Liz Nigro

Liz is a fourth-year PhD candidate in UVA's Research, Statistics, and Evaluation program set to graduate in May, 2025. Before graduate school, Liz was a public school elementary general and special educator in Washington, D.C. for four years. Her work in two segregated school contexts motivated her to attend graduate school and address issues related to systemic injustice in education.

In graduate school she has studied more holistic school integration strategies, specifically, in early childhood and elementary school environments. Her dissertation investigates this topic through critical participatory action approaches. She has engaged in such approaches through Youth-Nex, where she currently leads the Youth Council partnership and works with the Teen Wellness Team. Additionally, she is interning for the Century Foundation's Bridges Collaborative to support schools, districts, and housing organizations working toward integration. 

PhD, University of Virginia, 2025
MPP, University of Virginia, 2023
MSEd, Johns Hopkins University, 2019
BA, University of Richmond, 2017
 

• School Integration
• Critical Participatory Action Research
• Early Childhood Education
• Education Equity