Teaching humanizing pedagogies for whole-person development

“The course material was excellent, and I particularly loved the intersectional and critical lens applied throughout the semester. Another major strength of this course is the instructor herself. Her comments on my assignments were consistently insightful and highly encouraging.”

“I cannot recommend Dr. Destiny nor the course enough. It was transformative in the best way, empowering me as a student and scholar. I believe everyone across disciplines should have to take a course similar to the way in which she taught it. Thank you for such a positive experience in Qual this year!”

“I cannot overstate how dedicated and supportive this instructor is. She genuinely cares about her students' success and consistently goes out of her way to support our academic growth beyond just the standard classroom requirements. She is a wonderful mentor, a truly empathetic educator, and an absolute asset to this department.”

Experience

Instructor, Boston College

  • ELHE760801: Gender and Higher Education | Fall 2026 (planned)

  • APSY9851: Qualitative Research Methods | Spring 2026

Teaching Assistant, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC)

  • EPSY 201: Educational Psychology, Discussion Section | Spring 2022

  • EPSY 203: Social Issues Intergroup Dialogue, Resisting Marginalization | Spring 2019, Fall 2020

Invited Course Lectures   

  • BIO 354: Race and Biology, Mount Holyoke College | April 2026

  • PSYC 336: Identity Development in Adolescence and Young Adulthood, Williams College | March 2026

  • COLL-224: Being Human in STEM, Mount Holyoke College | April 2026, September 2022

  • EDUC/ PSYCH 709: Motivation in the Classroom, University of Michigan Ann Arbor | September 2022

“Rigorous classrooms do not require students to experience rigor mortis” 

“Rigorous classrooms
do not require students
to experience rigor mortis” 

~Christopher Emdin, Ph.D., Ratchetdemic: Reimagining Academic Success (2021)

My guiding beliefs are that every student is a capable learner, there is no “one size fits all” approach to teaching and learning, and everyone deserves high-quality learning that honors their humanity. In alignment with these values, I strive to create learning environments for students to make meaning of their experiences, identities, and the world around them. I care deeply not just about what students learn but how they learn. In addition to fostering critical thinking and process-oriented learning, I aim to nurture students’ physical, emotional, and spiritual development so they can do good works and be well. Learning should be joyful, liberating, and developmental.

In Their Words

“This course clearly explained the challenges and benefits of qualitative research. Not only did we learn about various methodologies, thoughtful and ethical practices, and how to analyze and interpret qualitative data, but we also focused on fostering a supportive class community and learned about leveraging transparent positionality in qualitative work as a strength. I really appreciated the time Dr. Destiny dedicated to making us feel heard in and out of the classroom. This was one of the most enjoyable classes I have ever taken. Everything felt relevant. Nothing was busy work, which definitely motivated more in–depth and detailed participation in and out of class assignments. There was a significant amount of collaborative work and fun, modern activities to scaffold our learning – such as analyzing the Kendrick Lamar Super Bowl halftime performance. I will come away from this class with a multifaceted knowledge and appreciation for qualitative work, and methods that I will integrate into my own research moving forward.”

-Student, Qualitative Research Methods, 2026