The Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP) is an innovative learning community where faculty, staff, and students of diverse cultures and perspectives work collaboratively to foster academic excellence, social purpose, meaningful service, and personal fulfillment.
As a graduate school within a Christian university, GSEP endeavors to educate and motivate students to assume leadership roles in professions that improve and enrich the lives of individuals, families, and communities.
GSEP embraces human diversity—which we believe to be the natural expression of God’s creation—in our work to advance learning and service. GSEP advances, sustains, and advocates for multicultural proficiency.
The strategies for accomplishing this mission are:
Promoting discourse that values each member’s background, experience, and perspective;
Recruiting, retaining, and advancing diverse students, staff, and faculty;
Developing curricular models for practice in educational and psychological environments; and
Reaching out to broader communities to promote understanding and facilitate solutions to diversity challenges.
Our spirit, energy, and actions will be an inspiration to education and psychology communities.
Enrolled Students
25+ Countries of Residence
Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Ecuador, Germany, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Nigeria, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States, Vietnam
Student Race/Ethnicity (Fall 2022)
Asian: 11%
Alaskan Native/Native American: <1%
Black: 12%
Hispanic/Latinx: 25%
Two or More Races: 5%
Pacific Islander/Hawaiian: <1%
Unknown: 4%
White: 42%
Dissertations
Student Aid
GSEP Scholarships for FY23
$6.6 million
EdD 32
PhD 26
Source: GSEP Dissertation Tracking
Greetings GSEP Family,
I am delighted to have the opportunity to present the 2022–2023 dean’s annual report and reflect back upon the past academic year. I was honored to serve as interim dean, and even more so to be appointed to serve as the permanent dean of GSEP.
The academic year 2022-2023 at GSEP was marked by continued transition and growth. We started new chapters in leadership for GSEP, continued the transition to a post-COVID normal, celebrated the successes of students and faculty, and mourned the loss of those in our community whose lives ended so early. Through it all, we remained focused on our mission of purpose, service, and leadership. In August 2022, we joyfully watched Dean Helen Easterling Williams conclude her tenure as GSEP dean and transition to the role of vice chancellor for the University. She has left her mark of excellence on GSEP for years to come.
Psychology Division
Our psychology faculty, with a lens of equity and justice, continue their exceptional work in training therapists and mental health professionals. Our Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology program with an emphasis on Marriage and Family Therapy, the largest in the nation, successfully supported its students with both online and in-person options. Stephanie Woo graciously accepted the role of assistant dean of online psychology programs and joined the GSEP Deans’ Council at the start of the academic year. Her passion, wisdom, and experience have enhanced the dean’s executive leadership team. We are proud and honored to celebrate Thema Bryant-Davis’ election and service as the president of the American Psychological Association (APA). Bryant-Davis is nationally renowned for her work in intergenerational trauma, and her vision for APA is to “bring psychology to the people.” The work of Miguel Gallardo in the Aliento program, supporting the Latinx community, is remarkable. Erlanger Turner was a finalist for the Lionel Hersov Memorial Award for his outstanding work and research in the area of race and cultural experiences.
The education faculty excels at training leaders, teachers, and social entrepreneurs who continue to shine through inclusive service to their various organizations and communities. We celebrated the second year of our Pepperdine Excellence Postdoctoral Project for Equity Research (PEPPER) with four new postdoctoral students who will advance their teaching, research, and practice. We also started our first Employee Educational Equity program that allows our staff members to take one free course per term if they are admitted to and perform well in any of our programs. The nationally recognized work of Jennifer Miyake-Trapp and her Virtual Initiatives team in the area of learning technologies is noteworthy. Consistent with our Christ-Centered Belonging Commitments, the Education Division held several events in which they elevated the voices of students who do not have access to various platforms, celebrated and observed occasions that honor our diversity, and provided learning opportunities for a deeper engagement of issues around belonging. In July 2023, after a rigorous hiring and selection process, Anthony Collatos was named the next associate dean of the Education Division. We look forward to his leadership and vision in the coming academic years.
Finally, I want to express GSEP’s collective gratitude to our alumni who generously supported Pepperdine University in its annual Pepperdine Gives event. Your contributions helped set an all-time high single-day record for contribution to Pepperdine. Thank you! We promise to be good stewards of your generosity.
With God’s glory as the wind in our sails, we are inspired to serve Him by continuing to prepare students for lives of purpose, service, and leadership.
With gratitude,
Farzin Madjidi (MBA ’88, EdD ’91) Dean Professor of Leadership
After his appointment as interim dean of education for the academic year 2021–2022, professor of leadership Farzin Madjidi was appointed dean of GSEP, starting his official role on August 1, 2023.
Stephen Kirnon (MBA ’89, EdD ’08), clinical associate professor and Kfir Mordechay, associate professor of education, were awarded the Howard A. White Award in Teaching Excellence.
“Dr. Kirnon’s genuine care for all who he works with comes through so clearly in his interactions.”
“Dr. Mordechay has helped broaden my research skills and take more risks. He teaches with passion and inspires future leaders.”
Ebony Cain, Associate Professor of Education
Jennifer Miyake-Trapp, Associate Professor of Education
Kfir Mordechay, Associate Professor of Education
Cain, Miyake-Trapp, and Mordechay received full tenure in education at the Graduate School of Education and Psychology. Their applications for tenure were approved by the University Board of Regents on February 28, 2023.
Our GSEP faculty work tirelessly both behind the scenes and at the forefront of education and psychology. Many also collaborated with their graduate students and alumni to contribute to their fields of knowledge. While impossible to list every achievement, below are some highlights of their accomplishments for 2022–2023. Organized by faculty last name.
CARRIE CASTAÑEDA-SOUND , associate professor of psychology, copublished an introduction article on feminist liberation practice with Latinx women in Women & Therapy.
After a rigorous hiring process and with support from the GSEP faculty and staff, Anthony Collatos was named the associate dean of education, with his official role to begin on August 1, 2023. During the selection process, Collatos was recognized for his track record of leadership at Pepperdine University and in the local community. He was commended for the quality and clarity of his vision, and he was identified as someone having the ability to advance GSEP academically and increase the division’s sense of community and belonging.
TERESA CELADA-DALTON , clinic director for the Irvine Graduate Campus, coauthored an article in Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology on the connection between adverse childhood experiences and crisis migration. Her work on clinical models for migrant children exposed to trauma was published in Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy.
WEINA L. CHEN, (MA ’14, P hD ’21) , clinical assistant professor, along with Kevin M. Wong, assistant professor of education, published an article on using a video discussion platform to support graduate international ESL students in a TESOL program. She also collaborated with Laura Hyatt (MBA ’99, EdD ’03), Distinguished Professor of Education and executive director of academic affairs, to present at GSEP’s Seventh Annual Research Symposium on teaching hybrid courses in higher education.
REYNA GARCÍA RAMOS , director of the MA in Teaching (MAT) program, oversaw the program’s inaugural classes on the Irvine campus with the arrival of 11 new students. For the 2022–2023 academic year, over 30 MAT students were awarded more than $100,000 in endowed scholarship funding.
ERIC HAMILTON , professor of education and Davidson Endowed Professor of Education and Technology, collaborated with Danielle Espino, Heather Orrantia, Kristina Lux, and Luiz Oliveirato to examine the effects of group size on discourse patterns in learning communities focused on STEM. He was also the lead researcher on a $2 million grant focused on engaging Latinx, Black, and Indigenous pre-college learners in STEM communities. He and Andrew Hurford published a conference paper that analyzes political discourse taking place across digital social media. The paper, “Theory-Building and Tool-Building for a Science of Dysfunctional Political Discourse,” was nominated for best paper at the 2023 International Conference on Quantitative Ethnography. Hamilton presented multiple papers at conferences globally, including the American Educational Research Association.
SAMAA HANIYA , assistant professor of education, and student Chanel L. Fort copresented their conference paper on promoting diversity and social justice in digital technologies at the 17th International Technology, Education, and Development Conference at Valencia, Spain. Haniya also presented at the Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana, on strategies for promoting high-quality instruction and learning in large classrooms.
MELISSA HUY (MA ’96) , clinical assistant professor, published an article in The California Psychologist that focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion in mental health apps. She presented her work on mindful rest at the Seventh Annual GSEP Research Symposium and the GSEP Lifelong Learning Women’s Forum. She also collaborated with colleagues Alix Sanchez and Princess Walsh to present their research on building professional community at the Online Learning Consortium.
LAURA HYATT , Distinguished Professor and executive director of academic affairs celebrated the fourth edition of her book, The Dissertation Journey: A Comprehensive Guide to Planning, Writing, and Defending Your Dissertation, from Sage-Corwin Publishing. Her former student and Provost Grant Awardee (2020), alumna Lisa Cuevas-Shaw (PhD ’23), collaborated with her on a book chapter examining practical implications for leaders post-pandemic, published in Crisis, Chaos, and Organizations: The Coronavirus and Lessons for Organizational Theory.
Hyatt presented twice at the American Educational Research Association annual meeting in Chicago, sharing her research on leadership and engagement. She was also invited to serve as a reviewer for the peer-reviewed Journal of Leadership Education.
CARY MITCHELL, (’76) , professor of psychology, collaborated with Therese Mansour Moriarty in their research titled: “The Relationship of Trauma History, Substance Misuse, and Religious Coping to Trauma Symptoms among Homeless Men in Residential Treatment: A Preliminary Study.”
KFIR MORDECHAY , associate professor of education, was awarded the prestigious Spencer Foundation Research Grant for $50,000 for his project on the relationship between residential and school segregation in California. His recent publications focus on improving education through addressing racial segregation and gentrification.
ADEL NAJDOWSKI , associate professor of psychology, was named president-elect of the Cottonwood Chapter of the National Charity League. Serving as program director of the MS in Applied Behavior Analysis program, she copublished research with program alumni Jesse Fullen (MS ’18), Bryan Acuña (MS ’20), Victoria Suarez, and Emma Moon (MS ’20), focusing on best practices for teaching children with autism.
GIMEL ROGERS (MA ’12, P syD ’16) , clinical assistant professor, supported her student research interns: Jolisa Johnson, Jaden Shields, and Kristen Votta in presenting their research at the Seventh Annual GSEP Research Symposium. She also presented her work on adolescent mental health at several professional conferences and published a scholarly article on cultural considerations for families involved in the child welfare system.
JUNE SCHMIEDER-RAMIREZ , professor of education, served as interim associate dean of education for the 2022–2023 academic year. She was appointed as an editor of the Handbook of Global Leadership and Followership: Integrating the Best Leadership Theory and Practice, published by Springer Publishing. Publications from GSEP faculty and alumni were featured in the latest volume. Farzin Madjidi, Maria Brahme, Gabriella Miramontes, Sonya Sharififard, Asia Ghazi, Theresa Dawson, and Sade Onadeko published a book chapter in the Handbook titled “Ascendant Leadership: A Model for Global Leadership Readiness.”
EDWARD SHAFRANSKE , professor of psychology, published a chapter on the scientific study of psychology, religion/spirituality, and mental health in the Handbook of Positive Psychology, Religion, and Spirituality.
SONYA SHARIFIFARD , adjunct professor, supported her doctoral students in presenting their research at 12 peer-reviewed conferences, including the American Educational Research Association, the Hawaii International Conference on Education, and the International Leadership Association. She also presented her own research on food insecurity on higher education campuses at the International Leadership Association Global Conference in Washington, DC, and she was elected to serve a three-year term as board member for the Agriculture, Food, and Human Values Society.
ABRAHAM SONG , assistant professor of education, coauthored an article on entrepreneurial ecosystems and industry knowledge in Small Business Economics. He also published a book chapter examining the story of Amazon’s second headquarters and the economic impact on the regional areas involved.
ERLANGER TURNER , associate professor of psychology, published in Evidence-Based Practice in Child and Adolescent Mental Health on the role of the family in promoting positive mental health outcomes for Black youth of African descent. He also published in the Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology on community mental health services for BIPOC youth.
VERONICA VIESCA , assistant professor of psychology, and Parker Garrett, PsyD student, traveled to Malaga, Spain, in April 2023 to present their research at the International Family Therapy Congress. They completed three book chapters that will be published in The Therapist’s Notebook for Systemic Teletherapy: Creative Interventions for Effective Online Therapy in fall 2023.
MELISSA WASSERMAN (MA ’13, P syD ’17) , assistant professor of psychology, published a book chapter on supporting mental healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also published an article on family communication for parents/ caregivers who participated in a military family intervention for the Families OverComing Under Stress–FOCUS project.
KEVIN M. WONG , assistant professor of education, was first researcher on an article on decolonizing research findings in multilingual education and an article in the CATESOL Journal on humanizing online language teaching.
The following PhD students received provost grants for their scholarly work. They are listed along with their faculty mentors.
AMBER BRITTAIN-HALE
June Schmieder-Ramirez
Thinktankers School
CHANEL FORT
Samaa Haniya
Investigating the STEM Pipeline in HBCUs: Toward a More Diverse and Equitable STEM Workforce
MITCH GURICK
Santor Nishizaki (EdD ’14)
Building Relationships Between Organizations in the Private Sector, Governments, and Institutions of Higher Learning
TIANSHI HAO AND QIANG QIANG
Seung B. Lee (PhD ’20)
Gamification of Leadership Studies Curriculum: A Systematic Review (2018–2022)
JODIE HATHERALL
June Schmieder-Ramirez
Assessing the Impact of Environmental Sensory Modulators on Emotional Regulation and Decision Making in High-Risk Industries
JESSICA HENNING
Amanda Wickramasinghe (EdD ’16, PhD ’20)
Mindfulness for Global Leaders in a VUCA World
HONG HOANG
Sonya Sharififard (PhD ’20)
Global Leaders Approach to Distance Education Learning Environment in Higher Education Post-Pandemic
JIANGFENG LI AND XINTIAN JI
Weina Li Chen (MA ’14, PhD ’21)
Investigating International Students’ Perception of Community of Belonging
MICHAEL LLAMAS, JESSE LLAMAS, KAYLEIGH AXTELL, TIANSHI HAO, AND ANSHU LAL
Gabriella Miramontes (BSM ’01, MA ’02, EdD ’08)
Adapted Media Communication Strategies: A Comparison Between Men and Women Police Chiefs and Sheriffs
BEN MA
Paul Sparks
The Technology Application on Remote English Learning
KIMBERLY MCCALL
June Schmieder-Ramirez
Can Student Engagement Predict High School Graduation?
KARIN MOORE
Gabriella Miramontes
Motivations for Women in STEM Pursuing Advanced Degrees
FOLASHADE ONADEKO
Gabriella Miramontes
Validating the Hustlenomics Model for Success Model
BARBARA RODRIGUEZ
Kent Rhodes (EdD ’90)
Empathy as a Differentiator of Adaptive Leadership
SCOTT SORENSEN
Laura Hyatt
Leading Organizational Change Through a Hope Paradigm
SELINA STEWARD
Gabriella Miramontes
About Our Business
JINGCHEN ZHAO
Farzin Madjidi
C4D Application in the Urbanism Realm
EdD in Educational Leadership, Administration, and Policy
Ebony Cain
EdD in Learning Technologies
Laura Hyatt (MBA ’99, EdD ’03)
EdD in Organizational Leadership
Laura Hyatt
PhD in Global Leadership and Change
Laura Hyatt
PsyD in Clinical Psychology
Edward Shafranske
MA in Clinical Psychology (evening)
Carrie Castaneda-Sound
MA in Clinical Psychology (daytime)
Kathleen Eldridge
MA in Clinical Psychology and MA in Psychology (online)
Kristen Dial (MA ’99)
MA in Clinical Psychology (Aliento, the Center for Latinx Communities)
Miguel Gallardo
MA in Psychology
Robert deMayo
MA in Social Entrepreneurship and Change
Stephen Kirnon
MA in Teaching
Reyna Garcia Ramos
MA in TESOL
Kevin Wong
MS in Applied Behavior Analysis
Adel Najdowski
MS in Leadership - Online Programs
Jennifer Miyake-Trapp
ALEXANDRA MARTINEZ , PsyD student, collaborated on a research article examining psychotic disorders and bipolar illness.
DANIELLE ESPINO (E dD ’18) , sponsored research project coordinator, was the lead researcher for a conference paper examining the lived experiences of those in Kyiv during the 2022 Russian invasion. Kristina Lux, Heather Orrantia, Samuel Green, Haille Trimboli, and Seung B. Lee also copublished. She also copublished a conference paper on how social media posts can support justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.
YI LU , PhD student and instructional designer at GSEP, and professors Jennifer Miyake-Trapp and Kevin Wong published a book chapter on promoting interaction for language learners through optimal engagement immersion pedagogy, a technology that allows synchronous learning for face-to-face and remote students.
YIHUA ZHANG , PhD student, coauthored articles on the topics of information seeking, information sharing, and self-promotion in the area of organizational management in the Journal of Management and Organization and the Journal of Organizational Behavior
MARISSA YOSHIZAWA (P syD ’22) copublished an article on the use of music videos in the treatment of complex trauma in Music and Medicine: An Interdisciplinary Journal.
SHANETTA WEATHERSPOON (E dD ’13) , executive director for the Foster Grandparent Program, was nominated and selected for the Community Light Award for the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Westside Coalition.
The Lifelong Learning Women’s Forum (LLWF) is a private, invitation-only event that assists women in staying current on events and establishing sound, logical, and innovative positions related to issues that shape our world. The LLWF takes place at the Pacific Palisades estate of GSEP alumna and benefactor Kathy Danhakl (MA ’02).
September 2022: Creating Positive Interactions through Emotional Connection, with Lola Gershfeld
October 2022: The Letters of Hannah Whitman Heyde: Intimate Partner Violence and the Life of a 19th-Century American Woman, with Maire Mullins
November 2022: Unmasking the Noise Within: An Exploration of the Integration of Music and Mental Processing and its Effect on Enhanced Learning, with De Vida Gill
December 2022: Strengthening Our Brain with Mindful Rest, with Melissa Huy
February 2023: Kickstart the New Year with the 4 R’s: Reframing, Renewing, Resetting, and Restoring, with Nicole Johnson and Laura H. Manyweather
March 2023: Collaborative Confidence: Strategies to amplify your authentic talents and expertise, with Heather Backstrom
April 2023: Learning as a Way of Life: Linking Early Learning with Later Adulthood, with Denise Calhoun and Reyna García Ramos
The Margaret J. Weber Distinguished Lecture Series was established in 2014 through an endowment given by alumni and friends to honor Dean Emeritus Margaret J. Weber. The lectures support GSEP’s mission to foster academic excellence, social purpose, meaningful service, and personal fulfillment.
November 21, 2022:
A panel with Parsa Peykar, Maryam Sefati, Simin Taylor, and Toranj Kayvon
Moderated by Yas Djadali Hardaway
February 15, 2023: A Panel Discussion on Prioritizing the Humanity of Diversity, Equity,
Carrie Castañeda-Sound, Dontá Morrison, Maria Wright, and Chalak Richards (JD ’12)
Moderated by Carlos Jimenez
March 14, 2023: The Role of Women in a Changing Society
Carmen Estrada Schaye
On June 8, 2023, GSEP held its seventh annual research symposium. Kevin Mulcahy gave the keynote address. The symposium hosted 22 total faculty presentations, 16 student presentations, and eight staff presentations. One hundred-five people attended in-person, with 85 attending virtually/online.
On May 20, 2023 we celebrated our GSEP commencement ceremonies, with more than 900 graduates and 7,000 guests across the Education and Psychology Divisions. Our Distinguished Alumni and commencement speakers were Stephen P. Birch (MDR ‘17, EdD ‘18), member of the Pepperdine University Board and Brittany N. Winters (MA ’09, PsyD ’14).
Chair, Betty Uribe (MBA ’00, EdD ’12)
Yolanda Aguerrebere (MS ’83, EdD ’09)
Fereshteh Amin (EdD ‘06)
Shreyas Gandhi (MBA ’98, EdD ’09, PhD ‘19)
Jackie Macias (EdD ’16)
Claudette McLinn (MS ‘83, EdD ‘06)
Mariellen Pepperdine Ostwald (‘00, MA ‘01)
Earnestine Thomas-Robertson (’69, MA ’73, EdD ’03)
Marilyn Wright (MA ’89, PsyD ’95)
Farshid Zanjani (EdD ’14)
GSEP has a 285 percent increase in total revenue from the 2014–2015 academic year (FY15) to the 2022–2023 academic year (FY23).
From FY15 to FY23:
85 percent increase in psychology in-person programs
30 percent increase in education in-person programs
From FY18 to FY23:
2,630 percent increase in online psychology programs
In FY23, the MA in Clinical Psychology program brought in more than half of the total revenue of our online psychology programs.
From FY15 to FY23, our total full-year students have increased by 239 percent
Over the past nine years, our total personnel (faculty and staff) has increased by 127 percent.
GSEP established various student aid scholarships to help students with financial need and awarded students with excellent academic performance and/or distinguished community service.
Source: GSEP Finance Division
Data: PBCS, 8-18-2023
