As Convocation approaches, these student speakers — representing TC’s health, education, and psychology programs — are preparing to address the Teachers College community. They will share insights and lessons from their time at TC, along with words of inspiration for the Class of 2026.
Learn more about this year’s honored student speakers below, and be sure to tune in for their remarks during on May 18-19.
Abu Abdelbagi (Ed.M. ’26, Communication, Media and Learning Technologies Design)
Hometown: Omdurman, Khartoum, Sudan
What Inspires Him: “The resilience of human beings, especially the perseverance of Sudanese people in the face of adversity. I’m moved by the quiet and stubborn hope, the kind that shows up in small, consistent choices: to keep going, to care, to create, and to change,” says Abu.
“I’m always inspired by my students — who always laugh when I seriously tell them that I learn more from them than they do from me. I’m also inspired by my mentors at TC, who are not only brilliant scholars but true change-makers, leading with care and kindness.”
How He Makes a Difference: Abu is deeply engaged in pushing the boundaries of what research and academic scholarship might look like. He has been a member of the for six years, where he has co-authored multiple multimodal scholarly articles. It is also the place that fostered his award-winning research on media literacy in the Sudanese context.
As part of the Digital Futures Institute (DFI), you can also find him in Macy Studios helping students, faculty, and staff produce their podcasts and videos. He is particularly excited about the launch of the DFI-supported Video Journal of Education, which will be a new venue for video publishing in education research and scholarship.
Beyond TC, Abu channels his journalist self in telling the stories of Sudanese people. He has recently contributed to a visual investigation on the on-going conflict in Sudan that won the 2025 Pulitzer Prize in international reporting
What’s Next: After graduation, Abu plans to continue teaching at Teachers College, introducing a new course (“Visual Communication”) to the Technology, Media, and Learning program. He also hopes to finish writing and illustrating his first book. Abu will continue to tell the stories of Sudanese people both in research and journalism.
Jihan Basyah (M.A ’26, Psychology in Education)
Hometown: Jakarta, Indonesia
What Inspires Her: Listening deeply and the human body’s capability to heal. “My experience navigating a chronic health condition led me to explore more holistic, intuitive approaches to well-being, which expanded into a broader curiosity about how our relationship with ourselves shapes how we show up for others,” explains Jihan. “I have come to see inner work not as something separate from leadership, but as its foundation.”
Jihan is especially inspired by people and spaces that center compassion, connection and shared humanity. “As we deepen our relationship with ourselves, we expand our capacity to support our communities in meaningful and lasting ways,” she explains. “That care, when rooted in the heart, can ripple far beyond the individual.”
How She Makes a Difference: Jihan strives to create spaces where people feel seen, supported, and able to reconnect with themselves and one another. “My work across wellness, campus leadership and community service is grounded in the belief that care is both a personal and collective practice,” she explains. “At Teachers College, I serve as Co-Lead of Spirituality at TC, where our team facilitates weekly gatherings that bring together students, professionals and practitioners in wellness, fostering dialogue, reflection and shared learning.” Spirituality at TC was recently nominated for the TC Provost’s Student Excellence Award for Exemplary Impact.
As a Course Assistant in Spirit Mind Body Medicine, Jihan supported graduate-level instruction and student engagement centered on embodiment and integrative approaches to well-being. “Together, these experiences reflect my commitment to building spaces that are both intentional and impactful,” she notes. “I aim to lead in ways that are grounded, relational, and human.”
What’s Next: Upon graduating, Jihan plans to continue her work in wellness and embodiment. This fall, she will pursue a yoga teacher training opportunity in Bali, Indonesia, returning to her roots while expanding her knowledge of movement, tradition, and healing. “I hope to keep creating spaces that invite people to slow down, reconnect with themselves, and care for one another in more meaningful ways.”
Sam Bolourtchi (M.A ’26, Philosophy and Education)
Hometown: St.Louis, Missouri
What Inspires Her: Sam finds inspiration in her sense of shared humanity. “The daily chance to lift others up — a calling I’ve shared here as both student and teacher — keeps me motivated. My students’ ability to rise to every challenge inspires me even more,” she shares.
Sam also remains inspired by her parents’ commitment to service. “My father is an immigration lawyer and an immigrant himself, and my mother is a best-selling author, lawyer and keynote speaker who is redefining what it means to be ‘unequivocally you,’” explains Sam. “I am blessed to say my family is the pillar of unwavering strength I pass forward to my community.” She remains inspired by the power in what it means to “be seen, and celebrated, face-to-face.”
How She Makes a Difference: Currently, Sam serves as a high school teacher at City As School in NYC, teaching social studies/humanities intensives based in performance assessment over standardized learning, as well as aiding in music production through additional programming. She is the Chapter Director of Corrupt the Youth, a non-profit organization rooted in the socratic method, bringing philosophy to underprivileged and underrepresented high school students across New York.
What’s Next: As she works towards her doctorate degree, Sam plans to continue growing as an educator at City As School and hopes to join the executive board of Corrupt the Youth to expand accessibility programming. She will support continued research relating to Sexual Violence Prevention curriculum and Leadership policy for students and educators to come. In her free time, Sam is a DJ and music producer and plans to release new music and shows in NYC.
RJ Wicks (M.A ’26, Education Policy and Social Analysis)
Hometown: Carson, California
What Inspires Him: His community. RJ shares, “without [community] I would not be where I am today.” The support, guidance, and opportunities I’ve received motivate me to find ways to give back to those around me and to those who will come after me. That sense of responsibility pushes me to leave every space better than I found it. It’s that cycle of community, support, and impact that continues to drive my work.”
How He Makes a Difference: Being present in the communities he’s a part of and building meaningful connections within them. Through his work on campus, RJ intentionally supports and engages with peers, creating spaces where people feel seen, valued, and can decompress.
His commitment to creating positive change also extends to his academic work. He shares, “I hope that the research I conduct reaches the right education leaders to inform decisions and improve outcomes for students.” Through his curriculum development as a Zankel Fellow for the Center for Educational Equity, he designs hands-on learning experiences for students in Harlem that connect real-world issues to the classroom.
What’s Next: Looking ahead, RJ will return to Los Angeles for the summer to work and spend time with his family and friends. This fall, he plans to take part in a one-year fellowship as an elementary English teacher in Thessaloniki, Greece.