2022 Yearbook and Impact Report: SDSU College of Education

CELEBRATING
125 YEARS
OF EDUCATION
2022 Yearbook and Impact Report >>
SECTION >>
1

2022 YEARBOOK
AND IMPACT REPORT
Front Cover: San Diego Teachers College’s Montezuma Mesa campus soon after construction, 1931.
Pages 2-3: A student teacher leads a geography lesson at the Campus Laboratory School, circa 1960.
Back Cover: A woman and two children stand near the south portico of the San Diego Normal School Main
Building, circa 1910. University Archives.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Contents
Message from the Dean 4
Leadership 5
Academic Programs 6
Rankings 7
Impact & Innovation 8
Education Through the Years 12
Faculty & Staff 14
Students 18
Editor: Michael Klitzing
Designer: Janielle Kelly
Photographer: Ian Ordonio
Alumni 20
Philanthropy 22
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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3

Dean Y. Barry Chung and
members of the platform party
prepare to take the stage at the
College of Education’s 2022
Commencement ceremony at
Viejas Arena.
MESSAGE FROM
THE DEAN
This year, SDSU celebrates its 125th anniversary — an
anniversary that takes on particular significance in our
college. SDSU was founded back in 1897 as a normal
school dedicated to training teachers. That remains a
large part of the College of Education’s mission to this
day, though over the decades we have expanded to
also prepare educational leaders, counselors, therapists,
school psychologists, postsecondary professionals, and
others entering the helping professions. This special
milestone has given me the opportunity to explore our
college’s rich history — something I encourage you to do
by visiting 125.sdsu.edu/coe. In the process, I have drawn
inspiration from the many change agents and difference
makers who blazed our current path (See: Education
Through the Years, Page 12).
I am proud to say that we are carrying on the legacy
of fighting for social justice and educational equity in
our education system. I see it in our faculty, who in the
past year have undertaken new initiatives like building
pipelines of principals to lead diverse school districts,
addressing the disproportionate rates of placement in
special education along racial lines, meeting California’s
pressing need for bilingual teachers, and much more
(See: Impact & Innovation — Page 8). I see it in the faces
of our inspiring students who exude passion for making
the world a better place (See: Students, Page 18), our
graduates who are diligently and positively impacting
lives in so many communities (See: Alumni, Page 20)
and our visionary donors whose generosity furthers our
mission (See: Philanthropy, Page 22).
The past year has been particularly significant. Last
August, for the first time since the start of COVID-19, our
faculty and staff repopulated campus and our students
returned to in-person instruction. It hasn’t always been
easy as the challenges of the pandemic persist, but
through professionalism, dedication and effort, our
college has made it work. We’ve also welcomed three
new outstanding members to our leadership team —
Sarah Garrity, Interim Senior Associate Dean; Rachel
Haine-Schlagel, Interim Associate Dean for Research; and
Frank Harris III, who will start this fall as Interim Associate
Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
I am so excited for what the next year will bring —
and for what we will accomplish together as we continue
building on 125 years of proud history.
— Y. Barry Chung, Dean, College of Education
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MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN

LEADERSHIP
DEAN’S OFFICE
Y. Barry Chung
Dean
Sarah Garrity
Interim Senior
Associate Dean
Frank Harris III
Interim Associate Dean
for Diversity, Equity
and Inclusion
Rachel Haine-Schlagel
Interim Associate Dean
for Research
Patricia Lozada-
Santone
Assistant Dean for
Student Affairs
DEPARTMENTS
Charles Degeneffe
Professor and Chair,
Administration,
Rehabilitation and
Postsecondary Education
Sascha Longstreth
Associate Professor and
Interim Chair,
Child and Family
Development
Travis Heath
Associate Professor
and Chair,
Counseling and School
Psychology
Margarita Machado-
Casas
Professor and Chair,
Dual Language and
English Learner Education
Douglas Fisher
Professor and Chair,
Educational Leadership
Laura J. Hall
Professor and Chair,
Special Education
Marva Cappello
Professor and Director,
Joint Ph.D. Program in
Education with Claremont
Graduate University
Randy Philipp
Professor Emeritus
and Interim Director,
School of Teacher
Education
LEADERSHIP
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ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
The SDSU College of Education offers a wide variety of academic programs ranging from undergraduate study
to advanced degrees that prepare individuals for rewarding and impactful careers in the fields of education
and wellness.
DOCTORAL & EDUCATIONAL
SPECIALIST DEGREES
• Community College/Postsecondary Education Leadership
(Ed.D. in Educational Leadership)
• Joint Doctoral Program with Claremont Graduate University
(Ph.D. in Education)
• PK-12 School Leadership (Ed.D. in Educational Leadership)
• PK-12 School Leadership with Science and Math Focus
(Ed.D. in Educational Leadership)
• School Psychology (Ed.S.)
MASTER’S DEGREES
• Child Development (M.S. in Child Development)
• Child Development with a Concentration in Early Childhood
Mental Health (M.S. in Child Development and LPCC)
• Counseling (Online-Hybrid) (M.A. in Education)
• Dual Language and English Learner Ed: Critical Literacy and
Social Justice Specialization (M.A. in Education)
• Elementary Education and Secondary Education (M.A. in Teaching)
• Elementary and Secondary Education with a Focus in Math
and Science (M.A. in Teaching)
• Language Arts (Summer Only) (M.A. in Teaching)
• Marriage and Family Therapy (M.S. in Counseling)
• Multicultural Community Counseling (M.S. in Counseling)
• PreK-12 Educational Leadership (M.A. in Education)
• Reading (M.A. in Education)
• Rehabilitation Counseling (M.S. in Rehabilitation Counseling)
• School Counseling Plus Pupil Personnel Services Credential
(M.S. in Counseling and PPS)
• Special Education, Autism (M.A. in Education)
• Special Education, Early Childhood (M.A. in Education)
• Special Education, Extensive Support Needs (M.A. in Education)
• Special Education, Mild/Moderate Support Needs (M.A. in Education)
• Student Affairs (M.A. in Educational Leadership)
• Teacher Leadership (via SDSU Global Campus) (M.A. in Education)
UNDERGRADUATE MAJORS & MINORS
• Child Development (B.S.)
• Child Development Minor
• Counseling and Social Change Minor
• Cultural Proficiency Minor
• ITEP Integrated Bachelor’s & Teaching Credential Programs (B.A.)
• Leadership Development Minor
• Liberal Studies (B.A.)
TEACHING CREDENTIALS
• Multiple Subject
• Multiple Subject (Bilingual)
• Single Subject
• Single Subject (Bilingual)
• Special Education: Clear Induction Program
• Special Education: Early Childhood
• Special Education: Extensive Support Needs
• Special Education: Mild/Moderate Support Needs
OTHER CREDENTIALS
• Preliminary Administrative Services
• Reading and Literacy Leadership Specialist
ADVANCED CERTIFICATES AND ADDED
AUTHORIZATIONS
• Behavior Analysis (Advanced Certificate)
• Cognitive Disabilities
• Co-occurring Disorders (Advanced Certificate)
• Dual Language for Academic Literacy
• EC-TEaMH: Early Childhood Transdisciplinary Education
and Mental Health
• English Language Development for Academic Literacy
• International Inclusive Leadership Program
• Rehabilitation Technology
• Restorative Justice Practice and Trauma-Informed Care
• Supported Employment and Transition Specialist
• Psychiatric Rehabilitation
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ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

RANKINGS
The SDSU College of Education is recognized
as one of the top graduate education schools in
California according to the 2023 U.S. News & World
Report rankings.
GRADUATE SCHOOL RANKINGS
NEW PROGRAMS IN TEACHER
LEADERSHIP, CO-OCCURRING
DISORDERS LAUNCHED
The College of Education finalized two new
programs during the 2021-22 academic year. The
Department of Educational Leadership teamed with
SDSU Global Campus to offer an M.A. in Teacher
Leadership. The program is designed for teachers
who want to take on leadership roles in their
school communities without sacrificing their impact
in the classroom. Meanwhile Professor Marjorie
Olney and Assistant Professor Sonia Peterson from
the Department of Rehabilitation, Administration
and Postsecondary Education developed an
Advanced Certificate in Co-occurring Disorders.
The program, which leads to a Licensed Advanced
Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LAADC) credential,
empowers counseling students and practicing
counselors to serve individuals with co-occurring
substance use and mental health disorders.
Photo: Marjorie Olney and Sonia Peterson
#52
among all universities
nationwide
#7
in the state
of California
#26
in education
administration specialty
#4
among rehabilitation
counseling master’s
programs
#41
among public universities
nationwide
#1
in the California State
University system
PROGRAM/SPECIALTY RANKINGS*
#8
in online education
master’s programs
Photo: The first permanent campus of San Diego Normal School was located
in the University Heights neighborhood from 1899-1931. University Archives.
* Represents most current ranking in this category.
ACADEMIC PROGRAMS // RANKINGS
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IMPACT & INNOVATION
The SDSU College of Education engages in transformative research, service, community engagement and
multi-institutional partnerships. These efforts make a positive impact on the education and wellness fields at
the local, national and global levels.
GRANTS & CONTRACTS
TOP FUNDED FACULTY
$26M ^39%
in Total Funding
in 2021-2022
TOTAL FUNDING
Increase from
2020-2021
143 ^8%
Total Awards
in 2021-2022
TOTAL AWARDS
increase from
2020-2021
Caren Sax
Professor Emerita; and
Director, Interwork Institute
$7,686,286
Cynthia Park
Professor and Executive
Director, Pre-College Institute
$2,729,685
18 2
U.S. Department of
Education Funded Projects
National Institutes of
Health Funded Projects
3
National Science
Foundation Funded Projects
Laura Owen
Lecturer and Executive
Director, Center for Equity and
Postsecondary Attainment
$1,502,838
Francisco Escobedo
Executive Director, National
Center For Urban School
Transformation
$1,414,000
CENTERS
Center for Achieving Black Wellness and Anti-Racist Education (CABWARE)
Center for Equity and Biliteracy Education Research (CEBER)
Center for Equity and Postsecondary Attainment (CEPA)
Center for Excellence in Early Development (CEED)
Center for Research in Math & Science Education (CRMSE)
Center for Teaching Critical Thinking & Creativity (CTCTC)
Chinese Cultural Center (CCC)
Interwork Institute
National Center for Urban School Transformation (NCUST)
Pre-College Institute (PCI)
SDSU Literacy Center
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IMPACT & INNOVATION

IN FOCUS
BUILDING STRONG
LEADERSHIP FOR
DIVERSE SCHOOLS
SDSU’s Department of Educational Leadership (EDL)
was selected by the Wallace Foundation to join a
$102 million initiative to
build pipelines of school
principals who are better
equipped to meet the
changing needs of diverse
districts nationwide.
Chosen as a mentor
organization among the
partnership participants,
SDSU joins San Diegobased
National University
and the California
“I think the Wallace
Foundation has seen that
SDSU delivers. We engage,
we have great partnerships,
we learn a lot and we figure
out how to make things work.”
— Douglas Fisher, Professor and Chair,
Department of Educational Leadership
Department of Education in a five-year partnership with
the Fresno Unified School District. The district serves
74,000 students from PreK-12 —
more than 69% of whom are Latinx.
EDL professor and chair Douglas
Fisher and assistant professor
Alejandro Gonzalez Ojeda will
assist by supporting the recruitment
of aspiring leaders, designing a
principal preparation program,
building a support program for
current principals and launching an
assistant principal academy.
Photo: Principal Beth Beuttner greeted students at Fresno’s Eaton Elementary School. Photo courtesy of Fresno Unified School District.
IMPACT & INNOVATION
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NATIONAL ALLIANCE BOLSTERS LATINX STEM INCLUSION
Felisha Herrera Villarreal, associate professor in the Department of Administration,
Rehabilitation and Postsecondary Education (ARPE), is part of a major push funded by the
National Science Foundation (NSF) to increase representation among Latinx students in
STEM education.
In 2021, the agency announced a $50 million investment to create five new NSF
INCLUDES Alliances — multi-institutional collaborative partnerships across the public,
private and academic sectors aimed at broadening access for underrepresented groups to
science, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects.
Felisha Herrera Villarreal
Herrera Villarreal, who is director of the Research and Equity Scholarship Institute at SDSU,
is co-principal investigator for the ALRISE Alliance, which will focus on STEM participation
and retention among Latinx students at more than two dozen Hispanic-Serving Institutions
(HSIs) and emerging HSIs across the U.S.
$3.5 MILLION GRANT ADDRESSES BILINGUAL TEACHER SHORTAGE
The Department of Dual Language and English Learner Education (DLE) is leading a new
federally-funded partnership to train hundreds of new bilingual educators for high-need
communities across California. Launched in 2021, Project Teach Bilingual Pathways is
supported by a $3.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of English
Language Acquisition.
Margarita Machado-Casas, professor and chair of DLE, and lecturer Guillermo Castillo are
working in concert with a consortium of regional partners, including the San Diego County
Office of Education and its counterparts in Imperial County, Orange County and Butte
County. Over the course of five years, SDSU will admit 50 pre-service teachers and 200 inservice
teachers in the four counties into its online bilingual teacher credential programs.
DLE graduates at Commencement 2022
According to the California Department of Education, the state’s population of 1.1 million
English learners is the nation’s largest. DLE graduated 130 bilingual educators in Spring
2022, the most of any university in the state.
HEY CLINIC EXPANDS PARTNERSHIP WITH SDUSD
SDSU’s Healthy Early Years (HEY) Clinic signed a $600,000 contract with San Diego
Unified School District in 2022 — a 50% increase over the previous year that will enable
an expansion of mental health services into more school settings across San Diego.
Founded and directed by Lisa Linder, assistant professor in the Department of Child and
Family Development, HEY has recently doubled its staff of full-time clinicians to 12. They
will fan out this fall to more than 43 elementary and middle schools to meet the socialemotional
needs of students and recognize and address trauma.
Lisa Linder
In addition to its school-based services, HEY operates a community clinic in San Diego’s
City Heights neighborhood that trains counselors while providing low-cost family, couples
and child therapy services. The HEY clinic also provides infant and early childhood mental
health consultation in early childhood education settings across the county supporting
caregivers, teachers, and early childcare educators to help build adult capacity and
strengthen skills that support the social-emotional growth of children in their care.
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IMPACT & INNOVATION

STUDY TACKLES INEQUITY IN SPECIAL EDUCATION PLACEMENT
Paul Luelmo, assistant professor in SDSU’s Department of Special Education, is leading a new
statewide effort to address disproportionate rates of placement in special education along
racial and ethnic lines.
More than 130 districts in California — about 10% — were shown to have racial inequalities in
special education placements, a phenomenon termed “disproportionality.” In some districts,
data show Latinx students are three times more likely to be placed in special education
for learning disabilities, and Black students are three times more likely to be identified for
emotional disturbance.
Paul Luelmo
Luelmo is teaming with the Napa County Office of Education to study the root causes
of disproportionality and develop a protocol to help districts address the problem. The
goal is to create a California-centered protocol that will empower school districts facing
disproportionalities to assess their situations, identify root causes and develop solutions.
CCCE RECOGNIZED FOR COMMITMENT TO RACIAL JUSTICE
SDSU’s Center for Community Counseling and Engagement (CCCE) was one of six
recipients of the First United Methodist Church of San Diego’s 2021 Racial Justice Grants.
CCCE, which provides affordable mental health services in the diverse, low-income
community of City Heights, received a $15,000 award. This is the church’s second annual
Racial Justice Grants Cycle — an initiative to fund nonprofit organizations that serve
communities of color and are working to dismantle systemic racism in San Diego.
From left, CBB trainees Bradford Noble,
Jasmine Miles and Melissa Beal and CCCE
administrative coordinator Leticia Estrella.
Operating out of the Dede Alpert Center for Community Engagement on a busy stretch of
El Cajon Boulevard, CCCE serves as a training site for aspiring counselors and therapists
from SDSU’s Marriage and Family Therapy and Community Based Block master’s
programs. They are supervised and mentored by experienced clinicians, many of whom
are graduates of the same programs.
NSF GRANT CREATES SCIENCE TEACHER PIPELINE
SDSU’s School of Teacher Education (STE) is embarking on a new National Science
Foundation (NSF) funded program to put more highly-qualified science teachers into
classrooms.
Launching in summer 2022, the Noyce Scholars and Interns Program will offer scholarships
to 41 credential students, mentorship and professional development once they enter
service and 25 internships aimed at inspiring undergraduates in science to pursue
teaching. The STE team of associate professor Donna Ross, assistant professor Kathleen
Schenkel and associate professor Meredith Vaughn will oversee the project, along with
David Pullman from SDSU’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.
San Diego teachers attend a coding
workshop hosted by Donna Ross.
The Noyce program will focus on technology and social justice-oriented science teaching
— engaging students in science through issues relevant to their own communities and
IMPACT & INNOVATION
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1897
1910
First Dean: W.F. Bliss
Wilberforce F. "W.F." Bliss,
previously a teacher and
principal in rural schools
in Pennsylvania and Ohio,
became the Normal
School's first Dean.
San Diego Normal
School Founded
California Governor
James Budd signed the
legislative act to formally
establish the San Diego
Normal School.
1921
1910
Campus Lab School Opens
A lab school opened
allowing student teachers to
teach grade school children
under supervision.
New Name:
San Diego Teachers
College
The change coincided
with a move to 4-year
degrees, while
teaching credentials
expanded to include
junior and senior high.
EDUCATION
THROUGH THE YEA R
1935
Expanding Beyond
Teaching
Upon action by the
California legislature,
San Diego Teachers
College became San
Diego State College.
1942
San Diego's First Black
Public School Teacher
Trailblazing alumna Blossom Lorraine
Van Lowe Gholston is hired at
Memorial Junior High in San Diego's
Logan Heights neighborhood.
1956
Department of Counselor
Education Established
The Division of Education
launches the Department
of Counselor Education,
the forerunner to the
Department of Counseling
and School Psychology
and SDSU's Rehabilitation
Counseling program.
1973
Tomás A
Tomás A
of color
SDSU. A
ing COE
multicult
1898
Downtown Location
Opens
The San Diego Normal
School opened its doors
above a drug store and
one-cent novelty shop
on the corner of 6th
and F in downtown
San Diego.
1913
First Black Graduate
Henrietta Goodwin
became the first Black
student to graduate
from San Diego
Normal School.
1936
Nursery School
Established
College President Dr.
Walter Hepner
established a
demonstration nursery
school where students
worked with pre-kindergarten
children.
1953
Model Lab School Opens
A new model laboratory
school building opened on
the far west edge of campus.
The facility included a music
room with sound-proof
booths, art room and
museum, puppet stage and
special observation rooms
with one-way mirrors.
1968
Child Development
Major
Established
SDSU launched an
interdisciplinary
Child Development
major within
the Department of
Home Economics.
1973
Community-Based
Block Launched
1899
New Campus in
University Heights
The San Diego Normal
School moved into a new
Beaux-Arts style building
in the city's University
Heights neighborhood.
1931
Montezuma Mesa and
Master's Degrees
Due to increased
student enrollment, the
college was relocated
to its current location,
an area then known as
Mission Palisades.
David Malcolm founded
the Community-Based
Block (CBB), a multicultural
counseling program based
on the personcentered
theory
of counseling.
Longtime
CBB director
Marìa Nieto
Senour
(pictured)
joined the
faculty in 1977.
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EDUCATION THROUGH THE YEARS

RS S
1973
1978
Joint Ph.D. Program Founded
The Joint Ph.D. Program in Education
with Claremont Graduate University
(JDP) was founded under director
Peggy Hawley. JDP's mission is to
develop scholars who are
committed to research on
democratic schooling, social
justice and equal educational
outcomes for all students
and the improvement of
educational systems serving
diverse communities.
rciniega Tomás Named Arciniega DeanNamed Dean
bel Tomás Arciniega Abel became Arciniega the became first person the
to serve first person as head of dean color of to a serve college as at head
rciniega dean was of a instrumental college at SDSU. in expand- Arciniega
's focus was on instrumental educational in equity expanding COE’s
ural focus and bilingual on educational education. equity and
multicultural and bilingual education.
1994
2006
Master's with Autism
Specialization Launched
Today, the M.A. is one of the
Department of Special
Education’s most applied-to
graduate programs and is
internationally known for its
work in autism.
McBrayer Named
National Teacher
of the Year
SDSU alumna Sandra
McBrayer ('86, '89) was
named National Teacher
of the Year by President
Bill Clinton.
2014
2018
Y. Barry Chung Named Dean
Y. Barry Chung, a leading scholar in the field of
counseling psychology, was named the 12th
Dean of Education and COE's first Chinese
American dean. Chung expanded the college's
leadership team and college communications
and led comprehensive diversity planning.
Joseph F. Johnson, Jr.
Named Dean
Known for his
leadership through
kindness, Educational
Leadership professor
Joseph F. Johnson, Jr.
became the College's
first Black dean.
2019
Chinese Cultural
Center Established
The Center supports Chinese
cultural education as well as
the university’s expanded
focus on international and
binational awareness,
education and partnerships.
1985
Ann Morey Named Dean
Ann Morey became the first
female Dean. Under Morey's
leadership, COE expanded its
focus on serving diverse
learners, increased federal grant
funding and furthered faculty
hiring from underrepresented
groups, including women.
1990
Gabay Named National
Teacher of the Year
SDSU alumna Janis
Gabay ('72, '78) was
named National Teacher
of the Year by President
George H. W. Bush.
2006
Independent Doctorates
Approved
COE was home to two of the
first three independent
doctoral programs in the
California State University
system, as Ed.D. programs in
Pre-K educational leadership
and community college
leadership were launched.
2017
Liberal Studies Major Joins College
The major, one of the largest at SDSU and
COE's second overall, was designed for
future elementary and middle
school teachers.
1978
Multicultural Department Founded
The department developed
biliteracy teachers and
bilingual specialists. It
was the forerunner of
today's Department of
Dual Language and
English Learner
Education (DLE).
Pictured: Founding faculty
member Alberto M. Ochoa.
1991
Interwork Institute Established
The institute promotes the integration of all
individuals, including those with disabilities,
into all aspects of education, work, family
and community life. It has generated more
than $200 million from grants and
contracts since its inception.
2021
CABWARE Launched
The Center for Achieving Black
Wellness and Anti-Racist Education
serves as a hub for scholarship, service and
professional development that addresses and
disrupts anti-Blackness and racism among
educators and wellness providers.
EDUCATION THROUGH THE YEARS
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13

FACULTY & STAFF
College of Education students are trained and mentored by 319 faculty members, including 62 tenured or tenuretrack
faculty. The college is also supported by a team of 38 staff members in the areas of administration, finance
and operations, student services, technology, assessment and accreditation, data management, communications
and development.
FACULTY
STAFF
POSITION
Assistant
Professor
Associate
Professor
Department
Chairs/Directors
9% (28)
8% (27)
2% (7)
Lecturers
73% (235)
Leadership
Full Professors
Visiting
Professors
1% (4)
5% (17)
1% (1)
RACE/
ETHNICITY
0
15%
25%
35%
45%
55%
65%
75%
RACE/ETHNICITY
American Indian/
Alaska Native
Asian/
Pacific Islander
Black
1% (3)
5% (18)
10% (33)
Asian/Pacific Islander 18% (7)
Latinx
24% (76)
Latinx 39% (15)
Not Specified
Two or More
3% (9)
2% (5)
White 42% (16)
White
55% (175)
0
15%
25%
35%
45%
55%
65%
75%
GENDER
GENDER
Female
71% (227)
Male
29% (92)
Female
82% (31)
Male
18% (7)
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FACULTY & STAFF

IN FOCUS
CONFRONTING ATTITUDES
ABOUT DISABILITY
A proud disabled woman and wheelchair user,
Toni Saia has garnered national recognition for her
advocacy and mentorship
within the disability
community. Saia was
a 2022 inductee into
the National Disability
Mentoring Coalition’s
Susan M. Daniels Disability
Mentoring Hall of Fame.
In her first year as an
assistant professor
in SDSU’s nationally
recognized rehabilitation
counseling program, Saia
“Societally, we still pit
disability as a negative thing,
but disability is a natural part
of life and it can also be an
identity. I think I allow students
to explore that.”
— Toni Saia, assistant professor, Department
of Administration, Rehabilitation and
Postsecondary Education
has worked to shift the understanding of disability from
being a diagnosis to being an identity, community and
culture — one worth celebrating and
taking pride in.
Saia diligently engrains accessibility
in all her courses, understanding
that inaccessible design sends a
clear message that certain people
are not welcome and valued.
She is also a staunch advocate
for the social model of disability,
which holds people are disabled
by environmental barriers — both
physical and attitudinal — rather than
their impairments.
Photo: Toni Saia
FACULTY & STAFF
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15

FELIX, VASQUEZ SPOTLIGHTED BY NATIONAL PUBLICATION
Two Department of Administration, Rehabilitation and Postsecondary Education (ARPE)
faculty members were spotlighted by the magazine Diverse: Issues in Higher Education for
their work to enhance the success of minoritized students in community colleges.
Assistant professor Eric R. Felix (’10) was one of 15 under-40 academics named a 2022
Emerging Scholar — a recognition of early-career impact. Together with his student research
team, Felix works with four community college campuses across California to produce
research aiming to advance equity and instigate change in higher education.
Eric R. Felix and Marissa Vasquez
Associate professor Marissa Vasquez was one of 25 women profiled in the magazine’s
11th annual Women’s History Month special report. Vasquez is associate director of SDSU’s
Community College Equity Assessment Lab (CCEAL), which offers research, strategies and
solutions to help community colleges create more inclusive environments.
FISHER HONORED FOR IMPACT ON LATINX STUDENTS
Douglas Fisher, professor and chair of the Department of Educational Leadership,
received the Student Impact Award from the Association of Latino Administrators and
Superintendents (ALAS), honoring his commitment to serving Latinx youth.
A nationwide organization with more than 8,000 members across 18 state affiliates, ALAS
aims to provide leadership to ensure U.S. schools meet the needs of all students with an
emphasis on Latinx youth.
Douglas Fisher
Fisher and his colleagues have conducted numerous studies, authored books and led
professional development on how school administrators can support teachers and improve
learning experiences for marginalized students, such as English learners and children
growing up in poverty. He is also a co-founder of Health Sciences High and Middle College,
an award-winning, open-enrollment public school in San Diego’s City Heights community.
BUTLER-BYRD HONORED FOR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY AND EQUITY
Nola Butler-Byrd, associate professor in the Department of Counseling and School
Psychology and director of the Community-Based Block (CBB) Multicultural Counseling
and Social Justice Education Program, was named recipient of the Chief Diversity
Officer’s Leadership Award. The honor recognizes contributions to advancing and
sustaining justice, equity, diversity and inclusion at SDSU.
A practicing psychotherapist specializing in antiracism, body-centered psychotherapy
and healing, Butler-Byrd leads a CBB program that prepares diverse counselors and
change agents to serve disenfranchised communities.
Nola Butler-Byrd
She has also fought for social justice in faculty leadership roles at SDSU and in the
California State University system. Butler-Byrd has served on the SDSU University
Senate since 2008 — becoming Vice Chair in 2019 — and the Academic Senate of
the California State University System since 2016.
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FACULTY & STAFF

TUCKER NETS REHABILITATION RESEARCHER OF THE YEAR AWARD
Mark Tucker, associate professor in the Department of Administration, Rehabilitation and
Postsecondary Education (ARPE), was named the 2022 recipient of the Rehabilitation
Researcher of the Year Award from the National Council on Rehabilitation Education
(NCRE). NCRE is the top professional organization devoted to rehabilitation counseling
education.
A 1999 graduate of SDSU’s program, Tucker joined the staff of the Interwork Institute
and began teaching as a lecturer in the College of Education in 2000. He became a
tenure-track faculty member in ARPE in 2014. As a researcher, he examines the impact
of education and other factors on vocational rehabilitation outcomes for individuals with
disabilities.
Mark Tucker
SDSU’s rehabilitation counseling program is ranked No. 4 in the nation by U.S. News &
World Report.
DEAN CHUNG RECEIVES ACA FELLOWS AWARD
Dean Y. Barry Chung was named a recipient of the 2022 Fellows Award from the American
Counseling Association (ACA) — the world’s largest association of professional counselors.
The Fellows Award is a distinctive honor that recognizes ACA members who have advanced
the counseling profession throughout their careers. Making the recognition more unique is
the fact that Chung is a renowned scholar in counseling psychology — a distinct field with a
separate professional organization.
Dean Y. Barry Chung
Despite his focus on counseling psychology, Chung has a long history with the ACA, dating
back to the period where the counseling psychology and counseling fields were more
intertwined. He first joined the organization as a student in the 1990s. He also served as
president of the ACA’s National Career Development Association (NCDA), earning its Eminent
Career Award in 2019.
STERNAL, WHITE RECEIVE CAMPUS-WIDE RECOGNITION
Two staff members from the College of Education Office of the Dean were honored by the
university for their excellence.
Alison Sternal, an undergraduate academic advisor in the Office for Student Success,
was honored by Provost Salvador Hector Ochoa with the Outstanding Advisor Award.
An alumna of SDSU and a former 5th and 6th grade teacher, she was recognized for her
efforts to improve community college transfer readiness, as well as her compassionate and
proactive approach to advising that has positively impacted graduation rates.
Alison Sternal with Provost Ochoa.
Julie White, recently promoted to director of resource management, was honored for
Staff-to-Staff Mentoring at the Presidential Staff Excellence Awards. White, who joined the
college in 2002, has been instrumental in the training of new staff members and helping
them understand business processes and procedures.
FACULTY & STAFF
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STUDENTS
College of Education students are a diverse group, training for fields
such as teaching, administration, counseling, mental health and higher
education. But they share one important common thread — a desire to
make a positive difference for individuals and communities.
TOTAL ENROLLMENT
3,307
PROGRAM TYPE
NATIVE LANGUAGE
Bachelor’s
Degree
38% (1,240)
Certificate
1% (17)
Credential
19% (628)
Doctoral
Degree
6% (209)
Education
Specialist (Ed.S.)
1% (41)
Master’s
Degree
20% (679)
Undergraduate
Minor
15% (493)
0
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
English 76%
RACE/ETHNICITY
Spanish 19%
Other 5%*
American Indian/
Alaskan Native
Asian/
Pacific Islander
Black/
African American
1% (25)
5% (181)
11% (372)
* 37 languages are represented in this category,
including five with more than 10 native speakers:
Arabic (25), Chinese (15), Tagalog (13), Vietnamese
(13), Somali (12).
Decline to
State
Hispanic/Latino
2% (80)
40% (1,339)
SEXUAL ORIENTATION
Native Hawaiian/
Pacific Islander
1% (22)
Two or More
8% (266)
White
32% (1,044)
0
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
GENDER
Decline to State/Unknown 13% (417)
Heterosexual 78% (2,582)
Female
83% (2,747)
Male
16% (555)
Non-binary
1% (5)
LGBTQ+ 9% (308)
* Numbers represent Fall 2021 semester
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STUDENTS

“I want to give back to my
community. I want to help
students realize that they
matter. They’re important.
They can make a change
in society.”
IN FOCUS
Photo: Rebecca Alvarez Garcia
FUTURE TEACHER COMES FULL CIRCLE
As a credential student in the SDSU School of Teacher Education, Rebecca Alvarez Garcia returned to her alma mater, Hoover High
School, in the diverse San Diego community of City Heights. In spring 2022, she trained as a student teacher under the guidance of
Dion Moore — one of her former teachers.
DOCTORAL STUDENT
AWARDED FULBRIGHT
SCHOLAR GRANT
Al Schleicher, a student in the
Joint Ph.D. Program in Education
with Claremont Graduate
University (JDP) will head to
Belize in January 2023 as part
of the Fulbright U.S. Scholar
Al Schleicher
Program. He’ll be partnering with
the University of Belize’s teacher
education program on a project to build capacity to better train
and support teachers.
The idea behind the project stemmed from research he
conducted for his JDP dissertation, which is about collective
problem solving. Schleicher — a former English teacher in
East Los Angeles who also taught in the Netherlands on a
Distinguished Fulbright Award in Teaching — was surprised to
learn Belize had one of the lowest literacy rates in the Western
Hemisphere. He soon learned the country offers its prospective
teachers no observational learning or student teaching
experiences with veteran guide teachers.
As a Fulbright scholar, Schleicher will work to fill in those
systemic gaps. At the University of Belize, he will teach an
existing course in teacher education as a guest lecturer all
while developing a capstone project centered on professional
development that pre-service teachers will take before they
enter the classroom.
CSU TRUSTEES’ AWARD
WINNER LOOKS TO
REMOVE BARRIERS
Lawson Hardrick III, a master’s
student in postsecondary
educational leadership - student
affairs, earned a 2021 CSU
Trustees’ Award for Outstanding
Achievement. The scholarships
Lawson Hardrick III
are awarded each September
to California State University
students, one from each campus, who demonstrate superior
academic performance, personal accomplishments and
community service.
Hardrick grew up in Imperial County’s Calexico. With a Black
father, a Latinx mother and identifying as queer, he felt like
an outsider, often bullied and left out of group activities. His
experiences informed his desire to help people find community
or to build it in places where it does not yet exist, which is what
led him to SDSU’s student affairs program.
Working with associate professor Marissa Vasquez’s SEMILLAS
Research Team, Hardrick analyzes data on experiences of
transfer students participating in a research fellowship program.
He was also appointed managing editor of a journal for
community college scholars.
STUDENTS
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ALUMNI
IN FOCUS
RENOWNED LEADER IN VOCATIONAL
PSYCHOLOGY HONORED
Photo: Angela Byars-Winston
Angela Byars-Winston (’92 Community-Based Block)
was the College of Education’s recipient of the 2022
Distinguished Alumni Award.
A professor of general internal
medicine at the University of
Wisconsin School of Public
Health, Byars-Winston is a
leader in the field of vocational
psychology, nationally known for
her expertise in the science of
effective mentorship. Drawing
on her training as a counseling
psychologist, she studies how
cultural and organizational
factors in fields such as science,
technology, engineering and
“I am proud to represent CSU
alumni competing in very highend,
research-intensive places.
I stand toe to toe in the same
spaces with folks who went
to Ivy League schools and I
proudly say I went to
San Diego State University.”
— Angela Byars-Winston,
San Diego State University alumna
mathematics (STEM) shape people’s perceptions of what
they can and can’t achieve in their careers.
Her own work has drawn no
shortage of plaudits and important
appointments. Most significantly,
she chaired a 12-person committee
to produce a National Academies of
Sciences, Engineering and Medicine
report on the Science of Effective
Mentorship in STEMM. Byars-
Winston is also a fellow
of the American Psychological
Association (APA) and in 2011 was
named a Champion of Change by
President Barack Obama.
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ALUMNI

Khamphet Pease
Marlys Williamson
TWO ALUMNAE EARN PRESIDENTIAL STEM
TEACHING AWARD
Two graduates of SDSU’s School of Teacher Education received the U.S. government’s highest honor for science, technology,
engineering and mathematics (STEM) teaching. Homegrown San Diego-area educators Khamphet Pease (’05 Teaching Credential)
and Marlys Williamson (’05 Liberal Studies, ’06 Teaching Credential) were named among 102 recipients of the Presidential Awards
for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. They were the only teachers from California honored in the Feb. 24, 2022
virtual ceremony.
ALUMNI NOTES
• Moises Aguirre (’15 Ed.D. in PK-12 Educational
Leadership) was named superintendent of
Sweetwater Union High School District, California’s
largest secondary school district.
• Christine Araki (’93 Community-Based Block) and
Nicole Roman (’10 School Counseling) were named
2022 San Diego County Counselors of the Year by
the San Diego County Office of Education.
• Julianna Barnes (’91 Community-Based Block, ’10
Ed.D. in Community College Leadership) was named
chancellor of the South Orange County Community
College District.
• Emelyn A. dela Peña (’98 Postsecondary Educational
Leadership, ’09 Joint Ed.D.) was named Vice
President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Loyola
Marymount University.
• Ashanti Hands (’94 Community-Based Block, ’14
Ed.D. in Community College Leadership) was named
president of San Diego Mesa College.
• Tiffany Jokerst (’06 Teaching Credential) was one
of five educators named a 2022 California Teacher
of the Year. Jokerst and Jacquelyn Flores Jourdane
(’20 M.A.T.) were named 2022 Teachers of the Year
by the San Diego County Office of Education.
• Eduardo Reyes (’13 Ed.D. in PK-12 Educational
Leadership) was named superintendent of the Chula
Vista Elementary School District.
ALUMNI
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PHILANTHROPY
FUNDRAISING TOTALS
$5.8 MILLION
Philanthropic support directed to the SDSU College of
Education from alumni, faculty, staff and friends in 2021-22.
To explore making a difference
through giving opportunities,
contact Megan Beardsley,
director of development, at
mbeardsley@sdsu.edu or
619-594-2277. Or learn more
by scanning this QR code:
ENDOWMENTS
The SDSU College of Education is grateful to the generous individuals and organizations who have created
the following endowments.
ARPE Emeriti Endowed Scholarship: Disability Research
Dr. Christianna Alger Memorial Endowed Scholarship
Gertrude Bell Endowed Scholarship
Ben Ziri #218 Endowed Scholarship
Betsey Love Biondo Student Teacher Endowed Scholarship
Brydegaard Faculty Development Endowment
Patricia Calhoun Endowed Scholarship
Chinese Cultural Center Endowment
Dr. Samuel M. Ciccati Endowed Scholarship
Josh A. Comay Endowed Scholarship in Child Development
Center for Critical Thinking Endowment
Mary Donaldson Endowed Scholarship
Educational Leadership Endowment
Vera Einstein Endowed Scholarship
Barbara Erickson Sisk Endowed Scholarship
Foelber Family Endowed Scholarship
Kurt Friedrich Memorial Endowment
Davene Gibson Endowed Scholarship
Halfaker Memorial Endowment
Peggy Hawley Endowed Scholarship
Judy James Memorial Endowed Scholarship
Russ and Judy James Endowed Scholarship
LaPray/Schmock Endowed Scholarship
Ray Letsinger Endowed Scholarship
Catherine Y. Lodge Endowment
Mary Catherine Martinez Endowed Scholarship
Maus Faculty Development Endowment
Jeanne Mendoza Collaboration Endowment
Mission Federal Credit Union Endowment
Margaret “Robin” Murphy Memorial Endowed Scholarship
Miriam Paine Memorial Endowed Scholarship
Dr. Leonard Pellettiri & Mary Rose Family Memorial Endowed
Scholarship
Tom and Audrey Pine Literacy Center Endowment
ISMA-Qualcomm Endowment
NCUST-Qualcomm Endowment
Helen and Charles Rappe Teaching Excellence Endowed Scholarship
Dr. Ed Reed Scholarship Endowment
James Rostello Counseling and Psychological Services Endowment
Santa Cruz Family Endowed Doctoral Scholarship
Richard Servey Endowed Scholarship
Leonard Sherr Memorial Endowed Scholarship
Janet Sinegal Endowed Scholarship
Mary Alys Skulavik and Vera Jo Skulavik Endowed Scholarship
Janet Sloan Breece Memorial Endowed Scholarship
Amber Christine Soule Endowment
Joe & Betty Suozzo Education Endowed Scholarship
Georgia Tait Stooke Endowment
Leslee K. Teincuff Memorial Endowed Scholarship
Gordon Thompson Endowment
John Tucker Endowed Scholarship
Marian K. Van Kirk Endowed Scholarship
Catherine and David Want Mathematics Teacher Endowed
Scholarship
Wilson Faculty Development Endowment
Erma Woike Staff Development Endowment
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PHILANTHROPY

IN FOCUS
LEAVING A
LASTING LEGACY
Rafaela Santa Cruz is proud of SDSU’s Joint Ph.D.
Program in Education (JDP) between San Diego State
University and Claremont
Graduate University —
particularly its success in
providing a welcoming and
supportive pathway to a Ph.D.
for people of color.
Santa Cruz is a pivotal
figure in making the JDP a
top program for producing
scholars committed to
democratic schooling, social
justice and educational equity.
“You can’t put a price on it.
When I first started at SDSU,
I would have students come
up to me and say ‘You’re the
first Latina professor I’ve
ever seen.’”
— Rafaela Santa Cruz, Director Emeritus JDP
A professor of mathematics education at SDSU for more
than 40 years, she is the JDP’s longest-serving director,
guiding the program from 2005-
2016 and again on an interim basis
from 2018-19.
Recently, Santa Cruz decided
to leave yet another lasting
impact on the program, making a
generous gift to endow the Santa
Cruz Family Scholarship. The
scholarship is estimated to award
one student $1,000 per year in
perpetuity.
Photo: Rafaela Santa Cruz
PHILANTHROPY
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