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About The Gevirtz School
Alumni News Archive
Alum Monica Bulger Fellow at Oxford Internet Institute
Monica Bulger is a 2009 Gevirtz Graduate School alumna, earning her Ph.D. in Education. Before studying at Gevirtz, Bulger taught in the UCSB Writing Program. She is now a research fellow at the Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford where she studies scholarly use of digital resources.
Bulger was recently featured on the BBC Radio 4 Today program.
Audio clip: http://t.co/9m9F8nND
Summary article: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16313832.
How has your Ph.D. from the Department of Education helped prepare you for work at the Oxford Internet Institute?
The GGSE provided a strong foundation in teaching and learning theory while also encouraging practical experience. My interdisciplinary training at UCSB gave me insight into the challenges of cross-disciplinary dialogue, which has been very helpful since I work in a department where only 3 of us out of 20 faculty have backgrounds in Education. more...
JDP Alum Dan Eller Named Head of Cal Poly's Public Relations Concentration
Cal Poly’s journalism department recently promoted Dan Eller - JDP graduate in Summer 2010 - to be the new head of the public relations (PR) concentration. Eller has also worked as communciations director at Hearst Castle for the past 17 years. He kindly answered some questions for us by e-mail recently.
How has your JDP degree helped prepare you for your new position as head of the public relations concentration at Cal Poly?
The Ed.D. program allowed me to incorporate current educational technology in my classroom pedagogy. My leadership skills gained from the JDP allow me to work more effectively in a collaborative manner with students, staff, and fellow faculty. The research skills will be useful next quarter as I start advising students regarding senior projects. Finally, the JDP faculty and staff served as role models for my faculty development at Cal Poly.sity and enthusiasm for the subject, two is the hope that every student can gain in science, and the third is that this vision will integrate science in K-12 programs. more...
Marilyn Garza Named Teacher of the Year: County Education Office Announces Santa Barbara Junior High Science Teacher — and TEP alumna — as Winner
In a publicized press conference on May 6, Santa Barbara County Superintendent of Schools Bill Cirone announced that Santa Barbara Junior High’s eighth-grade science teacher Marilyn Garza is the new Teacher of the Year for 2010-2011.
Out of 22 districts, the Santa Barbara County Education Office selected Garza because of her impressive contributions to the field of education. According to the Santa Barbara Education Office, Garza has received the Milken Educator Award, three Teachers Network disseminator grants, and was also named a Santa Barbara County Distinguished Educator.
Although these feats were considered when selecting Garza, Superintendent Cirone stressed the importance of how Garza brought science into the classroom for her students. “We look for three positive qualities in a science educator,” Cirone said. “One is curiosity and enthusiasm for the subject, two is the hope that every student can gain in science, and the third is that this vision will integrate science in K-12 programs.” more...
Ofelia R. Arellano (Ph.D. ’82, M.A. ’80, P.P.S. ’80) Embodies the Belief "Educate one… and you educate an entire family…"
Ofelia Arellano, who received a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology, has returned to Santa Barbara, having just begun as the Vice President of Continuing Education at Santa Barbara City College (SBCC). She kindly agreed to an email interview about her time at UC Santa Barbara and her hopes for her new job. But she also wanted to be sure to say that she’s “most proud of two ‘professional accomplishments’ – mentoring my family to pursue higher education. My younger sister, Dr. Leticia M. Arellano-Morales (#2) also received a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Michigan State University. (No influence from big sister, right?) Dr. Arellano-Morales is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of La Verne. My daughter, Xochitl Raquel Romero, graduated from San Diego State with a B.A... in Theatre Arts. She is currently on a full-ride scholarship at the University of Texas, Austin pursuing her M.F.A. in Theatre with an emphasis in Acting.” more...
Yolanda Garcia's (M.Ed., '72, Ph.D., '98) 38 Years at UCSB Serve Witness to—and Catalyst for—a Changing University
Anyone who has known Yolanda Garcia during her 38 years of work on the UC Santa Barbara campus (she actually entered as a frosh in 1966) will not be surprised to learn that while she’s officially retiring as Assistant Vice Chancellor of Student Academic Support Services, she’s going to stay on part-time. Indeed Garcia will continue working on one of the most important parts of her job, and the part most connected with her time as a student in the Gevirtz School (M.Ed. 72, Ph.D. 98) – the research aspect.
“We [Student Affairs] have this big gap between research and practice, and I had the opportunity to bridge that gap,” Garcia explained during a recent interview. “We tend to make judgments based on our experience and not data. What does the literature say? How does that inform you?” The major research project she will help lead will explore the mental health needs of students. Conducted with several other UC campuses, outside agencies, and Eduventures, the project will, she said, “Help us see what faculty and staff know and not know about these services.” She will also continue to bring together the services – from Career Services to the Disabled Students Program – that have been under her purview. She explained, “It’s very much a part of my training, creating a matrix of services – what are you missing? Are you duplicating each other’s efforts?” more...
Michelle Acker and Erin Morales Develop an Innovative San Marcos High School-El Camino Elementary School Collaboration
Michelle Acker and Erin Morales, graduates of the Teacher Education Program (TEP), have developed an innovative collaboration to help teach their students. Acker, who teaches Senior English within the Special Education Department at San Marcos High School, and Morales, who teaches 6th grade at El Camino Elementary School, created a Big Buddy/Little Buddy system for their students.
Ann Lippincott, Associate Director of TEP, says, “The Teacher Education Program at UCSB values, encourages, and models professional collaboration. Michelle and Erin have taken this principle to a new level whereby K-12 students can also learn the value of working together, develop social skills, and celebrate the richness of sharing different perspectives. We are inviting Erin and Michelle to share their innovative work with current credential candidates.” more...