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University of Southern California

PhD Student

Akunna Faith Uka

2023

uka@usc.edu

Headshot portrait of Akunna Uka smiling with arms crossed near a brick doorway

Research Concentration

K-12 Education Policy

Research Interest

Black Student Achievement, Race, Equity, K-12 Policy

Advisor

Julie Marsh, Pedro Noguera

Related Centers

Bio

Akunna Uka’s research interests center how education policy and politics impact Black students. Her current focus is on school board members and how they enact educational policies aimed at improving the academic success and well-being of Black students, with an emphasis on creating more equitable and supportive educational environments. 

Akunna is a Ph.D. student in the Education program with a focus on K-12 policy. She is a research assistant in the Rossier Center on Education Policy, Equity and Governance (CEPEG) and is advised by Dr. Julie Marsh. Dr. Pedro Noguera is her secondary advisor. Akunna holds an M.Ed in Education Leadership from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and a B.A. in political science and education from Swarthmore College. 

Akunna was a secondary teacher and administrator for almost a decade prior to pursuing a PhD. 

Awards and Grants

The Lucretia Mott Fellowship

Truman Scholarship