VIDEO: Doctoral Graduate Dr. Sammie Scales Spotlighted by CBS News 8

Dr. Sammie Scales at Petco Park.

San Diego got a chance to meet one of San Diego State University's newest Ph.D.s on Tuesday as CBS News 8 interviewed Dr. Sammie Scales prior to the College of Education commencement ceremony at Petco Park. Scales, a graduate of the Joint Ph.D. Program in Education with Claremont Graduate University, discussed his journey to a Ph.D. amid the pandemic and explained the significance of his regalia.

Watch the full interview:

VIDEO: Class of 2021 Outstanding Graduates Discuss Making a Difference

Liberal Studies Outstanding Graduate Giannela Gonzales.

Get to know the 10 San Diego State University College of Education students who earned the title of Outstanding Graduate, as selected by their department, school or program.

VIDEO: COE Grad Urges Fellow DACA Recipients to 'Dream Big'

Javier Diego Jacinto outside Petco Park.

The inspiring story of a member of the San Diego State University College of Education Class of 2021 was highlighted by San Diego local news. Javier Diego Jacinto, a graduate of the liberal studies program who will enter the Department of Dual Language and English Learner Education credential program in the fall, spoke with NBC 7 and Telemundo 20 about his passion to inspire other DACA recipients to dream big.

Commencement 2021: COE Swings for the Fences to Honor Grads at Petco Park

By Michael Klitzing

Leading off at Petco Park for San Diego State University’s Commencement 2021 ... the College of Education! 

On May 25, the ballpark where Padres fans cheer on Fernando Tatis, Jr. and Manny Machado will transform into a venue to celebrate future All Stars of the education field. COE’s in-person ceremony will be the first of seven SDSU ceremonies hosted over three days at Petco Park — a 42,000-seat outdoor venue that will allow for safe, physically-distanced gatherings amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Salute to Service: Anne Graves and Caren Sax Leave Lasting Legacy

Dr. Anne Graves and Dr. Caren Sax.

The San Diego State University College of Education salutes two longtime professors who will retire this summer. Dr. Anne Graves, professor and former chair of the Department of Special Education, and Dr. Caren Sax, professor and chair of the Department of Administration, Rehabilitation and Postsecondary Education (ARPE) both made significant impacts on their departments and our college.

7 Things You Didn’t Know About Dr. Suneal Kolluri

Dr. Suneal Kolluri is wrapping up his first year at San Diego State University as an assistant professor in the School of Teacher Education. But did you know he’s a beach volleyball superstar who also used to throw down dunks on the basketball court? We’re not worthy! Find out more in this edition of 7 Things You Didn’t Know About Faculty and Staff. 

CFD’s Lind Nets Grant to Study Burnout Among Early Childhood Trauma Therapists

By Michael Klitzing

As a doctoral student in clinical psychology at the University of Delaware, Dr. Teresa Lind completed her clinical training at community mental health agencies in nearby Wilmington and Baltimore. It was educational in more respects than one. Lind witnessed high-stress environments with therapists being driven to load up on patients and over-book themselves. 

She also witnessed the aftermath. The burnout. The early exits from the profession. 

Later, during her clinical internship at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, she discovered another way. 

Pre-College Institute Recounts Pandemic Response in New Publication

The PCI Pathways program's lead tutors in 2020, before the pandemic.

By Michael Klitzing

Amid early news reports about a deadly new virus in China in early 2020, Dr. Cynthia Park gathered her Pre-College Institute (PCI) team and delivered a simple message. 

This will soon be here, it’s going to impact us and we need to be ready. 

“We're in such a large system, that I knew it was going to be difficult to make decisions in real time,” said Park, professor in the School of Teacher Education and founder and executive director of PCI. “So what I tried to do was to preempt — to say this is going to happen and that we need to look at the whole year, not piece by piece. 

“I said to the team, we have two weeks to talk to these students before we have to shift. Let's get them prepared for what it means to go online with us.” 

Alumni Spotlight: Martha Garcia's Story of Courage and Conviction

Martha Garcia (left) with fellow CCLEAD alumna Hossna Sadat Ahadi.

By Padma Nagappan

When one hears Dr. Martha Garcia’s story, there are similarities with other Latinas who have made it despite challenging odds — farm worker parents who didn’t complete high school and spoke only Spanish, the first in her family to go to college, and a single mother.

But when you learn she was pregnant when she transferred from Imperial Valley College to San Diego State University Imperial Valley, delivered her son at the end of her first semester but continued her studies without missing a beat, eventually completed SDSU's Ed.D. in Community College Leadership (CCLEAD) program, and became the community college’s first Latina superintendent and president, it adds layers of complexity to her journey to success. 

#SDSUGrad: Meet Leah Lawrence, CFD Class of 2021

By Michael Klitzing

Over the past year, the San Diego State University community has shown its true resilience. Graduates from the Class of 2021 are no exception. In the #SDSUGrad series, we highlight graduates as they prepare to embark on the next chapter of their lives, including those who have secured jobs and internships or are moving into advanced studies. 

Name: Leah Lawrence 

Major: Child Development 

Hometown: Whittier, Calif.