2023 Focus Award Recipient - Student

Kirsten Anderson

Kirsten Anderson is a PhD candidate in the Department of Human Development and Family Science.  She is being recognized for her outstanding effort and dedication to accessibility in teaching and instructor-student mentoring.  In her nomination letter, Dr. Megan Purcell stated that, “everything about Kirsten’s course planning and implementation centers on Universal Design of Learning, a framework that focuses on creating a learning environment that is inherently accessible for all students.”  Kirsten goes out of her way to make sure that students can reach their potential by removing barriers and using multiple means of representation to teach content. 

Kirsten’s efforts in promoting accessibility and inclusion have extended beyond the realm of her teaching responsibilities as a graduate student.  She has advocated for more inclusive classroom policies by contributing to the Department of Human Development and Family Science’s Diversity Equity and Inclusion committee’s “syllabus change” and has pushed forward tangible ideas for how to make teaching and learning more accessible.

Purdue is proud to have Kirsten Anderson as a student and to honor her with a 2023 Focus Award.