Jayla Moody Marshall, Ph.D.

Educator. Storyteller. Speaker. Higher Education Researcher.

About Dr. Marshall

Dr. Jayla Moody Marshall is a force to be reckoned with. She is an educator, storyteller, and higher education researcher who thrives at the intersection of these roles. With a deep commitment to engaging higher education students both inside and outside the classroom, Dr. Marshall explores their unique stories and strives to facilitate meaningful change.

Dr. Marshall completed her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, Policy, and Human Development at North Carolina State University in Spring 2025, where she was recognized with the 2021 Provost Fellowship and the 2024 Chancellor's Creating Community Outstanding Student Award. Additionally, in February 2025, Jayla was recognized as a member of the Annual 30 under 40 Sawubona Class through ACPA–College Student Educators International PAN African Network. She was nominated for the mentorship category.

Dr. Marshall 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.

Research Agenda

Broadly, Dr. Marshall’s scholarship centers the lived experiences, identities, and purpose development of Black women in higher education, illuminating how race, gender, and institutional structures shape their pathways. Her work engages critical, qualitative inquiry to examine how joy, care, and community function as tools for resistance and thriving in academic spaces. She also investigates institutional practices and professional development experiences in higher education graduate programs, with particular attention to mentorship, assistantships, recruitment, and holistic support. To date, her work has been supported by the NC State College of Education and the Dr. Melvin C. Terrell Educational Foundation.

Teaching

Dr. Marshall’s credentials 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.

Program Coordinating

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.

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.