Awards

Three GSE alumnae receive recognition for excellence in education

Jeannie Crumly Cole — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 21:51:13 +0000

Three GSE alumnae receive recognition for excellence in education

Jeannie Crumly Cole Mon, 08/18/2025 - 14:51

From left to right, the 2025 Alumni Excellence in Education honorees are Tina Cheuk, Laura Evans, and Heather Kirkpatrick. (photo credits: courtesy Tina Cheuk; Herve Philippe; courtesy Heather Kirkpatrick)

Alumni | Announcements | Awards

Tina Cheuk, Laura Evans, and Heather Kirkpatrick are the recipients of the 2025 Alumni Excellence in Education Award.

August 18, 2025

By Aimee Richer

As classrooms around the nation begin to come alive for the new academic year, the �� Graduate School of Education (GSE) celebrates the educators at the heart of it all. The annual Alumni Excellence in Education Award (AEEA) is the highest honor bestowed by the GSE in recognition of the extraordinary achievements of alumni who exemplify excellence in their work, embody the values of the GSE, and extend its impact far beyond the university.

This year’s AEEA honorees are Tina Cheuk, Laura Evans, and Heather Kirkpatrick. Through research, transformative teaching, and pioneering leadership, each distinguished honoree has made a lasting impact on the educational landscape.

“AEEA offers a chance to reflect on the collective impact that GSE alumni have had on education and the communities they serve,” Dean Dan Schwartz said. “For over a decade, we’ve had the opportunity to publicly recognize and celebrate alumni for achievements ranging from being exceptional teachers here in California to transforming entire school systems in faraway nations.”

Each year, award recipients are selected by a committee of GSE alumni, faculty, and the dean. The nomination and selection process has continually evolved over the years to ensure the awards are equitable, inclusive, and reflective of the broader alumni population.

Director of Alumni Relations Marly Solebello said the yearlong process of determining each year’s award winners is essential to the success of the program. “One of the reasons this award is so meaningful is that it is an award decided upon by their peers. Any graduate of the GSE can be nominated, and every nomination is thoroughly considered by our alumni and faculty who care deeply about this community and the work our alumni do in service to education.”

Moolani Napolitani, MA’06, chair of the nominating committee, has participated in the award process for 11 years. “I am honored to be counted among such accomplished professionals as part of the GSE community,” she said. “Bringing visibility to their work not only celebrates the award winners but also elevates the profession of education and all that’s possible as a career path.”

Tina Cheuk

Dr. Tina Cheuk, MA ’07, PhD ’19, is a tenured associate professor of elementary science education at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Her work focuses on expanding access to high-quality science and bilingual education, with a sharp focus on equity and student-parent success. She has advised the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, has contributed to the California State Literacy Plan, and serves on the advisory board for the California Alliance for Student Parent Success. Dr. Cheuk leads teacher preparation and research efforts that shape educational policy and practice nationwide.

“Since graduating from �� in 2019, Tina has emerged as a transformational leader whose advocacy and dedicated strategies have advanced practices and policy supporting student parents, an often invisible population,” said Ann Jaquith, GSE lecturer and director of the Policy, Organization, and Leadership Studies master's program.

Laura Evans

Laura Evans, MA ’97, has spent over 25 years championing equitable mathematics instruction. Her teaching and coaching are rooted in the belief that all students deserve access to math as a meaningful, creative, and collaborative endeavor. Through her work with �� Teacher Education Program (STEP), the Knowles Teacher Initiative, and the San Mateo-Foster City School District, she has guided hundreds of educators in designing inclusive math experiences that inspire curiosity and confidence.

One of the newest AEEA nominating committee members, Vaibhavi Gala, MA '00, captured Laura’s impact well: “‘I can do math!’ These words are magical to hear, yet still too rare. Laura hasn't just helped students believe them in her classrooms; she's sparked a systemic shift through a range of powerful initiatives and programs, making math confidence a reality for thousands.”

Heather Kirkpatrick

Dr. Heather Kirkpatrick, PhD ’00, is the president and CEO of Alder Graduate School of Education. Heather began her career in service and teaching before helping to grow Aspire Public Schools from two to 40 schools, ultimately launching Alder GSE as a pioneering residency-based graduate program.

“I cannot overstate the importance of Heather's contribution to the field in creating a teacher preparation program that produces one of the highest number of teachers in California who are most likely to stay in teaching and excel in the classroom,” said Professor Susanna Loeb.

Celebrating the awardees

“When I think of the Alumni Excellence in Education Awards, it’s a little like graduation,” Schwartz said. “Graduation isn’t for the students; it’s for the parents. For the awardees of AEEA, it’s great, but the program is really for the rest of us—to be able to celebrate these amazing accomplishments.”

This year’s awardees will be celebrated at a ceremony on October 17, 2025, during ��’s reunion weekend.

AEEA is made possible by the generosity and vision of Angela Filo, ’93, and David Filo, MS ’90, and the philanthropic support of the Skyline Foundation and others.

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�� education professor Amado Padilla appointed to endowed chair

Olivia Peterkin — Fri, 25 Jul 2025 16:58:25 +0000

�� education professor Amado Padilla appointed to endowed chair

Olivia Peterkin Fri, 07/25/2025 - 09:58

Amado Padilla was named the Vida Jacks Professor of Education. (Photo: Sherry Tesler)

Announcements | Awards

Padillo is honored with the Vida Jacks Professorship of Education.

July 25, 2025

By Olivia Peterkin

�� Graduate School of Education (GSE) Professor Amado Padilla has been appointed to an endowed chair, the highest honor the university can bestow upon faculty.

Padilla, whose research focuses on resilience in education, was named the Vida Jacks Professor of Education.

GSE Dean Dan Schwartz announced Padilla’s appointment to GSE faculty in June.

“Throughout his career, Dr. Padilla has maintained a steadfast commitment to equity, student development, and educational access, with a particular focus on historically underserved communities,” Schwartz wrote in his nomination for Padilla’s professorship.

“Dr. Padilla’s contributions have shaped the institutions he’s served and inspired a generation of educators and learners,” Schwartz continued. “His lifelong dedication to academic excellence, equity, and transformative education makes him a compelling candidate for professorial recognition and a valuable contributor to the academic community.”

Padilla joined �� in 1988, and he was also the associate dean for faculty affairs at the GSE for four years.

His research centers on three areas: students who excel academically despite being raised in challenging backgrounds; acculturation, its negative impacts, and bicultural strategies; and learning a second language and bilingual proficiency. He also co-authored a book entitled Positive Psychology and Second Language Education, with Xinjie Chen, about theories and practices related to teaching and learning second/foreign languages for all ages.

He has held key leadership roles in public school systems and university settings, where he has designed and managed comprehensive student support programs. He is also the founding editor of the Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences and principal investigator of the California World Language Project, a program that assists California teachers in world language instruction.

“I have received other awards and honors during my academic career, but receiving the Vida Jacks Chair in Education is perhaps the most significant since it comes from the GSE, which has long been my academic home,” Padilla said. “I have been in the GSE long enough to have known prior recipients of the professorship, scholars who I’ve respected, and it’s an honor to follow in their footsteps."

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GSE professor among seven �� faculty elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Olivia Peterkin — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 21:42:50 +0000

GSE professor among seven �� faculty elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Olivia Peterkin Wed, 04/23/2025 - 14:42

Walter Powell is the Jacks Professor of Education at the GSE.

Announcements | Awards

Walter Powell is the Jacks Family Professor in the Graduate School of Education and faculty co-director of the �� Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society.

April 23, 2025

Walter Powell, a professor at �� Graduate School of Education (GSE), was one of seven �� faculty recently elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, an honor that recognizes exceptional scholars and researchers who discover, advance, and apply knowledge to the problems of society.

Powell, who is the Jacks Professor of Education and co-faculty director of the �� Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society, focuses his research on how ideas and practices move across organizations, and the role of networks in facilitating or hindering the transfer of ideas.

“The Academy honors excellence across a wide range of disciplines and professions, and our newly elected members have demonstrated expertise and leadership of astonishing breadth and impact,” said Academy board chair Goodwin Liu, associate justice of the California Supreme Court, in the announcement of the new members. “We look forward to engaging their diverse talents and experiences through Academy initiatives that bring interdisciplinary inquiry and unfettered pursuit of knowledge to bear on our society’s greatest challenges.”

In addition to Powell, ��’s newly elected members include Anne Brunet, professor of genetics in the School of Medicine; Lance Dixon, professor of particle physics and astrophysics at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory ; Ian Gotlib, professor of psychology in the School of Humanities and Sciences (H&S); Christopher Manning, professor of linguistics in H&S and the Thomas M. Siebel Professor in Machine Learning and professor of computer science in the School of Engineering; Paul Segall, professor of geophysics in the �� Doerr School of Sustainability; and Kang Shen, professor of biology in H&S and professor of pathology in �� Medicine, were among nearly 250 newly elected members this year.

“These new members’ accomplishments speak volumes about the human capacity for discovery, creativity, leadership, and persistence. They are a stellar testament to the power of knowledge to broaden our horizons and deepen our understanding,” said Academy President Laurie L. Patton, in the announcement. “We invite every new member to celebrate their achievement and join the Academy in our work to promote the common good.”

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Faculty mentioned in this article: Woody Powell

�� GSE Professor Emeritus David Labaree elected to the National Academy of Education

Olivia Peterkin — Fri, 07 Feb 2025 22:52:02 +0000

�� GSE Professor Emeritus David Labaree elected to the National Academy of Education

Olivia Peterkin Fri, 02/07/2025 - 14:52

GSE Professor Emeritus David Labaree was recently elected to the National Academy of Education.

Announcements | Awards | Research and Practice

Labaree’s research centers on the history of the American school system and the relationship between school and society.

February 7, 2025

By Olivia Peterkin

David Labaree, a professor emeritus at �� Graduate School of Education (GSE), has been elected as a member of the National Academy of Education (NAEd).

He joins a cohort of 22 distinguished professors selected for membership earlier this year, representing a diverse scope of expertise in education research and policy.

Labaree is one of more than two dozen �� colleagues in NAEd, the highest representation of any university, including fellow GSE Professor Alfredo J. Artiles, who will begin his presidency at the organization in October.

“Our distinguished colleagues now joining the National Academy of Education bring the range of expertise and commitments needed for our field to update itself and wrestle with these complexities [of our democratic experiment in governance] continuously,” said Carol D. Lee, current NAEd president. “We are delighted and honored that this cohort of scholars will join us in tackling these complexities.”

Labaree, the Lee L. Jacks Professor of Education, Emeritus, joined the GSE in 2003. His work focuses on the history of education through the lens of sociology.

“I was very excited and also quite surprised when I found out,” Labaree said. “I was already long retired so I figured it was past my time to get elected.”

Labaree’s research and interests center on exploring the development of the American school system and the relationship between education and society in the United States, and the role school plays in America. He is the author of several books and articles including How to Succeed in School Without Really Learning, The Trouble with Ed Schools, and A Perfect Mess: The Unlikely Ascendancy of American Higher Education.

Labaree taught courses on the history of school reform, the history of higher education in the United States, and historical and sociological perspectives on schools of education. He has served as president of the History of Education Society, and is a fellow of the American Educational Research Association.

“As someone who thought their days of accomplishment were behind them, I value joining the National Academy of Education very highly,” he said. “I’m excited to see what this next chapter holds.”

Founded in 1965, the National Academy of Education advances education research and its use in policy formation and practice. The Academy consists of U.S. members and foreign associates elected based on outstanding education-related scholarship.

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Faculty mentioned in this article: David F. Labaree , Alfredo Artiles

�� GSE commemorates 10th year of Alumni Excellence in Education Award

Olivia Peterkin — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 18:41:56 +0000

�� GSE commemorates 10th year of Alumni Excellence in Education Award

Olivia Peterkin Tue, 07/23/2024 - 11:41

From left to right, the AEEA 2024 honorees are Rachel Lotan, Ana Miguel, Matthew Kelly and Marisol Castillo.

Alumni | Announcements | Awards

Rachel Lotan, Ana Miguel, Matthew Kelly and Marisol Castillo will be awarded this year for their exemplary leadership in education.

July 31, 2024

By Olivia Peterkin

When Bernardo Naranjo, PhD ’02, received �� Graduate School of Education’s (GSE) Alumni Excellence in Education Award (AEEA) in 2018 he’d been more than a decade into directing Proyecto Educativo, an organization that designs and implements strategies to improve public school systems in Latin America.

One of 35 honorees to be named since the first cohort was announced in 2014, he said the award emphasized to him “the powerful message” that educators matter, reinforcing his sense of purpose.

“Receiving the award has been a highlight of my career and a catalyst for a renewed focus,” Naranjo said. “It serves as a constant reminder that our goal goes well beyond improving indicators and test scores, we’re to improve lives.”

In addition to lauding those who have demonstrated their dedication to education and learning, the award also seeks to inspire those pursuing careers in education, says Fadia Desmond, MA ’95, one of the award committee's longest-serving chairs.

“Prospective GSE students may see how their path through graduate school and into the field can be impactful to communities near and far,” said Desmond, who is currently the president and CEO of St. Francis Catholic High School in Sacramento. “Our award winners set an example of the immense opportunities within education and inspire future career paths.”

Now in its 10th year, four new GSE alumni are being acknowledged for their commitment to equitable classrooms, teaching, education policy, and math education:

Rachel Lotan, MA ’81, MA ’83, and PhD ’85, Professor (teaching), �� Teacher Education Program (STEP) Director Emerita, �� University and director of the Program for Complex Instruction at ��
Ana Miguel, MA ’12, Teacher at Desert Mirage High School, Coachella Valley Unified School District
Matthew Kelly, MA ’15, PhD ’18, Assistant Professor, University of Washington
Marisol Castillo, ’03, MA ’04, English teacher at E.L. Haynes School in Washington, D.C.

“Every year, I am wowed by our alumni. They exemplify all that’s possible in education and show true commitment and dedication to the students they serve,” said Dan Schwartz, dean of the GSE. “I’m very proud of these exceptional educators.”

Honorees over the past decade have included principals, researchers and teachers of all subjects.

Salina Gray, PhD ’14, was an honoree in 2021, and says the award gave her a second wind coming out of the pandemic.

“Rarely have I seen viral stories about how hard teachers work to support, encourage and inspire students,” said Gray, PhD ’14, a middle school science teacher in Riverside, California. “The fact that ��, a world renowned, prestigious university celebrates educators shows that education is indeed among the most significant and valuable professions.”

Marisol Castillo

Castillo, MA ’04, has been working in high school classrooms teaching English and humanities for 21 years.

“Words fall short in attempting to encapsulate the impact a teacher like Marisol Castillo has had on my academic development and personal journey,” said Darlyn Portillo Mejia, one of her previous students at E.L. Haynes. “Her dedication and devotion to teaching are beyond the classroom; she aspires to not only educate students but also to shape individuals.”

Matthew Kelly

Kelly, PhD ’18, is an assistant professor at the University of Washington, a recent transition after leveraging his knowledge of history and policy analysis to work as an expert witness in a civil rights case challenging the use of state education funding formulas in Pennsylvania.

“As a scholar who recognizes the value and significance of public scholarship, I am incredibly proud to know Dr. Kelly,” said Ericka Weathers, PhD ’18, an assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education, where Kelly was an assistant professor. “Without a doubt, Dr. Kelly’s research and service to the state of Pennsylvania will positively change the lives and learning opportunities of millions of children for decades to come.”

Rachel Lotan

Lotan, MA ’81 and PhD ’85 — who will be receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award this year — is a professor emerita of education, former director of STEP for 15 years, and the current director of the Program for Complex Instruction at ��.

“[Lotan] has been an inspiration to hundreds of educators and has had an impact on thousands of students worldwide,” said Nancy Lobell, a staff member with the STEP program. “I was blessed to work with Rachel for the 14 years that our time at STEP overlapped, and I consider her to be the greatest teacher of the many mentors I have had.”

Lotan is only the fifth honoree in the history of AEEA to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award, which highlights those who have spent remarkable effort and time to changemaking through education.

“Our STEP alumni are passionate teacher-leaders shaping and improving lives and opportunities for young people, their families, and communities through excellence in teaching,” said GSE Professor and STEP Faculty Director Ira Lit, who represents the program on the AEEA committee.

“Seeing the wide array of ways our collective community is shaping educational advance and enhancing opportunity for those who need it most makes the AEEA event truly special and meaningful, and I look forward to it every year.”

Ana Miguel

Miguel, MA ’12, is a teacher of 12 years who returned to her home in Coachella Valley after graduating from STEP. During her time as a teacher, she’s taught hundreds of students to fall in love with math, and launched a new course that combines statistics and social justice.

“When I think of the kind of powerful leaders we need in this world, I think Ana is a perfect example,” said Rochelle Gutiérrez, BA ’90, professor of curriculum and instruction at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. “She is thoughtful, humble, and leading in education through her everyday actions.”

Celebrating success

“By sharing these stories, this recognition promotes a broader understanding of what impactful education looks like in various contexts,” said former GSE lecturer and 2016 honoree Piya Sorcar, MA ’06, PhD ’09, founder and CEO of TeachAids.

“It encourages a culture of continuous improvement and lifelong learning among educators, which is vital for the advancement of the field.”

Each year, winners of the awards are chosen by a panel that includes GSE alumni, faculty and the dean. Recipients also receive an honorarium made possible through the generosity and vision of Angela, ’93, and David Filo, MS ’90, and the Skyline Foundation.

Rebecca Altamirano, MA ’01, one of AEEA’s founding committee members, says that many GSE graduates devote their lives to changing the status quo, something the award helps recognize and celebrate.

“I am proud to be part of an effort that raises awareness of unsung heroes lifting up vulnerable communities and policy makers tackling the toughest educational problems,” said Altamirano, who is also an author and entrepreneur.

This year’s awardees will be celebrated at a ceremony during �� Reunion on Oct. 25.

Learn more about how recipients are selected and read up on past alumni awarded for their excellence in education.

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Faculty mentioned in this article: Rachel Lotan , Dan Schwartz , Piya Sorcar , Ira Lit

GSE 2024 graduates leave campus to lead lives in service to learning

Olivia Peterkin — Tue, 18 Jun 2024 20:13:24 +0000

GSE 2024 graduates leave campus to lead lives in service to learning

Olivia Peterkin Tue, 06/18/2024 - 13:13

GSE students cheer as fellow graduates receive their diplomas on Sunday, June 16. (Photo: Charles Russo)

Announcements | Awards | Campus Life

�� students urged to endure in education by tapping into the communities around them.

June 18, 2024

By Olivia Peterkin

From bouncing babies and cheerful children, to young adults and centenarians, the full breadth of human life was in attendance at �� Graduate School of Education’s (GSE) 2024 commencement ceremony on Sunday, June 16.

The air was electric as GSE students who’ve been on campus from one to five-plus years prepared to receive the fruits of their labor: a degree that will equip them to better education out in the world. Packing most of the seats, though, were the friends, family members, and loved ones that supported students along the way.

“I would like to remind everyone that graduate ceremonies are not really for the students,” said GSE Dean Dan Schwartz before asking graduates to face the audience as part of a longstanding tradition.

“They are for the families and friends of the graduates who are proud of what they have done to help their graduates succeed.”

Virginia "Ginger" Hislop (center) holds her long-awaited master’s in education diploma surrounded by 16 family members, including grand- and great-grandchildren. (Photo: Charles Russo)

The arc of a life

Included among the throng of people cheering on their graduates was 16 family members belonging to one Virginia “Ginger” Hislop, a �� education student who left campus in 1941 just before turning in her master’s thesis due to her then-boyfriend, now late husband, George, getting summoned to serve in World War II.

“My job as a commencement speaker is to help everyone imagine the arc of life and its possibilities and accomplishments, from the past, to the present moment, and into the future,” Schwartz said in a moving address to students.

“Often this involves a speech with soaring and evocative language to engender your imaginations. This year, I would like to do something different. I will show you the arc of life, and I will try not to cry.”

He went on to share Hislop’s many accomplishments since leaving �� 83 years ago, including heading school boards and advocating for students, exemplifying what it looks like to live a life in service of education. Schwartz then conferred Hislop’s long-awaited master of arts in education, just four days after her 105th birthday.

“To me, this degree is an appreciation of the many years I’ve put in working for the schools in the Yakima area and on state boards,” said Hislop, who was born in Palo Alto and resides in Yakima, Washington.

GSE faculty including Dean Dan Schwartz (second from left) and flag bearer Megan Selbach-Allen (far left) prepare to lead the procession at commencement. Upon graduation, Selbach-Allen will work as an education research scientist. (Photo: Charles Russo)

Principles of problem solving in education

Getting to commencement required no shortage of coursework for GSE’s class of 2024 — which this year included 130 master’s, 27 doctoral, 17 joint degree, and 28 undergraduate honors and minors students — so it was only fitting that John Willinsky, Khosla Family Professor Emeritus, structured his speech as a last lecture of sorts.

“It has always been the hope of those sitting on this stage [faculty] that our work will assist in all of the good that you are destined to do in education,” said Willinsky, who taught at �� for 15 years before retiring in July of 2022.

His “lecture” had three simple principles for students to follow in order to solve problems in education:

Find what you can fix in a picture that’s wrong.
Patiently support those who can help fix the picture.
Be prepared to iterate and adjust your approach when you encounter unexpected consequences or challenges.

“I’m certain that you graduates – who have already done so much and who hold such promise – are going to improve a great many pictures,” Willinsky said.

For Megan Selbach-Allen PhD ’24, this year’s flag bearer at commencement, the educational picture she’s trying to fix involves the teaching and learning of math for undergraduate students.

“It’s totally fine if someone doesn’t want to start studying a STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering, Math] subject, but if they do start wanting to pursue STEM, and decide against it because they have bad math instruction or classes, that’s a problem that I want to be a part of solving,” said Selbach-Allen, who was a Marine Corps officer prior to joining the GSE in 2018.

After graduation, Selbach-Allen will work as an education research scientist in Harvard University’s math department, where part of her work will be mentoring teaching fellows in education research.

“I’m excited to be a part of teaching the next generation of faculty in mathematics how to teach math based on education research,” she said.

Kemi Oyewole, PhD ’24, accepts her diploma from Dean Dan Schwartz after receiving the Walter J. Gores award for excellence in teaching earlier this month. (Photo: Charles Russo)

Pursuing excellence

Also among the 2024 graduates that received degrees on Sunday was Kemi Oyewole, PhD ’24, who was honored earlier this month with the Walter J. Gores Award, the university’s highest award for excellence in teaching.

“The Gores Award is a humbling recognition of the importance of the university as a place for personal, not only academic, development,” said Oyewole, whose research focuses on what instructional coaching teaches about the needs of contemporary K-12 school systems.

“At its best, teaching asks us to combine our previous experiences with new learning to see the world more expansively,” she said. “I am committed to empowering students to examine who is harmed by unjust social policies and to critically imagine ways people can work together to address these harms.”

Following graduation, Oyewole plans on continuing her research as a provost's postdoctoral fellow at the University of Pennsylvania.

“Commencement was an overwhelming culmination of the love and learning that led me to this milestone,” she said. “My degree is an achievement shared with the family who prayed for me, friends who supported me, and educators whose experiences shaped my dissertation.”

Willinsky closed out his commencement speech by mirroring the way Schwartz opened it: asking students to recognize the community that led them to this auspicious chapter.

“The graduates have been a source of insight, inspiration, and understanding for all of us,” he said.

“Members of the GSE community, by which I mean everyone assembled here, turn to your right and to your left, look forward and turn around, to say thank you to those all around you for helping bring us to this moment. All of us here are a part of it all.”

GSE 2024 graduates pose for pictures in the crowd at commencement. (Photo: Charles Russo)

A �� Teacher Education Program graduate receives her diploma from Dean Dan Schwartz with the newest member of her family. (Photo: Charles Russo)

�� Teacher Education Program (STEP) students cheer on other graduates receiving their diplomas. (Photo: Charles Russo)

Education Data Science master’s graduates beam during the commencement recessional. (Photo: Charles Russo)

GSE family members cheered on their graduates with banners, flags, flowers, and signs. (Photo: Charles Russo)

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Faculty mentioned in this article: Dan Schwartz , John Willinsky

Two GSE professors win national education research awards

Olivia Peterkin — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 21:03:25 +0000

Two GSE professors win national education research awards

Olivia Peterkin Mon, 04/08/2024 - 14:03

Photo: Andrew Brodhead

Announcements | Awards | Faculty and Programs

The AERA honored Thomas S. Dee and Guillermo Solano-Flores at its annual conference.

April 15, 2024

By Olivia Peterkin

Two �� Graduate School of Education (GSE) professors, Thomas S. Dee and Guillermo Solano-Flores, have been recognized by the American Educational Research Association (AERA) for their contributions to the field.

The AERA honored Dee and Solano-Flores, along with other award recipients, during its 2024 annual meeting April 11-14 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia.

“We are pleased to present the 2024 awards to this commendable and exemplary group of education scholars and champions,” AERA Executive Director Felice J. Levine said in a statement. “They each have contributed tremendously to education research, across all career stages and fields, that have made and continue to make a difference in the lives of students and educators.”

GSE Professor Thomas Dee

Dee received the AERA's Outstanding Public Communication of Education Research Award, which honors scholars who excel at conveying findings to wide audiences and demonstrate the capacity to communicate the importance of education research to the larger populace.

"I'm deeply grateful for this award and, more generally, for the AERA's recognition that the public communication of education research matters," Dee said. "I believe one of the most important challenges — and greatest opportunities — in education involves closing the often substantial gaps between what researchers have learned and what practitioners know and do. Broader communication and public engagement by researchers is a critical component of closing these research-practice gaps."

Dee's research focuses largely on the use of quantitative methods to inform contemporary issues of public policy and practice.

GSE Professor Guillermo Solano-Flores

Solano-Flores received the Robert L. Linn Distinguished Address Award, which honors a scholar whose work bridges educational measurement and other areas of research, creating widespread positive impact in the field of education measurement. His research focuses on the intersection of assessment, cultural and linguistic diversity, and fairness, especially as it relates to the testing of U.S. students who are not proficient in English, students from different countries in the context of international comparisons, and students with disabilities.

"I am happy to receive an award that honors Bob Linn, a great scholar who modeled for us how measurement specialists should pay attention to social issues and policy," Solano-Flores said.

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Faculty mentioned in this article: Thomas S. Dee , Guillermo Solano-Flores

STEP summer learning program receives community partnership award

Olivia Peterkin — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 19:49:36 +0000

STEP summer learning program receives community partnership award

Olivia Peterkin Mon, 03/25/2024 - 12:49

President Richard Saller (center) with Sunnyvale School District Superintendent Michael Gallagher (third from right); GSE Professor Ira Lit (second from right); and Ruth Ann Costanzo (fourth from right), STEP director of clinical work, K-12; and their teams. (Image credit: Peggy Propp)

Announcements | Awards | Impact

Service to community is the common trait for the four efforts celebrated March 1.

March 25, 2024

A partnership between the �� Teacher Education Program (STEP) and the Sunnyvale School District to fight summer learning loss was one of three campus-community partnerships recognized at a ceremony on March 1.

The 2024 �� Community Partnership Award, organized by the Office of Community Engagement, spotlights people and partnerships that forge meaningful collaboration between �� University and local communities. �� President Richard Saller welcomed more than 100 regional leaders and �� community members at the el PRADO Hotel in downtown Palo Alto to celebrate those at the heart of engagement work.

“Those of you who are receiving a Community Partnership Award today represent people and organizations that have stepped up and come together with the belief that problems have solutions,” said Martin Shell, vice president and chief executive external relations officer.

Celebrating more than a decade of service in Sunnyvale

Since 2010, the Sunnyvale School District has partnered with STEP, a 12-month master's program at the Graduate School of Education, to offer a summer program for 600 to 800 students each year. The partnership is a reciprocal relationship, affording an academically enriching summer for K-8 students that instills confidence and a learning mindset, and the opportunity for �� graduate students to work with teacher-mentors who equip them to hit the ground running in subsequent teaching placements.

The local collaboration has involved more than 9,000 K-8 students, over 1,000 STEP students, and 400 classroom teachers and summer school leaders.

“The STEP-Sunnyvale Summer Explorations program has truly been a sustained, mutual, and impactful partnership effort," said GSE Professor and STEP Faculty Director Ira Lit. "The shared ambitions of STEP and the Sunnyvale School District have been to support the learning, engagement, and growth of Sunnyvale students, while simultaneously offering a rich opportunity for professional learning for STEP teacher candidates and the participating Summer Explorations summer school teachers and mentors."

In addition to the STEP partnership, the awards honored a project of the �� Jail & Prison Education Project and the San Francisco Sheriff’s Office that brings learning opportunities into San Francisco jails, and a partnership between �� Medicine’s Office of Child Health Equity and Second Harvest of Silicon Valley to make food access part of health care delivery.

Assistant Professor Christopher Piech also received the Miriam Aaron Roland Volunteer Service Prize for launching Code in Place during the pandemic, a program where volunteers instruct the free-to-all online introductory programming course.

Launched in 2004 by the Office of Public Affairs, nominations are made by campus and community leaders, and the selection committee awards projects that demonstrate excellence in three criteria: meets a need; creatively connects campus and community; and engages students, staff, and/or faculty in service.

"The award is a meaningful recognition of the impact that such a deep collaborative endeavor can have on a community of learners,” Lit said.

This article is adapted from the original by Lisa Chung and Gabriela Herrera in �� Report.

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Faculty mentioned in this article: Ira Lit

Five GSE projects awarded Community Engagement Impact funds for local collaborations

Olivia Peterkin — Wed, 21 Feb 2024 22:26:17 +0000

Five GSE projects awarded Community Engagement Impact funds for local collaborations

Olivia Peterkin Wed, 02/21/2024 - 14:26

Preschoolers work on an exercise with STEM from the Start, an initiative run by Peninsula Family Service (PFS). A collaboration between PFS and the �� Center on Early Childhood has been awarded funding through the 2024 Community Engagement Impact Program. (Photo: Anna Duenas)

Announcements | Awards | Impact

Projects address early STEM education, racial trauma in schools, elementary school assignment policies, and more.

February 22, 2024

By Olivia Peterkin

The �� Office of Community Engagement (OCE) selected five �� Graduate School of Education (GSE) projects to receive funding through its 2024 Community Engagement Impact Program, which supports initiatives that connect �� research and programs with regional needs.

A total of 21 projects led by scholars across campus were chosen this year by a campus community selection committee. All projects are co-created with community nonprofits or public entities.

“The 2024 program celebrates collaborations between �� and community organizations that involve listening and understanding the challenges we want to solve together,” said Megan Swezey Fogarty, OCE's senior associate vice president for community engagement. “Trusting relationships matter – and lead to collective results.”

The five GSE projects selected for the award are as follows:

Educating and Engaging Our Community in STEM

Led by: Philip Fisher, GSE professor and director of the �� Center on Early Childhood (SCEC); and Kathryn Beauchamp, director of impact evaluation at the SCEC
With community collaborator: Peninsula Family Service (PFS)

The SCEC will partner with PFS to develop, expand, and plan a parent engagement component of PFS’ existing STEM from the Start program. OCE impact funds will support focus groups and workshops, and provide translation services and personnel for all phases of the learning evaluation work.

Engaging SFUSD Stakeholders in Increasing Equitable Access to Schools

Led by: Francis Pearman, assistant professor of education at the GSE; and Irene Lo, assistant professor, and Itai Ashlagi, professor, �� School of Engineering
With community collaborator: San Francisco Unified School District

The �� Impact Lab on Equitable Access to Education and the San Francisco Unified School District will implement the elementary student assignment policy for the 2026-27 school year. OCE impact funds will support the creation of community engagement materials and tools, compensation for participating families, and funding for research assistants and facilitators.

Fostering Belonging Across the Middle-to-High-School Transition

Led by: Kristin Geiser, deputy director, and Sebastian Castrechini, research associate, John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities
With community collaborators: Ravenswood City School District, Redwood City School District, and Sequoia Union High School District

Gardner Center researchers will convene staff from all three districts to pilot an agenda that fosters a sense of belonging in the transition into high school. OCE impact funds will support convenings and provide materials, services and stipends for youth researchers from the schools.

Healing and TRANSFORMing Racial Stress and Trauma in Schools

Led by: Farzana Saleem, assistant professor of education at the GSE
With community collaborator: East Palo Alto Academy

TRANSFORM, which stands for Trauma and Racism Addressed by Navigating Systemic Forms of Oppression with Resilience Methods, is a group-based intervention designed to heal and address racial stress and trauma. The current phase of the pilot project will involve about 30 students in a small-scale efficacy study. OCE impact funds will be used to supply TRANSFORM student groups with materials, provide participant compensation, and support the research team.

STEP-Peninsula Bridge Summer Teacher Fellowship

Led by: Ira Lit, professor of education (teaching) at the GSE
With community collaborator: Peninsula Bridge

The �� Teacher Education Program (STEP) and Peninsula Bridge will collaborate to support Peninsula Bridge’s summer school programs in San Mateo County. STEP will recruit and support teachers from its most recent graduating classes to serve as educators in the Summer Bridge program. OCE impact funds will partially support six summer STEP teaching fellows, matched by Peninsula Bridge funds, and an instructional coach for the fellows, as well as administrative support.

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Faculty mentioned in this article: Ira Lit , Farzana Tabitha Adjah , Francis Pearman , Philip Fisher

Three �� GSE alumni awarded Knowles Fellowships for 2023

Olivia Peterkin — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 23:20:15 +0000

Three �� GSE alumni awarded Knowles Fellowships for 2023

Olivia Peterkin Mon, 12/11/2023 - 15:20

Knowles 2023 fellows and STEP graduates (left to right) Kelly Ho, Justin Park, and Kelsey Wong. (Photos: Andrea Cipriani Mecchi)

Alumni | Awards | Teaching

More than 86 alumni from the GSE’s STEP program have been awarded the teaching fellowships since the program’s inception in 2002.

December 11, 2023

By Olivia Peterkin

Three �� Graduate School of Education (GSE) alumni were among 27 early-career high school teachers selected as Knowles Teaching Fellows this year.

The prestigious honor includes five years of support from the Knowles Teacher Initiative in the form of mentoring, leadership development opportunities, stipends, and grants for teaching materials. The fellowship is valued at $150,000 per teacher, according to the teaching initiative.

More than 80 graduates of the �� Teacher Education Program (STEP), or nearly 17 percent of all fellows, have won Knowles Fellowships since its inception in 2002.

“The Knowles Teacher Initiative makes a meaningful impact by supporting the professional development of exceptional science and math educators and building a community of practice and support to sustain and nurture them,” said Ira William Lit, professor of education and faculty director of STEP.

“We are deeply proud that so many STEP alums have been recognized as Knowles Fellows over the years,” he said. “It’s a reflection of their excellence, a commitment to serving communities who need them, and the quality of their preparation at ��.”

The following �� graduates were selected as 2023 Knowles Teaching Fellows:

Kelly Ho began her first year of teaching biology at Milpitas High School during the 2023-24 academic year. She earned a BS in biology from the University of California at Los Angeles in 2021 and an MA in education from �� in 2023.

Justin Park began his first year of teaching mathematics at San Francisco International High School during the 2023-24 academic year. He earned a BS in mathematics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2022 and an MA in education from �� in 2023.

Kelsey Wong began her first year of teaching mathematics at Canyon Crest Academy in San Diego during the 2023-24 academic year. She earned a BS in computer science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2018 and an MA in education from �� in 2023.

For more about the fellows and the program, visit the Knowles Teacher Initiative website. Applications for 2024 Knowles Teaching Fellowships are now open.

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Awards

Three GSE alumnae receive recognition for excellence in education

Tina Cheuk

Laura Evans

Heather Kirkpatrick

Celebrating the awardees

������������ education professor Amado Padilla appointed to endowed chair

GSE professor among seven ������������ faculty elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

������������ GSE Professor Emeritus David Labaree elected to the National Academy of Education

������������ GSE commemorates 10th year of Alumni Excellence in Education Award

Marisol Castillo

Matthew Kelly

Rachel Lotan

Ana Miguel

Celebrating success

GSE 2024 graduates leave campus to lead lives in service to learning

The arc of a life

Principles of problem solving in education

Pursuing excellence

Two GSE professors win national education research awards

STEP summer learning program receives community partnership award

Celebrating more than a decade of service in Sunnyvale

Five GSE projects awarded Community Engagement Impact funds for local collaborations

Three ������������ GSE alumni awarded Knowles Fellowships for 2023

�� education professor Amado Padilla appointed to endowed chair

GSE professor among seven �� faculty elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

�� GSE Professor Emeritus David Labaree elected to the National Academy of Education

�� GSE commemorates 10th year of Alumni Excellence in Education Award

Three �� GSE alumni awarded Knowles Fellowships for 2023