CANDEL Graduates 2009

Congratulations to the students who received their Doctorate in Educational Leadership at UC Davis, June 2009.

Naheem Akhtar

“In Their Own Words: Pakistani-Muslim Youth of San Joaquin County”
B.A., University of The Pacific, 1995
M.Ed., University of The Pacific, 1998

Barbara Blanchard

Current Position

Vice President of Academic Affairs, Grossmont College

Research Interests

Student success at the community college, methods to improve completion rates, how to get students into the right classes so that they can be successful.

Dissertation

“The Faculty Perspective on Under-Prepared Students in the Community College Classroom”  – A study was done at American River College on the faculty perspectives of underprepared students in community college classrooms.  This study addresses the willingness of faculty to help students with basic skills in a non-basic skills classroom, what some faculty are doing in this area and recommendations they have for solutions.

Other Degrees

B.S., University of Illinois, 1982
M.S., University of Arizona, 1985

Arthur A. Estrada Jr.

“Identifying the Conditions Which are Perceived to Influence Urban Elementary
School Student Success”
B.A., University of New Mexico, 1995
M.A., University of California, Riverside, 2000

H. Frank Kobayashi

Current Position

Dean, Career Education and Workforce Development, West Valley College

Research Interests

Social media and its impact on high school and college learning environments.

Dissertation

“Moving Up in California Community College Administration: The Perspectives of Asian American Deans and Vice Presidents”

This qualitative collective case study explored the career experiences of eleven Asian American Deans and Vice Presidents at California community colleges. The themes that emerged when focusing solely on the female administrators were entrepreneurship, the complex interaction between race and gender, self perception, and the Plexiglas ceiling. Critical Race Theory was utilized to analyze this data.

Other Degrees

A.A., Santa Rosa Junior College, 1998
B.S., University of California, Davis, 2000
M.A., Stanford University, 2003

Jian-hua Liang

“Linking Success to Prior Knowledge: What Mathematics Content Knowledge
and Skills are Key Variables to Predict Eighth-Grade Algebra Success? “
B.A., Shanghai Institute of Mechanical Engineering, 1982
M.S., San Francisco State University, 1993
M.A., San Francisco State University, 1996

Matthew Powell

“From Ujima to Emergence: An Historical Case Study of a Community College Learning Community”
B.A., CSU Chico, 1993
M.A., University of New Mexico, 1998

Iishwara Ryaru

Current Position

Director of Educational Assessment, Accountability and Specialized Programs for the Novato Unified School District

Research Interests

Role of stakeholder groups in effectively leveraging local, state and federal educational policy changes

Dissertation

“Advocacy for Education: How Does an Educational Lobbyist Develop and Influence a State Educational Policy Agenda?”

Advocacy for Education is a qualitative case study that explored how an educational lobbyist navigated between constituent groups and California legislators and their staffs to influence the agenda setting part of the policy process on behalf of clients. The researcher collected data during “shadowing sessions,” which were days spent with the lobbyist while he conducted his influence work in Sacramento, California, and through follow up phone calls and interviews with the lobbyist and other participants in the study.

Other Degrees

B.A., University of California at Santa Cruz, 1999
M.A., University of California at Santa Cruz, 2001
M.A., San Francisco State University, 2005

Carolyn Zachary

“Breaking the Glass Ceiling from the Top -In What Ways Do Women County Superintendents Support and Encourage Women in Educational Leadership?”
B.S., Eastern Illinois University, 1986
M.A., Wright State University, 1989
M.S., California State University, San Bernadino, 1982