Ciji Ann

As the daughter of a single-mother in a low-income household, I believe deeply in the power of education to influence the outcome of peoples' lives. Professionals in higher education are uniquely positioned to take advantage of multiple disciplines to best serve and support students. As a first-generation college student, I remember well the challenges of navigating the university environment and struggling to balance school, work, and being far from home. With this personal history as my foundation, my professional work and research focuses on collecting, analyzing, and reporting data that amplifies student voices and allows practitioners to respond with confidence to meet student needs. Higher Education staff are content experts with regard to their programs , services, and the populations that they serve. My expertise and passion lies in getting answers to the question you have in order to move your initiatives forward in meaningful ways. Telling stories that matter and represent the wide diversity of student experiences and identities is where I spend my time and energy. At home, I love being Evan's wife, and Sidney & Clark's mama. Our dog Lily is a constant source of positivity and reminds me every day to take a breath and snuggle. Running, weight lifting, time with friends, and reading are my mechanisms for well-being. When not at work or home, I am pursing my Ph.D in Educational Research Methodology. My dissertation topic is focused on culturally responsive approaches to quantitative data collection and analysis to advance justice and equity. Education is a key piece of who I am and to that I must include that I am an Elon Phoenix, UNCG Spartan, UNC Tar Heel, Kent State Golden Flash, and ALWAYS a Bucknell Bison.