Polina Denisova and Lan Hoang named 2019-20 Sanford H. Levine Fellows

Albany, NY (September 29, 2020) - Polina Denisova and Lan Hoang, doctoral students in Educational Policy & Leadership, have been named 2019-20 Sanford H. Levine Fellows.  Denisova and Hoang have outstanding records of scholarly achievement and in different ways manifest the leadership qualities sought in the fellowship, showing substantial promise for leadership in the field upon completion of the doctoral degree.

Established in June 2011 in memory of Sanford H. Levine, former SUNY vice chancellor for legal affairs and university counsel and former service professor of education and director of the program in education and law at the University at Albany, the Levine Fellowship recognizes and supports each year one or more doctoral students who evidence leadership, accomplishment, commitment and promise in the field of higher education and law.  Margaret Levine and D. Bruce Johnstone, along with the Levine family and a number of SUNY colleagues and friends, are the founding donors.

Lan Hoang has an outstanding academic record and demonstrates scholarly capacities recognized by faculty.  Her dissertation in the higher education field focuses in particular on the distinctiveness in the public and private university sectors in Vietnam as revealed through their behaviors in providing undergraduate programs.  Hoang currently holds a significant policy position at Sacramento Community College in which she has undertaken analyses that inform decisions of senior managers. Hoang will have impact on higher education policy and practice whether continuing in her current position or returning to her home country.  With fellowship funds, Hoang aims to acquire advanced software to support data collection and analysis.

Polina Denisova’s academic record places her among the top doctoral students in the Department of Educational Policy & Leadership. Her dissertation project, on the geopolitics of international development assistance in education, extends beyond higher education.  Yet, in its focus on standardized testing, the project takes in school leaving examinations used in university admissions.  In this work, Denisova displays a capacity to pursue issues with broad implications for higher education and superb scholarly instincts that make her well suited to become a leading scholar or policy analyst for a university or think tank.  Her active engagement as a doctoral student in scholarly and broader academic activities show promise of success and impact in these venues.  Under the fellowship, Denisova will be able to undertake on-site archival research and make use of IT hardware and software in support of her doctoral inquiry.