Education

2007 Purdue University, B.A.
2015 University of South Florida, M.Ed.
2024 University of South Florida, Ph.D.

Courses Taught

Foundations of Education
Diversity
Secondary Teaching Methods

Career Specialties

Secondary Education, Social Science
Secondary Education, English
Diversity Coaching
Place-based Education 

Professional and Community Activities

Hillary M. Van Dyke is a Florida native. She was born in Miami and relocated to Indiana with her parents when she was in middle school.  After graduating from high school, she attended Purdue University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in English education in 2007. After graduating, she taught middle school language arts. In 2012, She moved back to Florida and continued to teach 8^th grade language arts at Azalea Middle School (AMS). While at AMS, she obtained a master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of South Florida- St Petersburg where she became especially interested in achieving educational equity. After graduating, she worked as the district administrator of equity initiatives at Pinellas County Schools.  During this work, she was inspired to pursue her doctoral degree at the University of South Florida. In May 2024, she graduated with her PhD in education. In August, she started a role as a visiting professor of education at the University of Tampa.

While education is her first love, Dr. Van Dyke has a fondness for community work related to diversity, Black history, and engaging citizens in the outdoors and conservation which guide her volunteerism and independent contracting efforts. 

In 2024, she debuted an award-winning documentary, A Splash of Color,  she wrote and directed as a part of a project called BlueGAP. A Splash of Color (password is BlueGAPalliance2024*) is about Black folks who do work to get other Black folks involved in aquatic sports in Tampa Bay. 

Publication:

Anderson, M., Van Dyke, H., Dixon, T., Berson, I.R., & Berson, M.J. (2021). Reterritorializing the Elementary Social Studies Curriculum: A Self Study. In Samuels, A.J, & Samuels, G.L. (Eds.), Fostering Diversity and Inclusion in the Social Sciences. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing 

Honors and Awards

Nonprofit of the Year. (2024). V.I.B.E.S., Tampa, FL.
2024 Torch Bearer. Legacy 56. St Pete, FL.
Best Documentary. (2024). Black Art and Film Festival. St Pete, FL.
Delivering Benefits to Public. (2022). United States Forest Service, Ocala, FL.
Silver Medallion Awardee (2022). Community Tampa Bay, St. Petersburg, FL.
Energy Innovator Award (2021). ReThink Energy Florida, Tallahassee, FL.
Chief's Award. (2021). United States Forest Service, Ocala, FL.
St. Pete Pitch Night Audience Choice Winner (2021). St. Pete Greenhouse, St. Petersburg, FL.
Leader of the Year (2021). Outdoor Afro, Oakland, CA.
Teacher of the Year (2014-2015). Azalea Middle School, St. Petersburg, FL.