Language, learning are lifelong pursuits for PhD candidate

Ángeles Muñoz Carranza has a habit of immersing herself into new languages and cultures.

More than 20 years ago, Muñoz moved to the United States from Mexico and enrolled in college without knowing English. After learning English, she went on to earn associate’s, bachelor’s and master’s degrees. 

On May 9, she’ll earn a PhD in Literacy, Language, and Culture at Texas Woman’s.

“I'm passionate about teaching and learning, and this career allows me to remain a lifelong learner,” Muñoz said. “Through my work, I hope to contribute to the field of education by advancing opportunities for multilingual learners and ultimately to become a tenured professor.”

She has presented at national and international conferences, sharing her expertise on critical biliteracy, translanguaging and the empowerment of emergent bilinguals. 

Muñoz also studied abroad at University of Québec, where she not only learned French but immersed herself in the culture, traditions and cuisine of the region.

Since then, she has served as International Baccalaureate Coordinator and administrator in Denton ISD and currently is on the faculty at UNT. Earlier this year, she was a featured speaker at the TEDxTWU event, where she presented on her multilingual experiences.

After graduation, she plans to continue teaching and conducting research, focusing on holistic biliteracy and translanguaging pedagogy.

“Over 20 years ago, I dreamed of continuing my education. Today, I am grateful to see that dream becoming reality at Texas Woman’s University,” Muñoz said. “As a multilingual instructor and emergent researcher, I remain committed to advocating for educational spaces where students’ languages, identities and voices are honored.”

Page last updated 4:08 PM, April 22, 2026