She earned her Master of Education Degree-- Literacy in May, 2004 from St. Mary’s University Minnesota. In 2013, she earned her Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in Curriculum and Instruction: Culture and Teaching. Dr. Kruizenga has been the recipient of the Outstanding Faculty Member of the Year award in 2010 and the Apple Polisher Award, in 2012. Her research and teaching interests focus on culturally relevant pedagogy, multicultural education, literacy practices of teachers and learners in K-12 schools and how “culture” and “cultural difference” play out in the practices of schools, teachers and students.