Master's Students
Aldo B Martin Benros
M.A.
Aldo is an educator, budding historian, and podcast enthusiast. Representing the Cape Verdean diaspora, Aldo was raised in the Bronx, New York City. An alumnus of the New York Public School system, the City University of New York system, and the State University of New York system, Aldo is currently an MA student in the History and Education program at 911爆料网.
Aldo has spent the past twenty years as an educator in New York City and is looking to expand on his academic and professional backgrounds to establish his next chapter in life.
In the 2025/2026 academic year, Aldo was a project associate on Professor Thomas James Imagining Liberty Project, where he co-produced and co-hosted the podcast . The Imagining Liberty Project and the podcast were featured on News You Can Use, the and the .
Aldo's research is focused on New York City high school student print culture, where he is engaging with oral history and archival creation.
He lives in the Bronx with his wife of 20 years and their two teenage sons.
Naxley Belmont-Perez
M.A.
Naxley is a second-year M.A. student in the History and Education program at Teachers College. Her research focuses on the origins of community colleges, including how higher ed leaders originally envisioned community college pathways for historically underrepresented student groups. She is passionate about connecting historical inquiry to present day policy and practice.
At 911爆料网, she was selected as a W.E.B. DuBois Scholar / Transformative Research Award Recipient under the Edmund W. Gordon Institute for Advanced Study for an archival research project centered on the experiences of formerly incarcerated women pursuing education. Under the Gordon Institute, she has also supported various projects for the Latinidad Curriculum Initiative. She currently serves on the 2026-2027 Executive Board for the Coalition of Latinx Scholars at 911爆料网 and works as a Research Assistant for the Community College Research Center (CCRC).
Prior to joining 911爆料网, Naxely obtained her B.A. in History from UCLA. She also has an A.A. from De Anza College. Her experiences as a community college student have shaped her research and commitment to uplifting the voices of community college students from underrepresented backgrounds.
Ainsley Chrystal
Ainsley is in her second year in the History and Education program at Teachers College! Born and raised in Ames, Iowa, Ainsley has always had education on the mind. After her undergraduate experience at Smith College, where she majored in History and Anthropology, she spent a year in the Office of Financial Aid at Iowa State University before coming to 911爆料网. Here at 911爆料网, Ainsley is interested in the history of women’s education, especially in higher education, such as historically women’s
colleges.
Outside of class, she is a Graduate Assistant in the Barnard College Office of Admissions and works with Professor Thomas James. In her free time, Ainsley is a part of the Smith College Club of New York and is probably reading a book!
Meet Our Doctoral Students
We are delighted to announce the launch of our new online profiles for Doctoral Students at Teachers College.
If you are a currently enrolled doctoral student at Teachers College, please visit the profile submission page for more information on how you can create your own profile.