Alumna Spotlight — Advocating for Literacy, Empowering Educators

For Cynthia Adams, MA’23, the pursuit of literacy is as much about supporting teachers as it is about helping students learn to read. “What motivates me,” she says, “is making the work more manageable for educators and reminding them that the effort they put into their work really does change lives.”

Adams began her career teaching first grade in New Haven Public Schools. Passionate about helping her students develop strong reading and writing skills, she soon realized she needed more specialized knowledge to fully support her young readers. “I realized the knowledge and skills I had been equipped with in my undergraduate program and in-service professional learning did not reflect current research and effective practices around how children learn to read,” she explains.

That realization led her to Fairfield University, where she earned her Master of Arts in Remedial Reading and Language Arts. Adams describes her Fairfield experience as transformational. 

“I gained a strong foundation in how the brain learns to read, as well as research- and evidence-based instructional practices,” she says. “The coursework and practicum experiences taught me how to design instruction that’s explicit, systematic, and responsive to student needs. Most importantly, I learned that with the right instruction, students can effectively learn how to read at all levels.”

Today, Adams serves as a Teaching and Learning Specialist at Cooperative Educational Services in Trumbull, Connecticut. She provides professional development, coaching, and consultation to schools across Fairfield County and beyond, collaborating with district leaders and teachers to strengthen literacy practices.

Continuing her work, she is also involved with the Regional Educational Service Centers and the Connecticut State Department of Education while serving on the State of Connecticut Office of Dyslexia and Reading Disabilities’ Dyslexia Awareness Committee and the Scientific Research and Practice Advisory, to support the implementation of key literacy initiatives and legislative mandates.

“Serving on these committees has been a meaningful experience,” Adams shares. “My role often involves bringing the perspective of teachers who are doing this work every day and making sure their experiences, challenges, and successes are part of the conversation.”

Fairfield’s MA program also provides students with certifications, including the Wilson® Dyslexia Practitioner and CERI Structured Literacy Dyslexia Interventionist credentials—one of the program’s distinctive advantages. 

“Holding these certifications is both an honor and a responsibility,” she says. “It came full circle for me when I worked on the Voices of Dyslexia project, recording the lived experiences of people with dyslexia. Many participants shared how the Wilson Reading Program and teachers trained in this method changed their lives.”

Adams is currently working toward her Wilson Level 2 Certification, with the long-term goal of becoming a Wilson trainer to help other educators develop the same skills.

Her work extends beyond policy into storytelling. Through the Voices of Dyslexia project, she captured the experiences of dyslexic adults and children, highlighting both challenges and strengths. “A common theme was how misunderstood dyslexia still is,” she reflects. “People with dyslexia are intelligent, creative, and resilient—their brains just work differently.”

For Adams, the most rewarding part of her work is witnessing growth—both in students and educators. 

“Seeing a student realize they can make sense of the world through reading and writing is pure magic…and empowering teachers to be part of those moments is equally powerful.”

Her advice for educators? “Stay curious and keep learning. Small shifts in practice can have a big impact when they’re grounded in how the brain learns to read. Fair is not always equal—our job is to give every student access to what they need to succeed.”

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