Kenya Wolff, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education

Dr. Kenya Wolff grew up in East Africa as the daughter of an anthropologist and a teacher/missionary. She credits this unique upbringing for exposing her to academia and the transformative power of education and service. Dr. Wolff, joined Ole Miss as an Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education in 2016. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Education from Chaminade University (Honolulu), a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from Texas Woman's University and a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of North Texas. Dr. Wolff teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in early childhood education.Dr. Wolff ‘s experience as a classroom teacher and administrator allows her to bring real-world knowledge to the students she teaches at Ole Miss. Dr. Wolff’s research utilizes critical qualitative methodologies and focuses on social justice across various social contexts of childhood. For example, her dissertation research examined corporate marketing as central curriculum for today’s globalized child. She has written several subsequent articles on marketing to young children and the impact materialism has on children within today’s globalized world. She currently has several studies underway, including one on the use of yoga in preschool settings, a study on teacher perceptions of gender and sexuality in early childhood and an investigation on administrative decisions to recommend alternative schools for young children.In addition to research, Dr. Wolff currently holds a position on the editorial board for the Southern Early Childhood Association Journal, Dimensions and serves as an associate editor for the journal, International Critical Childhood Studies. She is also mother to Grace (16) and Ethan (12) who inspire her daily to strive for a more just and equitable world for children everywhere.

Gender Studies -Related Research Interests: Gender in Education, Gender in Marketing