“Epistemic injustice suggests that there are unjust structures in meaning-making and knowledge production where only dominant philosophical traditions are deemed worthy of academic attention and merit.”

Yvonne Garcia, a PhD Candidate in Higher Education, studies epistemic injustice. In Yvonne’s words, “Epistemic injustice suggests that there are unjust structures in meaning-making and knowledge production where only dominant philosophical traditions are deemed worthy of academic attention and merit.” Students whose research disrupts dominant philosophical traditions are often underfunded, under-published, and disregarded in scholarly conversations, a reality that both harms students and limits the possibilities of innovative knowledge production. Yvonne’s current research proposes that graduate students’ lack of agency within their own research—caused by epistemic injustice—is a key reason for low degree completion. Her advisor remarks, “In no uncertain terms, the impact of [Yvonne’s] scholarship on epistemic (in)justice stands to be groundbreaking for how we understand teaching and learning for marginalized and minoritized students in graduate education.”

Yvonne’s personal experiences as a first-generation college student inform both her research and her commitment to supporting graduate students. Like many first-generation students, Yvonne faced challenges in her academic career; however, it wasn’t until she obtained a research assistant position, and began to work with a mentor who was a professor of education, that she understood those challenges were structural. Her experience inspired her to pursue a master’s degree and engage in research to help understand and solve problems experienced by marginalized students. Prior to her doctoral studies at U-M, Yvonne also spent five years directly supporting students as a student affairs professional at Cal State Fullerton and later as a program analyst for its Center for Research on Educational Access and Leadership.

Upon completing her degree, Yvonne intends to work as a scholar-practitioner who supports graduate student degree completion and help to develop supportive structures that remedy problems caused by epistemic injustice. Already, she is recognized as a “critically important scholar-practitioner for the future of higher education.” CEW+ celebrates Yvonne’s vision for scholarship and names her the Jean W. Campbell Scholar.