Krista Lucas and Alexis Spina

Krista Lucas and Alexis Spina, two of the Department of Education's new Ph.D.s

UC Santa Barbara’s Department of Education will hold a 2021 Virtual Commencement Ceremony on Friday, June 11, from 4 pm – 6 pm via Zoom. This webinar will be one way for the department to celebrate its 14 doctoral students and 8 MA students as we still come out from COVID-19 restrictions.

See the ceremony program, for the gradautes' dissertation titles. The 14 new Ph.D.s are:

Keri Bradford
John Cano
Jolie Colby
Emily Evanstein
Katerina Ford
Jessica Hai
Kelsee Kennedy
Katherine Lee
Krista Lucas
Rachelle Mottus
Jenny Sperling
Alexis Spina
Elizabeth Villa
Clare Washington

The Department of Education at UCSB offers students the opportunity to learn and build knowledge about the needs of learners, the complex processes of teaching and learning, and the structures and policies of schools—with a focus on the diversity of California, the nation, and the world. Its renowned faculty work in seven research areas to investigate important issues that shape learning environments, the needs of diverse learners, the development of disciplinary knowledge, and educational policies. In the doctoral program, the department mentors graduate students through small seminars and research groups toward their future careers as professors, researchers, teacher educators, and educational administrators. The master's program (both the professional and research strands) offers graduate students opportunities to learn the basics of doing and applying research in numerous settings ranging from preschools, to the university, to community organizations.