Sherri Nakashima: A Legacy of Devotion and Perseverance

Photo Credit: Ana Espinosa

During her 27 years of hard work and dedication, Sherri Nakashima processed over 20,000 credential recommendations for teachers, counselors, administrators and school nurses since being hired in 1997 as Fresno State’s sole Credential Analyst. Without her countless hours of diligence and precise attention to detail, many educators throughout the Valley today would not have obtained the credentials required for them to enter the field of education. As part of her position, she also ensured that all credential programs offered through Fresno State maintained both national and state accreditation by submitting credential recommendations to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) for state licensing of educators.

Nakashima’s journey to this position is paved with a deep devotion for teaching. She graduated from Fresno State as a first-generation college student after being inspired by her two older brothers who both received their degrees in Agriculture. Nakashima obtained a BA in Liberal Studies and also earned a Multiple Subject credential through the Kremen School of Education and Human Development which she then used to teach 4th grade. Soon afterwards, she began to crave a career change. A friend of hers who worked on campus informed her that a position had opened up within the Kremen School. After applying in 1995, she was quickly hired for a front-desk position by Associate Dean Dr. Robert Monke.

“This return to Kremen became a pivotal moment in my life with everything coming full-circle.”

 – Nakashima 

Thea Beddingfield, the Credential Analyst at the time, became her supervisor in Education 100 (now CASS). While working the front desk, Nakashima was also being simultaneously trained by Thea on how to process credential applications. During that period, Fresno State consistently produced the highest number of credential candidates in the CSU system and because of this, Thea was able to convince administration that a second Credential Analyst was needed. After applying in 1997, Nakashima moved to a Credential Analyst I position assisting Thea with processing applications. Shortly thereafter, Thea moved to a different job on campus, leaving behind the world of accreditation. Nakashima then became the sole Credential Analyst for the campus.

The duties of a Credential Analyst are extremely demanding and sometimes even challenging in nature as they are required to remain up-to-date on all credentialing policies and procedures for the state of California. Nakashima was in charge of submitting credential recommendations for all required programs including (Multiple Subject, Single Subject, Education Specialist); Pupil Personnel Services (School Counseling, School Social Work, School Psychology); Administrative Services, Agriculture Specialist, Reading Specialist, School Nursing as well as the online CalState TEACH program.

Her responsibilities also included credential advising, the evaluation of transcripts for adding authorizations, submitting appeals for credential extensions, attending CTC meetings, working with Kremen advisors, program coordinators, and other academic advisors across campus. This frequent communication and collaboration with other colleges at Fresno State was crucial to ensuring that all students met the requirements to earn a credential. Nakashima would also serve as a liaison to local county offices of education, school district human resources personnel, other CSU system Credential Analysts and the Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

Processing and submitting credential recommendations requires the highest level of attention to detail, something that Nakashima excelled at. Each individual credential candidate’s application entails an evaluation of credential documents to verify that the candidate has successfully met the state and university legal requirements to obtain a credential. Nakashima would double and triple check these requirements to guarantee that the students whom she advised were on the path to ultimate success.

In 2007, Nakashima received a brick on the Teachers and Friends of Education Honor Wall as a Richter Award recipient for outstanding Kremen Staff. In 2019, she accepted yet another outstanding staff award, cementing her legacy within the Kremen School even further.

After 27 years of commitment and resolve within the field of education, Nakashima has decided to file for a well-earned retirement. While she is thrilled to finally be able to turn off her 5:30 a.m. alarm and spend more time with loved ones, Nakashima has discovered that the most difficult part of retiring is the knowledge that she will no longer see her colleagues on a regular basis. However, she is grateful for the cherished memories she has made with her coworkers both in and outside of the Kremen School. She is especially appreciative of the hard work put in by staff and faculty members as well as the presence of invaluable student assistants — the great majority of which have pursued their teaching credentials and/or master’s degrees within the Kremen School.

“I don’t have children of my own, but our current and former student assistants make me feel like a proud “Mom”! It’s heartwarming to see how fellow staff support each other throughout the course of an academic year. They are generous, kind, intelligent, respectful, hard-working and dedicated. All have a wonderful sense of humor, which is needed in dealing with challenges that arise.”

– Nakashima explains.

As she reflects, Nakashima is keenly aware that it wouldn’t have been possible for her to have worked as a Credential Analyst for 27 years without their continued support. She would like to thank the Kremen School administration, staff, and faculty for their encouragement and teamwork over the years. Now begins her next chapter in life!

(Written by Audra Burwell, a Creative Writing student employed by the Kremen School of Education and Human Development )

The Divergent Publication Award for Excellence in Literacy in a Digital Age Research

Dr. David Low and Dr. Earl Aguilera of the Kremen School of Education and Human Development at Fresno State, were both recently recognized as 2023 recipients of the Divergent Publication Award for Excellence in Literacy in a Digital Age Research. This award recognizes the most outstanding publications during the past two years that bring to the forefront the importance and impact of this work, given by the Initiative for Literacy in a Digital Age.

The Initiative for Literacy in a Digital Age, established in 2014, recognizes the importance of literacy in a digital age, those who diverge from traditional pedagogies and research approaches, and the indelible contributions of educators and scholars who have dedicated their careers to the theoretical and practical study of 21st century literacies. 

“We received a record number of nominees for the 2023 class. The educators, librarians, community organizers, college and career leaders, and students honored by this recognition are paving the way for equity, diversity, inclusivity, and access to texts and tools for all learners.”

Dr. Shelbie Witte, founding director of the Initiative.

Pedagogies: An International Journal (Taylor & Francis)

Dr. Low’s publication award is for a 2021 article titled “Youth Identities and Affinities on the Move: Using a Transliteracies Framework to Critique Digital Dichotomies,” which he co-authored with Sarah Rapp, a UCSC doctoral student and incoming faculty member at Sonoma State University. The article was published in Pedagogies: An International Journal (Taylor & Francis) and argues that oppositional framings of digitality do not adequately convey the creativity, permeability, messiness, and movement of youth literacies in practice. The authors used a transliteracies framework to examine youths’ textual production and identity mediation across physical and virtual domains, focusing on student participation in affinity spaces.

Dr. Aguilera’s publication award is for co-editing a Special Issue of Pedagogies: An International Journal titled “Critical Literacies in a Digital Age” in 2021 with Dr. Jessica Zacher Pandya, Dean of the School of Education at CSU Dominguez Hills. In this Special Issue, Drs. Aguilera and Pandya curated a number of research studies that together examined the resurgent social, political, cultural, and economic tension – in part facilitated by emerging information and communication technologies – which underscore the need to cultivate new forms of critical literacy in our digital age. Drs. Aguilera and Pandya framed their Special Issue around the following question:

In an educational context increasingly marked by volatility and uncertainty, but also connection and creative potential, in what ways might a focus on CDL inform pedagogical theory and practice?

Drs. Low and Aguilera, among other 2023 honorees, will be sharing their work as part of the Literacy in a Digital Age lecture series in April 2023.

Instilling Independence and Autonomy in the Next Generation

Shail Lopez-Ortiz is the current director of the Wayfinders program at the Kremen School of Education and Human Development. Her journey to Fresno State is a long and tumultuous one. In 1994, Ortiz and her husband moved to the United States from Johannesburg, South Africa. She had just completed her bachelor’s degree at the time she got married, and naturally, wanted to continue her education in the U.S. so her goal was to move to another large city that would provide her with the academic opportunities she needed. She was hoping that they would be able to secure a home in New York, Los Angeles or San Francisco, but instead, her husband found a job in Fresno. She was very disappointed because at the time, the Central Valley offered little in the way of metropolitan amenities and consisted mostly of dust and farming land. Upon hearing that Fresno offered a university, Ortiz felt a beacon of hope ignite her, excited at the prospect of continuing her studies. 

After reviewing Fresno State’s degree catalog and speaking with several academic advisors, Ortiz discovered that the university offered several degrees that she was interested in. With the help of college faculty, she was able to successfully enroll in a master’s program. The biggest lesson that Ortiz learned at Fresno State is that if you are willing to put in the hard work, if you show a positive attitude and have a good work ethic, then doors will automatically open up for you. Ortiz remembers that as an immigrant freshly transposed in American society, she did have to work exceptionally hard to learn the culture and the way that Americans conducted themselves, but having a positive attitude and a good personality paid off exceptionally well. She remembers several instructors coming up to her and offering internships and job opportunities in her field the first couple of semesters while she was at Fresno State. 

Ortiz’s journey since graduating has been very momentous and propelled by her goal-driven personality. Right after graduation, one of Ortiz’s instructors approached her, offering her a job at the Rehabilitation Counseling Evaluation Center, an organization that no longer exists at Fresno State. Within a few months of working, Ortiz was instantly promoted to the director of the program. Through that position, she was able to secure several contracts with Fresno County that allowed her program to start working with individuals on welfare. The name of the program became “Welfare to work”. Ortiz explains how certain parts of the program survived and are now being run by specific individuals almost twenty years later, something she is very proud of. Because of the leadership experience she garnered, Ortiz became a business owner shortly after and has been running multiple businesses for the past fifteen years. Concurrently, for the last nine years, Ortiz has also been running the Wayfinders program at Fresno State, a pilot-program that has been running on a four million dollar grant. They are the only program on a CSU campus that serves their specific clientele, however, Ortiz is leading a movement to inspire all CSU campuses to adopt a program similar to hers. 

Since starting her journey at Fresno State, Ortiz realized her passion for working with individuals with intellectual disabilities. After obtaining her Rehabilitation Counseling master’s degree, she never thought that she would be leading a program dedicated to helping the developmentally challenged live normal, healthy lives in society. Ortiz recommends Fresno State as the perfect college for those looking to find one-on-one help in a small, personal setting that focuses on their strengths and passions. Fresno State has offered Ortiz numerous opportunities throughout her career and continues to support the work she does to this day. 

(Written by Audra Burwell, a Creative Writing student employed by the Kremen School of Education and Human Development .)

From Hardship to Leadership: A Story of Success

Felipe Mercado is currently the coordinator for Clinical Practice as well as a professor in residence at the Madera Unified School District. One of the things that Mercado thinks about time and time again, is how accidental his ending up at Fresno State was. While in high school, Mercado was classified as homeless and went to juvenile hall multiple times, before dropping out of school altogether for approximately three years. When he arrived at community college, he had the drive to learn, but still struggled as a student. Two and a half years into his general education degree, he got called into the student counselors office and asked if he had ever considered transferring his credits to a four-year university. In the back of his mind he had always considered the option but never felt that he had the skills or potential to be accepted at a university. This accidental experience of trying to be a good student is what led him to enroll in Fresno State, after he realized he had all the qualifications they were looking for. 

One of the most valuable lessons Mercado learned while at Fresno State was to look inside himself, at who he truly was as a person. When he initially arrived as a student, he realized that he harbored a lot of biases and insecurities, such as “I don’t think my industry is going to like me”, or “I don’t think I’ll fit in with these groups of people”. After studying for a semester or so, however, Mercado realized that he needed connections and relationships to thrive. Once he put his biases aside, he began to become more open with people, and slowly started to build those connections he was looking for. 

Mercado’s first major accomplishment since immersing himself with the Fresno State community was graduating with his Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree and eventually, Doctorate degree. During his Master’s program, Mercado struggled to support his child using Section Eight housing since he had not been able to build a credit score at the time. After graduating with his Master’s, his life improved drastically, as he was able to obtain health insurance and start building a credit score. He went into social work for quite a while after graduating, and during that time, his brother was murdered at gunpoint. This tragic life experience encouraged him to make something more of his life, and so he went back to school to attain his Doctorate, applying the wisdom and life experiences he had accumulated toward his education. Since attaining his third degree, he has filled the role as counselor, vice-principal, principal and now coordinator. He is grateful that Fresno State has provided him with a platform to grow and feels that his position as a coordinator has really helped him mentor students and allow them to reach their full potential. 

Fresno State has helped Mercado obtain his current position by providing immense support and providing him with individuals who were there for him every step of the way. Whenever he needed assistance with research or creating a difficult project, there was always a staff member available to help guide the process. He feels that Kremen and Fresno State in general helped uncover his true passions and brought out his excitement through the world of education. He doesn’t feel that he would have formed his level of advocacy and expertise without their continuous support. 

(Written by Audra Burwell, a Creative Writing student employed by the Kremen School of Education and Human Development .)

Faculty Spotlight: Varaxy Yi Borromeo

Varaxy Yi Borromeo

Varaxy Yi Borromeo, an assistant professor in Higher Education Administration and Leadership (HEAL), has been recently selected to receive the 2022 AERA Research on the Education of Asian Pacific Americans SIG Early Career Award. She also currently serves as the coordinator of the HEAL graduate program and as core faculty in the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership. She was drawn to Fresno State as an institution for several reasons. Firstly, she was born and raised in Modesto, so the institution was close to home. Second, Fresno State is an extremely diverse institution holding both Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution designations. This is especially important to Varaxy because she desires to work and serve a community that represents both her background and identities. She loves being in a diverse classroom and learning from amazing students, leaders, and professionals. Varaxy has been a faculty member at Fresno State since fall 2018.

Varaxy is constantly being uplifted and supported by an amazing group of mentors, guides, and colleagues. She is extremely grateful to her nominators and co-conspirators, Dr. Jacqueline Mac (Northern Illinois University), Vanessa Na (University of California, San Diego [UCSD]), and Amy Wang (UCSD). She considers them all wonderful souls and has the honor of calling them friends and family. She is also grateful to the SEAAsterScholars Collective of Southeast Asian American (SEAA)-identifying women who are committed to advancing knowledge with and by SEAA members, as well as, her advisor and friend, Dr. Samuel Museus for supporting her work and providing her with the skills and training necessary to contribute important knowledge about Asian American and SEAA communities. She is also thankful for all the Asian American and SEAA elders who provided a foundation for her to be able to advance the work of her community and to her department chair and program colleagues for their support.

            Currently, Varaxy holds bachelor’s degrees in both Business Administration and English (University of the Pacific), a master’s in Library and Information Science (San Jose State University), and a Ph.D. in Higher Education (University of Denver). She teaches graduate-level courses in higher education administration and leadership and in the doctoral program, including contemporary issues in higher education, education reform, and qualitative research. She has learned that it’s not just about doing good work and contributing knowledge but how you do it that matters. Leaning into the collectivist, interdependent ways of knowing and doing that her family taught her has helped Varaxy build meaningful relationships with collaborators and co-conspirators who understand that this work is never meant to be done alone. She resists individualistic ways of thinking and doing and finds great inspiration working with like-minded individuals. When the work is draining, she finds fulfillment in supporting others and receiving support—she knows that she is never alone, something that has made her career fulfilling and joyful.

            Varaxy will be receiving the SIG Early Career Award  at the American Educational Research Association in San Diego, California on April 3, 2022. She states that it is very exciting and spirit-lifting to have her work recognized. As a first-generation Khmer American college graduate and faculty, to be recognized in such a way by her scholar-community is both validating and affirming. She is the first in her family to attend and complete college, thus it has been a journey of navigating unknowns and uncertainties. She is excited that her work is being honored because it also means the effort her family put into coming here as refugees is visible to the world. Varaxy explains how they are the backbone that made this all possible.

She plans to continue conducting research on the experiences of SEAA students via both asset-based ways and utilizing critical theories of race to explore the racialized experiences of SEAA students. Varaxy is also collaborating with colleagues to conduct case studies of three CSU AANAPISIs and the contexts that shape how they support SEAA students. She is especially excited to work with SEAA graduate students interested in similar topics. If there are current SEAA grads interested in research, she is happy to offer training and support. One of her major goals is to build a robust pipeline of SEAA students into higher education and student affairs.

(Written by Audra Burwell, a Creative Writing Student, Employed by The Kremen School of Education and Human Development)

Faculty Spotlight: Soua Xiong

Soua Xiong

Soua Xiong was nominated to receive the 2022 AERA Research on the Education of Asian Pacific Americans SIG Early Career Award. This award is presented to an early career scholar whose program of research has had a significant impact on our understanding of Asian Americans and/or Pacific Islanders in the field of education. A significant impact refers to a program of research and practice that has meaningfully advanced knowledge and understanding in the field. The award will be formally presented to Soua at the SIG Business Meeting which will take place at 6pm on Saturday, April 23rd, at the San Diego Convention Center.

Soua received both his bachelor and master degrees from Fresno State. His BA is in Psychology and his MS is in Counseling. His PhD is in Higher Education and Student Affairs from Claremont Graduate University and San Diego State University. He first ended up at the Kremen School in 2009 as a graduate student, before finishing with his master’s degree in Counseling in 2011. Shortly after that, he was selected as the Graduate Dean’s Medalist for the Kremen School of Education and Human Development. He is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Counselor Education and Rehabilitation and also serves as the Coordinator of the Student Affairs and College Counseling program. He teaches foundations of student services in higher education, applying counseling skills to student affairs practice, and supervises graduate students in the completion of their master’s projects and internships. He has been at Fresno State for over 14 years as a student, staff, and now faculty member.

Soua would like to give a shout out to Dr. J. Luke Wood from San Diego State University and Dr. Song E. Lee from Fresno State. He says that he wouldn’t be where he is at this stage of his academic career without their continued support, guidance, and mentorship. He also would like to include a heartfelt mention of his multiple communities of encouragement. First and foremost, he would like to thank God, followed by his family, friends, and colleagues. He is also eternally grateful to his Department Chair (Dr. Becton), Associate Dean (Dr. Pitt Parker), and Dean (Dr. Randy Yerrick) for their continued support as he coordinates a graduate program as the sole full-time faculty member in addition to all of his other roles and responsibilities as a faculty member.

Being an educator is something that Soua is very passionate about and something he continues to enjoy every single day. He has had the opportunity to prepare and train aspiring student affairs professionals with the counseling training they need to effectively address the holistic needs of college students from diverse backgrounds. What he enjoys most about the teaching experience is the opportunity to learn with and from his students. They bring a wealth of knowledge, background, and experience that greatly enhance the learning environment.

However, Soua’s work doesn’t simply stop inside the classroom. He wants to keep developing a community of scholars committed to advancing our knowledge and understanding of Hmong students in higher education. That is why he created the Xiong Research Group to provide leadership, research mentorship, and monthly capacity-building workshops so that others can learn the academic research process, become critical consumers of research and producers of knowledge on the Hmong college student experience using asset-based frameworks. Currently, his research team (Xiong Research Group) is conducting a national qualitative study to explore the factors that positively shaped the experiences and outcomes of Hmong students in higher education (The Hmong College Student Success Project). Rather than focus on barriers and challenges of Hmong students, this project is a retrospective trajectory analysis using Harper’s (2010) anti-deficit achievement framework to explore factors that allowed them to access, thrive, and succeed in higher education.

He is committed to using his own research to elevate and amplify the voices and experiences of Southeast Asian Americans (SEAAs) in higher education. This strand of his research agenda has focused on 1) engagement of SEAA male students, 2) SEAA community college students, and 3) Hmong students specifically. Rather than use deficit-oriented research approaches and frameworks that perpetuate deficit perspectives and narratives of SEAA students, their community, and culture, he plans to continue using asset-based approaches and frameworks to guide his research in this area of study. After hearing that he would be presented with the Early Career Award, Soua was incredibly honored and even more determined to continue his area of research. He is grateful for the recognition and the progress which his team has made, something that continues driving him toward future success.

(Written by Audra Burwell, a Creative Writing Student, Employed by The Kremen School of Education and Human Development)

Teacher Appreciation: Honoring Those Who Help Mentor and Shape the Future of Academia.

Educators work tirelessly to ensure the success and well-being of the next generation of students by guiding them through the rough waters of academic life. Kremen recognizes this immense contribution and to show their support, they have launched a donation program starting Tuesday, January 11th, where they will be honoring their “Mentor Teachers” who have taken time to work with several credential candidates over the past semester.

Kremen partners with over 20 district partners every semester to place their single subject, education specialist, and multiple subject credential candidates. To give back, they have created a “Mentor Teacher Appreciation Gift Bag” which includes 450 $5 gift cards from Dutch Bro’s (a generous donation amounting in a total value of $2,250), a Mentor-Teacher Self Care Brochure, an assortment of Fresno State items such as business cards, lanyards, pens, sticky pads, as well as, a Thank You Letter with a small bag of candy attached to the note. These gift bags are a way to help mentor teachers know how special they are to everyone that is associated with Kremen and to the student’s whose lives have been impacted by their kindness and generosity.

Some of the key members involved with this kind-hearted initiative include Dean Yerrick,  Jenelle Pitt Parker, Juliet Wahleithner, and Felipe Mercado, with generous support from Bonnie Inthisane and Navneet Kaur who assisted with the assembly of the gift bags. In order to calculate the proper amount of Mentor Teacher Appreciation Bags, the Kremen Department evaluated the amount of fall placements to see how many mentor teachers resided in each district. The total amount of bags equated to 450 after calculation, Clovis and Fresno receiving the most, 105 bags split between the two, with Visalia following, along with Coalinga, Porterville, Cowchilla, Madera and many others. The outreach effort spanned the entire South Valley, covering counties both large and small.

This initiative was launched in the hopes of reinvigorating mentor teachers and encouraging new ones, especially during difficult times of the year. Dean Yerrick and Felipe Mercado will be personally handing out the vast majority of these gift bags to their assigned recipients. When the districts heard of this upcoming donation, they were extremely thankful, their hearts warming as they realized just how appreciated they are by the Kremen community.

(Written by Audra Burwell, a Creative Writing student employed by the Kremen School of Education and Human Development.)