Dominican Samantha J. Julien has become the first in her family and one of the few Dominicans to earn a PhD at the University of Arkansas’ Fayetteville campus. Dr. Julien hails from the community of Newtown and is the daughter of “Ras” Greg Julien from Newtown and Theresa Laurent of Tete Morne in Grand Bay. She was raised by her paternal grandmother the late Ena Walsh (who she credits for her tenacity and long-term goals of pursuing a tertiary education) alongside others, including aunts Eartha, Tonia, Sharmila, Deirdre, Josephine Alie and uncle Burl as well as a number of close cousins.
After obtaining a bachelor’s degree in both Spanish and International Relations and graduating with Magna Cum Laude honors, she worked briefly as a bilingual education teacher in the Mesquite Independent School District in Texas. A short time after, Julien decided to pursue a master’s degree in Human Resource Development in the field of education from Midwestern State University. She then moved on to undertake doctoral studies in the field of Public Policy with an emphasis on education policy.
Dr. Julien began her doctoral studies in the fall of 2013 but coupled with the challenges of motherhood and the rigors of research, she was only finally able to defend her dissertation in March of 2019 and subsequently graduated on May 11, of the same year. Under the guidance of co-chairs Dr. Felicia Lincoln, Dr. Tom Smith and mentor Dr. Charlene Johnson-Carter, Dr. Julien’s research focused on issues related to the education of English Language Learners and how a dearth of teachers of color affects their learning potential in which Critical Race Theory and Latino Critical Race Theory were used as the theoretical frameworks. With this degree, Dr. Julien hopes to do further research in the field of education or to work in any capacity which could afford her the opportunity to utilize her skills and knowledge.
Her journey from the St. Martin’s School and the Convent High School was not always outstanding in the sense of academia but she acknowledges the gift of second chances. She understands that when one is given new opportunities, one must fight with all his/her might and work to the best of his/her God-given abilities. Dr. Julien, because of her insistence to succeed, was awarded as the Outstanding Student in her major in the Prothro-Yeager College in the spring of 2007.
It is her hope to inspire others, not only from the community of Newtown, but in Dominica as a whole and encourage them to never give up.
“There is always a light at the end of the tunnel even when we do not see it. We must, however, keep pushing until we get to the place that we desire to. In the words of famous actress Lupita Nyong’o, ‘No matter where you’re from, your dreams are valid,’ Julien states.
Dr. Julien wishes to thank her husband Kerry and son Kaiden for their patience and for simply being there, and her mother Theresa Laurent for the constant prayers and support, her sister Emilia Geraldine Sambar, Uncle Lionel Laurent, aunt Rosie Laurent, the Julien family, members of the community of Newtown including the Shillingford family including Vanessa, Nicole and Ma Owen, Cynthia Panthier, friends like Clem Havre and Edina Darwton, Dr. Cyril Robinson, John-Baptiste “Holday” John, Neal Benjamin, Muriel Guiste-Stuart, Francisca Zisca Florent, Gizelle Simpson-Eloi, Jodi Simeon, Kendra Fagan, and cousins including Glenn Ducreay, Davidson Julien, Tamara Julien and Sharline Laurent for their love and encouragement along this grand journey!
This article is copyright © 2019 DOM767
