Perseverance, purpose and culture: A doctoral journey rooted in community

Kimberly Gregory’s passion for Gullah Geechee culture and perseverance through health challenges led her to an Augusta University doctorate program.

When she first began her academic career two decades ago, Gregory imagined a future grounded in history. She is a graduate of Spelman College, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in history with a minor in secondary education. Gregory also earned her Master of Science in mild to moderate disabilities from Johns Hopkins University before earning an educational specialist degree in leadership and administration from Cambridge University.

After earning her bachelor’s degree and before earning her master’s, she envisioned earning a doctorate in the history field and continuing her longstanding interest in the Gullah Geechee culture of the coastal Southeast. 

“I was supposed to work on my doctorate in the field when I was in my 20s, but I decided against it,” said Gregory, who heard about the doctor of education program with a major in educational innovation within the College of Education and Human Development’s Department of Research, Counseling, and Curriculum in 2021. 

“I joined the program in 2022 because it gave me a chance to research Gullah Geechee culture and allowed me to talk about how it’s impacting multilingual learners in the work that I do as a regional administrator in Metro Atlanta.”

Darla Linville, PhD, is an associate professor in the Department of Research, Counseling, and Curriculum. She served on Gregory’s dissertation committee and taught a few of her classes in the EdD program.

She said that, since the beginning of her doctoral studies, Gregory stood out for her intellectual focus and commitment to education.

“Kimberly was a scholar from the beginning, bringing a deep knowledge of critical education and advocacy for educational equity for Black students,” said Linville, who also noted that Gregory’s research topic was deeply personal and academically significant.

“She developed a dissertation project that was close to her heart and her personal experience, evaluating the capacity of teachers to understand the literacy skills of Gullah Geechee speaker students. Her tenacity in her pursuit of knowledge in this project was admirable,” she continued.

Gregory’s doctoral journey, however, was far from linear.

Midway through the program, Gregory faced a serious health challenge when a benign tumor was discovered in her colon, forcing her to have a colectomy and lose half her colon. The abrupt interruption forced her to step away from her studies for multiple semesters, leaving her uncertain whether she would be able to return – or finish.

“This was the biggest challenge that I’ve ever faced,” Gregory said. “It took a while to regain my energy, my strength, and I also wanted to make sure that my body was healthy to travel if needed.”

What sustained her during that time, she said, was the unwavering support she received from her Augusta University community. Faculty members, including Linville, Rebecca Harper, PhD, and Rhia Moreno, PhD, constantly checked in, offered encouragement and reminded her that her place in the program had not disappeared. Her cohort – Cohort 8 – became not just classmates but also a support system.

“They were instrumental in making sure that I finished. They would always send me encouraging texts and even saved me a spot when they took a picture during their graduation last year, as if they were waiting for me to finish the program.”

When she returned to in-person classes in summer 2024, the transition was difficult. Each day was a challenge due to fatigue, physical discomfort and lingering uncertainty.

“I honestly didn’t know if I could finish,” Gregory said. “Just showing up was difficult because my body was not absorbing nutrients, and having someone notice – asking if I was okay, if I needed a break – meant a lot to me.”

Currently, Gregory is a program specialist for Metro West Georgia Learning Resource System, providing professional development to administrators and educators in Metro Atlanta on how to improve the performance of struggling learners in social studies.

Now approaching graduation, her research continues beyond the classroom, including recent presentations at cultural institutions and partnerships focused on preserving and honoring Gullah Geechee language and heritage. 

Gregory hopes her story will inspire others – especially those in higher education – to believe that anything is possible, even when circumstances feel overwhelming.

“In life, we all face trials, and those trials shape us into who we’re meant to become,” she said. “When challenges feel heavy enough to crush you, remember they are there to make you stronger – so don’t turn away from them.”