Doctoral Dissertations

Below is a list of doctoral dissertations, along with links to the full texts. 

Dr. Stephen Bluestein

Title: Principal Effectiveness in California Elementary Schools

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Pete Goldschmidt

Dr. Debbie Bohn

Title: How First Generation Teachers in One District Use Early Literacy Data to Inform Their Instruction

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Peggy Johnson

Dr. Lasonja Brown

Title: How Do African American Males Perceive and experience School Belonging in a Suburban high school? How do their perceptions influence academic engagement?

Dissertation Chair: Dr. William De La Torre

Dr. Donna Campbell

Title: "I Don't Even Know You as a Teacher Yet, But You're Suspending my Child": Perceptions of Home-School Relationships among African American Parents of Students with Behavioral Problems

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Susan Auerbach

Dr. William Chang

Title: The Impact of K-5 Mandarin Foreign Language Instruction on Students' Academic, Attitudinal, and Cognitive Development

Dissertation Chair: Dr. John Reveles

Dr. Valerie Codron

Title: Transformational Leadership Practices: Their Impact on Student Achievement

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Richard Gregory

Dr. Terry Deloria

Title: The Effect of Teacher Urgency on Student Achievement: A Multivariate Linear Regression Analysis

Dissertation Chair: Pete Goldschmidt

Dr. Ellen Edeburn

Title:Factors Affecting the Normative Secondary Transition of Latina/o Students

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Gregory Knotts

Dr. Juliana Fabrocini

Title: The Impact of School-wide Collaboration Systems on Planning for Differentiated Instruction

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Nancy Burstein

Dr. Howard Fountaine

Title: Activity-Based Costing in Charter Schools: Facilitating Systemic Reform Through Better Understanding of Resource Use

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Richard Moore

Dr. Brandon Gallagher

Title: Teacher Feelings of Efficacy and Control: A Study of the Relationships of Global and Specific Measures of Self-Efficacy, Local Control, Teacher Performance, and Evaluation

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Richard Gregory

Dr. Timothy Guy

Title: Supports for High School Success: Perceptions of Males Students Living in Out-of-Home Care Attending a Comprehensive High School

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Miguel Ceja

Dr. Joshua Klarin

Title: Characteristics and Practices of Principals Who Receive a 6-Year WASC Accreditation Term

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Robert Kladifko

Dr. Stephanie Mcclay

Title: A Qualitative Study of Successful California Continuation High Schools: Effectively Serving Students at Risk

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Diane Gehart

Dr. Greg Miller

Title: What Works in Small Learning Communities: A Case Study of the Effective Elements in Small Learning Communities

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Jeanne Adams

Dr. Rachelle Minutella

Title: Secondary English Teachers and Self-Regulated Learning: A Qualitative Study of Teachers' Attitudes and Practices

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Diane Gehart

Dr. Vivian Perez-Kennedy

Title: Paraprofessional Support for the Behavioral Needs of Students with Disabilities

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Nancy Burstein

Dr. Patricia Pernin

Title: Providing Targeted Professional Development to Enhance Content Specific Workgroups

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Julie Gainsburg

Dr. David Riddick

Title: Overcoming Organizational Barriers to the Implementation of Response to Intervention (RtI): Aligning Theories of Action to Increase Student Achievement

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Richard Gregory

Dr. Dilmit Singh

Title: Supporting Professional Learning Communities in a Large Comprehensive High School

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Peggy Johnson

Dr. Erin Studer

Title: The Implementation Context: Teachers' Implementation of Skills Learned During Professional Development

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Gregory Knotts

Dr. Jesus Vaca

Title: Minority Students Can be Gifted Too: A Study of the Human Influence in the Underrepresentation of Minority Students in GATE

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Jody Dunlap

Dr. Donna Zero

Title: Teacher Practices in Differentiated Instruction: A Survey of Practices in Grades Four Through Eight

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Peggy Johnson

 

Dr. Anna Badalyan

Title: Program Review Institutionalization as an Indicator of Institutional Effectiveness in The California Community Colleges

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Nathan Durdella

Dr. Stephanie Bluestein

Title: A Qualitative Inquiry of the Impact of Student-Faculty Interaction on Academic Dishonesty in the Community College

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Nathan Durdella

Dr. Vanidy Bailey

Title: The Tapestry of Black Female Leadership: A Study of the Culture of Student Leadership in a Locally-Sponsored, Culturally-Based Student Organization

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Nathan Durdella

Dr. Lori Bennett

Title: Institutionalizing Student Learning Outcomes Assessment: A Quantitative Analysis of the Barriers and Best Practices at California Community Colleges

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Richard Moore

Dr. Joy Brittain

Title: The Effect of Supplemental Instruction within a Sequence of STEM Classes at Community Colleges

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Julie Gainsburg

Dr. Sherry Davis

Title: Career Technical Student Organizations: California Community College's Best Kept Secret

Dissertation Chair: Robert Kladifko

Dr. Vincent Devlahovich

Title: The Impact of a Residential Learning Community Model on Student Achievement

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Kathleen Rowlands

Dr. Beth Halaas

Title: Gatekeeping and Online Degrees in Social Work Education: Where Do Things Stand?

Dissertation Chair: Dr. John Reveles

Dr. Mitra Hoshiar

Title: Examining the Effectiveness of Student Authentication and Authenticity in Online Learning at Community Colleges

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Jody Dunlap

Dr. Crystal Kiekel

Title: LGBT Campus Climate for Community College Students

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Gregory Knotts

Dr. Lut Hang Li

Title: A Study of Social Networking for Community College Counselors: A Factor in Providing Positive Academic Counseling Experiences

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Robert Kladifko

Dr. Greg Mena

Title: Alignment of Matriculation Services for Language Minority Students in Community Colleges

Dissertation Chair: Dr. John Reveles

Dr. Joanna Miller

Title: Online Course Features that Engage Students and Encourage Completion and Success

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Richard Moore

Dr. Amita Naganand

Title: Degree Completion, Time to Degree and Credit Accumulation: The Case of California Transfer Students

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Miguel Ceja

Dr. Anthony Prestby

Title: Student and Faculty Perceptions of Academic Dishonesty in an Honor Code Environment at a Two-Year Community College

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Diane Gehart

Dr. Polly Robinson

Title: Moving the Basic Course Forward: A Phenomenological Study of a Communication Studies Department's Transition to a Hybrid Public Speaking Class Model

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Diane Gehart

Dr. John Tabakian

Title: An Examination of Factors that Influence Academic Entrepreneurialism Among Community College Faculty

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Nathan Durdella

Dr. Carol Velas

Title: Pre-entry Academic Achievement and Student Success in Associate Degree Nursing Programs

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Miguel Ceja

 

Dr. Jack Bagwell

Title: Exploring the Leadership Practices of Principals in Program Improvement Schools Through a Distributed Leadership Framework

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Peggy Johnson

Dr. Jason Beck

Title: Examining the Experiences of First Generation, Low-Income Chicana/o Students Who Have Successfully Negotiated the Academic and Social Environments of College and Persisted to the Second Year

Dissertation Chair: Dr. William De La Torre

Dr. Annette Besnilian

Title: Taste of Good Health: School-based Parent and Family Healthy Lifestyles Classes to Reduce Childhood Obesity

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Peggy Johnson

Dr. Tania Cabeza

Title: The Leadership Practices of Latino/a Superintendents

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Peggy Johnson

Dr. Pamela Castleman

Title: Sustained Growth on State and Federal Assessment Measures: A Case Study of Three High Schools That Have Implemented a Professional Learning Community Model

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Jody Dunlap

Dr. Jay Greenlinger

Title: Baby Boomer Superintendents: Their Leadership and Support of Millennial Principals

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Jody Dunlap

Dr. Eman Hill

Title: Examining Factors That Influence Pedagogy: A Case Study of Three Culturally Relevant Teachers

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Joyce Burstein

Dr. Shannon Johnson

Title: Voices of College Internship Coordinators: Services and Practices that Most Effectively Facilitate Internships of Academic and Professional Value

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Julie Gainsburg

Dr. Madeline Latham-Wilson

Title: Effects of School Climate and Accountability Pressure on Teacher Retention

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Robert Kladifko

Dr. Paul Payne

Title: Pilot School Leaders' Experiences in Innovation

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Julie Gainsburg

Dr. Adrienne Peralta

Title: Transitioning from Alternative to Traditional Public Schools: Understanding Latino Middle School Student Experiences

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Nathan Durdella

Dr. Scott Petri

Title: Where are the Risk Takers? Using the Entrepreneurial Orientation Construct to Identify Innovators in Urban Schools

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Richard Castallo

Dr. Cecil Swetland

Title: Secondary Students' Perceptions of their Teachers' Ability to Motivate Them as Learners

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Michael Rivas

Dr. Jay Tartaro

Title: School Engagement: Perceptions of Underperforming High School Latino Males

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Miguel Ceja

Dr. Ike Terjimanian

Title: Hip Hop as a Form of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy: Teacher Perceptions and Experiences

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Miguel Ceja

Dr. Loraynne Thompson

Title: Elementary Student Teachers Perceptions of Classroom Management Knowledge Construction: Linking Theory to Practice

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Susan Auerbach

Dr. Richard Underhill

Title: Social Studies Teachers' Perceptions of their Roles in Using The Fair Education Act and Curriculum to Create Safe Spaces for LGBT Students

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Gregory Knotts

 

Dr. Karolanne Asmus

Title: Social Experiences of College Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Virginia Kennedy

Dr. Porsha Boyd

Title: Athletic Cheers and Academic Assists: Examining Black Male Basketball Players’ Social Relationships at a Division-I Institution and Their Effect on Academic Success

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Jody Dunlap

Dr. Dwayne Cantrell

Title: Social Media and College Choice

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Richard Moore

Dr. Joshua Einhorn

Title: Positive Sustainability Factors of Noyce Scholarship Projects in the California State University System

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Julie Gainsburg

Dr. Nazanin Fathi

Title: Examination of institutional, individual, cultural and financial factors that shape campus alcohol intervention and prevention programs

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Nathan Durdella

Dr. Hawa Ghaus-Kelley

Title: Exploring the Critical Learning Moments of Women Community College Executives: A Phenomenological Study of Transformative Educational Leadership Practices

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Nathan Durdella

Dr. Todd Hampton

Title: Effects Of Academic Success Courses On Academic Self-Efficacy Among Students in a Comprehensive Public Four-Year Regional University.

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Nathan Durdella

Dr. Heidi Hintz

Title: Communities of Inquiry: An Examination of Student Satisfaction in Online Learning and Teaching Environments

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Carolyn Maeder

Dr. Tina Kotin-Savitch

Title: From Job Security to Skills Security: A Mixed Methods Case Study Design to Evaluate a State-Funded Job Training Program at a Community College in Southern California

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Richard Moore

Dr. Alice Mecom

Title: Noncredit ESL Student Transition into Community College Credit Programs: Beyond Access to Success

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Susan Auerbach

Dr. Raquel Michel

Title: Latino College Students’ Transition Experiences From a Charter High School to College: An Ethnography of Social Preparedness and Familial Support

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Nathan Durdella

Dr. Stephanie Nuñez

Title: The Charter School to Community College Pipeline: Examining the College Access for African American and Latina/o Students

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Dimpal Jain

Dr. Alfred Ramirez

Title: A View from Inside: An Examination of Institutional Culture on Noncredit Administrators and Their Enrollment Management Decisions

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Miguel Ceja

Dr. Donna Randolph

Title: The Experiences of Transfer Students of Color Participating in Research Programs: An Examination of Student-Faculty Interactions in STEM Research Projects

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Nathan Durdella

Dr. Martin Tippens

Title: The Effect Of Continuous Formative Assessment On Student Learning In STEM Classrooms

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Norm Herr

Dr. Scott Tsunoda

Title: Persistence to Graduation for Division I Basketball Players at a Large, Non-Revenue Generating University

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Jody Dunlap

Dr. Jesus Vega

Title: Spoken Truth: A Critical Analysis of the Successful Pre-Transfer Mechanisms of Latino Males at a Two-Year Hispanic Institution

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Miguel Ceja

Dr. Deanecia Wright

Title: African American Women College Experiences at a Minority-Serving Institution

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Tracy Buenavista

 

Dr. Neena Agnihotri

Title: College Access: First-Generation College Counselors of Color and First-Generation Students of Color

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Dimpal Jain 

Dr. Marlene Batista

Title: Exploring the Impact of Parent Mentoring Programs on Latino Parent Engagement and Empowerment

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Susan Auerbach

Dr. Kelly Castillo

Title: Impact of Professional Development on Teachers’ Perceptions and Practices Regarding Inquiry-Based Science

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Brian Foley

Dr. Alusine Conteh

Title: Perceptions of Teacher Leaders on The Processes of Distributed Leadership in Relation to Student Achievement in High Performing Schools in the Urban Unified School District

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Jody Dunlap

 

Dr. Anarosa Estevez

Title: Effects of Performance Based Pay on Teacher Motivation and Student Outcomes

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Richard Moore

 

Dr. William Harris

Title: Changing the Lens: Mentors and Their Effect on Novice Teacher Attitudes Towards Student Achievement

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Kathleen Rowlands

Dr. Havuaghnia Hayes

Title: Emotional and Physical Factors Among Special Education Paraeducators Employed in Urban School Settings

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Greg Knotts

Dr. Sonia Hernandez

Title: Disrupting the School-to-Prison Pipeline: Factors Influencing Latino Academic Attainment

Dissertation Chair: Dr. William De La Torre

Dr. Linda Jones

Title: School Board Governance with Student Equity in Mind: A Case Study Exploring the Impact of Colorblindness in Educating Black Children in a Pk-8 School District

Dissertation Chair: Dr. William De La Torre

Dr. William Laird

Title: Adult Perceptions of Student Involvement in High School Athletics

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Jody Dunlap 

Dr. Sivan Lipman

Title: Exploring Student Perceptions of College Readiness: Examination of the Processes that Impact Factors of Psychosocial Development

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Greg Knotts

Dr. Felissa Luque

Title: Veteran Teachers’ Experiences With Peer Assistance and Review

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Susan Auerbach

Dr. Giancarlo Mercado

Title: Balancing Two Worlds: Culture and its Role in the Mentoring Process

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Jody Dunlap

Dr. Brianna Nix

Title: Impact of Policy on Education: A Look Into the Academic Success of Foster and Homeless Youth

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Jody Dunlap

Dr. Kathleen Reams

Title: The Challenges of First-Year Middle School Teachers: Personnel Practices and their Impact on Attrition and Retention

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Jody Dunlap

Dr. Victor Torres

Title: Comparative Study of the Entrepreneurial Orientation of School Principals Within Charter Schools and Traditional Public Schools

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Richard Moore

Dr. Maria Santacruz

Title: Influence of Noncognitive Skills on High Socioeconomic High School Students’ Learning and College Readiness

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Kathleen Rowlands

Dr. Laura Sloan

Title: Effective Supervision: Teacher Perceptions Regarding the Influence of Feedback on Job Satisfaction and Career Decisions

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Greg Knotts

 

Dr. Harish Amar

Title: Exploring Experiential Learning in the Fully Employed (FEMBA) Programs

Dissertation Chair: Dr. John Reveles

Dr. Arineh Arzoumanian

Title: Competency-Based Education within a Community College Context

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Julie Gainsburg

Dr. Genevieve Bertone

Title: Exploring the Role of Growth Mindset in the Transfer Experiences of Community College Students

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Nathan Durdella

Dr. Michelle Cheang

Title: Community College and Community-Based Nonprofit Partnerships: Supporting the College Pipeline for Opportunity Youth

Dissertation Chiar: Dr. Tracy Buenavista

Dr. Sangita Dube       

Title: Community Cultural Wealth and Critical Race Feminist Perspective of South Asian American Women's Persistence in Higher Education

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Dimpal Jain

Dr. Amy Edwards

Title: Role of Gender in Higher Educational Leadership

Dissertation Chair: Dr. John Reveles

Dr. Joaquin Franco    

Title: Examination of College Transition Experiences Among Foster Youth

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Nathan Durdella

Dr. Jennifer Little

Title: Evaluating the Effects of Virtual Simulation Software on First Year Radiography Students

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Brian Foley

Dr. Roxana Naraghi

Title: Anatomy of Decision Making in Higher Education Institutions

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Greg Knotts

Dr. Michael Ritterbrown

Title: Development of Policy Affecting Community Colleges: A Case Study of the California Community College Student Success Task Force

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Richard Moore

Dr. Dorothy Smith

Title: Examination of Factors that Shape Outcomes for African American Male Student Athletes in Community Colleges

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Nathan Durdella

Dr. Joan Schneider

Title: Exploring the Preparation and Readiness for the Department Chair Role

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Dimpal Jain

Dr. Jody Van Leuven

Title: Faculty Perceptions of Managing Risks Related to Service Learning

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Jody Dunlap

Dr. Editha Winterhalter

Title: Physical Learning Spaces and College Students with ADHD

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Sue Sears

Dr. Matthew Worland

Title: Examining Student Engagement with Online Tools: Comparing Asynchronous and Synchronous Methodologies

Dissertation Chair: Dr. John Reveles

 

Dr. Sahar Albannai

Title: Cultural Challenges in Classrooms: An Investigation of High School Teachers' Interactions with Middle Eastern Students

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Jody Dunlap

Dr. Maria Arienza-Lopez

Title: Elements, Roles, Obstacles, and Implementation: Case Study on Teacher Perceptions on Self-Regulation In Middle School Students

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Brian Foley

Dr. Shani Chen

Title: The impact of Linked Learning Pathways in charter schools: Teachers’ and administrators’ perceptions of an effective pathway charter school

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Shartriya Collier

Dr. Stacey Chareune-Chen

Title: Understanding International Students' Difficulties in U.S. High Schools

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Jody Dunlap

Dr. Felicia Conlan

Title: Concussion to Classroom: Post-Concussion Academic Reintegration of Collegiate Club Sports Athletes

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Dimpal Jain

Dr. Lisa Dachs-Ornelas

Title: Factors that Shape Leadership Practices

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Jody Dunlap

Dr. Soraya Fallah

Title: Giving a Voice to an Invisible Population: The Experiences of Families of Students with Disabilities from the Middle East, North Africa, and Southwest Asia (MENASWA) in the United States Special Education System

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Wendy Murawski

Dr. Guadalupe Mireles-Toumayan

Title: High School Teachers’ Experiences with Latino Parents

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Mira Pak

Dr. Samantha Mullins

Title: Skills, Challenges, Effort, Feedback, and Setbacks: The Role of the Deaf Educator in Shaping Student Mindsets

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Greg Knotts

Dr. Sima Navid

Title: Impact of State and District Policies on the Academic Achievement of English Language Learners

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Jody Dunlap

Dr. David Santamaria

Title: The Latino Immigrant Parent with Children in Special Education: Rights, Roles, and Responsibilities

Dissertation Chair: Dr. William DelaTorre

Dr. Stacy Wenzel

Title: Administrator Perceptions of RTI: Implementation, Oversight, and Involvement

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Greg Knotts

Dr. Hanni Youssef

Title: School Board Member and Superintendent Relationship and its Perceived Impact on a School District

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Jody Dunlap

 

Dr. Doris Abrishami

Title: Impact of Cultural Competency Education on Students of a Radiography Program in a Baccalaureate-Degree-Granting Institution

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Greg Knotts

Dr. Nancy Alonzo


Title: Latinas in Higher Education: Contributing Factors in Latina Students’ Academic Success at a Four Year Public Institution

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Miguel Ceja

Dr. Luis Alberto Barrera

Title: Organizational Change and Stakeholder Engagement in the California Career Pathways Trust at a California Community College

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Monica Garcia

Dr. Raymond Bergstrom

Title: Exploring the Experiences of Arts, Media, and Design Undergraduate Students in Physics Courses

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Nathan Durdella

Dr. Amy Edwards

Title: Role of Gender in Higher Education Leadership

Dissertation Chair: Dr. John Reveles

Dr. Agnes Eisaghalian


Title: Academic Probation as an Obstruction: Factors Influencing College Students’ Retention

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Pete Goldschmidt

Dr. Janine Elias-Cudney

Title: Effectiveness of Coach Specific Training on Senior Level Leaders with an Emphasis on Transformational Leadership

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Pete Goldschmidt

Dr. Akram Esmaeili

Title: A Case Study of Facilitating High School Student College Readiness Through Linked Learning

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Nathan Durdella

Dr. Leora Gabay


Title: Exercise in College Age Women and Academic Success

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Sue Sears

Dr. Mai Jara

Title: Kinesiology Students’ Attitudes and Perceptions of People with Disabilities

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Tracy Buenavista

Dr. Callie Juarez

Title: Enrollment Motivation and Student Satisfaction in Education Doctorate Programs

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Richard Moore

Dr. Austin Kemie


Title: Examination of factors that shape African-American Student Participation within student Equity Program Development in California Community Colleges

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Nathan Durdella

Dr. Jesse Knepper

Title: Near-Peer Mentors and Developmental Math: A Look at the Impact on Student's Sense of Belonging

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Dimpal Jain

Dr. Joe Rodriguez

Title: Factors contributing to successful University-Public Sector Partnerships between an Urban University's MPA Program and local Public Sector Agencies

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Lauren McDonald

Dr. Claudia Salcedo

Title: The UCLA Summer Transfer Program: An Exploration of Black Transfer Student Retention Experiences

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Dimpal Jain

Dr. Francisco Santos

Title: Grounded Theory Analysis of the Development of Support Services for Military Service-Connected Students in Public Postsecondary Educational Institutions in Southern California

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Mark Stevens

Dr. Farzaneh Sheikholeslami

Title: An Exploration of Factors that Shape Underrepresented Student Experiences and Outcomes in Undergraduate Research with Engineering and Computer Science Faculty

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Nathan Durdella

Dr. Tina Torres

Title: A Comparison of Exceptional Admission and Regular Admission in a Teacher Preparation Program

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Julie Gainsburg

Dr. Shane Underwood

Title: Dispersing Diversity at the California Community College: From Frameworks to Diffusion

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Harold Hellenbrand

Dr. Mary Valdez-Barkwill

Title: Reproductive Goals and Academic Goals: Knowledge, Attitudes and Perceptions of Women in Community College

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Sloane Burke

Dr. Nicholas Zerlentes

Title: The College Choice Process of Deaf Students at a Residential School for the Deaf

Dissertation Chair: Dr. William Garrow

Dr. Michael Beiersdorf

Title: Teacher Perceptions of Next Generation Science Standards Professional Development Effectiveness

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Julie Gainsburg

Dr. Kelly Hourigan

Title: Entrepreneurial Orientation of Charter School Leaders

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Richard Moore

Dr. Matthew Rubin

Title: Middle School Transition for Students with Autism: Considering the Student

Perspective

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Sue Sears

Dr. Aida Tatiossian

Title: Exploring Organizational Transformation through Takeover: A Case Study of School Culture and Student Outcomes in an Independent Charter School

Dissertation Chair: Dr.  Nathan Durdella

Dr. Reut Cohen

Title: Exploring How Social Media Marketing Practices in Community College Academic Programs Shape Student Engagement

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Nathan Durdella

Dr. Christopher Corning

Title: Life After Developmental English; A Causal-Comparative Study of the Effects of English Composition Support Services at a Large Suburban Community College

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Kathleen Rowlands

Dr. Carmen Dones

Title:Latino First-Generation Students’ Experiences in a Community College Bachelor’s Program.

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Miguel Ceja

Dr. Christine Firkins

Title: Best Practices for Supporting Part-Time Deaf ASL Faculty In Higher Education

Title: Dissertation Chair: Dr. Miguel Ceja

Dr. Helen Heinrich

Title: Exploring Factors That Shape Faculty Decisions: Adopting Learning Management Systems in Face-to-Face Classes

Title: Dissertation Chair: Dr. Deone Zell

Dr. Shabnam Islam

Title: Service-Learning in Kinesiology: An interactive Approach to Prepare Students for a Career in Healthcare

Title: Dissertation Chair: Dr. Mira Pak

Dr. Deazell Johnson

Title:Untapped, Underrepresented, and Unstoppable: A Qualitative Study of How Peer and Student-Faculty Interactions Shape the Experiences of Black Undergraduate Women in Engineering and Computer Science

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Nathan Durdella

Dr. Patricia Marquez Aguirre

Title: Case Study on Latinx International Students’ Higher Education Experiences at a Hispanic Serving Institution

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Tracy Buenavista

Dr. Vanessa Martinez

Title: La Lucha Continúa: First Generation to College Latina/o/x Students Persistence at a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI)

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Miguel Ceja

Dr. Catherine McLeod

Title: An Exploration of Factors Shaping Deaf Students’ Multiple Identities and Resilience at a Predominately Hearing University

Dissertation Chair: Dr. William Garrow

Dr. Rezenet Moges –Reidel

Title: Few and Far Between: Deaf Faculty of Color at Post Secondary Institutions

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Dimpal Jain

Dr. Philipa Moguel

Title: Knowing, owning, and exposing: Exploring the intersectional identities of Black women leading at minority serving institutions

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Frankie Augustin

Dr. Alex Ojeda

Title: Momachtihcazazanalli: Latinx Critical Race Narratives of the Continuation High School-to-Community College Pipeline

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Tracy Buenavista

Dr. Zeina Otaky-Ramirez

Title: You Do Not See Us: Women of Color in Student Affairs Leadership through a Critical Race Feminist Lens

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Dimpal Jain

Dr. Jose Paez

Title: Decolonial Portraiture: Challenging Coloniality And Re-Imagining Social Work Education

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Nathan Durdella

Dr. Rebecca Pena

Title:Service-Learning and the Enhancement of Employability Skills in Undergraduate Kinesiology Students

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Sloan Burke

Dr. Jamie Phillips

Title:Suicide Risk and Protective Factors, Academic Performance, and Help-Seeking in Male Community College Students.

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Sloan Burke

Dr. Cindy Phu

Title:Othering Mothers: Experiences of Mothering Students of Color in Community College

Dissertation Chair: Dr Tracy Buenavista

Dr. Luis Carmona

Title: The Impact of CRT and LatCrit on the Perceptions of Teachers Implementing an ELD Curriculum with ELL Students with Learning Disabilities in a K-8 th Classroom at an Urban School Setting

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Beth Lasky

Dr. Connie Covert

Title: Prioritization Practices in Central Office Administrative Decision-Making for Standards-Based Elementary Arts Education: An Issue of Equity

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Ellen Edeburn

Dr. Lakin Crane

Title: The Teachers' Voice in Inclusive Preschool Programs: A Case Study

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Jack Bagwell

Dr. Yesenia Diaz

Title: Instructional Leadership Teams' Use of Data: A Grounded Theory Case Study on Data-Driven Decision Making at Two California Elementary Schools

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Jack Bagwell

Dr. William Gallimore

Title: Out From Day Zero: Exploring Perspectives of Out Queer Administrators in K-12 Grade Public Schools

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Gregory Knotts

Dr. Nina Gilberte

Title: Examining Lesson Preparation, Design, and Delivery in Secondary Mathematics Classrooms that Foster Active Engagement in Black/African American Students

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Ellen Edeburn

Dr. Diana Gonzalez Vides

Title: Collaborative Leadership Between the Principal and Coach/Facilitator in Sobrato Early Academic Language Schools for English Learners: A Grounded Theory Study

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Sloane Burke

Dr. Zarui Grigoryan

Title: Factors Preventing Teacher Involvement in Teacher-Intended Professional Development Design, Planning, and Facilitation in Secondary Schools

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Julie Gainsburg

Dr. Timothy Howell

Title: An Asset Model Theory for Black Males: A Qualitative Study of Factors and Experiences contributing to Black Males Achieving Leadership Roles

Dissertation Chair: Dr. David Kretschmer

Dr. Nancy Madrid

Title: A Critical Ethnographic Case Study on ELPAC Standardized Testing and 5th Grade Latinx Emergent Bilinguals: Teacher Pedagogy, Perceptions and Attitudes that Transform Classroom Learning

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Monica Garcia

Dr. Sharlene Moss

Title: Interdisciplinary Teams and Themes: A Grounded Theory Case Study on the Humanitas Model in Urban High School Settings

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Nathan Durdella

Dr. Georgina Ramirez

Title: Supporting Academic and Social-Emotional Well-Being of Latinx Male Secondary Students: School Connectedness and Mentorship

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Ellen Edeburn

 

Dr. Jose Amaro

Title: Revisiting and Centering Green Book Stories: A Qualitative Case Study Applying Critical Discourse Analysis to Examine and Understand EOP Students' Transitional Experiences

Dissertation Chair: Monica Garcia

Dr. Yeranui Barsegyan

Title: Latinx Student Experiences in a Race-Centered Learning Community and its Impact on Their College Success

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Frankie Augustin

Dr. Blanca Chavez

Title: Serving Latino College Students: A Grounded Theory Exploration of the Academic Advising Experiences of Undergraduate Latino College Students at a Large, Urban Public Hispanic Serving University

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Nathan Durdella

Dr. Elizabeth Garica

Title: The Voice of Our Future Fitness Professionals: Student Experiences in a Community College Fitness Specialist Certification Program

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Tracy Buenavista

Dr. Kristina Gonzales

Title: Their voices, their stories: A critical narrative inquiry study on the gendered experiences of Latino men in community college

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Miguel Ceja

Dr. Sherrie Hixon

Title: Resilience and Higher Education: Building Capacity for Resilience in Urban Settings Through University-Community Partnerships

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Richard Moore

Dr. Kristin Kaz

Title: Teachers Who Transgress: A Narrative Case Study of Antiracist Practice in Community College Composition

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Dimpal Jain

Dr. Charlene Manzueta

Title: HSI’s Serving those who Served: Narratives of Latina Student Veterans Engaging Chicana Feminist Epistemology

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Dimpal Jain

Dr. Monica Moreno-Garcia

Title: The Lived Experiences of Latina Administrators in California Community Colleges: Their Pipeline Pathway

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Miguel Ceja

Dr. Trista Payte

Title: “Isn’t that just the way the world works?”: Exploring the Student of Color Experience in the English Studies Classroom

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Jose Paez

Dr. Matthew Soto

Title: Beyond a Sense of Belonging: Portraits of Queer Students of Color Creating Space for Queer Joy at Hispanic-Serving Institutions

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Nathan Durdella

Dr. Juan Valdivia

Title: The Role of Spanish Speaking Parents of First-Generation Latino College students As they Persist Beyond the First Year of College

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Miguel Ceja

Dr. Anxo Vasquez-Lozada

Title: The Impact of College Faculty Motivation in Dual Enrollment in California

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Monica Garcia

Dr. Elizabeth Xintarianos

Title: Quilting Stories of Community College Faculty: An Arts-Informed Narrative Inquiry Exploring the Policing of Women’s Bodies in Academia

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Tracy Buenavista

 

Dr. Tamar Atmajian

Title: Positive Relationships between Principals and Teachers

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Julie Gainsburg

Dr. Joshua Blonsky

Title: Teacher Pedagogical Agency and the Perception of Secondary Students’ Foreign Language Enjoyment and Foreign Language Anxiety

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Monica Garcia

Dr. Jose Calles

Title: Gauging Educator Burnout and Mental Health in Urban High-Needs High Schools

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Pete Goldscmidt

Dr. Dora Gamino

Title: Más Que Números: The Implementation of Cognitively Guided Instruction in Spanish and the Experiences of Spanish Speaking English Language Learners in Kindergarten

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Jack Bagwell

Dr. Michele Germic

Title: Intersectionality, Mentoring, and Transformational Leadership Practices: Stories of Identified-Female Novice Principals of Color

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Ellen Edeburn

Dr. LaTanga Hardy

Title: Shifting out of Neutral: How State Preschools Address Anti-Blackness Among Educators

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Ellen Edeburn

Dr. Jaime Norris

Title: The Rise of Aliteracy: What Schools Can Do

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Irene Clark

Dr. Christopher Shining

Title: Innovations at the Edge of Chaos

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Richard Moore