Please join us in welcoming our new faculty in the department of Administration, Rehabilitation, and Postsecondary Education.
ARPE, Felisha Herrera Villarreal
Felisha Herrera Villarreal, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Postsecondary Education. She recently transitioned from Oregon State University where she served as an Assistant Professor of Community College Leadership since 2012. Dr. Herrrera Villarreal earned her Ph.D. in Education (with an emphasis in Higher Education & Organizational Change) at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). To inform system-wide change, her research employs a critical examination of the contextual factors —institutional (structure, process, and policy), geographic, demographic, political and economic contexts—that impact postsecondary outcomes, with a specific emphasis on students of color. Her work encompasses several strands of scholarship including student mobility; pathways for underrepresented students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), and a critical examination of policy issues related to diversity & equity in education.
Dr. Herrrera Villarreal is a consummate scholar, who has been published in top tier, peer-reviewed journals, including: The Review of Higher Education and the American Educational Research Journal. Her scholarship is enhanced by 14 years of experience as a higher education professional at two- and four-year institutions, including faculty (nine years teaching at the collegiate level) and professional positions in student affairs, institutional research, and administration.
ARPE, Marissa Vasquez Urias
Marissa Vasquez Urias, Ed.D. is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Administration, Rehabilitation, and Postsecondary Education (ARPE) at San Diego State University (SDSU). Dr. Vasquez Urias’ scholarly work examines factors impacting the success of male students of color, particularly Latino and African American men, in the community college. As a Faculty Affiliate with the Minority Male Community College Collaborative (M2C3) at SDSU and Project MALES at UT Austin, she is actively engaged in critical and applied research that addresses disparities in education, particularly within community colleges. In this vein, Dr. Vasquez Urias is the Managing Editor for the Journal of Applied Research in Community College (JARCC) and Board Member at Large for the Council for the Study of Community Colleges (CSCC).
Dr. Vasquez Urias earned an associate degree from Southwestern College, a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of California, Berkeley, a master’s degree in Counseling with a specialization in College Counseling and Student Development from the University of San Diego, and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from San Diego State University.