Educational and Cultural Studies Double Major Aims to Shape the Future of Learning

BRISTOL, R.I. – With the support and guidance of faculty, Kayleigh Riccio designed a powerful combination of double degrees in Educational Studies and Cultural Studies that is empowering her to make an impact on how young students engage with media.  

Driven by her passion for education, the now-senior from Easton, Conn., started out at RWU as an Elementary Education major. At first, she envisioned herself teaching in a classroom, but through her own curiosity, that goal evolved. Her coursework in Cultural Studies pushed her to think about how education intersects with communities and the media – a perspective that helped shape her interest in media literacy and how learning is shaped by society. With interests developing in both Educational Studies and Cultural Studies, she reached out to her professors for help in how to major in both. “I’ve always loved connecting big ideas – education, cities, communities, media. RWU never asked me to pick just one.”

Riccio credits the faculty and RWU’s mentorship environment with encouraging her curiosity and ultimately shaping her dual major, setting her on a path toward a career in educational policy and curriculum development. 

“I had professors who told me: you can make something new,” said Riccio, who expanded the Cultural Studies minor into a major with help from her faculty advisor. “You don’t have to follow someone else’s path.”

Through an internship at Rhode Island PBS Learning Media, Riccio delved into the idea of how individuals of all ages interact with media and the importance of media literacy in the classroom, an idea that later became the foundation of her senior thesis, Navigating Media with Purpose in Education. “Media isn’t neutral, and students need tools to understand how it shapes their thinking.” Riccio notes that her goal is to help teachers feel empowered to talk about media with their students, not avoid it.

On campus, Riccio served as President for three years for RWU’s chapter of the Future Teachers of America (FTOA), a club that provides a supportive space for future educators to share ideas, build confidence, and grow as leaders. Through her efforts in planning events and activities for Education majors, she grew the club from five students to 30 students. As she nears graduation, Riccio leaves her post feeling confident in the foundation she built for the club and with those she mentored in charge. “I try to lead the way I learn –  by listening, asking questions, and making space for every voice,” she said.

Riccio selected Roger Williams University for its small class sizes, inspirational Education Department staff, and the flexibility to pursue a combination of interests and tailor an education major to match her vision. “RWU gave me the space to explore questions that didn’t always have easy answers and to shape those questions into something meaningful.”

By exploring unexpected academic pathways, Riccio found her passion – not as an elementary school teacher as she once imagined, but as a changemaker who hopes to impact education curricula and create policy that will better assist teachers with complicated lessons while preparing students for the ever-evolving world. After graduation, Riccio will pursue her master’s degree at the University of Rhode Island.

“I’m excited to find new ways to connect the classroom to the real world and help students see themselves as thinkers, not just learners,” she said.