“I teach my students how to recognize inequalities and encourage
them to identify ways of improving these conditions, especially as
they relate to educational opportunities and experiences,” says
Mary Ann Maslak, Ph.D., Associate Professor in St. John’s
University’s School of Education.
The recipient of two Fulbright awards, Dr. Maslak has traveled
the world to conduct research on girls’ and women’s education based
on both the sociology of education and feminist theory. Her
research has taken her to many countries including Nepal, China,
Turkey and India.
She believes that her field work deepens her students’ awareness
of social conditions. “The courses I teach delve into the
foundations of education and the complex interrelationships between
society, education and culture. I hope my actions, including field
work, demonstrate the need for first-hand exploration of a scene in
order to understand it whenever appropriate and possible.”
Having taught at the University for 10 years, Dr. Maslak says
her career has been most affected by The School of Education’s
recognition of the importance of international research,
“Contributing to the large body of scholarly research, while seeing
the implications for our own diverse populations locally and
nationally, the University has generously supported my
research.”
For her latest research project, Dr. Maslak journeyed to the
Republic of Turkey where she completed an analysis of how well
national laws reflect the rights of women and address social
justice. She notes, “The courses I teach, including social studies
methods, improve the analysis of multiple facets of human life. I
hope my research and courses communicate the importance of studying
women, minorities and underserved populations.”
In addition to teaching, Dr. Maslak is also a faculty mentor for
the Inside St. John’s University mentor program. This program
matches students interested in a particular field with professors
with expertise in that discipline. “The student with whom I am
currently working, Binh A. Nguyen, is a finance major with a strong
interest in women’s education. Working directly with her helps
bring a fresh perspective to my work; I hope to enable her to meet
her goals and learn about the field.”
Dr. Maslak’s devotion to educating students about social
injustices is indicative of her dedication to the University’s
mission, “It is through teaching and mentoring that I hope to
encourage students to embody the University’s mission, which is
grounded in Vincentian social values. I believe everyone has a
responsibility to work towards social justice.”