Ariana Gomes recognized with the Maxine B. Wishart – Agent of Change Award, which exemplifies the highest values of the school, as well as receiving the highest scholastic award from the Department of Teaching & Learning. She accomplished these academic achievements while mentoring, serving, and leading in other roles, including serving as vice president of UM’s Future Educators Association in her senior year.

“I cannot imagine studying education anywhere else but at the U's School of Education and Human Development,” said Gomes. “I had the privilege of learning under thoughtful, aware, and knowledgeable faculty, and was able to enter the field of education in one of the most diverse cities in the world. The courses I took and experiences I gained certainly prepared me to teach anywhere.”

For the past four years, Gomes volunteered as a mentor for Inspire U Academy, a program that builds relationships between UM undergraduates and high school students in underserved communities. In her senior year, she was an executive leadership team member, developing and leading workshops supporting the personal, professional, and academic development of all Inspire U mentees. “I was happy to establish a connection to a community in Miami that mirrored my own neighborhood in Boston,” she said. “I gained wisdom and valuable experiences through the relationships I formed with my mentees and peers.”

This spring, Gomes completed the school’s research honors program with a meta-analysis focused on the self-concept of young Black girls in elementary school.“My research was very meaningful to me as a Black woman who struggled with self-esteem during my elementary school years,” she said. “I wanted to investigate the ways in which school systems may be perpetuating feelings of inadequacy and insecurity in young Black girls.”

Now, Gomes plans to bring her passion for education to an elementary school in Brooklyn, New York. “I will begin my teaching career and begin a two-year master's program in teaching at Relay Graduate School of Education,” she said. “I am excited to begin a new chapter of my life in New York City.”