Mia Klotz '25

English
Commonwealth Honors College

West Boylston, Massachusetts

What drew you to this field of study?

In 2022, while I was working as a student assistant in the Office of Scholarly Communication within UMass’s W. E. B. Du Bois Library, I was invited to join the World Librarians club, a student-run organization that provides open educational resources to six schools in Africa. Through both my job and this club, I was exposed to open education and accessibility. Without these experiences, I would have never discovered what I wanted to do for my honors thesis or how I could help a community where my own grandparents reside.

How do you conduct your research?

I initially conducted research on Bolivia’s education system and the challenges faced by communities there in accessing information. I then focused on finding accessible knowledge that can be reused and adapted to meet the needs of the community. Both before and since traveling to Bolivia, I communicated with two local teachers there to understand the needs of their school and to explain the work of the World Librarians club.

I traveled to Nucchu, Bolivia, in January 2025 to bring the RACHEL (Remote Area Community Hotspot for Education and Learning) device—along with other educational supplies, including tablets and Chromebooks—to the U.E. German Busch school. During my visit, I conducted a workshop for teachers at the school, where I provided training on using the RACHEL device to access educational materials. These resources and workshops helped shape my approach to implementing meaningful, culturally sensitive, and sustainable change in rural Bolivian schools.

What do you see as the impact—or potential impact—of your work?

I hope my project will give students at U.E. German Busch greater access to educational information to help further their academic journeys. The World Librarians club has seen great success with its efforts, including two students at a school we support in Malawi (Africa) winning a national science award with the resources that we sent to them.

During my trip, I learned that there are eight other communities around the U.E. German Busch school that also could benefit from this program. I’ve decided to return to Bolivia, not only to check on the current school that is part of the World Librarians program but also to bring more RACHELs to other communities that need them. Even though my honors thesis will end when I graduate, this project will continue, and I plan to help other communities that want this support. There is definitely the potential to have further impact.

How does your faculty mentor support your research?

I’ve received immense support from both my mentors—Theresa Dooley, an open education librarian at UMass, as well as Charles Schweik, professor of environmental conservation and public policy and a co-founder of World Librarians. With Theresa’s knowledge of open-access education and Charlie’s experience with integrating schools into World Librarians, they were the perfect people to guide me through my research. I also want to thank Charlie for donating the RACHEL device, which helped jumpstart my project to aid teachers and students at U.E. German Busch.

What do you find most exciting about your research?

I’m most excited about working directly with the teachers and seeing the impact my research has on both educators and students. During my trip to Bolivia, I had the opportunity to speak with the teachers and observe the students who would benefit from the resources I’m providing. The teachers’ and the students’ enthusiasm to learn and receive resources made me realize the importance of this project. I am excited to see where this project goes and how they will utilize the resources the World Librarians club sends to them.
 

What are you most proud of?

I am most proud of my commitment to making this project happen. When I first joined World Librarians, I didn’t know what my role was going to be. Now, as a senior and president of the club, I have taken on a leadership role that has pushed me to move forward with my goals. I’ve had to overcome so many roadblocks to succeed in adding U.E. German Busch to the World Librarians club, but I am so proud that I persevered and helped a community.

How has your research enhanced your overall educational experience at UMass?

The research I have done for my honors thesis has helped inform me on the importance of understanding the specific needs of rural communities and ensuring that the resources we provide are relevant and effective. It also emphasized the value of collaboration and the need for continuous engagement with local teachers and educators to ensure the materials are integrated into their teaching practices. Being exposed to this type of research has also provided insights into how I can integrate this into my future career in technical writing.

What are your plans for the future?

This experience has fueled my passion for accessibility, a field I am excited to continue exploring through technical writing. In my final courses for my certification in professional writing and technical communication, I’ve had the opportunity to create accessible documents designed to benefit everyone. Developing a strong understanding of universal design principles and creating resources that can be reused and adapted has profoundly shaped my perspective on publishing. It has also deepened my appreciation for how inclusive materials can empower students, ensuring they have the resources they need to learn and thrive, no matter their background or circumstances. I will continue to integrate these topics into my future work and hope I get to continue technical writing within the field of education.

Why would you recommend UMass to a friend?

UMass has provided me with the resources to succeed in a plethora of careers. Although I started as just an English major, I now have a concentration in writing, rhetoric, and literacy studies, as well as a professional writing and technical communication certificate. 

I also gained hands-on experience searching for open-access education through my job at the library, presenting on how communities can build their own local libraries for Indiana University's Beyond the Web Speaker Series, coordinated by the Ostrom Workshop and Hamilton Lugar School. I presented on this topic in Charlie Schweik’s honors classes as well. Having the opportunity to showcase the work I have done has allowed me to step into bigger leadership roles and gain new confidence in explaining open access and open education. Overall, the guidance from the faculty at UMass and my advisors has provided me with the support to succeed not only at UMass but in the future, too.

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