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Dr. Ursula Thomas, professor of education online at Perimeter College and the winner of the college’s 2025 Cole Fellow Award, has a strong family history of social justice and education. She takes her work to heart.
“I believe education is a calling,” she said, “and I was called at an early age to be an educator.”
Originally from Montgomery, Alabama, Thomas was influenced by her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Harris Sr., who were Civil Rights activists and educators.
Thomas said her “identity as a social justice educator emerges from the fusion of multiple roles: educator (teacher of teachers), educational researcher and theorist, practicing social justice investigator and community and cultural mediation conduit.”
As winner of the 2025 Cole Fellow Award, Thomas receives Perimeter College’s highest award, recognizing extraordinary dedication to teaching, service and professional activities over a sustained period of time.
Thomas started teaching at Perimeter College in 2013. Centering her work on creating an inclusive, inquiry-based learning environment, she promotes critical thinking and lifelong learning with her students. Her courses include real world application to help her students prepare for future careers.
Thomas has worked with the Georgia Association for the Education of Young Children, National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators (NAECTE), Black Child Development Institute and the Girl Scouts of Metro Atlanta.
“Service has been a cornerstone of my professional journey,” Thomas said. “These efforts, reflect my belief in the transformative power of education to serve not only students but also the broader community.”
Thomas’ active professional life includes publications, presentations and leadership roles. Her research focuses on diversity, social justice, culturally relevant methods of teaching, cultural mediation, multicultural education, gender issues in curriculum and teaching, service learning, technology and leadership. She has presented at the Georgia Association of Women in Higher Education (GAWHE)/ACE (American Council on Education) Women’s Network Annual Conference, the National Teaching and Learning Forum, and more.
Thomas’ students recognize her efforts. "Thanks, Dr. Thomas. I appreciate all you have done to make my educational and cultural experience ... tremendous and successful," said education student CC Graulich. "I have encouraged other students to take your class to achieve that same learning experience. Thanks again for being a professional and caring educator."
“Her contributions have left an indelible mark on her students, colleagues, and the broader education community,” said George Vargis, chair of Social Sciences at Perimeter College.
“I strive to empower students to realize their potential and pursue their aspirations … ,” Thomas said. “I seek to be a teacher-artist, a creator of good teaching practice, not just a theoretician who describes good practice. It is the congruency between these art forms that fuses my work, creating a learning energy that seeks not to entertain, but to transform.”