Jayla Moody Marshall, Ph.D.

Writer. Speaker. Educator. Educational Researcher.

Jayla Moody Marshall is a force to be reckoned with. She is an educator, writer, and speaker. She will graduate from North Carolina State University in May 2025 with a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, Policy, and Human Development, having been awarded the prestigious 2021 Provost Fellowship and the esteemed 2024 Chancellor’s Creating Community Outstanding Student Award.

Jayla is a passionate champion for ensuring all students have the resources and support to uncover their unique talents and contributions. She is a seasoned professional with over 7 years of expertise in propelling student success, advising, fostering diversity, teaching, facilitating, and higher education communications. Her background includes program coordination, undergraduate and graduate admissions, and student advising. She has also excelled in first-year student transitions and support and graduate student success. Her diverse expertise is complemented by her commitment to educational research, where she focuses on exploring and developing strategies that foster purpose-driven environments.

Broadly, Jayla’s scholarship empowers marginalized students' voices and narratives to foster more inclusive spaces in higher education. Her work critically questions the outcomes of higher education, considering students' purposes, hopes, and dreams and examining who possesses the privilege to pursue these concepts. To date, her work has been funded by the NC State College of Education and The Dr. Melvin C. Terrell Educational Foundation.

Jayla holds a master's degree in Communications from Georgia State University and a bachelor's degree in Journalism and Global Development Studies from Mercer University. She is a proud product of the DeKalb County School System in Metro Atlanta, Georgia.

Jayla’s credentials also include teaching courses on Higher Education Environments, Diversity in Higher Education, Cultivating Genius and Joy in Higher Education, Admissions and Marketing in Higher Education, Implicit Bias and Community Engagement, Journalism and Public Relations Writing, as well as leading numerous dialogue courses and workshops on educational leadership and cultivating diversity in education.

Jayla is also a regular contributor to Diverse Issues in Higher Education. Jayla believes in the power of storytelling to drive equitable change.

For 3 years, Jayla served as an Assistant Program Coordinator for the nationally-ranked Higher Education master’s and doctoral programs at NC State, leveraging her expertise to enhance student recruitment, retention, and belonging. During her tenure, program applications increased by over 80%. In this role, she continually created opportunities for prospective and current students, connecting them with valuable mentors, assistantships, and fellowships. But her role didn’t stop there. Jayla also oversaw the student leadership teams and collaborated with master's students to orchestrate the annual recruitment and admissions process.

As the Assistant Program Coordinator, Jayla worked with the faculty team to coordinate all the major program events and initiatives. She catered to a vast community of 90 graduate students, 300+ alumni, and faculty members. From new student orientations and open houses to diversity recruitment programs and campus tours, Jayla's fingerprints were all over the action. Her responsibilities extended to hosting the program's annual reception at the Association for the Study of Higher Education Conference, managing faculty and administrative support, advising the Higher Education Master’s Association, and curating all written and verbal communication on behalf of the program. Her unwavering dedication and energy made her an indispensable asset to the entire NC State Higher Education community.