Angela Crumdy on the intersection of anthropology and education
The Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellow in Penn GSE’s Policy, Organizations, Leadership, and Systems Division conducts research and teaching on Cuban anthropology and education.
Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellow Angela Crumdy is a self-described “anthropologist of education” who studies teachers’ history, social lives, and careers in the Caribbean and the U.S., aiming to improve teacher experiences through that lens. “I want to use my interests and expertise to get more teachers in the classroom, particularly teachers of color,” says Crumdy, a Fellow in the Graduate School of Education’s (GSE) Policy, Organizations, Leadership, and Systems Division.
Angela Crumdy is a Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellow in Penn GSE’s Policy, Organizations, Leadership, and Systems Division.
(Image: Courtesy of Penn GSE)
The Penn Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellowship program supports the next generation of faculty, scholars, and researchers through mentorship, teaching, funding, and support for research and publishing. The Fellows work across Penn’s Colleges, and Penn GSE currently hosts three Provost Fellows appointed for one- to three-year terms, working closely with faculty mentors.
Crumdy is in her third and final year of fellowship. Throughout the term, she has been expanding her doctoral dissertation—which focused on Black female educators and teacher shortages in Cuba—into a book and exploring educational experiences for Cubans on the island and in the U.S.
In addition, Crumdy collaborates with her adviser, associate professor Amalia Daché, on the lack of representation of Afro-Latinx faculty, staff, and students in education research. While at Penn, she started working on new research about Black teachers in the Philadelphia area and how local organizations are addressing the region’s teacher shortage.
A three-month study abroad trip to Cuba in her junior year at the University of Michigan sparked her interest in Cuban anthropology. After graduation, Crumdy joined Teach for America and spent two years teaching English in Dallas. She then returned to anthropology, earning her doctorate from the CUNY Graduate Center. Her passion for teaching and anthropology inspired her decision to pursue postdoctoral roles.
Penn GSE stood out by offering an opportunity to pursue both passions. “I was very interested in education and the intersections with anthropology,” she said. “I wanted to pivot and better understand education and schooling.”
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