CATALYST Scholars

Scholarship Overview

The CATALYST Scholars program provides research experiences for online graduate students in the Curriculum & Instruction (C&I) department at Texas Tech University during the Spring and Summer semesters of the academic year.  
 
Graduate students selected for the program will participate in research related to CATALYST’s scope and vision. That may include research and program design development in conjunction with community stakeholders, data collection and analysis, and dissemination of findings.  
 
CATALYST Scholars will receive a scholarship of $3,330 for the spring semester. If you have a successful evaluation at the end of the spring semester, you will be invited to continue the program and receive a scholarship of $3,330 for the summer semester. 

Eligibility criteria

To be considered for the CATALYST Scholars program, you must be an online graduate student (master’s or doctoral) in the department of Curriculum & Instruction (C&I).

For your application, you will describe how you would use CATALYST scholars to strengthen and amplify your research experiences and goals. To complete your application, you must have a faculty mentor submit a recommendation. Email Dr. Gina Childers (gina.childers@ttu.edu) and request a Faculty Mentor Recommendation link to be sent to your identified faculty mentor.

Applications that do not meet all criteria and/or do not have an associated faculty mentor recommendation by the deadline will not be considered. 

Please note that there are limited CATALYST Scholars program scholarships available. 

DEADLINE to submit all application materials to be considered for the Spring 2026/Summer 2026 CATALYST Scholars program is Thursday, January 15, 2026.

Click here to apply

Key Accomplishments

• Funding of research opportunities for distance graduate students in C&I.  
• Production of peer-reviewed presentations and publications. 
• Professional mentoring of distance graduate students in C&I.

Research

Coming soon

CATALYST Scholars Profile

2026

Katherine Cohen, M.S. CCC-SLP

C&I General Track, concentrating electives in Special Education

Professional Biography

Katherine earned a Master of Science in Communication Sciences from The University of Texas at Dallas and a Bachelor of Science in Comprehensive Special Education from Vanderbilt University. As a speech-language pathologist, Katherine has worked in private practice and the public-school setting for over ten years. She is the founder of Joybound Publications, a company dedicated to creating curricula for students with communication disorders and currently serves as the Inclusion Coordinator at the International School of Rimini in Italy.

What excites you most about being a CATALYST Scholar? I started my career as a special education teacher for children with significant support needs in a rural school district. I've seen first-hand the limited trainings, materials, and resources rural educators have access too. This limited access impacts students, and students who are historically underserved suffer even more. I am excited to be part of a program that seeks to bring valuable resources to our underserved regions and students.

What are your professional goals? My future goals include developing curricula for students with low-incidence disabilities to facilitate more effective inclusion models in public schools. Curriculum offers a standard of care across districts, educators, and regions. It is a safety net that ensures every student, whether from a well-funded urban school or from an underfunded rural one, is provided with high-quality, research- and evidence-based instruction. Being a CATALYST scholar will provide me with critical research experience, in a field I’m passionate about, to achieve this goal.

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Steven Colmus

C&I Curriculum Studies and Teacher Education (CSTE) Track

Professional Biography

After graduating from Western Michigan University in 1995, Steven Colmus worked for a year as a full-time volunteer at Casa Maria Catholic Worker, a shelter for women and children that included a daycare cooperative. This formative experience helped inform and shape his vision for education and has guided his work as a teacher and administrator for over 25 years.  

What excites you most about being a CATALYST Scholar? Having grown up in a small town in central Michigan, I understand the importance of providing opportunities for teacher collaboration, teacher leadership, and professional development to support students’ learning, especially in rural communities. I am thrilled to have been selected as a CATALYST Scholar to work alongside experienced scholars and researchers to advance this critical work.   

What are your professional goals? After completing my Ph.D., I look forward to supporting teachers’ professional learning at every stage of their careers. The experience I will gain as a CATALYST scholar will provide valuable skills in conducting research, securing resources, and evaluating outcomes.  

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Michelle Paradise Wood

C&I Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Track

Professional Biography

Michelle is a Secondary Mathematics Coordinator and PhD student in Curriculum and Instruction with a STEM focus. She holds master’s degrees in Educational Multimedia and Educational Leadership. A 31-year veteran educator and former Teacher of the Year, she has presented at large-scale conferences and managed multiple grants. Her work emphasizes constructivist mathematics instruction that engages students in problem solving and productive struggle while cultivating aesthetic, inquiry-driven experiences that shape strong mathematical identities.

What excites you most about being a CATALYST Scholar? I love being part of a team! The one thing that was missing for me since beginning this program is the opportunity to conduct a collaborative research study – the brainstorming, diverse viewpoints, trust, co-constructing meaning, etc. I have had amazing professors who have each provided me with a piece of the puzzle, but being a CATALYST Scholar means taking all our collective pieces and synergistically completing the picture!

What are your professional goals? Since starting this PhD journey, I have envisioned myself in many roles—from academia and research/development to district leadership. While I genuinely believe I could thrive in any of these areas, my passion for research has grown with each project I have undertaken. Working with the CATALYST research team would not only strengthen my research skills through collaborative decision-making but would also help me determine whether research is truly where I belong.

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