April 2, 2025
NATCHITOCHES – Research by Dr. Angela Wilson earned her the Outstanding Graduate Student Research Paper Award from the Louisiana Education Research Association (LERA). Wilson is a graduate of Northwestern State University’s doctoral program in Adult Learning and Development.
Wilson’s research focused on the perceived challenges that contribute to retention of Black female culinary students at a community college in southern Louisiana.
“I am a culinary instructor at Delgado Community College in New Orleans,” Wilson said. “At the time I was deciding on a research topic I was the chair of Culinary. I noticed that a greater number of our returning students were Black females, which was the catalyst for my research.”
The Graduate Student Research Paper Award is on of only two LERA awards presented to researchers from all over Louisiana who submit papers for review. Wilson has been invited to submit the paper for publication in RICE (Research Issues in Contemporary Education, a double-blind, peer-reviewed online journal that publishes educational research studies, literature reviews, theoretical manuscripts and practitioner-oriented articles regarding issues in education.
“This is such an impressive recognition, and it speaks volumes about the dedication, innovation and hard work that Dr. Wilson has demonstrated in her field,” said Dr. Christy Hornsby, coordinator of NSU’s Ed.D. program and Wilson’s dissertation chair. “Dr. Wilson’s success is truly inspiring. We are extremely proud to call her ours.”
LERA is comprised of college/university faculty, early childhood, elementary, middle, and secondary teachers, school leaders, and educational stakeholders that support and advocate for high quality scholarship and research in education. LERA is an active state affiliate of the American Educational Research Association (national) and the Mid-South Educational Research Association (regional).
Wilson said NSU’s Ed.D. program is accessible and faculty help students succeed.
“As an instructor, I see opportunities in every class and every student to use the lessons I learned in graduate school,” she said. “I want to research and write more about culinary education. There is very little research in my field, and many people want to become chefs.”
NSU’s doctoral program in Adult Learning and Development is an on-line degree program that focuses on the needs of developing community college leaders and preparing practitioners to work with adult learners and workforce development. Information on the program is available at https://www.nsula.edu/education/.
