The McKay School of Education is celebrating BYU Graduate Student Appreciation Week 2025 by recognizing several exceptional graduate students. These students, selected through faculty nominations, exemplify dedication, perseverance and a commitment to modeling their work after the Savior, the Master Teacher. Their accomplishments highlight the school's mission to serve in challenging and noble professions and underscore why faculty and students devote their minds and spirits to nurturing the full potential in others—for the benefit of the world.
Adam Young, EdD, Educational Leadership and Foundations
Adam Young is a doctoral student in Educational Leadership and Foundations, and the first student in his doctoral cohort to complete his degree in under three years. Adam’s quick progress has been accompanied by top-quality work every step of the way. He has been an outstanding student throughout the course of his doctoral program, all while working as the Superintendent of White Pine County School District in Nevada, the president of the Nevada Association of School Superintendents, a member of the WestEd Board of Directors and the Commission for Innovation and Excellence in Education. In addition to all these responsibilities, he also helps teach and conduct the White Pine High School Choir.
He has consistently demonstrated high-level academic work in his program courses, and he has conducted a strong piece of research for his dissertation. His study is a qualitative investigation of a recent state-level education reform in Nevada called the Portrait of a Learner. The dissertation explores how the reform challenged traditional top-down education policy creation and implementation through its iterative, co-creative process involving diverse advocacy coalitions. Adam’s research highlights the importance of stakeholder collaboration, local adaptability, and leadership in sustaining meaningful educational reform. Adam is a fantastic representative of the quality of our graduate programs in the McKay School.
Adriano Carneiro, MS, Instructional Psychology and Technology
“Adriano is one of our best MS students,” said Peter Rich, IP&T Department Chair. Adrian has done a lot of great work in IP&T, including creating an online platform to facilitate peer mentoring called Mentorius. The platform has seen great results in Brazil where he has been testing it. Adrian has even entered the platform into several competitions with the business school and other venues, for which he has received funding and mentoring.
Chloe Houghton, MS, Communication Disorders
Originally from California, Chloe first planned to study law but found her true passion in the Communication Disorders major. As both an undergraduate research assistant and lab manager, Chloe has been instrumental in multiple projects and has mentored many students.
Her dedication and hard work have earned her several prestigious recognitions, including being named a Fellow of the Academy of Neurologic Communication Disorders and Sciences, receiving the Gerontology Graduate Fellowship, and winning 1st place in the MSE Mentored Research Conference Undergraduate Student Poster Contest. Assistant Professor Tyson Harmon describes her as “hard-working, well-organized, and focused on helping others.”
Beyond academics, Chloe embraces her spiritual journey at BYU. “She often shares her testimony with those she mentors and is quick to point out the hand of the Lord in the work we are doing,” Harmon said. Through her research, mentorship, and faith, Chloe continues to inspire those around her.
Emma J. Myers, PhD, Counseling Psychology
Emma is from Chicago and earned her Neuroscience degree from BYU in 2020 before gaining industry experience at Qualtrics. In 2023, she returned to BYU as a doctoral student in counseling psychology, ready to take on the rigorous academic and personal demands of the program. “Doctoral work in this field is both academically and personally demanding,” said Associate Clinical Professor Adam Fisher. “Emma was ready to work when she started.”
Emma’s academic strength is matched by her emotional intelligence and ability to build meaningful relationships. Her early success in both research and coursework led Fisher to invite her to co-lead a therapy group sooner than usual—an opportunity she embraced with confidence. “I would have just nervously sat back and watched when I was a new doctoral student, but she contributed,” he said. “She is unafraid to ask difficult questions and brings deep empathy to her work with clients.”
Recognized for her outstanding efforts, Emma was nominated within her department for her accomplishments and potential. “I fully expect she will go on to big things down the road,” Fisher said. With her dedication, intellect, and compassion, Emma is already making a meaningful impact in the field.
Gem Leighton, MS, Special Education
Gem Leighton is a master’s student in Special Education and a remarkable scholar. She has been a leader for the AVADER lab and her work to design research around social engagement in VR has been truly remarkable. She leads a team of six undergraduate students and provides opportunities for each to shine and feel like they are integral to the work. She has developed new research protocols and measures to help explore the impact of VR on students with Autism in unique and powerful ways. Of Leighton, her advisor, Cade Charlton, said, “It has been really exciting to see the team grow and to watch Gem be a leader among them. As a student, Gem is thoughtful and engaged. She can be direct, but those comments stem from a deep desire to really understand the theory and practice that we are discussing. This genuine curiosity makes her both a challenging student in class, no easy questions from her, and an exciting partner in the learning process.”
Gem has applied for doctoral work and is constantly seeking to further develop her knowledge and skills.
Heidi Lindsey, PhD, Educational Inquiry Measurement and Evaluation
Heidi is a doctoral student in the Educational Inquiry, Measurement, and Evaluation (EIME) PhD program. Before beginning her doctorate, she spent several years teaching statistics at the community college level. Now, in addition to her graduate studies, she teaches a statistics course for graduate students in the McKay School and a separate course on using the R software platform for statistical analysis. “She is a pleasant person with effective interpersonal skills,” said Professor Richard Sudweeks.
Respected by both her students and peers, Heidi is known for treating others with respect and fostering a positive learning environment. Her dedication to education is evident in the way she engages with students and helps them navigate complex statistical concepts. “She is highly respected by the students in her classes and by her peers,” Sudweeks said.
Beyond her teaching abilities, Heidi is a goal-directed and self-disciplined individual. “She knows how to focus her efforts and avoid distractions,” said Sudweeks. With her commitment to both research and instruction, Heidi is making a meaningful impact in her field.
Laine Nesbitt, EdS, School Psychology
It’s difficult to narrow down what to say about Laine Nesbitt. Some of her best qualities are that she’s optimistic, hopeful, passionate, compassionate, and curious. She also looks for the best in others, pushes herself to do well in her studies and responsibilities, and has seemingly endless energy. Her advisor, Ellie Young, said of Laine, “When she experiences challenges, as we all do, she has a can-do attitude that is contagious. For example, through no fault of her own, she’s struggled to find high school students to participate in her thesis research. Rather than complaining about the difficulties, she’s brainstormed solutions and demonstrated flexibility.”
Laine also participates in a wide variety of organizations on the local and national levels. She is a committee member of the Graduate Student Committee for the National Association of School Psychologists. She participates in URLEND, the Utah Regional Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities. She also serves in the primary presidency in her ward in the SLC area.
Laine is an exemplary practicum student and someone who demonstrates Christ’s love for all His children in all she does.
Qi Guo, PhD, Instructional Psychology and Technology
Qi Guo is an exceptional student and researcher. Originally from China, Qi was a treasury analyst in Beijing before going to California State University San Bernardino to start her MS in Instructional Technology. She’s been a part of BYU’s IP&T PhD program since 2020. She is a natural leader, she collaborates well with other students, she is skilled in both qualitative and quantitative methods, and she’s been published in several quality journals.
Shazia Akbar, MA, Teacher Education
Shazia’s commitment to her education is truly inspiring. Originally from Pakistan, she made the difficult decision to leave her husband and three young children behind to pursue her studies, with hopes that they could join her soon. “She is an exceptional student, often doing more than is assigned to fully engage with the learning requirements and workload,” said Professor Erin Whiting.
A natural leader within her cohort, Shazia goes out of her way to support her peers—both U.S. and international students—helping them navigate assignments, program requirements, and academic success. “She is highly motivated to learn best practices in math education so that she can be a force for good in the world,” Whiting said.
Beyond her academic dedication, Shazia is known for her generosity, kindness, and uplifting spirit. “She is a lovely human, and we are so happy to have her in our program,” said Whiting. With her determination and passion for education, she is already making a lasting impact.