My research interest is in cultural humility and teacher-student relationships. I often think of culture as a currency that a child brings with them into the classroom and if it is valued by the classroom teacher it can enhance their relationship and yield better outcomes not only academically but also in life. I am interested in serving as a resource person for children, teachers and other childcare providers to assist them in understanding and developing ‘culturally humble’ approaches.

I am from Nigeria in West Africa. I received my Bachelor of Art degree in Psychology from Southern Adventist University, Collegedale, Tennessee and my master’s degree in business with specialization in Public Relations from Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia. After I graduated, I worked at the United Nations Economic Commission of Africa (UNECA) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. I also worked at the Lagos Business School (LBS) in Nigeria, where I worked in a Human Resource and Research Assistant role, respectively.

At that time, I also co-founded a women’s empowerment project in Nigeria aimed at teaching women practical life skills such as financial management, home management, and tips on how to maintain healthy family relationships. The project used a workshop approach and brought together women of unique backgrounds and ages. The workshops also sought to help participants establish relationships and to promote mentorship.

These diverse work experiences have helped shape both my personal and professional development, and have motivated me to want to make a difference in the educational space. As a graduate student in School Psychology, I am excited about learning how to apply the training I receive in the classroom to the real world around me.

Email:otoweh@umass.edu