Meet RoShawndra Opara

When most people retire after working for over 30 years in the public school system, they plan to relax, have an adventure or two, and catch up on old hobbies or that ever-expanding pile of to-be-read books collecting dust in the corner.

RoShawndra Opara, however, decided it was the perfect time to return to school and get her Doctorate in Education. “My mother always encouraged me to pursue my education because she felt that, as a Black woman, it’s something that could never be taken away from me,” she shares. “I took that to heart, and it’s something I have shared with my students many times over the years.”

Growing up in Saginaw, RoShawndra began working for the public schools while still in high school, beginning with a stint on the janitorial team. After graduating, she started working in community outreach for the Saginaw Public School Summer Program, meeting with members of the migrant community to share with them the educational opportunities available for their children. She then moved over to working as a substitute secretary in the district, and when a teaching assistant role became available, she switched to that.

“Working as a teaching assistant in pre-K—that’s when I realized that I loved to teach,” RoShawndra explains. “So I went back to school and got my bachelor’s degree in education, focusing on English and math, with an early childhood education endorsement to work with pre-K children.”

After achieving her degree at Saginaw Valley State University in 2004, RoShawndra taught pre-K students for nearly 20 years. During this time, she gained her master’s degree in educational leadership, her principal’s certificate, and her education specialist degree. Right before the COVID-19 pandemic, RoShawndra began working at the early childhood center for the Genesee Intermediate School District but ultimately returned to Saginaw to work in its high school.

“I had done literacy and coaching before with younger students, but this was the first time I had worked with high school students—and it was so exciting to see some of the same students I had taught in pre-K,” she recalls. “I didn’t know what to expect, but the kids started to talk to me about their issues and concerns. Some of it was pretty heavy stuff! So, I was honored that they felt they could trust me with their struggles. I provided guidance and encouragement and, hopefully, instilled good values and a love for learning.”

The following year, the school drafted her to work in the Title I program, which provides focused attention to students struggling with core skills such as math and reading. “I loved having that one-on-one attention with kids, and I worked in that role until I retired last year,” she says. “But I had always been interested in working with kids at the college level—after all, I had been encouraging children from pre-K through high school to go to college—and that’s what led me to UM-Flint.”

Shortly after beginning her Doctorate in Education program at UM-Flint, RoShawndra applied as a graduate research student assistant and started to work with John Girdwood, a sociology instructor and program manager for King Chavez Parks College Programs. 

“Meeting John really changed the game for me because he taught me the power of networking, making connections, and community building,” she explains. “He encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and truly become a part of the UM-Flint community. I think that—especially when you’re doing a program primarily online like I am—it’s easy to feel disconnected from campus and the resources there. John encouraged me to engage more, ultimately leading to my position with Morris Hood.”

When she’s not working on her faculty-led research projects or doing her studies and research for her doctorate, RoShawndra works under the guidance of Bianca Torbert and can be found mentoring future teachers as part of the Morris Hood Jr. Educator Development Program. “I love meeting with the students and helping them create schedules, strategies, and tools for success,” she notes. “Coming to college is a big transition for many of them, and it can be challenging to learn how to balance school, work, and life responsibilities—but I know a lot about that! So it’s a real joy to sit with them and talk through their class schedules, help them set aside time for studying, working, running errands—whatever they need. I love mentoring these students and am excited to be part of their success.”

As far as what’s in her future, RoShawndra looks forward to continuing to work in education, with the eventual goal of being a professor.  “I think of UM-Flint as a hidden gem, really, that it has so much to offer the community and that my work is part of how we can reestablish those connections and support Flint as it is revitalizing,” she shares. “The work that I’m doing as a graduate student researcher involves talking to different groups within the community to help Flint become a more welcoming and inclusive place. Flint already feels like my second family, and I am incredibly excited about the opportunity to help the city thrive.”

RoShawndra Loves …

• Music. “I’ve just discovered Afrobeats and love it! But I listen to all kinds of music—R&B from the 90s and 2000s, jazz, and even some country. When I need to unwind, I listen to music.”
• Adam Sandler. “I love so many of his films! But especially 50 First Dates – and The Wedding Singer is my favorite movie of all time.” 
• Start with Why by Simon Sinek. “This is one of my favorite books. It’s about finding your purpose, and I regularly read it and recommend it to others.”

Flint Faves

• Soriano’s – RoShawndra loves all things Mexican; this is her favorite joint in Flint.
• Inclusive History Project – RoShawndra is involved with this project, a journey of institutional self-discovery across the entire University of Michigan system and its surrounding communities. The project challenges our conception of the past and inspires us to create a more inclusive present and future.