership at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in 2019. Apart from working on research with Dr. Luedke, Isabella works with committees on the UWM Campus and supports local non-profits like GSAFE, which seeks to support leadership development of LGBTQ+ students across Wisconsin. Isabella is an alumna of the University of Wisconsin-Madison (Class of 2014) and spent time working as a professional actor. Isabella is a lifelong learner, partner, and mother.
Matt Denney (he/him/his) currently works at and studies at the Center for the Study of Higher Education at the University of Arizona for his PhD focusing on Art-Based Research Methods, where he also serves as the Recruitment Coordinator for the College of Fine Arts. He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin- Whitewater Higher Education Leadership Program. Apart from research with Dr. Luedke, which explores the experiences of Undocumented Latino/a/e students in the Midwest, he explores the intersection of identity, storytelling, and theatre within Higher Education using Arts-Based Research Methods. His work has been seen through plays, workshops, and presentations across the country. His passions also include Dance Fitness, Playwrighting, and Theatre for Social Change.
Gresham Collom (he/him/his) is an alumnus of the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater’s Higher Education Leadership program. He completed his Ph.D. at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Higher Education at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. His experiences as a first-descendent of Wisconsin’s Stockbridge Munsee Mohican Tribe and a first-generation student directly inform his approaches as an educator and scholar. He strives to uplift communities historically underrepresented in education by disrupting the systematic perpetuation of inequality in our educational systems. Gresham prioritizes conducting research that supports students, communities, and other stakeholders through practical applications and improves educational policy and theory through rigorous, critical analysis.
Dr. Luedke began conducting research as a first-year student through the King-Chavez Scholars program at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. She went on to become a McNair Scholar and completed two summer research internships at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, the Summer Pre-Graduate Research Experience (SPGRE) and the Moore Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program (MURAP). Through committed mentors who believed in her abilities, Courtney actively engaged in undergraduate research and pursued a career as a faculty member. Courtney is deeply committed to mentoring and supporting the next generation of Students of Color in preparing for, and pursuing, graduation education. Courtney leads a research team comprised of undergraduate and graduate students. Through the research team, Courtney seeks to de-mystify research, shedding light on all aspects of the process and breaking down each step along the way.
Photo Credit: Photography by Damon Jay
Courtney L. Luedke, Ph.D. 