The Kremen Newsletter February 2016 Message from the Dean Dr. Paul Beare California is experiencing a tremendous teacher shortage at the present time. Graduates of educator preparation programs are experiencing essentially 100% employment but enough candidates are simply not entering programs. There are a number of reasons for this, one of which is misconceptions about the salary teachers earn. elementary teacher salary in Fresno Unified is $55,524. But salary is not all a teacher receives. Teachers generally receive retirement benefits equal to about 10% of the salary as well as district paid health benefits. The district’s cost for a teacher earning $55,524 is $79,194 for that teacher according to salary.com/salarywizard. A teacher’s contract is usually around 180 days versus 260 days for a traditional employee. While that teacher works hard, that is 80 more days available to improve one’s skills, seek further education, enjoy a vacation, or work a second job. To earn an equivalent per day amount, a self-employed worker or a worker in a position without benefits would The average starting salary that teachers earn need a salary of $114,140. is $45,000 in the Central Valley, with some Teachers are certainly worth everything they variation by district and number of graduate earn and more to our society, our culture, our credits a teacher has accumulated. That is the children and community. The job is rewarding same as the median family income in our community and as a new teacher it is earned by and the intrinsic value received is not a single person their first year of employment. measurable. We do not want teachers who are “just in it for the pay” but no one should be Teachers get a raise with each year of deterred by the misperception that teachers do experience and for obtaining more education not make a fair living wage. plus teachers get cost of living salary adjustments on a regular basis. The median Credential Program personal biases and prejudices. The common message that students heard throughout the two days is that “one person can make a difference,” reinforcing the idea that teachers Trip to Museum of Tolerance in can work toward social justice through Los Angeles advocacy and service-learning, right in their own classrooms. Students came away from this MOT experience saying things like, “No one Dr. Lisa Bennett and Dr. Cathy Yun should go into teaching without going through received a grant from the Museum of this program!” The grant covered the cost of Tolerance (MOT) in Los Angeles, to take 43 transportation to and from LA, hotel Mini-Corps undergraduate students accommodations for the group, lunch for both and post-baccalaureate multiple subject days, and program fees. We are hoping that we credential students to the Museum of Tolerance for a specialized program tailored to can institutionalize this MOT experience for all of our Liberal Studies students and/or multiple Fresno State students. Students spent two full subject credential students and provide this days learning about how to infuse their transformative opportunity on a regular basis. teaching practice with a social justice perspective and engage K-8 learners in action research as a form of service-learning. As part of the museum activities, students heard testimonies from Renee Firestone, a Holocaust survivor, and Sylvia Mendez (Mendez v Westminster) and got the opportunity to ask them questions. Museum activities also included examination of current events from multiple perspectives as well as reflection on This Issue Message from the Dean & Credential Program page 1 Credential Program & Mini-Corps page 2 Mini-Corps & Kremen School Supporter page 3 Master’s Program & Liberal Studies page 4 Doctoral & Community Based Learning page 5 Alumni page 6 Faculty Research, Publications, and Presentations page 7 and 8 Dr. Jenelle Pitt received the Fresno State Women Foundation Leadership Award The Clovis Unified School Board named the elementary school located at Temperance and Clinton in honor of Dr. Virginia Boris 1 Credential Program Cooperating/Master Teacher Conferences Every fall the Kremen School invites Cooperating/Master Teachers to spend a Saturday morning to learn more about being an effective mentor. Kay Davies and Linda Gillis coordinated this year's Multiple Subject and Education Specialist’s Conference on October 17, 2015. Dr. Lisa Nyberg and Julie McGough were keynote speakers who presented on the "The Power of Questioning." They kept everyone engaged with exciting activities that integrated science and Common Core Standards. The keynote was followed by breakout sessions by Mini-Corps Kremen faculty and guest presenters. Many of the teachers were excited to win the numerous raffle prizes solicited by Linda Gillis and Marcia Kraft that were given away throughout the morning and during lunch. Janie Delacerta and Lisa Thompkins were the keynote speakers for the Single Subject Master Teacher Conference on November 7, 2015. They engaged the Cooperating/Master Teachers in learning how to mentor and give feedback to their teacher candidates. It was a very collaborative morning where everyone practiced skills they could immediately use with their teacher candidates. Fresno State California Mini-Corps Program The Mini-Corps Program at Fresno State is part of the California Mini-Corps Program, a statewide program that was founded in 1967 in collaboration with the State Department’s Migrant Education Program. The program is committed to the educational success of Hispanic/migrant students, particularly those who do not speak English, are bilingual or otherwise identified as “high-needs” students. The program has two primary goals: 1) Provide direct instructional tutorial services to increase Hispanic/migrant student academic achievement through a cadre of trained college tutors; and 2) Develop a cadre of future bilingual-bicultural credentialed teachers that will be better equipped to work with Hispanic/migrant students. The Fresno State California Mini-Corps Program consists of two components or cohorts, each with 18 tutors. This school year 36 Mini-Corps tutors were selected to participate and provide instructional services to various school sites throughout Fresno County. Currently, the program is providing services to 8 school districts, 27 schools, and assisting 112 teachers in grades K-12. Mini-Corps students receive between 3,000 and 4,000 hours of supervised classroom experience and staff development. While taking regular college courses to prepare them for teacher certification, the tutors receive additional professional development and in-service training in the form of Saturday courses and summer institutes. Participants often note “the lectures in their college courses make more sense when they are tied to the work of the classroom” (Lomeli, et. al., 2006, p.102). We believe that the Mini-Corps program at Fresno State exemplifies innovative best practices in both teacher education and academic achievement for Hispanic students, for the following reasons: tutors were themselves migrant students and have a first-hand understanding of the obstacles that prevent migrant students from academic retention and achievement tutors are immediately placed in classrooms under the close supervision and mentorship of master teachers who are themselves committed to effective bilingual education tutors receive specialized training in developing culturally relevant lesson plans and using an asset model of teaching and learning designed and proven to advance the engagement and achievement of Hispanic, English learners and bilingual students teacher education students have immediate and on-going opportunities to practice and reflect upon what they are learning about education in their college coursework as they spend hundreds more hours in the classroom than traditional teacher education students and work in a small cohort with a dedicated coordinator and mentor In addition to student teaching, tutors also have increased opportunities to work with students one-on-one, providing them not only with extra academic support and tutoring, but serving as student advocates, family and community liaisons. Community service is a requirement of the program. U.S. Department of Education or Federal Government Involvement Not only is Mini-Corps funded by the US Department of Education, the program has received numerous recognitions such as: In 1993, Assembly Resolution 1673 recognized Mini-Corps for “massive contributions to the improvement of migrant education, the increased communication with migrant families and the betterment of the future of California.” In 1997, the Department of Education recognized Mini-Corps as an "exemplary educational program" In 1998, Assembly Resolution 1179 recognized Mini-Corps for producing over “12,000 professionals for the state, including teachers, principals, counselors, and professors, who serve as strong bilingual role models for migrant children and the community . . . for its vital role of providing direct instructional services to migrant students.” In 2013, Assembly Resolution 1677 recognized Mini-Corps for its vital role of providing direct instructional services to migrant students and increasing the numbers of highly qualified bilingual teachers, that are sensitive to the needs of the English learner and biliterate student population in the State of California. In September 2015 Fresno State Mini-Corps was recognized by the White House for helping close the achievement gap among Latino students through the online report, “Bright Spots in Hispanic Education.” 2 Mini-Corps (cont.) Mini-Corps Conference: Diversity as Agency Dr. Lisa Bennett, Dr. Laura Alamillo, and Dr. Cathy Yun organized and held a conference entitled “Diversity as Agency: Conversations about High-Stakes Testing in Teacher Education” on Thursday, October 29, 2015. The conference attendees included over 100 Mini-Corps students and supervisors from multiple community college and university campuses from Bakersfield to Stanislaus. Dr. Angela Valenzuela (University of Texas at Austin), Dr. Alice Ginsberg (University of Pennsylvania), Juana Zamora (Butte County Assistant Superintendent and Mini-Corps Director), President Joseph Castro, and Dean Paul Beare were featured speakers at the conference; each speaker addressed issues of equity, social justice, and advocacy in teaching. Students engaged in a letter-writing campaign regarding the CSETs, describing their personal stories Kremen School Supporter Dr. Harry Moordigian The Kremen School of Education and Human Development mourns the recent passing of a dear friend and benefactor, Dr. Harry Moordigian, Jr. who passed away on Nov. 11 in Fresno. He was 76. Dr. Moordigian was a strong supporter of the university and specifically the Kremen School. In 2014, Dr. Moordigian generously contributed $200,000 to the Fresno Family Counseling Center, a Kremen School sponsored, community-based counseling center that provides low-cost counseling services to the community while training students enrolled in the Marriage, Family and Child Counseling graduate program. A letter written by his mother who had passed away when Harry was young prompted Dr. Moordigian’s gift to the center. “My parents were survivors of the Armenian Genocide,” Dr. Moordigian said. “Through this letter, I learned that in addition to my paternal grandfather, my mother’s father had also been killed in the Genocide. After sharing the letter with faculty at the Fresno Family Counseling Center, he learned that his mother likely suffered and experiences with testing bias. In their letters, students made comments such as, “A test does not make a teacher good or bad. Our passion, drive, heart, dedication, and commitment are what make us great.” In addition, Lilly Lomeli and Jose Mejia were recognized by President Castro for their extraordinary work with the Mini-Corps program at Fresno State, for which they received the White House "Bright Spots in Hispanic Education" Award in September 2015. The "Bright Spots" Award campaign was launched this year in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics. The Initiative made a national call for nominations for the "Bright Spots" Award with the goal of highlighting programs that support Latino educational attainment and excellence. The Fresno State Mini-Corps Program was one of three programs in the state of California recognized for its effectiveness in recruiting and supporting Latino/a teachers. The Mini-Corps Program supports Fresno State pre-service teachers and K-12 students from migrant backgrounds. Preliminary analysis of conference evaluations and reflections indicate that students’ perspectives of their roles as teachers shifted toward advocacy as a direct result of their participation in the conference. from depression. Dr. Moordigian said “I don’t want anyone to bare this kind of experience without someone to help. I said to myself, OK, I want to support what they are doing for the community in memory of my parents.” According to Dr. Christopher Lucey, Professor and Director of Fresno Family Counseling Center, “W e have lost a wonderful man and are eternally grateful to Harry for his generosity and support of the counseling center. I will personally miss his friendship but know he would be proud that his impact will continue to be felt by those most vulnerable in our community.” In addition to his gift to the counseling center, Dr. Moordigian also established the Nevart Moordigian Endowed Scholarship Fund in support of the South Valley Education Initiative, an effort to improve academic achievement and create a teacher pipeline in the South Valley. Daughter Gina Dean, her husband Nathan, and their two sons, Griffin and Nicholas, of Fresno; daughter Lisa Moordigian of Texas; ex-wife and friend Judy Moordigian, survives him as well as many cousins and friends he considered family. The faculty and students in the counseling program will sincerely miss Dr. Moordigian. According to Maira Hernandez, Clinical Program Manager, Fresno Family Counseling Center, “He was our guardian angel. The heavens have claimed that angel and we will forever have him as part of our family.” 3 Master’s Program Rehabilitation Counseling Program The Rehabilitation Counseling program is committed to serving people with various disabilities (e.g., psychological, substance use, intellectual, developmental, physical). The program faculty train empathic, trustworthy and competent counselors. Additionally, the Rehabilitation Counseling program students and faculty participate in monthly community events to increase awareness related to disability concerns and working with individuals or families experiencing disability. It is the program's mission to make a difference in the lives of persons with disabilities and transform the practice of counseling in California and beyond. Rehabilitation counselors work in a variety of settings and perform a number of roles including but not limited to individual and group counseling, job development and placement, career counseling, and arrangement of medical, vocational and psychological assessments. A major accomplishment is the U.S. News and World Report recently ranked the Rehabilitation Counseling program at Fresno State in the Top 25 in the nation. We have participated in the National Alliance of Mental Illness Walk and California SoberStock event where students provided screenings for individuals with substance use or mental health concerns. Dr. Becton participated in moderating a panel during Universal Design Day while students assisted Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) with distribution of information and other volunteer activities. The program sponsors workshops on a variety of topics related to working with people with disabilities. Another workshop focused on Universal Design and Assistive Technology. The Rehab students and faculty participate in monthly events to increase awareness related to disability concerns, working with individuals and families experiencing disability, and most recently assisting with the grand opening of Inspiration Park where the mayor gave students a special "thank you" for their hard work. Also, students in the Rehabilitation Counseling program presented to a group of students regarding counseling individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing. Our students recently sat on a panel discussing personal experiences living with a parent, sibling or child who may have a disability at the Cesár Chavez conference. Dr. Becton and four students from the Rehabilitation Counseling Program Career Incubator Event Liberal Studies Dr. Kyoung Choi was invited to present at the Eastside College Preparatory School regarding “professional counseling” for the Career Incubator event that was held on October 17, 2015. The goal of the "Career Incubator" is to give students hands-on experience with a variety of careers, including professional counseling, law, medicine, technology, finance and the non-profit sector. There are 15-20 companies that provide a presentation and one to two presenters from each company. Speakers are asked to develop a hands-on workshop and talk about the types of decisions they make on a daily basis. Students get a packet of information in advance and choose three sessions that interest them. For preparation, students are asked to review their assigned workshops and identify their source of interest and expectations. Their homework after the event is to reflect on the workshops and how they affected their outlook on the professional world. For more information please visit The 2015 John D. Welty Award for Excellence in Community Service eastside.org/_pdfs/Eastside_Programs&Best_Practices.pdf Liberal Studies student, Whitney Ferdinandsen is the recipient of the 2015 John D. Welty Award for Excellence in Community Service. The award which includes a $2,500 scholarship, is given each year to one student who exemplifies a commitment to service. She has provided more than 600 hours of community service over the past year as a founder of Camp Kesem-Fresno State, a week-long summer camp run by Fresno State students for children whose parents have recently undergone or are in the midst of being treated for cancer. She also organized and lead a group of Fresno State students and faculty for a two-week international service project in Fiji, where they built storm drainage systems and finished construction of a community center. Whitney is majoring in liberal studies, has a 4.0 average, works two jobs, is a member of the Smittcamp Family Honors Program and is part of the initial Liberal Studies Honors Cohort. Congratulations, Whitney! 4 Doctoral Program Gary W. Kinsey Please join me in welcoming Dr. Gary W. Kinsey, the former Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs for the School of Education at CSU Channel Islands (CI), as he begins work at Fresno State overseeing the new joint doctorate program, Collaborative Online Doctorate in Educational Leadership (CODEL), a collaboration between CI and our campus. Dr. Kinsey retired last summer from his previous role at CI, and is participating in the Faculty Early Retirement Program (FERP). CODEL, the CSU’s first hybrid online program in Educational Leadership will launch with its first cohort of candidates in June 2016. Prior to his five years at CI, he worked at Cal Poly Pomona where he served for 10 years as a professor, Director of the Teacher Intern Program and as Associate Dean in the College of Education and Integrative Studies (CEIS). Before working in the CSU system, Dr. Kinsey served in the Firebaugh-Las Deltas, Selma, and Clovis school districts for over 15 years. His educational preparation includes a bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences and a master’s degree in History from Fresno State; a master’s degree in Educational Administration from the University of San Francisco; and a doctoral degree in Educational Policy and Administration from the University of Southern California. Dr. Kinsey has received several awards and recognition which include the California Professors of Educational Administration (CAPEA) Distinguished Service Award in 2009, the Association of California School Administrator’s (ACSA) State Professor of Education of the Year award in 2008, the Cal Poly Pomona Outstanding Faculty Advisor award in 2005, and the Fresno County Office of Education’s 1992 School District Administrator of the Year award. He served as President of the National Council for Professors of Educational Administration (NCPEA) in 2008 and as a member of its Executive Board for over five years. He was appointed to consecutive four year terms (2008-2016) by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) to their Committee on Accreditation (COA), and has twice served as the Higher Education Co-Chair of the group. His areas of expertise include educational policy, leadership development and licensure. Dr. Kinsey, who was born and raised in Delano, has been active in numerous community and professional organizations in Kern, Fresno, Ventura and Los Angeles Counties. Community Based Learning Youth Tech Academy Kremen School computers are serving some of the youngest and brightest students in our neighborhoods. Did you know that on Saturday mornings our computer labs are full of future teachers, scientists, engineers, programmers and coders who are as young as six years old? Youth Tech Academy allows children 6 – 13 (1st – 8th grades) to explore several computer opportunities with our state of the art equipment. Participants can choose to program robots, uncover in depth secrets of Mine-Craft, discover 3-D printing, or learn how to program and code. The Academy is taught by both future teachers and future engineers, as well as professionals from the field of programming. Youth Tech Academy – just another example of how the Kremen School is reaching out to serve our diverse community by sharing our technology with bright young minds and planting seeds that Fresno State is “your school.” For more information, contact the Office of Community Based Learning at 559.278.0153. The Aerospace Academy received funding from NASA Fresno State and the Kremen School is one of only nine universities in the nation to receive funding for an Aerospace Academy from NASA through its Minority University Research and Education Program (MUREP). The Office of Community Based Learning is excited to expand our partnership with NASA and implement the goals of the MUREP Aerospace Academy, which is to increase STEM literacy and opportunities. Over the next three years, Community Based Learning will work closely with local schools to reach teachers, 1,200 students in all grades, and their families to increase awareness and interest in STEM education and careers, including teaching. The project will include a portable aerospace lab that will assist in bringing challenging, hands on activities to after-school programs and weekend family events. A “Family Café” will be created and provide interactive activities, workshops, and guest speakers. This three-year grant will complement and expand the Youth Tech Academy which is currently offered three times a year in our Kremen School labs. It is really exciting to have the NASA stamp of approval on our school, and to reach out to our nation’s future explorers, scientists and engineers. 5 Alumni Elizabeth Olenchalk Elizabeth completed her Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies in May 2015. I loved my time going through the Liberal Studies Program! I really enjoyed getting the chance to study multiple disciplines and take classes from professors from all the different colleges. I also liked getting the chance to study all four years with my peers, many of us have become very close friends! I was very happy that I was in the STEM concentration because every professor I had during that time was very excited about us being future teachers. My concentration is STEM (Science Technology Engineering Mathematics). I loved having the chance to see how wonderful it is to teach children about science. With this concentration I am excited to be able to teach students the wonders of science as well as give students a chance to learn through creating and by them making educated discoveries themselves helping to guide students to truly learn and value their education. I also loved being a part of the Fresno State Puppetry Class, where we learned the art of puppetry and then got to share what we learned with a local school. A group of 4 of us got the opportunity to teach puppetry as an anti-bullying campaign. During the course of the Liberal Studies Degree, I was able to revisit teachers that I had as a child. My goal of teaching is to prepare students not only academically, but for their lives as future community members. “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all" is a quote by Aristotle that I completely agree with. I believe that every child has a chance at making a difference and I want to be the teacher that helps them to reach their full potential. I plan on using my collegiate serving experiences as well as my minor in Urban Civic Education to make sure that students understand the importance of serving others and ultimately the importance of learning through service. I plan on using all of my learning and volunteering experiences at Fresno State to make sure that my future students have the best educational and learning experiences in my classroom. I have graduated with The Dean's Medal for the Kremen School of Education and Human Development and earning this recognition has fueled my passion for teaching children even more than before. Currently I am in the credential program and I have loved every moment of it. Each week I am getting the opportunity to represent Fresno State and higher education to children at Oraze Elementary School, in addition to learn how to teach. I'm very confident that Fresno State's credential program will prepare me to be an amazing classroom teacher because I have had wonderful professors in the credential program and a great classroom partner teacher to look up to. I’m excited for my future career as a teacher because I believe that I will get the chance to work in a field and alongside others that are wanting to help and make a difference in the lives of children. Staff and Faculty News Sarah Schmidt named her baby Wesley Darrow Schmidt Juan Garcia has a granddaughter. Her name is August Lydia Rangel-Garcia y Garcia -Elizabeth Olenchalk Pa Vang Pa completed her Master of Science in Counseling, option Student Affairs and College Counseling in May 2015. I work at Madera Community College Center as a general counselor. I will be advising students on their majors, vocational programs, and certificates. As I start meeting students, I will start working with them on their individual Student Educational Plan and work closely with them to make sure they succeed and meet their educational goals. My personal goal as a counselor is to build relationships with all my students and to educate them about the resources provided to help them succeed as they are transitioning into higher education. Also I want all students to know that I have an open door policy in which I will be available if they ever need assistance. Although I just started, I can forsee that I will like the culture of the college. I know it’s been a long journey and only the beginning of another journey. So far, I love what I am doing and wouldn't change my career path. I am excited and look forward to making changes one student at a time. -Pa Vang Libbi Miller named her baby Jack Miller Caouette Fred Nelson has three new grandchildren. Emrie Eileen, Liam Christopher, and Lydia Grace 6 Faculty Research, Publications, and Presentations photographs on Instagram for one school year. The purpose of this naturalistic qualitative study was to describe and better understand the development and reflective practice of beginning teachers through observation, interview, and documents. The ability to reflect has been identified Specifically, this study focused on how as a crucial element of teacher expertise. In preservice teachers reflected, the content the past, teacher education programs have of their reflections, and how Instagram encouraged pre-service influenced the reflection process. teachers to become Participants collected daily photos reflective practitioners throughout a yearlong internship by keeping journals, and posted them on Instagram. This creating portfolios, resulted in over 1,800 photos, captions, and/or engaging in and comments. Throughout the year, conversation. However, participants were observed these methods do not and interviewed about this reflective allow individuals to process, resulting in over 60 hours of utilize parts of the brain recorded conversation and 40 pages of that process visual field notes. Through thematic analysis, information. This qualitative study several themes were identified across the investigated the reflective practice of data. The teachers reflected using five fourteen pre-service teachers who used reflective techniques, photojournaling, Dr. Monica Billen #Learningtoteach: Using Instagram to Elicit Pre-Service Teacher Reflection Dr. Sara Werner Juarez Dr. Sara Werner Juarez from the Literacy, Education, Bilingual, and Special Education (LEBSE) Department co-presented at two national conferences during the Fall semester. At the Council for Learning Disabilities, Dr. Juarez co-presented The Effectiveness of IRIS Resources: Training, Knowledge, and Application. This presentation included three separate studies about the use and effectiveness of IRIS resources, which are designed to improve educational professionals’ skills and knowledge about evidence-based practices (EBPs). At the Teacher Education Division of the Council for Exceptional Children's National Conference, Dr. Juarez co-presented three papers: Teacher Preparation in the Digital Age: Strategies for Effectively Teaching Courses Online, Translating Research to Practice: Resources for Early Childhood Personnel Preparation, and Teacher Candidates’ Knowledge Acquisition and Application of Evidence-Based Practices. These presentations represent manuscripts currently in publication and preparation. noticing, noticing and extending, noticing and problem solving and noticing and changing. The content of their photoreflections focused on themselves as teachers, their pupils, and the system of education. Instagram seemed to positively influence the reflective process because the pre-service teachers enjoyed the process, were influenced by the visual aspect of photographs, and noticed a lot of their surroundings that later became catalysts for further reflection. A week’s worth of worksheets. School can’t just be worksheets! Dr. Mariya Yukhymenko Update to October 2015 newsletter Dr. Mariya Yukhymenko received her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology, Cognition and Instruction (2012) from the University of Connecticut. She also received a Certificate in Quantitative Research Methods. She was an adjunct faculty teaching Russian Language and Educational Psychology at the University of Connecticut. She worked full-time as a Visiting Research Specialist position on Project READI (2012-15) at the University of Illinois at Chicago before joining our Kremen team, where she also taught an online Research Design in Education graduate course. Dr. Susan Schlievert The California Educational Research Association accepted Dr. Susan Schlievert’s proposal to present at the CERA Annual Conference in December 2015. Unwrapped and Outside the Box: Promoting Creativity focuses on students’ declining creativity scores in the United States, global needs, creativity questions, alternative uses research, future jobs, and resistance. Dr. Berta Gonzàlez Dr. Berta González, Associate Vice President, Emerita and Professor of Education Emerita was inducted into the 2015 Hall of Fame at the Butte County Office of Education in May 2015. She was recognized for her extensive legacy and contributions through the California Mini-Corp Programs and her work that directly impacted the lives of migrant children. She was also invited to be the keynote speaker at the Mini-Corp Summer Institute held at the Sacramento State campus on June 12, 2015. 7 Faculty Research, Publications, and Presentations (cont.) phenomenon of sense of purpose among first-generation female students who belong to minority ethnic background and practice Dr. Gitima Sharma, an Assistant Professor in the Department Soka Gakkai International (SGI) Nichiren Buddhism. Another of Counselor Education and Rehabilitation is study is based on an experimental design, in which she is evaluating the effectiveness of a peer-counseling intervention to strongly committed to collaboration with assist students in exploring their life purpose. Using a K-12 school districts and college campus factor-analytic scale construction approach, she has constructed organizations that focus on successfully an inventory to measure sense of purpose. In future research, she transitioning incoming students to plans to expand on the results of these studies and further and through college. Currently she is investigate interventions that can enhance sense of purpose, involved in multiple research projects, one meaning, resilience, persistence and identity development among project explores inherent strengths adolescents and young adults. and external factors that support academic achievement and persistence among minority For more information on SGI please visit www.sgi.org . students. Another project explores the Dr. Gitima Sharma Dr. Kyoung Choi Dr. Walter Ullrich Currently Dr. Kyoung Mi Choi is working on the research project "Examining Intersectionality: Narratives of International Lesbian Students in the United States.” She also has the following publication: Choi, K., VanVoorhis, W. R., & Ellenwood, E. A. (2015). Enhancing Critical Consciousness Through a Cross-Cultural Immersion Experience in South Africa. Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, 43(4), 244-261. doi:10.1002/jmcd.12019. Using phenomenological approaches, the author explored the meanings and essences of a cross-cultural immersion experience in South Africa among counseling master’s level students. Five core themes—the meaning of being American, sociopolitical awareness, engagement with South Africans and their communities, appreciation of life, and commitment to change—characterized the development of critical consciousness (Freire, 1973, 2000). Findings support positive influences of cross-cultural immersion as an experiential pedagogical method for multicultural development. Dr. Alicia Becton Becton, A. B. & Haroutinian, M. (2016). Universal Design or Universal Distraction? Incorporating Tablets to Enhance Student Engagement. National Council on Rehabilitation Education, Annual NCRE Professional Conference: Newport Beach, CA. (concurrent) Becton, A. B. (November, 2015). Admissions into Higher Education: Things You Should Know. California State University, Fresno, African American Conference 2015. Fresno, CA. (student panel discussion) Paul, T., Krenn, J., Lusk, S., & Becton, A. B. (October, 2015). Interventions that Increase Self-Esteem for American Indian Adolescents in Residential Treatment. National Council on Rehabilitation Education, Annual NCRE Professional Conference: Arlington, VA. (concurrent) If you would like to submit a story for the next newsletter, please email Ana Espinosa anae@csufresno.edu Ullrich, W. J. (Chair). (November, 2015). "Courage & Connection in Education." Symposium at the 2015 Annual Conference of the American Educational Studies Association (AESA), San Antonio, TX, Nov. 11-15. The link below will provide you with a Market Viability study of the online Master of Arts in Teaching at Fresno State. www.fresnostate.edu/kremen/cctc/ documents/noncred/mat/MATviabilityreport.pdf Dr. Dana Powell Dr. Dana Powell co-authored the 3rd edition of a textbook, Classroom Communication and Diversity: Enhancing Instructional Practice. The book was published by Routledge in Fall 2015. The textbook is used in COMM 114 a required course for Liberal Studies students prior to entering the credential program. Kremen School of Education and Human Development California State University, Fresno 5005 N Maple Ave Fresno, CA 93740 559.278.0300 8