Eileen Forbes-Hill

Graduation Speaker Eileen Forbes-Hill Is Building Education Opportunities Rooted in Community

Eileen Forbes-Hill, Ed.D. ’25, has built her career at the intersection of education, equity, and community development. She began with hands-on work in gang prevention programs and later advanced initiatives in STEM education and workforce development, always with a focus on increasing access for historically underserved students. Forbes-Hill’s time in the CANDEL program deepened her capacity to lead systemic change, reinforcing her long-standing commitment to create tangible opportunities for the next generation in her community.

Forbes-Hill began her career in South Central Los Angeles, supporting youth through organizations like the Brotherhood Crusade and YouthBuild Charter School. At YouthBuild, she helped transform the school culture by centering student voices. “I prioritized getting buy-in from my students,” she said. “I was brought into the school because it was having challenges implementing policies. I decided to reshape how my students viewed their education by giving them more say in how the school was run.” Forbes-Hill led restorative justice circles and reimagined operations in collaboration with students and teachers, identifying ways that they could all work together to create a safe and inclusive learning environment.

Forbes-Hill’s dedication to access didn’t stop with high school students. After three years at YouthBuild, she moved to Charles Drew University (CDU) of Medicine and Science where she oversaw programming to introduce high school students to STEM careers, particularly in the medical field. “I didn’t want to leave my students at YouthBuild,” said Forbes-Hill, “but I saw the CDU job as an opportunity to not just push them through high school, but pull them up into higher education and introduce them to professional opportunities that probably wouldn’t be available otherwise.”

That commitment to transformational learning ultimately led Forbes-Hill enroll in the CANDEL program for her doctorate in educational leadership, largely because she felt that the School of Education’s mission closely aligned with her own. “Returning to higher education wasn’t just about getting an advanced degree. It was about connecting with a community of researchers and practitioners who have the care, vision, and purpose needed to continue expanding access to education.” she said. “I found that network of experts at UC Davis.”

Forbes-Hill’s work with K-12 students directly informed her doctoral research, which focused on the achievements of elementary-aged children who participated in experiential learning programs. Her study examined students’ motivation, self-perception, and academic growth before and after engaging in hands-on STEM activities. “When students can touch, when they can feel, when they can observe, when they can experience learning—that is the best way to learn,” said Forbes-Hill. “I wanted to highlight how amazing these students are on their own, and how impactful the programming can really be.”

Forbes-Hill believes experiential learning is transformational to student success, especially in under-resourced communities. “We need programs where students are active contributors, where they become the teacher themselves,” she said. “If we can help all of our students be masters of content instead of masters of memorization, then they’ll have the knowledge for a lifetime.” Her research not only demonstrated measurable academic gains, but also highlighted how experiential learning can build confidence, engagement, and community connection.

Now Vice President of Grants for a California nonprofit, Forbes-Hill continues her mission by fundraising for workforce development initiatives in the medical field. “My work has spanned the education spectrum, but it’s always been in an effort to be a better steward to my community,” she said. “I want to empower everyone to have a meaningful education, advocate for the people around them, and contribute to a future where everyone’s contributions are recognized.”