Sara Lawrence, PhD
Scholarship Page
Program Affiliations
Education Leadership
Biography
Sara Lawrence is Professor of Educational Psychology in the Education Leadership Scholars of Practice doctoral program at Texas A&M University - Texarkana. She is a graduate from the University of Virginia and has been an educator for 30 years starting as a special educator in Charlottesville, Virginia public schools. As a teacher, director of an arts-integration professional development program, and leader in higher education, Sara has led significant grants and projects benefiting public school and higher education student experiences and outcomes.
Professional Experience
Academic PositionsProfessor of Educational Psychology, 2024-current
Associate Professor of Educational Psychology, 2017-2024
Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology, 2011-17
Clinical Faculty in Special Education, 2006-11
Adjunct Professor in Special Education, 1996-99
Leadership Positions
Associate Dean for College of Arts, Sciences, and Education, 2017-22
Chair of Education & Education Leadership, 2018-22
Coordinator for the doctoral program, 2018-22
Director for the Quality Enhancement Plan focused on experiential learning, 2016-19
Chair of Education Department, 2011-13
Coordinator of MS in Interdisciplinary Studies, 2010-13
Director and Coordinator for Alternative Certification, 2006-09
Education
2011, Texas A&M University-Commerce, PhD in Educational Psychology2009, Texas A&M University-Commerce, MS in Psychology
1994, University of Virginia, MT in Special and Elementary Education
1989, University of Virginia, BA in Art History, Minor in Studio Art
Areas of Interest
As an instructor in a doctoral program, Sara works to develop scholars of practice with an inquiry mindset able to lead in complex organizations. Understanding philosophical and theoretical understanding to explore, describe, and examine leadership phenomena and praxis develops leaders that can navigate ever changing environments.
Sara’s research interests include research methodology, disrupting poverty, and experiential learning. She has become an enthusiastic advocate for improvement science as it aligns with her mission represented by Maya Angelou’s quote, “Do the best you can until you know better. When you know better, do better”.
Teaching
Sara loves teaching about problem and purpose statements, research philosophy, theoretical frameworks, and literature reviews that guide research questions and methods. Essentially, she loves building the “skeleton” of a research study as a study with “good bones” lends itself to conducting ethical and quality research.
Courses
She currently teach courses in the doctoral program including the doctoral seminar, current issues in education leadership, organizational theory, qualitative research, and dissertation courses.
Scholarship & Creative Activity
Lawrence, S.C. & Ray, T.G. (Spring/Summer, 2024). Leveraging resources for relational agency: A comprehensive mentoring model for cultivating teacher agency. Journal of Texas Study of Secondary Education, 33(2). 37-41.
Webb, B.J. & Lawrence, S.C. (2024). Can we talk for a minute? Understanding asset-based
mechanisms for academic achievement from the voices of high-achieving African American students. Urban Review.
Lawrence, S.C. (2023). Mapping improvement at the speed of GPS: One educator
preparation program’s experience with improvement science during the pandemic.
The Southeastern Regional Association of Teacher Educators (SRATE) Journal. 32(2).
Lawrence, S. & Lease, K. (2023). Think globally, travel locally: Doctoral program travel for inquiry, equity, and social justice. Journal of Experiential Learning and Teaching in Higher Education. 6 (1), 79-85. DOI:
Selected Scholarship and Creative Activity
Lawrence, S. (February 2024). An Ethnographic Case Study of One Education Preparation Program’s Experience with Improvement Science during the Pandemic. Southwest Educational Research Association (SERA) Annual Conference, Arlington, TX
Lawrence, S. & Ray, T. (October 2023). District-University Partnerships Matter: The Importance of
Relational Agency in Preparing Teachers with Agency. Consortium of State Organizations for Texas Teacher Educators (CSOTTE) Annual Conference, San Marcos, TX
Lawrence, S. & Shidemantle, D. (October 2023). Making Intentionality Priority #1: Effective Experiential Learning in Teacher Preparation. Consortium of State Organizations for Texas Teacher
Educators (CSOTTE) Annual Conference, San Marcos, TX
Lawrence, S. (2022, October 9-11). Mapping improvement at the speed of GPS [Conference session]. Consortium of State Organizations for Texas Teacher Educators (CSOTTE) Annual Conference, San Marcos, TX
Lawrence, S. & Lease, K. (October 12-14, 2022). Experiential Learning for Inquiry, Equity, and Justice. Carnegie Project for Educational Doctorate (CPED) Annual Conference. Pittsburgh, PA
Grants and Awards
- Texas A&M University-Texarkana, Teaching Excellence Award, Excellence in Mentoring, 2024
- Texas A&M System, Chancellor’s Academy of Teacher Educators [Team Award], 2023
- Author & PI, US PREP Partnership Grant, $300,000, 2021-22
- Cohort IV Fellow, Texas Academic Leadership Association (TALA), 2021-22
- Co-Author & PI, Raising Texas Teachers Grant, Charles Butt Foundation, $150,000,
- Texas A&M University-Texarkana, Alumni Association, Distinguished Faculty Member,
- Academy Member, National Association of Experiential Education, 2018
- Texas A&M System, Chancellor’s Academy of Teacher Education [Faculty Award], 2016
Links to Recent Media
Heinrich, B. (Host). (2023, February 27). MIMXELTHE Journal: Transforming Learning through travel programs with Dr. Kathy Lease and Dr. Sara Lawrence of Texas A&M University-Texarkana [Audio podcast episode]. In Mindset in Motion. Spotify.
