March 2022 Newsletter

Ranked #32 by US News and World Report

The numbers are out for 2023, and the School of Education is ranked 32nd out of 274 education schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report!

Our highest ranking yet, this puts us in the top 12% of ranked graduate schools of education and five places ahead of last year’s ranking.

It’s a great affirmation of the commitment and hard work of our faculty, students, staff, board and supporters. Learn more about our ranking.

Research and Innovation Centers Impact Report

The School of Education’s nine research and innovation centers investigate critical issues in the field from pre-K to higher education, and provide programming, curricula and other resources that have a direct impact on thousands of learners in California and beyond. 

Our centers also offer important research positions for students, and crucial partnerships with universities, school districts and community agencies. Read our centers impact report to learn more.

Support Transformation in Education on Give Day

Thanks to generous supporters, this year the School of Education will have 16 challenges on Give Day, April 22–23. If you can’t choose between exciting challenges that support scholarships, youth programs, centers or other important work, the Dean’s Innovation Fund is a great way to ensure that your funds go where the School needs them the most.  

Gifts of any size help us meet our goal, and you can make donations from any time until 5 pm on April 23rd. 

Would you like to spread the word about Give Day, perhaps because a specific challenge is important to you? Become a Give Day Ambassador, and encourage friends to join you. It’s as simple as sharing by social media or email. You’ll be given a special fundraising link to keep track of what you’ve raised.

To make a donation or become an Ambassador, visit our Give Day site or contact Jennifer Martinez.

Connecting Learners to Their Experiences in EDU 100

In one of the most popular classes on campus, undergraduates spend most of their time learning and thinking about learning. EDU 100 is the foundational class for the education minor, the largest at UC Davis. Many students go on to careers in education and education policy. 

In fall quarter 2021, lecturer Sophia Mattingly was able to take advantage of a learning exchange with students in Mexico to deepen students’ insights. Read more about the class and students’ experiences.

Faculty News

Margarita Jimenez-Silva Speaks at Harvard Library

Prof. Margarita Jimenez-Silva gave a talk on her book Latinx Experiences in U.S. Schools: Voices of Students, Teachers, Teacher Educators, and Education Allies in Challenging Sociopolitical Times at Harvard’s Gutman Library last month.

Her work brings together the voices of Latinx communities to reveal ways in which today’s sociopolitical context has given rise to politically sanctioned hateful anti-immigrant rhetoric. Listen to a recording of the talk.

Heidi Ballard Speaks at International Event in Prague

Prof. Heidi Ballard presented at the World Environmental Education Congress in Prague, Czech Republic in March.

Her talk, “Community and Citizen Science as Climate Change Education: Research Evidence and Practical Strategies for Fostering Science Literacy, Justice” was presented as part of the Tools for Climate Education section of the 11th annual conference.  

Alumni News

Torence Powell, EdD ’17, to Lead Napa Valley College

Congratulations to CANDEL alumnus Torence Powell, EdD, who has been named superintendent and president at Napa Valley College.

“As a former community college student and a first-generation college graduate, I have dedicated my career to student success – because that is my story and I know what it means firsthand,” said Powell in an interview with the North Bay Business Journal. Read the interview.

Events

Register for In-Person 2022 Graduation

Congratulations to the Class of 2022!

We’re very excited to be returning to in-person festivities after two years. All graduating students have been sent email invitations and should take a moment to register, even if they’re not attending, so that their names will be included in the program. Each guest will need tickets, even small children seated on laps. 

Visit our graduation website for detailed information.

Teachers as Learners Project Presents to GGE

Earlier this month, the Graduate Group in Education Research Seminar Series featured members of the Teachers as Learners Project, led by Prof. Lee Martin and postdoctoral researcher Kayce Mastrup, presenting their ongoing research on teachers’ collaborative adaptations to disruptions in the digital classroom.

Watch their presentation, “Dialogic Teaching in the Digital Classroom: Teachers’ Collaborative Adaptation in the Face of Disruption.”

Marcela Cuellar Talk on Equity and HSIs

Prof. Marcela Cuellar presented at Touro University’s ongoing Deep Equity Now speaker series last month, and gave her talk “Leading for Equity and Hispanic-Serving Institutions.”

In her talk, she explored what the HSI designation means, and what ethical, moral and legal obligations come along with that.

Watch Prof. Cuellar’s Deep Equity Now talk now.

Show Off with School of Education Gear

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

Publications

• Prof. Danny C. Martinez co-authored “Applied Linguists Cultivating Relationships for Justice: An Aspirational Call to Action” in a special issue of Applied Linguistics.
• Prof. Faheemah Mustafaa and PhD student Mayra Nunez Martinez co-authored “A Visionary Working Model for Pursuing Social Justice Praxis Through Educational Psychology Courses” in Teaching of Psychology.
• Recent PhD graduate Kaozong Mouavangsou co-authored “Calling our souls home: A HMong epistemology for creating new narratives” in the Asian American Journal of Psychology.
• PhD student Stacy Wittstock reviewed the book Speaking Up, Speaking Out: Lived Experiences of Non-Tenure-Track Faculty in Writing Studies in the journal Composition Studies.