Raising the Bar in Education

My student is a newly minted doctor - Dr. Shirley Pincay!

I’m taking a short break from the campaign trail this week to focus on two of my dissertation students who are preparing for their defense. This evening, I was honored and proud beyond belief to host the dissertation defense of Dr. Shirley Pincay, a Spanish teacher at New Hyde Park Memorial High School.

Shirley immigrated from Ecuador decades ago with just a few dollars in her pocket. She worked hard to learn the language and to pursue education to become a teacher. Her love of learning never stopped. She earned her administrative licensing while attending LIU’s Transformational Education Leadership Program. She was recently recognized by the University of Albany (see graphic above) for her outstanding teaching of college courses to high school students. Now she has reached the pinnacle of academics by joining the top 1% of the world’s population who have a doctorate degree. And she did it in a language that is not her first!

Even as Shirley rapidly ascends the career ladder, her passion, care and concern are always on her students and ensuring they receive the highest standard of education necessary to access their American Dream just as she has. Her dissertation research focuses on the collision of politics with education policy through the lens of Union presidents in the LI school system.

Until we officially publish, I won’t give specifics, but this groundbreaking study will undoubtedly propel her to the conference circuit. In light of the immigration backlash and xenophobia we’re seeing, this amazing Latina is proof positive that America is strengthened by diversity. You can most certainly come into this country with nothing and give back so much more.