Date: Sunday, August 3, 2025
This week, the members of the Graduate Students and New Evaluators (GSNE) TIG share various tips, tricks, resources, and points of view that can be helpful for students and new evaluators. We hope both evaluators, new and old, will review this material and share the resources and stories with each other.
-Liz Rojas (GSNE, Co-Chair), Christine Liboon (GSNE, Program Chair), and GSNE Leadership Team
Hello! I’m Eunice Oduro, a Ph.D. student in Educational Research Methodology at UNC Greensboro, focusing on Program Evaluation. The Emergent Voices in Evaluation (EViE) Conference is a unique, student-led event entirely planned, organized, and presented by graduate students and new evaluators. I had the privilege of serving as both a?planning committee member?and presenter for the 2025 EViE Conference. With the theme “AI and the Future of Evaluation: Navigating Challenges, Leveraging Opportunities,” the conference explored essential issues at the intersection of innovation and practice. In addition to building skills in planning and presenting, EViE serves as a springboard for many participants who have presented at national conferences and assumed leadership roles in evaluation. It was an invaluable experience that strengthened my voice and confidence as an emerging evaluator.
Learning Through Meaningful Engagement. As graduate students, we’re often pushed to present our work, but we rarely gain experience with what it takes to plan and execute a successful conference. Through my role on the EViE planning committee, I was involved in developing the conference schedule, supporting abstract review, coordinating speakers, and managing session logistics. These responsibilities gave me a deeper appreciation for the planning process and many moving parts that contribute to a meaningful conference experience.
Sharing Leadership and Co-Creating Together. I had the privilege of collaborating with a dedicated team of peers and mentors, including Xinru Yan, Ramya Kumaran, Bradley Madden, Hannah Johnson, J.R. Moller, Ph.D, and Stacy Huff, Ph.D., whose leadership, encouragement, and attention to detail made the experience both collaborative and empowering. Their support reinforced the value of shared leadership and peer mentorship in creating inclusive, well-organized spaces for emerging evaluators to grow.
A Safe and Supportive Space to Grow. EViE was not just a platform for presentation; it was a space for growth. Whether crafting and submitting a proposal, creating a poster, or engaging in sessions, I found encouragement to trust my ideas and embrace the learning process through doing.
Welcoming Environment that Fosters Confidence. One of the most impactful aspects of EViE was its intentionally supportive atmosphere. It was a space where asking questions was encouraged, diverse perspectives were valued, and learning moments were embraced as part of the journey. For emerging evaluators still shaping their professional identities, this kind of environment is not only refreshing but essential. It reaffirmed that learning is a process, and that every contribution matters, even when you’re still finding your voice.
EViE isn’t just a student-led conference—it’s a space that cultivates emerging evaluators through purposeful engagement, collaborative leadership, and a commitment to inclusion. It empowers graduate students to step forward, contribute with confidence, and grow alongside a supportive community of peers and mentors who share a passion for evaluation.
To my fellow emerging evaluators: Don’t wait for the perfect moment. Get involved, speak up, and let your perspective be heard. Our field becomes more vibrant and impactful when we grow together and create space for diverse voices to shape the future of evaluation.
EViE 2025 Full Program: Access the 2025 program to explore session highlights, presenter bios, and information about EViE.
AEA is hosting GSNE Week with our colleagues in the Graduate Student and New Evaluators AEA Topical Interest Group. The contributions all this week to AEA365 come from our GSNE TIG members. Do you have questions, concerns, kudos, or content to extend this AEA365 contribution? Please add them in the comments section for this post on the AEA365 webpage so that we may enrich our community of practice. Would you like to submit an AEA365 Tip? Please send a note of interest to AEA365@eval.org. AEA365 is sponsored by the American Evaluation Association and provides a Tip-a-Day by and for evaluators. The views and opinions expressed on the AEA365 blog are solely those of the original authors and other contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of the American Evaluation Association, and/or any/all contributors to this site.