Current students, alumni and faculty of the Educational Leadership Doctoral Program have recently presented conference papers, received recognition for their research efforts and attained notable career successes.

Ann Lara, a current doctoral student and adjunct faculty member in the Collins College of Hospitality Management, was selected to participate in the California State University Chancellor’s Doctoral Incentive Program (CDIP), which prepares doctoral students for an academic career and offers financial assistance, mentorship and professional development.   

The program is highly selective and chooses its scholars based on their potential for success as future tenure-track faculty.   

Lara was also named to CPP’s Wall of Cool last year for her hospitality management course on professional work experience. During the course, she used a variety of technologies, including the job interview preparation software Big Interview, to engage her students and reinforce CPP’s learn by doing motto. This experience led to enhancing her students’ soft skills and preparing them for job searches.   

She also co-authored an article titled, “Perceived Importance of Career Engagement Initiatives in Hospitality Education,” which was published in the Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Education.  

“The faculty in the College of Education and Integrative Studies at Cal Poly Pomona have provided me with opportunities for professional growth and scholarship,” said Lara. “I am so proud to have joined a program that makes each student feel supported throughout their unique research interests and educational journey. Additionally, working with the faculty to help co-author the article was an amazing experience. The research skills and knowledge I have gained has been foundational as I pursue my doctorate degree at CPP.” 

Three doctoral alums, including Angelique Butler, Anthony Rice and Rosario Ambriz, presented their research at national and statewide conferences.  

Butler shared findings from her dissertation titled, “Creating Spaces for African American Parental Engagement in Predominantly Latino Schools” during the Black Doctoral Network Conference in December 2020.  

Rice presented his paper titled, “Navigating Educational Leadership Through the Lens of the African American Male and Female Experience” during the Association of California School Administrators’ Leadership Summit.  

Additionally, Ambriz co-presented a paper titled, “Sustained Community Engagement and Student Learning in High-Needs Schools: Roles of Trust, Purpose, and Actions” at the virtual University Council of Educational Administration Conference. She presented alongside Associate Professor Chetanath Gautam of Delaware State University and Professor Betty Alford, director of the Educational Leadership Doctoral Program at CPP.   

“My goal has always been to provide opportunities to the students I serve,” said Ambriz. “As a result, the doctoral program allowed me to focus on the research and find those key effective ways that would support my endeavors.  It grounded me to focus my direction and build a coherent system; a system that included professional learning, reflection and continuous improvement, which impacted student achievement.” 

In other key accomplishments, alumna Tina Arias Miller was elected to the Rancho Santiago Community College District and alumna Melody “May Yin” Isabela partnered with the American Association of University Women to organize and implement a STEM Institute to offer young women an opportunity to learn more about STEM careers.   

“From the three years that I studied in the doctoral program at CPP, I was given the opportunity to truly reflect and analyze what learning and education means to me,” said Isabela. “The doctoral program gave me the confidence and knowledge to keep going as an educator and my professors empowered me to believe that I can make an impact.” 

In addition to these achievements, Professor Alford presented a paper she co-authored titled, “The International School Leadership Development Network’s High-Needs Schools’ Strand: Ten Years of History” as part of a virtual symposium hosted by the International School Leadership Development Network.  

This paper, along with the paper that she co-authored with alumna Rosario Ambriz, have been published in the book, “Educational Leadership for Social Justice and Improving High-Needs Schools: Findings of Ten Years of International Collaboration” by Information Age Publishing.  

“We are immensely proud of our doctoral students’ and alumni’s many accomplishments,” said Alford. “These are just a few examples of the many ways that our students and graduates are impacting the field of education through conference presentations, special recognition, leadership and service.” 

For more information about the Educational Leadership Doctoral Program, visit https://www.cpp.edu/~ceis/edleadership/index.shtml