February 2022 Newsletter

Dean Lindstrom Extends Appointment

Prof. Lauren E. Lindstrom’s appointment as the dean of the School of Education has been extended for an additional year to June 2023. A national search for her replacement will be conducted in the 2022-2023 academic year. After she completes her term as dean, Lindstrom will continue to teach and pursue research as a professor in the School. “We are extremely pleased that Dean Lindstrom has agreed to serve another year in this key position,” said Provost Mary Croughan. “In her nearly five years as dean, she has provided wise and impactful leadership and kept the School moving forward in the face of significant challenges—not least of which has been maintaining the School’s strength and excellence during the pandemic.” Read the full story.

#CaliforniansForAll Launches College Corps

To open pathways to college for low-income, under-represented and undocumented students, a UC Davis-led consortium of local colleges and universities was awarded a total of $16 million to fund paid internships for undergraduates. Eligible students can receive $7,000 stipends and $3,000 education awards after completing a 450-hour internship at a community service organization or school. The new #CaliforniansForAll College Corps is a project of California Volunteers, the Office of the Governor, and specifically aims to connect to students interested in key social issues such as education. The School of Education will assist in identifying and hosting undergraduate interns to serve in education-related placements beginning Fall 2022.

Welcoming New Board of Advisors Members

Sophie Boroditsky has joined the School of Education’s Board of Advisors. Boroditsky is a global technology leader and engineer with over 25 years’ experience in the financial services industry, and the founder and president of STG Techsource, a consultancy serving brokerages to asset managers. She is passionate about equity in education and has recently been focused on providing educational access and opportunities for students through volunteerism, philanthropy and mentoring. Read more.

We also welcome new Board of Advisors member Marilyn Reisen. Reisen attended UC Davis and earned her BA in Cross-Cultural Psychology in 1970 and her Elementary Life Teaching Credential in 1971. Her 40-year career as an educator included serving as Co-Director of the Menlo Park City Preschool, administering the Menlo Park City summer programs, and teaching kindergarten to second grade in the Menlo Park City School District. She served for 25 years at The Nueva School, where she was the Pre-Kindergarten Teacher and Director, the Early Childhood Coordinator for Pre-K-first grades, the Lower School Head (Principal) for Pre-K-fourth grades, and the Alumni Director. In 2016, she established the Marilyn G. Reisen Early Education Scholarship Award at UC Davis. Read more.

Faculty News

Danny C. Martinez Named Chancellor’s Fellow

Prof. Danny C. Martinez has been named a Chancellor’s Fellow in recognition of his outstanding work in academia. The Chancellor’s Fellowship is awarded to early career faculty and comes with $25,000 in philanthropic support for research or other scholarly work. Martinez will hold the title for five years. “We are so pleased that Danny has received this important recognition,” said Dean Lauren Lindstrom. “His research has national scope, reach and impact, and he is an accomplished teacher and mentor. His personal and professional commitment to equity is reflected in his impressive record of service to the University and the field of education.” Martinez is the eighth School of Education faculty member to be named a Chancellor’s Fellow. Read the story here.

Dual Enrollment’s Potential for California High School Students

More than a million students in the United States are taking college courses for credit while still in high school, and the numbers continue to increase. Because of the popularity of this dual enrollment practice, in California, high school students are now present in 14% of all community college courses. Taking college-level courses while in high school provides students with more advanced and expansive coursework, promotes student engagement and strengthens students’ sense of themselves as college-goers. School of Education researchers find that dual enrollment also shows a strong potential as an equalizing force in college preparation and success. Read more in this EdSource article co-authored by Prof. Michal Kurlaender.

Alumni News

Akirah J. Bradley-Armstrong Moves to VC Role at UCSC

Akirah J. Bradley-Armstrong (EdD ’17) has been appointed Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Success at UC Santa Cruz, effective May 2022. She currently serves as the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs at the University of Colorado Boulder, where she has supported student success since 2016. She is also a faculty affiliate in CU Boulder’s Masters in Higher Education program. “Akirah will be a powerful advocate for our students and a great addition to our campus community,” said UCSC Chancellor Cynthia Larive. Read the full story.

Events

Words Take Wing Presents David A. Robertson

On Tuesday, February 15, 2022, Words Take Wing will host award-winning children’s author David A. Robertson in a virtual evening presentation at 6 p.m. hosted by the Sacramento Public Library. All are welcome to attend. Register here.

David A. Robertson is the 2021 recipient of the Writers’ Union of Canada Freedom to Read Award and the author of numerous books for young readers, including When We Were Alone, The Barren Grounds, and Black Water: Family, Legacy, and Blood Memory. He is the writer and host of the podcast Kíwew, a member of Norway House Cree Nation, and currently lives in Winnipeg. Words Take Wing is made possible by title sponsors Sutter Health, EiroBridge and the School of Education, and supporting sponsor SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union. 

Expanding Equity in Educational Research Series to Feature Rita Kohli

Our 2022 Expanding Equity in Educational Research Speaker Series begins with featured speaker Dr. Rita Kohli, who will present on “Teachers of Color: Resisting Racism and Reclaiming Education,” on Wednesday, February 23, from 3 – 4:30 pm PST via Zoom. This talk will use the lens of Critical Race Theory to explore the racialized experiences of justice-oriented teachers of Color, as well as their efforts to resist and reimagine education. Kohli is an Associate Professor of Teaching and Teacher Education, Equity Advisor, and coordinator of the K-12 Ethnic Studies Pathway program in the School of Education at UC Riverside. Read more and register for this free Zoom presentation here.

Graduate Group in Education Monday Seminar Series 

Join us for our next two Graduate Group in Education Monday seminars:

• February 28: Prof. Tony Albano, at right, presents “Equity and Standardized Assessment: An Arch Rivalry or Promising Partnership?”
• March 7: Faculty will present on the Teachers as Learners Project

Catch our first two 2022 seminars online:

• Michael W. Moses II, PhD, “Racialized Methodological Norms: Theorizing IRBs and Anonymity as Racism”
• Stacy Wittstock, Ph.D. Candidate, Learning and Mind Sciences, “‘Standards’ as Institutional Gatekeeping: Examining Faculty and Administrative Perspectives on the Ecology of Assessment in a Developmental Writing Course”

All Graduate Group in Education seminars begin at 12:10 pm. Get the Zoom link.

Dean Lauren Lindstrom MIND Institute Webinar

Dean Lauren Lindstrom presented about her research on January 7th as part of the UC Davis MIND Institute’s Research Seminar series. The recording of her talk, “Paths 2 the Future: Improving Career Outcomes for Young Women with Disabilities,” is now available for viewing online. 

Show Off with School of Education Gear

Looking for a way to show off your School of Education pride? You’ll find shirts of all styles, as well as mugs, hats and more with the School of Education logo at the online UC Davis Store. Proceeds from all store sales benefit UC Davis Athletics.

Publications

• Prof. Heidi L. Ballard and PhD candidate Christopher C. Jadallah published “Social Learning in Conservation and Natural Resource Management: Taking a Sociocultural Perspective” in Ecology and Society.
• Prof. Nancy Erbstein co-authored the article “Increasing Latinx Youth Engagement Across Different Types of After-School Organizations,” published in the Journal of Youth Development.
• Dean Lauren E. Lindstrom co-authored “Mental Health of Female Adolescents With Disabilities: Considerations for Career Development,” published in Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals. 
• Prof. Danny C. Martinez co-authored “Black lives matter versus Castañeda v. Pickard: a utopian vision of who counts as bilingual (and who matters in bilingual education),” published in the journal Language Policy.
• Prof. Faheemah Mustafaa co-authored the article “Incongruent Impressions: Teacher, Parent, and Student Perceptions of Two Black Boys’ School Experiences” in the Journal of Adolescent Research.
• Prof. Patricia Quijada co-authored the chapter “High School Immigrant and Refugee Students and Families’ Participatory Educational Transformations” in the book “Composing Storylines of Possibilities: Immigrant and Refugee Families Navigating School,” from the series Family School Community Partnership Issues, published by Information Age Publishing.
• Prof. Yuuko Uchikoshi, PhD student Mayu Lindblad and undergraduate research assistants Cecilia Plascencia, Helen Tran, Hallie Yu and Krystal Jane Bautista co-authored “Parental Acculturation and Children’s Bilingual Abilities: A Study With Chinese American and Mexican American Preschool DLLs,” published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology.