Leslie Lindsey

“There are two questions I have chased my entire career: how can we measure what students are actually learning, and who is being left out? Finding this program – at one of the best schools of education in the country, and in a format that accommodates working professionals – means I can continue to develop the skills needed to answer these questions and immediately apply them in my current role.”

LEARNING DESIGNER WORKING FOR SOCIAL CHANGE 

Leslie is currently a learning designer at Thrive Scholars, a national nonprofit supporting high-achieving students of color from historically under-served communities with the resources they need to succeed at top colleges and in high-impact careers. Before joining Thrive, she managed classroom-based experiential learning at the University of Maryland’s Smith School of Business and directed faculty development at the University of Texas at Tyler, where she also worked on a multi-year state grant expanding online and hybrid courses to increase college access across rural East Texas. A first-generation college graduate, she has a BS in History from Texas Woman’s University, where she also attended graduate school and taught introductory US history.   

USING MEANINGFUL DATA TO CREATE EQUITABLE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS 

With more than fifteen years of experience in teaching and learning, Leslie’s work has focused on how to create and facilitate classroom environments that promote learning and belonging for every student. Whether in-person, hybrid, or online, she is passionate about the importance of evidence-based learning design, including how we use assessment, evaluation, and data analytics to measure student learning and to inform continuous improvement. Her research interests include critical pedagogies, feedback and instructor presence, and the history of technology.

Leslie is a 2024 Committed Scholars Program recipient.