Inspiring Brilliance

Preparing Future Generations of Educators

A Teachers and Friends of Education Honor Wall Featurette

Karen DeVoogd considers her name being engraved on the Teachers and Friends of Education Honor Wall to be one of the proudest moments of her career. This honor, gifted to her by colleagues in 2022, symbolizes her lasting impact at CalStateTEACH where she played a pivotal role in creating the curriculum that now prepares teachers across California.

Originally from Drumheller, Alberta, Canada, Karen’s passion for teaching was ignited from an early age while growing up in the small rural town. She pursued her education at The University of Calgary, where she was honored with a student teaching award during her undergraduate years. Karen’s fascination with human inquiry and development led her to Michigan State University, where she earned her B.A. in Elementary Education and M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction.

Throughout her life, Karen has always envisioned herself as a teacher, and she considers herself incredibly fortunate to have seen that dream become a reality. With the new perspective of being a grandparent, she remains curious about how individuals learn and grow. Karen attributes her success to the many wonderful teachers who have influenced her journey, particularly her lifelong mentor, Dr. Pam Lane-Garon.

Under Dr. Lane-Garon’s guidance, Karen assumed leadership of the Mediator Mentors program at Fresno State. As the coordinator and then director until 2016, Karen had the opportunity to support this project dedicated to training students to become peer mediators. Lane-Garon’s wisdom and guidance have had a profound impact on Karen, who embraces her mentor’s mantra of becoming a better version of oneself every day. 

After retiring from her faculty position in 2022, Karen now works with the Whitaker Peace and Development Initiative’s Domestic Harmonizer Program. Based in Long Beach, California, she focuses on education and supporting teachers, students and parents in understanding the importance of constructive conflict resolution and implementing this in the classroom.

Reflecting on her teaching philosophy, Karen believes that inspiring others to recognize their own brilliance is essential. She aims to hold up a mirror that reflects learners’ gifts and curiosities, guiding them to see the value they bring to the world. As a faculty instructor with the CalStateTEACH program at Fresno State from 1998 to 2022, Karen played a significant role in preparing future teachers for their careers.

As Karen continues her journey in education, she remains dedicated to working in schools and supporting future leaders who understand the power of peaceful practices and kindness. She believes in embodying Dr. Pam Lane-Garon’s message and sharing it with her peers and aspiring educators: “Remember, every day you have a chance to be a better version of yourself than you were yesterday.”

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

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The Teachers and Friends of Education Honor Wall showcases excellence in education with engraved names and messages for visitors of the campus to see. Celebrate your educational journey or that of a friend or colleague by ordering a personalized brick at TeacherHonorWall.com. Each brick purchase supports technology used by students.

For inquiries, visit the Office of the Dean in Kremen School, Room 210, call 559.278.0210 or email KremenSA@csufresno.edu.

The SECREd Garden: A Haven for the Community

Community Garden projects are gaining momentum across the country as they serve as places to beautify and unite neighborhood communities as well as to grow crops in neighborhoods where there are issues of food insecurity. Community gardens have been shown to have many strong and positive impacts wherever they are established. They serve as spaces to educate children about beauty and conservation, allowing citizens to explore their cultural heritage through community practices associated with food production, agricultural traditions and storytelling, and serve as natural gathering places which unite the community. Existing gardens on Fresno State’s campus include the Peace Garden, Maple Mall Arboretum, Allergy-Free Demonstration Garden, and the Memorial Plaza Garden. 

The Kremen School of Education and Human Development is currently embarking on their own project to connect outdoor education efforts on Fresno State’s campus to community members and local agencies. Kremen employs innovative models of teaching that emphasize the importance of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) in Transitional Kindergarten (TK-12) education. Studies show that outdoor learning experiences positively impact science, literacy and math standards as well as the environmental, nutritional, social-emotional aspects of learning and development. Opportunities to explore outdoor classrooms and gardens have proven to transform the academic experience, contributing to increased teacher commitment in the sciences as well as improving student interest and curiosity in the natural world. To meet the growing need for outdoor learning spaces that support wellness, research and STEAM education across a range of ages and disciplines, the Kremen School is establishing a SECREd Garden Demonstration Program. The name SECREd Garden stands for STEAM Experiences through Community, Research, Education and Demonstration.

The SECREd Garden program was founded by Christina Macias and was inspired by her Master’s work in Early Childhood Education at the Kremen School. The primary scope of her research was centered around the barriers and affordances of early science education. She became interested in providing developmentally appropriate spaces that would engage young learners in the field of science exploration. This interest spurred her on a year-long journey of visiting school gardens, farms, and outdoor learning spaces across the state to gather a better understanding of how to establish her vision. 

“The SECREd Garden will provide for equitable and accessible science experiences for young children while supporting pre-service teacher training, research, the community, the Fresno State campus, and most importantly: food security and wellness opportunities.”

– Christina

While Christina was the initial creator of the project, it quickly transformed into an expansive group effort, requiring the involvement of professionals, students, and volunteers spanning across multiple disciplines. 

“I continue to be inspired by the range of interest and participation in the project from students, Fresno State faculty and the surrounding community.  The range of expertise and commitment to this work has been more than I could have imagined.”

– Christina.

The original concept for the SECREd Garden was developed in partnership with Dr. Cathy Yun, a Senior Researcher at the Learning Policy Institute, and was presented to the University in 2016. Time was spent over the next year introducing and refining the project details in collaboration with the Campus Planning Committee, VP for Administration Deborah Adishian-Astone, and Associate VP for Facilities Management Tinnah Medina. 

Calliope Correia, an Instructional Support Technician III with the Jordan College of Agriculture Science and Technology, was introduced to the project early on as she was recognized as the campus expert on effective horticulture practices. Her work is deeply rooted in wellness and therapeutic methods which aligns with the program’s central mission to connect the community with natural spaces.

“Access to natural spaces, whether wild or intentionally designed, is critical to our well-being. The SECREd garden is a wonderful culmination of ideas and experiences that will benefit the University and the community not only with harvests and access to fresh vegetables but for the opportunity to play in the soil and get dirty!”

 – Calliope.

Calliope has remained a constant supporter, consultant, and visionary since the project’s inception. Through both her and Christina’s tireless efforts, the project was granted permission to explore Phase 1 in the Spring of 2018. It was determined that the SECREd Garden was to be located on the west side of the Kremen School. 

Since then, an ongoing fundraising campaign has taken place to establish the necessary funding for placing the project out to bid. This campaign has been supported by ASI, community donors, and through DOG Days, along with other Fresno State Crowdfunding opportunities. While many project-related activities were put on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic, efforts were made to continue the development of the SECREd Garden. Outreach with numerous project partners allowed the program to grow despite its need for a physical location.  

The proposed project includes the development and maintenance of a demonstration garden and an outdoor classroom space. The goal is to allow students and educators to address interdisciplinary research, partake in play-based learning, explore early science experiences, learn healthy eating habits, and study community food scarcity issues. 

Jacob Hurst, a lecturer in the Fresno State Plant Science department, has created a detailed revegetation plan for the turtle pond located near the proposed site of the SECREd Garden. After acquiring measurements of the proposed space and taking aerial satellite shots, Jacob realized that there was a lot of work to be done. He intends to design a managed ecosystem for the children of the Huggins Center while also reducing the amount of maintenance required on the garden.

Jacob aims to alter the ecology of the landscape by introducing plants native to the area, allowing them to function as natural mulch to cover the bare patches of soil. Currently situated in the Huggins Center play yard, the Turtle Pond is a feature which Jacob plans to revitalize by creating shade using plants that produce thick leaves and foliage. 

“There is some concern, especially during the summer, about having coverage for the turtles. Introducing water lilies, for example, or even simply denser vegetation around the edges, will provide countless benefits for them.”

– Jacob. 

His revegetation outline also includes the introduction of more flowering vines to increase cross-pollination. To accomplish this, he intends to place Passion flowers along the back fence which will attract a variety of insects. 

Another individual who has played a crucial role in the SECREd Garden project is Arashnoor (Arsh) Gill, a student in the Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling Master’s program in the Kremen School. Arsh was first introduced to the SECREd Garden and quickly appointed to the position of student leader through engaging with Christina Macias in an adolescent development course in the Child and Family Science department. 

A primary goal for both Arsh and Christina has been to maintain a strong student presence within the project. By holding tabling and gardening events on campus, the two have been able to draw many students into the SECREd Garden student leadership committee, a group that meets on a regular basis. 

Arsh has also helped develop a gardening curriculum for the CalFresh Healthy Living series by partnering with the Student Cupboard, currently assisted by Michael Ballin. He has helped reconceptualize the SECREd Garden as a non-physical entity and has worked with several other organizations to explore gardening and early education opportunities. Most recently, he has helped to develop a social media page for the project while also offering a pivotal presence during fundraising events.

Arsh’s area of research is centered around multiculturalism, mental health, and how gardening is heavily influenced by cultural practices. Working on the SECREd Garden project has been an extremely fulfilling experience for Arsh and has allowed him to conceptualize how such a space can positively impact an individual’s outlook. 

“Dean Yerrick and I would meet up at the turtle pond to remove the remaining banana trees. It was a fun experience for everyone involved because we would share stories, talk about our backgrounds, and discuss how much gardening meant to us.”

– Arsh.

The SECREd Garden has truly been a collaborative community effort. It would not have come this far in development without the countless volunteers who have participated in the program’s numerous projects over the years.

“We intend to leverage this garden to emphasize the education of children in the heritage of agriculture, sustainability, and the stewardship of resources that was practiced here in this area long before Fresno State was built.  Indigenous people’s had important ways of managing resources and caring for the environment that need to be remembered and that we continue to learn from. Early childhood education at the Huggins Center is an important time and place to begin to emphasize STEAM education from a culturally sustaining perspective.”

– Dr. Randy Yerrick, Dean of the Kremen School.

Many contributions are from Fresno State faculty and staff who have devoted their time as consultants and provided expertise in building an inclusive framework for the project. There have been countless volunteers for site specific projects with unique connections to gardening practices, many of which have been University High School students. The SECREd Garden team is also incredibly grateful for the countless supporters who have provided substantial financial support over the course of the project. 

“Fresno State has the unique opportunity to serve as a demonstration model for outdoor learning, interdisciplinary partnerships, and the diverse cultural practices associated with land use and sustainable food practices. Our mission is to provide a space where all members of local communities can engage in work that supports their individual and community interests.”

 – Christina.

Due to generous contributions from donors, we will now be able to break ground of the SECREd Garden in the Spring of 2023, however, more donations will be needed to fund future stages of the project.

If you want to make a donation to the SECREd Garden project, please visit this site.

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

Teacher Residency Programs Prepare Future Educators

During her first visit to campus, Dr. Shireen Pavri, assistant vice chancellor for Education Programs and Leadership for the California State University, was especially interested in learning about the five teacher residency programs Fresno State has established in partnership with local districts to prepare future educators.

Modeled after medical residencies, teacher residencies at the Kremen School for Education and Human Development aim to integrate teacher residents into the full, day-to-day workings of a school and district during their teacher preparation coursework, with a goal of better preparing teachers for the realities of the teaching profession.

According to the Learning Policy Institute, residencies hold the most promise for remedying the growing need for teachers in California, a need that has only been exacerbated in recent years. The Fresno Teacher Residency Program, a partnership with Fresno Unified School District, boasts an 81% three-year retention rate over the past seven years, while the Sanger Unified Teacher Residency program boasts an 87% three-year retention rate. Both rates are significantly higher than the national average, which hovers at around 50% teacher attrition in less than 5 years.

To see the residency work firsthand, Pavri visited Centennial Elementary in Fresno, where she visited both a kindergarten and a fourth-grade dual immersion classroom, connecting with the residents and their mentor teachers. She also met with site and district leadership to learn more about the Fresno Teacher Residency Program, the Kremen School’s longest-standing residency partnership.

Pavri then had the opportunity to interact with residents, teachers and administrators from the Madera Teacher Residency Program who were attending the Enseñamos en el Valle Central Institute at Reedley College. One of the newest residency partnerships, Madera Teacher Residency prepares teachers to work in dual immersion classrooms by supporting them in earning their bilingual authorization in addition to their multiple-subject credential. In doing so, the residency partnership responds to both the need for more teachers in general and Madera Unified’s specific goal of expanding its dual immersion opportunities for its learners.

“I was struck by the mature, reciprocal and authentic partnerships that Fresno State has nurtured with neighboring school districts that continue to evolve based on local contexts and needs,” Pavri said. “I also see so much potential in the intentional and strategic Grow-Your-Own Programs that are being built, that address workforce needs in culturally responsive and sustaining ways by getting young people in high school interested in ways that they can serve their own communities.”

Another priority across the state related to education is the preparation of educators to work in transitional kindergarten (TK) settings, in response to Governor Newsom’s expansion of TK for all children. Educators in the Kremen School’s Early Childhood Education program have been leading the way in response to these initiatives, building on the program’s history preparing teachers and educating young children in the Joyce M. Huggins Early Education Center, which is housed in Kremen School.

Pavri engaged with children age 5 and younger at the center and said she was enamored with the dedication and professionalism she observed, calling it “a labor of love.” Additionally, she met with faculty to discuss the development of a 24-unit certificate program that will allow multiple-subject educators to become TK-certified-the Kremen School’s first response to the need for more early education teachers.

“It was truly an honor to host Vice Chancellor Shireen Pavri here at Fresno State and have the opportunity to introduce her to the wonderful partners we work with and the extreme high quality instructors, faculty, project Directors, and staff that make Kremen such a special place,” said Dr. Randy Yerrick, Dean of Kremen. “I am glad she was able to see first hand the nature and the magnitude of the impact the Kremen School of Education and Human Development has on the Central Valley.”

(Written by Kremen staff)

A Wellness Program for Hmong Americans

(Photo courtesy of May Twenty and Five)

Since the pandemic, emotional and behavioral wellness has been in the spotlight although it has always been a concern. When Dr. Song Lee, a full professor and licensed counselor in the Department of Counselor Education and Rehabilitation applied for sabbatical, she didn’t know that a pandemic would occur.  Nor was she aware that the pandemic would impact people’s social connections and heighten symptoms of mental health.  

Dr. Lee was granted her sabbatical in November, 2020, but had to wait until spring 2022 to take it due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She used most of her time to create a Wellness Program hosted at Freedom Community Church in Fresno, Calif, to serve Hmong Americans. The City of Fresno has one of the largest Hmong populations in the United States, second to Minneapolis – St. Paul in Minnesota. About 35,000 Hmong reside in Fresno and currently about 1,444 Hmong students attend California State University, Fresno. 

Dr. Lee hopes the Wellness Program, known to the Hmong elders as the “Noj Qab Haus Huv Program,” will be a place that the Hmong will trust and easily access information and knowledge on mental health concerns and coping strategies to strengthen families. The Open House for the Wellness Program took place on October 22, 2022 and was celebrated with Fresno State faculty and students, members of Freedom Community Church, and members of the community who serve Hmong Americans in their respective fields and agencies.  

For questions about the program or if you or your Hmong families and friends would like to seek support or services, please contact Dr. Song Lee at maLee@csufresno.edu or at 559-278-0349. The services are not considered counseling because they do not include diagnosis or treatment for specific mental health illnesses. Support services include bilingual and bicultural individual consultations and support groups on Sunday mornings at Freedom Community Church. Workshops and trainings will be posted on the Freedom Community Church website: https://www.freedomcommunity.org/wellness-program.html

(Written by Dr. Song Lee, Professor, Department of Counselor Education and Rehabilitation)

Scoring on the Field and in the Classroom

During Fresno State’s recent Homecoming football game against division rival San José State, Bulldogs fans heard a number of familiar names during the play-by-play broadcast: “Another great rush by Jordan Mims!” “That’s the fourth sack of the game by David Perales!” “Nikko Remigio scores!” “A great stop by Elijah Gates!” 

Fans might be surprised to learn that these talented football players, along with 17 of their teammates and three graduate assistant coaches, are Kremen School students! They are among the 125 students currently pursuing an M.A. degree in Education, Curriculum and Instruction option (M.A.Ed.-C&I).

“The athletes who are recruited to Fresno State and are admitted to our program bring a rich diversity to the classroom in terms of ethnicity and race, life experiences, perspectives, and goals,” said Program Coordinator Dr. Carol Fry Bohlin. “Many are also first generation college students who have a passion for giving back to Fresno State and their communities.”

Star wide receiver Nikko Remigio ran for a touchdown in the thrilling last minute of the October 30 game against San Diego State to secure a win for the Bulldogs. Remigio was recruited by Fresno State after he earned a B.S. in Legal Studies from U.C. Berkeley. He’s proud of his mixed-race Filipino/Black/White heritage and wants to make the world a better, more just place for all people, especially through judicial system reforms.

Dontae Bull is another Bulldogs player who is enrolled in the master’s program. Bull, a 6’7″, 320-pound offensive lineman from Canada, helped to hoist the large silver “V” Valley Trophy in the air following the Bulldogs’ 17-10 victory over the Spartans after the Homecoming game. He is a valued role model as a youth life skills coach and is considering starting a school for children with learning difficulties. 

Defensive end David Perales believes that the M.A.Ed.-C&I program will help him learn the necessary skills to be an effective football coach. “Coaching incorporates many instructional elements and also requires motivating players, just like teaching,” said Perales. 

Jordan Mims and Elijah Gates are on target to graduate this semester with their master’s degree. “They are both insightful and thoughtful in their work,” said Dr. Rohit Mehta, their master’s project advisor. “Elijah is studying the racial experience of Black and Brown students in higher education, and Jordan is studying personal challenges and wellness among student athletes of color.”

In a recent interview, Mims said he selected this particular master’s program because the coursework topics are broad. The courses cover curriculum, instruction, research design, statistical analysis, learning theories, and educational technology. 

This knowledge can help him now and in any field he goes into after his playing and coaching careers are over. “Football clearly brought me here,” said Mims. “But no one can take away your degree.”

Gates added that he has developed a love for going to school and expanding his horizons as a result of the program. He feels that by coaching and teaching, he can be an inspiration to youth and make a positive difference in the lives of future student athletes.

Many of the Bulldogs football players enrolled in the master’s program credit the many Pre K-12 classroom teachers also enrolled in the program for teaching them about the educational process from a teacher’s point of view. Jade Muñoz, a teacher in the program, notes that the players have in turn helped the teachers understand the positive impact that extracurricular activities such as sports have on students’ academic success through teaching structure, discipline, teamwork, and responsibility.

Recent graduate and middle school science teacher Adam Powell agrees. For him, athletics was a safe place to learn how to work hard as a teammate and how to take a loss – all life skills.  Powell also believes that competition, so ingrained in sports, “is an inherently human trait that can be approached humbly for personal growth and enrichment.”

The eclectic mix of students in the program “energizes the class,” notes Dr. Susan Schlievert, who is teaching four dozen master’s students in the M.A.Ed.-C&I program this semester. “A third-grade teacher, a physician, a middle school science teacher, a firefighter, a high school art teacher, a surgical technician, a star football player, a private school principal— all of them, and so many more, come to my class and share knowledge, perceptions, and friendship,” said Schlievert.

Wherever the athletes may go after graduation, they will bring Fresno State and these educational experiences and friendships with them! They are ambassadors for our university throughout the state and nation, and they are determined to make a positive impact in the world, especially in the lives of those they plan to coach and teach! Go ‘Dogs!

For more information about our special student-athletes, please contact Terry Tumey, Fresno State’s Athletic Director, at (559) 278-2643. 

Here’s a link to another student success story.

(Written by Dr. Carol Fry Bohlin, Program Director, Curriculum and Instruction)

Fresno Family Counseling Center Student Spotlight: Ream Moharam

As a young girl born in the Central Valley, Ream Moharam relocated to her family’s home country of Yemen when she was nine-years-old. Meeting and getting to know more deeply her extended family, her culture, her faith, and herself in Yemen was an invaluable experience. One of the things that was always emphasized by her parents was the importance of education. Going to Yemen was challenging, but Ream conveyed that it provided wonderful memories and taught her valuable lessons of perseverance. 

Unfortunately, as turmoil in the Middle East unfolded, it became clear to Ream’s parents that they needed to leave Yemen or they might never make it out. She relates the tale of “escaping” from her family’s home country by taking several buses (because the airports were closed) from Yemen to Saudi Arabia to Turkey before Ream and her family could finally fly back to re-start their lives in Fresno. 

Ream applied to the Masters of Science program in Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling after earning her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Fresno State.  As part of her training, Ream has served as a marriage and family therapist student-trainee at the Fresno Family Counseling Center (FFCC). 

Ream has a gift for working with children and teens. Using Child-Centered Play Therapy that was taught to her in the MFCC program, Ream can be found in a therapy room reflecting feelings of a young child of families who also had migratory experiences in their family’s lives. Her tenderness and insight provides hope and healing for the families and children she treats in therapy sessions. She has found joy and satisfaction helping the children learn to ground themselves and focus through the play activities she implements. 

Ream feels a special concern for teens and young adults from the Muslim community. There’s still much stigma about mental health concerns in her community. Her work has focused on helping that population reduce self-harm and suicide in their community. After she graduates in December, Ream hopes to continue her work of promoting awareness of the mental health needs in the Muslim community. 

Ream reflects on her educational experience at Fresno State fondly. “The counseling classes require lots of self-reflection, which helped shape my morals and values,” said Moharam. “I feel it is a privilege to have these opportunities.” 

Ream’s counseling work has extended beyond FFCC. She also serves as peer consultant/teaching assistant for clinical courses by helping train students coming through the program behind her.

“Ream is a bright spot in our program and our center,” said Dr. Kyle N. Weir, Professor of Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling at Kremen and Director of the Fresno Family Counseling Center. “She’s an amazingly talented therapist, but goes about quietly and humbly helping her clients and peers alike. She is going to do impressive things in our field and make a huge difference in many, many lives. She epitomizes what we hope to produce as we train counselors and therapists who will change the world for good,” said Weir.

As a fully self-funded, non-profit venture, the FFCC endeavors to serve those most in need and provides low-cost counseling to those struggling financially. The  FFCC trains all of the students of Fresno State’s MS in Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling to serve the community members of the Central Valley. Providing over 10,000 sessions a year to help meet the mental health needs of the Central Valley in English, Spanish, and Hmong, as well as other languages depending upon the students’ linguistic abilities. 

Over two-thirds of FFCC’s clientele have an income level at or below the Federal Poverty Level. Contributions from the community help provide direct mental health services to those most in need in our Central Valley. 

(Written by Dr. Kyle M. Weir, Professor of Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling)

Kremen Equity Scholar Award Recipient, Brandon Gridiron

The Kremen School of Education and Human Development has created a promising new initiative, The Student Equity Scholar Award program, to help support Kremen students at all levels and blend activism and robust community service into their educational journey. This initiative is intended to assist four students at the Undergraduate, Credential, Masters, and Doctoral levels, allowing the selected  students to integrate issues of equity and social justice within their studies during the 2022-23 academic year. We are excited to feature one of the Kremen Student Equity Scholar Award recipients, Brandon Gridiron. He is currently enrolled in the Doctoral Program for Educational Leadership. 

Brandon was inspired to pursue his field of interest based on his passion of  fighting for social justice and civil unrest. As a professional, he wants to be a voice of change and use education as that vessel of change. He recognizes that the fight for injustice involves everyone and that we must be unapologetic for fair and ethical treatment of others. Brandon wants to bring a sense of urgency to this issue, noting that education has failed in its attempts to encourage social justice and civil rights awareness. 

Brandon’s personal experiences deeply ingrained these feelings that have driven his educational and professional pursuits. He grew up in a single family home that was dominated by poverty, gangs, and violence. He was not supposed to have any chance at success. Fortunately, his mother and other positive role models in his life gave him the encouragement, love, and support needed to prove society wrong about his life direction. Instead of the educational system helping people like him, he felt it was blocking his road to success. 

As a result of his experiences, Brandon decided to engage in social justice advocacy work. His motivation is driven by his desire to provide a better environment and learning experiences for his own children. He’s used his role to create a student inclusivity task force and youth-led equity forum that allow our youth to be at the center of social action to help drive change. This resulted in the high schools in his district to create youth-led equity forums focused on engaging in civil discourse to create inclusive environments, remove barriers, and create equitable outcomes for all students. 

Brandon is devoting his final year at Fresno State to understanding how African American students in the Valley experience belonging, connection, and engagement in the high school setting and the influence culturally engaging campus environments have on their experiences. He believes that if campuses are more open and acceptable to students, then they will be more successful. 

In order to address his concerns and field interests, Brandon will conduct a study that addresses how African American students deal with these challenges in the education system. His hope is that understanding the factors based off of the survey will help improve the educational experience for students of color. More specifically, he hopes to uncover a way to measure how culturally engaging K-12 campuses are for students. 

Brandon expects to complete a dissertation in May, 2023. He wants to have a fully developed framework for measuring K-12 campuses for cultural engagement, and to have enough data and info available to measure the success of African American students in the Valley. Brandon’s research includes creating more culturally engaging campus environments in K-12 schools. 

The fruition of the Kremen Student Equity Scholars and Kremen Equity Fellow Initiative represents an explicit way to continue meeting the aims outlined in Kremen’s mission, vision, and goals by: a) preparing students to be agile change agents who will work in racial, ethnic, and linguistically diverse communities and b) connecting community partners with student scholars who can lend support to navigating real-world complexities through the tools of research. 

Each of this year’s selected Equity Scholars will be provided with tuition support (up to $7,000) for one academic year. In return, the recipients are expected to engage in community service or partnership outreach. They may also participate in research connected with their studies to address a specific issue of inequity or social justice in the local community. 

(Written by Jason Smithberg, Communications Specialist, Kremen)