Isela Pena-Rager

Education:

• Ed.D. – Educational Leadership – UC Davis (in progress)
• M.A. – Spanish, Applied Linguistics & Graduate Certificate in Second Language Studies – Purdue University
• B.A. – Art, specialization in Photography – University of La Verne

Research Interests:

• Microaggressions as experienced by POC and nonimmigrant international students in higher education
• Impact of racism on college student mental health
• Harm and violence prevention on college campuses
• Leadership practices around academic advising and counseling in higher education
• Low-income, first-generation access to higher education 
• Critical Race Theory, Community Cultural Wealth, validation theory, and counterstories

Recent Projects and Positions:

• Adviser, College of Letters and Science – University of California, Berkeley