D I R E C T O R ‘ S M E S S A G E DearColleagues:
Thispastsummer,34newamazingindividualsjoinedourEdDEducational Leadership Program. Like in our previous fall issues, I am honored to introduce our Cohort 11! Their research interests and content expertise are very diverse, but they areunitedintheircommitmenttowardchangethroughtransformativeleadership.
Our program is growing! With more students, it means needing to collaborate with moreSJSUfacultytoadviseourstudents.Inthisnewsletter,I’mhappytointroduceto ourcommunitysixnewtenuredandtenure-trackfacultyfromseveraldepartments atSJSU.
I am also pleased to share with you recent awards and activities Thanks to our generous donor, Ms. Doris Prince, five of our EdD students received a $15K award to helpsupporttheircourseworkandresearch.Also,fourdoctoralstudentssuccessfully defended their dissertation projects. Furthermore, students from Cohorts 9 and 10 wenttoCordoba,Spainlastsummerfortheiroptionalglobalfieldexperience,andsix students went to Honolulu, Hawai’i and presented their dissertation research at the CarnegieProjectfortheEducationDirectorate.
WeclosethisnewsletterwithpicturesfromtheNewStudentOrientationDayandthe EdD Thanksgiving Celebration, plus some impressive accomplishments from our currentandformerstudentsandcorefaculty
Sincerely,
FerdieRivera
NEW EDD STUDENTS Yvette Adams
Undergraduate: B.A. | Psychology | California State University, Stanislaus.
Graduate: M.A. | Emancipatory School
Leadership | San Jose State University
Research Interests: Equitable access for all students and the ways in which access to social emotional wellness resources and geography impacts student outcomes.
Louis Adamsel
Undergraduate:B.A.|Communication/Ethnic Studies|CaliforniaStateUniversity,San Marcos
Graduate:M.S.|HomelandSecurity|San DiegoStateUniversity
ResearchInterests: Advancingeducational equity,fosteringpositivechange,and empoweringfuturegenerationsthrough effectiveleadershipineducation.
NEW EDD STUDENTS Essy Barroso Ramirez Hometown:SantaCruz,California
Undergraduatedegree:5AAsinBilingual-BiculturalStudies, CommunicationStudies,HealthScience,LiberalArtsand Spanish.BSinPublicHealth
Graduatedegree:MasterofLibraryandInformationScience ResearchInterests: Researchinterestsinclude(butarenot limitedto)theexperiencesofLatina/e/o/x,first-gen academiclibrarians,equityasitrelatestominoritized communitiesandaccesstoinformationandhigher education,bilingualearlyliteracy,Mexicanballetfolclorico, andcholascholarship.
PersonalInterests:Traveling,MexicanBalletFolclorico,oldies, readingforleisureandspendingtimewithfamilyandfriends.
Briauna Bailey Undergraduate: B.A. | Psy
California State University, S
Graduate: M.S. | Sport Man
Georgia Southern University
Higher Education and Stude Hardin-Simmons University
Research Interests: Imposter among the African-America population in the CSU sy attention African-American st receiving in higher education i that is primarily PWI, HSI, and AAPI.
NEW EDD STUDENTS David Bickel
Undergraduate: B.A. in Music E
Music Performance | University
Angeles
Graduate: MA | Higher Educat
San José State University
ResearchInterests: Student Par
Leadership, Culturally Responsive International Collaboration
PersonalInterests: Jazz Music, T
Family, and Pugs
n Blanco duate:B.S.|Human mentandFamilyStudies| iversity :MS|ReadingEducation| lege
Interests:Literacy,with closingtheachievementgap nterests:Cookingand nning,reading,hiking
NEW EDD STUDENTS Ricky Chan Undergraduate: BSc | Com
Double Minors: Managemen Systems and Mathematics | University
Graduate: MBA | San José S
Research Interests: Utilizing a tools to identify and analyze that significantly enhance th success for entrepreneurs.
PersonalInterests: I play ta startup acceleration training startup founders, and run a s specializing in rental investm
Emily Chan Undergraduate:B.A.|Biological Sciences|GrinnellCollege
Graduate:MLIS|Libraryand InformationScience|SanJoséState University
ResearchInterests:Scholarly communication,publishingand collections,openaccess,research administration
PersonalInterests:spendingtimewith family,beingoutdoors
NEW EDD STUDENTS Alaysia Brooks-Young Undergraduate: B.A.|
Anthropology/Sociology and Black Studies
| Denison University
Graduate: M.A | Social Work | University of Southern California
ResearchInterests: Impact of University
Policies and Resource Accessibility on the Mental Health of Pregnant/Parenting
Undergraduate Students
PersonalInterests: Being the best mother I could possibly be.
Greg Garcia Undergraduate:B.A.|Philosophy|San JoséStateUniversity
Graduate:M.A|HigherEducation
Leadership|SanJoséStateUniversity
ResearchInterests:Peer-assisted learning,transformativepedagogy, ethicalusageofAIinacademia, charactereducation,leadership development
PersonalInterests:Martialarts, philosophy,movies,hiking,andtaking picturesofmydog.
NEW EDD STUDENTS Teri Faught Undergraduate: B.S. | Earth Science | Western Michigan University.
Graduate: M.A. |
Education/Administration & Supervision | San José State University
ResearchInterests: Equity, Curriculum, and Instructional Reform
Personal Interests: Traveling, Hiking, Reading, Exploring New Cuisines, and Discovering Nature
te:MS|CommunicationSciences orders|ChicoStateUniversity hInterests:AAC,Neurodiversity gPracticesinEducation,Equityfor sinSpecialEducationwhoare aking,andCulturalCompetency ation
alInterests:Traveling,crafting,eng,tryingnewrestaurantsand gtimewithlovedonesandtheir Bear.
Zoe Giatis
NEW EDD STUDENTS Marysol Gomez
Underg
Ethnici
San Die
Gradu
Univers Resear educat pedago in socia
Diego/ Person scrabb
aduate:B.A.|PoliticalScience, |CaliforniaStateUniversity,East
e:M.A.|PublicAdministration, ment|CaliforniaStateUniversity, hInterests:EquityinK-12and d.,VisualArts;LinguisticRacism; gChildrenofWar;Indigenous ofCentralAsia;ImplicitRacism mia;ForgottenArtoftheMuslim lInterests:Physicalfitness, writingchildren’sstories,songs;spending timewithmybeautifulfamily.
NEW EDD STUDENTS Yurema Herrema
Undergraduate: BS| Psycholog
State University
Graduate: MA | Higher Educat San José State University
RsearchInterests: Meeting stu within counseling, specifically m counseling. Understanding and mental health profession and s higher education institutions.
PersonalInterests: Spending t being a tia (aunt) and teaching speak Spanish.
Gloria Higgins
Undergraduate:B.A.|PoliticalScience andPhilosophy|WheatonCollege,MA
Graduate:M.A.|EducationalLeadership| SanJoséStateUniversity
ResearchInterests:Raisingthe
ProfessionalStatusofTeaching,Teacher
PreparationandProfessionalLearning, Leadership
PersonalInterests:Hiking,Reading, Gardening,TextileArts
NEW EDD STUDENTS Van Huynh
Undergraduate: A.A. | Math | B.A. | Child and Adolescent Development | San Jose State University
Graduate: M.A | Teaching | San José State University
ResearchInterests: Vietnamese Dual
Language Immersion Program in Public School K-5: Instructional Teaching
Strategies, Classroom Management
Strategies, and Bilingualism and Biliteracy Goals
PersonalInterests: Studying, Execute, Teaching, & Mentoring
Rubindar Kaur
Undergraduate:B.S.|Business Administration|CaliforniaState UniversitySacramento
Graduate:MBA|CaliforniaState UniversitySacramento
ResearchInterests:Equityfor minoritizedstudentsinEOPS programs
NEW EDD STUDENTS Kristine Ki k d ll Undergradu
Communica
University | B
Christian Co
Graduate: M
San José Sta
ResearchIn
Education in
PersonalInt
teamwork, s challenging a
dergraduate:B.B.A|SaintMary's legeofCalifornia
aduate:M.A.|EducationCurriculum dInstruction|SanJoséState versity
searchInterests:Neurodiversityin achersandSchoolStaff,Gender esineducation,Multilingual rningandcommunity gagement.
sonalInterests:Gym,dance, medecor,writing,listeningto ries,tellingjokes
Eileen Lindley
NEW EDD STUDENTS Christina MacL
Undergraduate: B.A. | Americ University of California, Santa Graduate: M.Ed | Secondary University of California, Santa ResearchInterests: Enhanc connectedness through the tiered integrated support sys Centers, Community Schools billing structures, incorporat social emotional learning into systems and teacher educat
Undergraduate:B.A|LiberalStudies withaMinorinSpanish|CalState Fullerton
Graduate:M.A.|Educational Leadership|SanJoséStateUniversity. ResearchInterests:Mathnarratives, counter-narratives,professional learningcommunities,collective teacherefficacy,organizational behavior&change.
PersonalInterests:Hiking,cycling, tv/film,self-improvement,food, fashion,arts&crafts,volunteering
Kelly Marquez
NEW EDD STUDENTS Tunicia McDowell Undergraduate: B.A. | History | California State University, Sacramento
Graduate: M.A. | Management and Leadership w/an Emphasis in Health
Administration | Webster University
ResearchInterests: Intersectionality, systemic racism and oppression, community resilience, Black Feminism, workplace inequality, and impact of Veteran Status on employment
PersonalInterests: Reading and Literature, traveling, continuous learning, and video games.
Hometown:Salinas,California.
Undergraduatedegree:Liberal StudiesandHumanDevelopment fromCSUMontereyBay.
Graduatedegree:Educational LeadershipandAdministrationfrom CalPolySLO
ResearchInterests:Alternative Educationbestpractices,Careerand TechnicalEducation(CTE)Personal Interests:IenjoytravelingtoMexico andgoingonweekendtripswithmy family.
Mirel Mejia
NEW EDD STUDENTS Shaheen Mohammed Undergraduate: B.S. | Management Info Systems | Menlo College
Graduate: MEd | Urban Education | Holy Names University
ResearchInterests: Exploring parents’ educational level and experiences within the U.S. educational system and bridge gaps in their knowledge so that they may better support and advocate for their children
Hometown:Lebanon
Undergraduatedegree:BAin Management.
Graduatedegree:Master'sin management.
ResearchInterests:Teacher’s leadershipandempowerment.
PersonalInterests:playing music,basketball,videogames (callofduty).
Farah Mouhana
NEW EDD STUDENTS Nha-Nghi Nguyen
Undergraduate: B.S. | Business
José State University
Graduate: MBA | University of P
ResearchInterests: To explore generational differences of the American women in the higher administration role.
PersonalInterests: Mentorship entrepreneurship, education, cu activities, languages, music, scie camping, swimming, hiking, plan design, travel
graduate:B.A|Criminology,Law ciety|UniversityofCalifornia,Irvine ate:MasterofPublic stration|PublicAdministration| ngBeach
rchInterests:Intersectional encesofwomenofcolorinhigher tion,examiningtheuseof llinginhighereducationfor tshistoricallyunder-represented, nofcolorinhighereducation nalInterests:Strengthtraining, g,goingtoamusementparks, baking
Amanda Olivas
NEW EDD STUDENTS Seshadri Paravastu
Undergraduate: B.E. | Electrical and Electronics Engineering | Andhra University
Graduate: MS | Electrical Engineering | State University of New York | MBA | Drexel University
Research Interests: Enhancing Ethical d i O
Undergraduate:B.A.|CognitiveScience &Spanish|UniversityofCalifornia Berkeley
Graduate:M.A.|Educational|San FranciscoStateUniversity
ResearchInterests:Mathematics education,Equippingpreserviceteachers withthetoolsandstrategiestointegrate socialjusticeintomathinstruction. PersonalInterests:timewithmyfamily, freediving,surfing,timeintheoceanand connectingwithfriends.
Gianna Shields
NEW EDD STUDENTS Thanh Van Thai Undergraduate: BS | Informat University of Quebec in Montre
Graduate: MS-ISE| MBA | San J University
Research Interests: To examin institutional, environmental, an dynamics impact the educatio first-generation and second-g Vietnamese students
Personal Interests: Inclusion, e or experiencing cultural and ge struggles, institutional improve the oices of Vietnamese st d
Capriccia Thomas Undergraduate:B.S.NutritionandFood Science|B.A.Journalism|Sacramento StateUniversity
Graduate:M.S.|Healthcare Administration|CaliforniaState University,EastBay
ResearchInterests:Nutrition-based curriculumandeducationtoimprovethe socialandhealthdeterminants,impact ofhealtheducationtoimprovequalityof life,tacklingfoodinsecurityandpoor healthconditions
PersonalInterests:Volunteering,reading, writing,dance,traveling,managingmy business:FascinatingHealthLLC
NEW EDD STUDENTS Taylor Venice-M ti Undergraduate: B.S. | Communica
Disorders | Xavier University of Lo
Graduate: M.S. | Speech Patholog University and A&M College
Research Interests: Utilize my knowledge to create programs th just learning environment for thos education
NewCoreFaculty NavratISaxena AssociateProfessor ComputerScience
ColetteRabin, Professor TeacherEducation y Professor ComputerScience
NewCoreFaculty WendyQuach Professor Communicative Disorders&Sciences
CJDuh AssociateProfessor Psychology
ZacharyMcNiece AssistantProfessor CounselingEducation
DORISPRINCE AWARDEES Yvette Adams Cohort 11
Janet Martinez
Cohort 9
Cohort 11
DOCTORAL STUDENTS WHO DEFENDED THEIR DISSERTATION RESEARCH THIS FALL James Aguirre
(Cohort 9)
Title : Queer Educators in Affinity Family PersonalProfessional Development
Chair: Robert Marx
Members: Veneice GuilloryLacy, Trudy Gross
Prabhjeet Kaur Brar
(Cohort 9)
Title: Addressing Equity
Gaps in STEM: A Self-Study
Chair: David Whitenack
Members: Tammie Visintainer, Misty Stroud
DOCTORAL STUDENTS WHO DEFENDED THEIR DISSERTATION RESEARCH THIS FALL Kalpana Galagali (Cohort 9)
Title: Cultivating Belonging: Empowering Hispanic Parents in the U.S. Education System. Chair: Luis Poza.
Members: Veneice GuilloryLacy, James Anderson
Kevina Brown (Cohort 7)
Title: How Can We Do Better? Understanding Student Experiences and Support Needs During and After the Covid-19 Pandemic
Chair: Roxana Marachi
Members: María Ledesma, Claudia Rodriguez-Mojica
NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION DAY MAY 25, 2024
NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION DAY MAY 25, 2024
Summer 2024 Global Field Pictures JUNE 30 - JULY 14, 2024
CORDOBA, SPAIN Summer 2024 Global Field Pictures JUNE 30 - JULY 14, 2024
CORDOBA, SPAIN Pictures from the Carnegie Project for the Education Doctorate Convening
OCTOBER 14-17, 2024
HONULULU, HAWAII Pictures from the Carnegie Project for the Education Doctorate Convening
OCTOBER 14-17, 2024
HONULULU, HAWAII EdD Thanksgiving Celebration November 23, 2024
EdD Thanksgiving Celebration Novem CURRENT STUDENTS ACHIEVEMENTS (Cohort 9) Presented at the CPED Convening 2024 in Honolulu
ALUMNI AND CURRENT STUDENTS ACHIEVEMENTS Marysol Gomez (Cohort 11)
Awareded a Doris Prince Scholarship
ALUMNI AND CURRENT STUDENTS ACHIEVEMENTS My Ngoc (Amy) Nguyen (Cohort 9) Presented a poster at the CPED 2024 Convening
Received a Graduate Equity Fellowship award Serves on the Student Success Committee for SJSU’s Academic Senate
ALUMNI AND CURRENT STUDENTS ACHIEVEMENTS Anthony Alvarado (Cohort 8)
Awarded the ACSA Region 8 Administrator Rookie of the Year (2023-2024)
ALUMNI AND CURRENT STUDENTS ACHIEVEMENTS Phoebe Paxton (Cohort 10)
Received the SJSU Black Masque Scholarship
ALUMNI AND CURRENT STUDENTS ACHIEVEMENTS Erika Vargas (Cohort 10)
Promoted to permanent Dean of the School of Health & Human Development, School of HHD- West Valley College
ALUMNI AND CURRENT STUDENTS ACHIEVEMENTS Zoe Giatis (Cohort 11)
Presented a seminar on Neurodiversity Affirming Practices and AAC at the ASHA National Conference in Seattle, WA (Dec 6, 2024)
ALUMNI AND CURRENT STUDENTS ACHIEVEMENTS Ricky Chan (Cohort 11)
Won the championship in the CCHC Table Tennis Competition Became Chief Strategy Advisor for Collegebot.ai, an SJSU startup
Secured over $320,000 in funding with 20,000+ student users benefiting from AI-powered productivity tools
ALUMNI AND CURRENT STUDENTS ACHIEVEMENTS Janet Martinez-Angeles (Cohort 9)
Received the Doris Prince Scholar Award
ALUMNI AND CURRENT STUDENTS ACHIEVEMENTS Amanda Olivas (Cohort 11)
Served on the planning committee for the 33rd annual UPCEA MEMS Conference
Xo-chaired the National MEMS conference and presented at the newcomers’ session
FACULTY ACHIEVEMENTS Wendy Quach (Core Faculty)
Published research articles on Augmentative and Alternative Communication Co-authored studies on communication access for marginalized communities
FACULTY ACHIEVEMENTS Allison Briceño (Core Faculty)
Finalist, 2023 Excellence in Equity Award: Best Book for Educators (Conscious Classrooms)
Published articles, book chapters, and opinion pieces on multilingual education
Keynote speaker at multiple national literacy and education conferences
FACULTY ACHIEVEMENTS Megan Thiele Strong (Core Faculty)
Published op-eds: Progressive: "Preserve democracy: End the Electoral College" and San Francisco Chronicle: "Kamala Harris left out of vote"
FACULTY ACHIEVEMENTS Melody Moh (Core Faculty) Published research on computing education and AI in top conferences
Panelist on "Intersection of AI and Cybersecurity" at Silicon Valley Summit
Secured a $1M grant for cybersecurity education and workforce development
FACULTY ACHIEVEMENTS Ferdinand Rivera (Core Faculty) Published STEM Learning in Extended Reality: Research, Design, and Examples (Springer, 2024)
https://www.sjsu.edu/edd/
