The Sam H. Jones scholarship led to Reed’s development as a scholar. She holds a master’s degree in higher education and is working on her doctorate in higher education pursuing diversity and inclusion efforts.

Reed works for Maryville University, a small, private, liberal arts school in the suburbs of Saint Louis, Missouri. As the program coordinator for the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, she works to create opportunities for underrepresented students, as well as the entire campus becoming more inclusive through programming and student engagement.  

One way in which Reed promotes opportunities for underrepresented students is through Maryville’s Leaders for Equity Advancement and Diversity Council. She states, “I have instilled in my students and others around me that it’s our duty to be civically engaged and committed to enhancing our communities and the underserved.”

Through student leadership, cultural events, and community partnerships, Maryville encourages students to be civically engaged, to stand up against social injustices, and to use their positions in the community to be present community members.

Reed focuses on helping students understand their roles in society by understanding who they are. She teaches students how race, sexuality, gender, socioeconomic status, educational background, and more can intersect and impact someone’s identity.

She also encourages her students to understand their place in the community. Her ultimate goal is to help students “utilize any position they have to be present within their community wherever they go.”