Category Archives: Dean Heather Lattimer

Statement from Lurie College Dean Heather Lattimer Following Verdict of Derek Chauvin Trial

Dear Lurie College Students —

Tuesday’s guilty verdict in Derek Chauvin’s trial provided a small measure of accountability.  It offered momentary relief because it affirmed what we had clearly seen with our own eyes but were afraid the justice system would deny – that George Floyd was murdered when a police officer pressed his knee into Mr. Floyd’s neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds, depriving him of the oxygen needed to survive.

But the verdict in this one case – while significant – did not bring true justice.  The very fact that it was so uncertain what the verdict would be, despite overwhelming evidence and even testimony from other police officers, demonstrates the depth of racism, white supremacy, and structural injustice in our society.   And then the day brought news of yet another police shooting of a Black teenager, Ma’Khia Bryant, in Columbus, Ohio.

In our roles as current or aspiring educators, counselors, therapists, school and community leaders, we need to call out racism in all its forms and we need to acknowledge the pain, anger, frustration, and exhaustion that so many in our community are experiencing in this moment.

Our Lurie College faculty and staff are here for you.  If you want to connect, share your experiences, or talk through how to support children and families in your placement sites please reach out to your professors and advisors.  You are also encouraged to connect with the team in the Student Success Center; they are a fantastic resource and can point you toward additional campus supports if needed.  You’ll find curated collections of helpful resources on our Lurie College Antiracism and Racial Justice Resources webpage as well as on the Learning for Justice and Education Minnesota websites.

Students are invited to join Associate Dean Marcos Pizarro and me at our two upcoming Open Forums on Wednesday, April 28, 3-4pm and Wednesday, May 5, 2-3pm. The information to join each of these forums via Zoom should be available in your SJSU Google Calendars.  These forums provide space to be in community together and invite dialogue on how we can better fulfill our Lurie College strategic plan and commitments to racial justice.

As we near the end of a tumultuous and challenging semester, please be generous and patient with one another and yourselves. Reach out and ask for help if needed.  Check in on your colleagues. Practice self care and step away from the Zoom screen when you can.  We see you, we care about you, we are committed to your success.

In solidarity – Heather

Dean Heather Lattimer Highlighted During Women’s History Month

Big thanks to the SJSU Newsroom’s Tiffany Harbrecht for including Lurie College Dean Heather Lattimer in their series of highlighting SJSU women leaders in celebration of Women’s History Month!  Read Dean Lattimer’s spotlight below and read all of the spotlights on the SJSU Newsroom blog.

SJSU Lurie College of Education Dean Heather Lattimer

What women in history do you admire?

Heather Lattimer (HL): I so appreciate women who broke rules and pushed boundaries. A few in particular: Lilian Ngoyi, Madeleine Albright, Nana Nama’u, Ida B. Wells, and Isabelle Allende.

What women in your life supported you on your journey to achieving your goals and aspirations?

HL: My mom always encouraged and supported me. I’m an only child and only grandchild, a reality that can carry a lot of expectations. But I never felt pressured to be or become something to please others. I was allowed and encouraged to explore possibilities and dream big.

What is your advice for emerging women leaders at SJSU and across the country?

HL: Don’t be afraid to be ambitious in your aspirations and advocate for yourself. For my generation, the message (explicit or implicit) was often that women shouldn’t be openly ambitious, that we should work hard and wait to be noticed. But that’s not the way the world works. Speak up, share your goals, advocate for your future. Doing so will strengthen our whole community.

Statement from Dean Lattimer Regarding Anti-Asian Violence

A group of demonstrators hold signs that say, ‘Stop Asian Hate’ during a vigil and rally in San Francisco’s Chinatown on March 20, 2021. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)

Dear Lurie College students,

Last week we witnessed the murders of eight people, six of whom were Asian American women, at the hands of a young white male gunman in Atlanta. We also witnessed statements from law enforcement officials that appeared to excuse the atrocities of the gunman and failed to acknowledge the humanity of the victims. These events bring into sharp focus, once again, the depth of racism, white supremacy, and misogyny in our society.

Our college stands in solidarity with our Asian Pacific Islander Desi American students, faculty, staff, alumni, and communities. The events in Atlanta last week were not isolated incidents. Over the past year, many in our Lurie College community have directly experienced the impact of an increase in anti-Asian violence and oppression. Violent actions, hate-filled language, negative stereotypes, and the failure to value the full humanity of APIDA individuals and communities have direct and long lasting harm.

As a College of Education committed to preparing transformative educators, counselors, therapists, school and community leaders it is critical that we confront anti-Asian hate and that we recognize the historical and contemporary context linking anti-Asian hate with anti-Black and anti-immigrant racism as a way to maintain existing hierarchies of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) oppression and white supremacy. We need to support our Lurie College students, staff, and faculty; we need to call out structural racism and injustice and advocate for institutional and systemic change; and we need to equip our students with knowledge and skills to champion diversity, equity, and inclusion in their academic and professional careers.

In conversations with our students, staff, and faculty this past week, I heard pain, fear, anger, and frustration. The depth of enmity in our society and its horrific manifestations can – and should – shock us. Sometimes we are left feeling impotent because the challenges are so big. But in these conversations I also heard hope. I was reminded, once again, that our work matters; that we have an incredibly dedicated and supportive community in our college; that as individuals we have more power than we sometimes realize; and that collectively we can make a real and substantive difference.

In the final presentation of our Emancipatory Education Speaker Series this past Friday, March 19, we were very fortunate to be joined by University of Alaska Professor of Psychology, Dr. E.J.R. David. In his talk, “Emancipatory Education: Healing the Damages of a Sick World”, Dr. David shared personal stories about growing up in the Philippines and later moving to the U.S., and outlined a framework for how we can create a healing educational system that fosters connection, community, and well-being. It was a powerful talk that spoke directly to our current moment. I would encourage you to take time to watch the video as you consider how we move forward, individually and communally, to combat hate and create healing.

Members of SJSU’s APIDA community are invited to participate in a processing space on Monday, March 22, from 7:00-8:30pm. The space is supported by the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Counseling and Psychological Services; the Mosaic Cross-Cultural Center; and the APID/A Task Force. RSVP via the Zoom registration webpage. Lurie College students are also encouraged to reach out to our Lurie College Student Success Center with any questions, concerns, or requests for support.

In solidarity — Heather

Reflections from Dean Heather Lattimer on 1 Year Anniversary of COVID-19 Shelter-in-Place

Watch this video to listen to SJSU Lurie College of Education Dean Heather Lattimer share some reflections on the 1 year anniversary of when Santa Clara County and SJSU first transitioned to a shelter-in-place in response to COVID-19 and share some updates and optimism about returning to SJSU to teach, learn, and work in person as we look ahead to the Fall 2021 semester.  The full text of Dean Lattimer’s remarks is available below.

Dear Lurie College students, faculty, and staff,

It has been one year since we left campus due to COVID-19.  When we said goodbye a year ago, I suggested that staff and faculty pack up what they would need for a couple of months – just to be on the safe side. It has obviously been a lot more than a couple of months.

As I reflect back on the past year, I am both heartbroken and grateful.  I am heartbroken by the incalculable losses that we’ve witnessed – Friends and family members lost to COVID and other illnesses.  Job losses and financial insecurities.  Exacerbated inequality.  Anti-Asian, anti-Black, and anti-immigrant violence targeted toward our BIPOC communities. Isolation and mental health challenges. Wildfire-related disruptions and displacements.  Missing celebrations and curtailed rites of passage.  These losses are real and significant and we grieve them with you.

But I am grateful too – I have been so deeply impressed by the resilience and commitment of our Lurie College community. During the past year, we’ve witnessed students, faculty, staff, and community partners coming together to support and care for one another.  There have been real accomplishments that would have been significant in normal times and are monumental in COVID times.  For example – this year 330 undergraduate students in Lurie College have earned the dean’s scholar award, a 50% increase over the previous year. Enrollment in our credential programs grew by 40%.  We’ve seen an increase in faculty and staff recognition through awards, grants, and publications. We’ve deepened partnerships and outreach and provided direct support to school districts, community-based organizations, and clinics.

Each and every day I wake up humbled and grateful to be part of a college community that consistently demonstrates care and kindness toward one another and a passionate commitment to our larger mission to prepare and sustain transformative educators, counselors, therapists, school and community leaders. Thank you!

One year later we are seeing light at the end of the tunnel.  If vaccination continues to progress and infection rates continue to decline, we anticipate that we will be in a very different context by August.  We are planning that most classes will be able to have face-to-face meetings for the Fall 2021 semester.  We are anticipating that most field experiences will be in person at our partner sites.  College offices will be reopening and I anticipate being back on campus in Sweeney Hall full time by August 1.

We recognize that some people may have health concerns that prevent them from returning to campus and will need accommodation.  We also recognize that there have been some real benefits to the online environment and are exploring how effective use of the virtual space can support student learning and strengthen access moving forward.  However, I know that many of us are eager to be able to see people face to face and be in community together.  As you look to the year ahead, please anticipate that we will be returning to campus.  There will likely be the continued need for masking and some social distancing, but it will be so good to be able to see people in person!

Of course, the pandemic isn’t over and I encourage you to continue to wear masks, socially distance, and wash hands.  When you are able, please go get the vaccine.  Santa Clara County is now in phase 1 b of vaccine distribution, with people working in education and childcare eligible to be vaccinated.  This includes all SJSU employees and all Lurie College students who currently are or anticipate returning to school or clinic sites in Spring 2021.  I received my first dose at Levi Stadium last weekend.  The health care workers and volunteers at the stadium were fantastic.  And it felt really good knowing that it represented a huge step toward getting us all back to campus.

Thank you again for all that you do to contribute to the health, well-being, and success of our community.  Lurie College is a family of dedicated, talented, smart, creative, passionate, and capable individuals. Together we have not just survived this past year, we have thrived.  Thank you for being part of our family.  I look forward to seeing you back on campus next semester!

With gratitude —

Heather

Enter Your Name to Dine with the Dean

SJSU Lurie College of Education Dine with the Dean Fall 2021

SJSU Lurie College of Education undergraduate, graduate, credential, and doctoral students can enter your name for a chance to join Dean Heather Lattimer and a group of students for great conversation and a complimentary meal each month during the academic year!
Attendees will be selected at random – none of your responses in the RSVP form will affect whether or not you’re selected, but they will help Dean Lattimer learn a little bit about you before the meal if you are selected.

Those who are selected to dine with the dean will receive an email notification approximately 1 week before each meal if once they’ve been randomly selected. Those who aren’t selected for a meal are still eligible to be selected for a future meal. Lurie College students are only eligible to enter their information once and attend at most one meal per academic year.

The next Spring 2022 Dine with the Dean event is scheduled to take place:

 

Wednesday, March 9, 4:00 – 6:00pm

Enter your name to dine with the dean! 

.

Lurie College Dean Lattimer Featured on Leading Forward Podcast

Shoutout to the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence for featuring Lurie College Dean Heather Lattimer on their podcast Leading Forward.  During the episode, Dean Lattimer discussed leadership, equity, and well-being in times of COVID-19. Listen to the podcast below or on the Leading Forward Anchor account.

SJSU Lurie College of Education Dean Heather Lattimer

Welcome to the Spring 2021 Semester, Lurie College of Education Students!

Dear Lurie College Students —

We hope that your first days of class were a success and that you are looking forward to new opportunities and learning experiences during the semester ahead.  We know that taking courses remotely can be challenging and that many of you are also navigating added family responsibilities, work disruptions, and health concerns due to COVID. Our Lurie College community is here for you!

Please reach out to your instructors, academic advisors, and/or program coordinators if you have questions or concerns about your courses.  We also encourage you to connect with our dedicated team in the Lurie College Student Success Center for support and advice on how to access resources on campus.  If you are struggling, you aren’t alone.  Please contact us so that we can connect you with academic supports, counseling services, financial supports, or other resources to help you succeed.

The events of recent weeks have reminded us, once again, of the critical importance of the work that happens in our college.  The hatred, bigotry, nativism, violence, and white supremacy that were on full display during the capitol insurrection on January 6, clearly demonstrate the need for transformative educators, counselors, therapists, and school, college, and community leaders.  Thank you for your courageous decision to commit to academic fields and professional careers that will position you to be agents of change and move us toward a more just, inclusive, and equitable future.

In recent months, our faculty and staff have recommitted ourselves to advancing racial justice within our college.  You can view numerous examples of policy and program changes that we are committed to addressing during the 2020-21 academic year on our college’s Strategic Plan webpage.  We also recently created a webpage with a collection of Antiracism and Racial Justice Resources, which includes articles, podcasts, social media accounts, videos, and much more.

We hope you’ll join us at our upcoming engagement opportunities – such as our Conversation with Radical Monarchs’ Cofounder Anayvette Martinez, our Emancipatory Education Speaker Series, and more – to further advance this work.  We’ll also announce dates for our Deans’ Forums soon so that you can share your input, ideas, critiques, and questions with us directly.

A final word of advice in closing…  Pace yourself!  It promises to be a full semester with lots of time spent in online learning and activities.  Make sure that in the midst of your courses, field experiences, work, and family responsibilities you take time to take care of yourself.  Give yourself permission to turn off the computer and go outside.  Get sleep.  Find time to listen to music, have a good laugh, or just breathe.  We need you in this work for the long term, and that means we need you to take care of yourself.

With gratitude –

Heather Lattimer, Dean
heather.lattimer@sjsu.edu

Marcos Pizarro, Associate Dean

Dean Lattimer Featured in California Collaborative for Educational Excellence Field Guide

The California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE) has created The Field Guide for Accelerating Learning, Equity and Well-Being to support educational leaders as they serve their communities in 2021 and beyond.  Dean Lattimer was featured as one of the guest voices in the field guide and discussed topics like ‘what type of educational system we want to move towards?’ as well as ‘how can we approach improving diversity, equity, and inclusion in our schools?’  Watch the videos below and access the full Field Guide at https://fieldguide.ccee-ca.org/

Message from Dean Heather Lattimer | December 21, 2020

Dear Lurie College of Education Students —

Congratulations!!!  You have made it through a remarkably challenging semester.  You are to be commended for your resilience, persistence, and creativity as you navigated the circuitous path of this semester with grace, empathy, and determination.
I hope that you are now able to turn off the computer, step away from the zoom screen, and take a much needed and well deserved break.  The stress that this time has brought is wearing on mind, body, and spirit.  Please give yourselves time to rest and recuperate during the winter break.  We need your passion and energy in the academic and career fields you have chosen to pursue… and therefore, we need you to take care of yourselves!!
If you are experiencing challenges, please know that we are here to support you.  Our Lurie College student success center is a great resource to help with questions about courses, finances, and university resources.  Counseling and Psychological Services provides counseling support and crisis intervention.  And our Lurie College hardship fund provides financial support for those experiencing unanticipated financial challenges.   You are not alone.  We believe in you and are here to support you.
For those who graduated on Friday — Congratulations!!  We are very proud of your success and excited to see you shine in your chosen fields!
For our continuing students — Enjoy a wonderful break!  We look forward to seeing you back in January!
Happy Holidays!
Heather

Watch the Lurie College Fall 2020 Graduation Celebration

Our SJSU Lurie College of Education Graduation Celebration took place on Friday, December 18 – watch the recording from the live event above!

  • 14:35 – Video acknowledgment of Spring 2020 Lurie College graduates (alphabetized by last name) and remarks from Dean Heather Lattimer and Associate Dean Marcos Pizarro
  • 26:30 – Remarks from Lurie College Graduation Celebration Speaker, Jacqueline Lopez Rivas (BA, Child & Adolescent Development)
  • 36:14 – Slideshow of collages submitted by graduates (alphabetized by last name)

SJSU has also created a website to recognize all of the Spring 2020 graduates for the entire university. Visit the recognition webpage for Lurie College of Education Spring 2020 graduates.

 

Remarks from Dean Heather Lattimer | November 25, 2020

Dear Lurie College Students —

As we enter into the Thanksgiving holiday, I want to take a moment to express my admiration and gratitude for each of you.

This semester has presented incredible challenges — a global pandemic, massive wildfires, a passionate movement for racial justice, and a contentious election. Throughout it all, you have persisted and found ways to thrive. You’ve demonstrated care and compassion for one another, offered creative solutions to problems, been resilient in navigating online courses and field placements, and championed changes that can make our college and our world more just, equitable, and inclusive. I am impressed and profoundly inspired by each you! Thank you for all that you contribute to our college and thank you for choosing to pursue academic and professional fields where your passion and commitment will have a transformative impact!

I hope that you are able to take time away from schoolwork in the coming days to rest, reflect, and enjoy time with family. This semester has been exhausting for everyone and a break is needed before we return for the final push. Please give yourself permission to take a break, turn off the computer, and put aside the “to do” lists. The break has been hard earned and is well deserved!

Wishing you a safe and healthy holiday!

With Gratitude — Heather

Join us at the Lurie College Deans’ Forum

SJSU Lurie College of Education Fall 2020 Deans Forum 4

Lurie College students, join Dean Heather Lattimer and Associate Dean Marcos Pizarro for a conversation on Thursday, November 19, from 3-4pm to discuss what’s next in education following the election results!  The Zoom link will be emailed to all Lurie College students’ via a Google calendar invitation.

Statement from Dean Heather Lattimer | November 4, 2020

Dear Lurie College Students —

It has been a long night, a long election season, a long four years of division and divisiveness.  At this hour several states are still to be called and there is no clear outcome on the presidential election.

One thing is clear, however — there is much that needs to be done for us to become the just, equitable, and inclusive society that we deserve and our children demand. Regardless of who is ultimately declared the winner of this election, these past months have clearly and repeatedly demonstrated how broken we are as a nation.

You may feel discouraged or disillusioned by the electoral process or the election results. Identities and animosities have been inextricably linked with politics and elections can cause us to deeply question the values of our society and our place in it.  If you are experiencing doubt, frustration, anger, fear, or sadness, please know that you are not alone. The faculty, staff and administration in our college and across our university are here for you.  We value you, we care about you, and we believe in you.  If you need support or have concerns, please email us at luriecollege@sjsu.edu – we are here to help.

The academic and professional fields that you have chosen to pursue matter now more than ever.  As future educators, counselors, therapists, school and community leaders, you have the power to make change through your actions and advocacy.  Though the challenge is formidable, I have full confidence in the ability of our students to make a difference and lead us toward a better future.  Lurie College is here to support you every step of the way — Be courageous, be kind, be strong!

In solidarity — Heather

Remarks from Dean Heather Lattimer | October 18, 2020

Congratulations!  You have made it more than halfway through the semester!   In a fall that has included a pandemic, remote learning, wildfires, air quality-related campus shutdowns, economic challenges, and intense political animosity, making it this far is an accomplishment.  Your efforts and your success need to be recognized and celebrated.

I want to reach out today with three messages –

  1. We are here for you! In know that many of you are in the midst of mid-term exams and papers.  In our virtual learning space, it can sometimes feel like you are isolated and alone.  Please know that you have faculty, staff, and colleagues throughout this college who care deeply about your success and are here to provide support.  Please reach out if you have questions or concerns.  Your professors, the advisors in our student success center, the staff and chair in your department, and our team in the dean’s office want to hear from you.
  2. We want you to share your experiences! We want to know what is working for you.  Understanding your experiences helps us to grow and strengthen our work as a college.  Share your ideas, successes, and appreciations using virtual sticky notes on our college Jamboard.  Read the posts of others to get ideas for finding balance, managing stress, and accessing resources.
  3. Vote! Election day is coming up on November 3.  Monday, October 19 is the last day to register.  If you are eligible to vote, please, please register and vote this year.  In addition to the presidential election, there are congressional, state, and local elected positions on the ballot as well as multiple ballot propositions that can have a direct impact on your life.  For more information on how to register and where to vote, please visit vote.org.   Your voice matters and voting is critical to determining our future.

I’ll close with gratitude.  I am so grateful to be a part of the Lurie College family.  The dedication and generosity of our students provides daily inspiration and hope.  Thank you for choosing to be part of our community and for all of the care, creativity, and commitment that you bring to each of your assignments and interactions.

Take good care and stay safe!

Read the 2019-20 Lurie College of Education Annual Report

At the SJSU Lurie College of Education, we prepare transformative educators, counselors, therapists, school and community leaders.  We do this through an emancipatory approach across our teaching, scholarship, and service.  While this has been a challenging and tumultuous year, our annual report shines a light on the numerous ways that we’ve embodied these principles and the many reasons for gratitude, pride, and hope in the work of our Lurie College students, faculty, staff, and alumni.  Read the 2019-2020 annual report.

Join us at the Lurie College Deans’ Forum

SJSU Lurie College of Education Fall 2020 Deans Forum 3

Lurie College students, join Dean Heather Lattimer and Associate Dean Marcos Pizarro for a conversation on Friday, September 25, from 3-4pm to share insights about your Fall 2020 semester experiences thus far!  The Zoom link will be emailed to all Lurie College students’ via a Google calendar invitation.

Lurie College Dean’s Forum Remarks and Social Justice Ambassadors

Watch the opening remarks from SJSU Lurie College of Education Dean Heather Lattimer and Associate Dean Marcos Pizarro from the first Dean’s Forum of the Fall 2020 semester. In this forum, they acknowledge the multiple crises we’re all juggling as we transition into the semester and begin to discuss first steps in moving forward in our determination to prepare transformative educators, counselors, therapists, school and community leaders.  Join us for more upcoming Dean’s Forums at:

  • Friday, September 25, 3-4pm
  • Wednesday, October 21, 3-4pm
  • Thursday, November 19, 3-4pm

Dean Lattimer and Associate Dean Pizarro would also like to form a student social justice ambassador group that meets with the deans periodically throughout the semester to identify and discuss ways to advance the college’s social justice priorities.  To express interest in joining this group, please complete this brief Google form.

Dean Lattimer Featured on Public Education in the Midst of COVID Panel

Shoutout to Lurie College Dean Heather Lattimer, who was asked to speak as a panelist along with California State Senator Connie Leyva, California Teachers Association President E. Toby Boyd, Sacramento City Unified Superintendent Jorge Aguilar, and California State Assemblymember Shirley N. Weber about “Public Education in the Midst of COVID” at the recent Silicon Valley Leadership Group Education Summit.  Watch the full conversation below!

Join us at the Lurie College Dean’s Forum

SJSU Lurie College of Education Fall 2020 Dean's Forum

Welcome to the Fall 2020 semester, new and returning students! We hope your summer has been rejuvenating. Join us at this online forum for a conversation with Dean Heather Lattimer and Associate Dean Marcos Pizarro to help shape some of the college’s priorities for the 2020-2021 academic year.  The Zoom link will be emailed to all Lurie College students’ via a Google calendar invitation.

Welcome (Back), Lurie College Students!

Hi! I’m Heather Lattimer, Dean of the Lurie College of Education, and I’m delighted to welcome you to SJSU for the Fall 2020 semester.

Although circumstances prevent us from being able to be able to greet you in person and learn together on campus this fall, we want you to know that we are 100% here to support your success. Our faculty and staff have spent significant time over the summer making plans to ensure that you will have high-quality learning experiences in your courses, fieldwork, and co-curricular activities. We’re excited about the plans that are in place for interactive, relevant, and responsive learning opportunities here at Lurie College in the coming semester.

This summer, we saw calls for racial justice reverberate around the country and throughout our community in response to the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery. As a college of education, we are committed to equitable, anti-racist policies and practices and to preparing transformative educators, counselors, therapists, school and community leaders.

Over the past three months, our faculty and staff have engaged in hard conversations as we examine the racism and bias that persist in our own systems and structures, and work to reform the way in which we engage with each other, our students, and the larger educational ecosystem. During the coming semester, we’ll be eliciting your input on how we can better live our mission and our values. Please look for invitations to participate in the Deans’ racial justice and educational equity student advisory group. We hope you’ll join us.

Continue Reading…

Lurie College Dean Discusses Digital Divide in Education with NBC Bay Area

The transition to a remote teaching, learning, and working environment during the COVID-19 pandemic has shined a spotlight on the ongoing inequities in education when it comes to students having access to equitable learning opportunities and the resources required to support those learning opportunities.  NBC Bay Area recently interviewed Lurie College Dean Heather Lattimer to gather her insights on this – watch the video of the story below and read the full story at on the NBC Bay Area website.

Lurie College Dean Heather Lattimer Selected as Speaker for Education Summit

Shoutout to Lurie College Dean Heather Lattimer, who has been asked to serve as a speaker at the upcoming annual Silicon Valley Leadership Group Education Summit on Fri., Aug. 14!

Framed by COVID-19 and tensions in the wake of George Floyd, with legislators, school administrators, teachers and parents operating – literally – in separate spaces, this year’s convening has become a crucial information-sharing forum.

Interact with key local, state and national decision makers in brief, timely panels, active Q&A, and topic-based networking rooms. Get the latest updates on school reopening straight from school leads. Discover how top CLOs are reimagining Learning and Development to drive equity and fuel corporate success.

Learn more about the summit and register ($50-$110) at svlg.org/event/education-summit/

SJSU Lurie College of Education Dean Heather Lattimer

Statement from Dean Heather Lattimer and Associate Dean Marcos Pizarro | July 13, 2020

Dear Lurie College of Education Students,

We hope you each are taking care of yourselves and your loved ones.  It has been an intense few months for all of us.  The protests and calls for addressing institutional anti-black racism and white supremacy have inspired SJSU and the Lurie College of Education to dedicate resources and significant energy towards taking our work for racial justice and equity to a deeper level.  We want to share what we are envisioning for the new year that we hope you will be involved in:

  1. First of all, we want to hear from you, current students and recent alumni, with your ideas, needs, and priorities: we will hold a college-wide forum, you can reach out to us directly, you can share anonymously via this Google form, and departments will also provide program-specific opportunities for your input. 
  2. We are working with faculty and staff to confront all the different forms and manifestations of racism that have dominated higher education for far too long.  We will identify and address the language, norms, policies, practices as well as the underlying thinking and ideologies that perpetuate racism and oppression within our college, departments, and programs.  One specific example will be to increase access of historically under-represented students to Lurie College programs by rethinking admission requirements to reflect a holistic assessment of applicants’ potential and strengths rather than an over-reliance on standardized tests.
  3. We will emphasize and grow existing and newly created opportunities to both learn about and engage in racial justice work, including:
    • a) an anti-racist Inquiry to Action Group (ITAG) that will build on key racial justice readings;
    • b) film discussion groups that will similarly use innovative racial justice themed films to explore how we can build on their insights through actions in our daily lives and collective work as a college;
    • c) launching the newest program in the college, the MA in Emancipatory School Leadership program, which will be a training ground for principals and other school leaders to do innovative equity work in our surrounding schools;
    • d) an Ethnic Studies Residency Program in East Side Union High School District where teacher candidates in secondary social science will be trained to implement transformative approaches to ethnic studies to enhance engagement and success of students of Color;
    • e) the Impact San Jose fellowship, which provides mentorship and scholarships for those dedicated to working in historically underserved communities in the San Jose area;
    • f) the Lurie College Promise Group, which supports first-generation college students to achieve success as undergrads and beyond;
    • g) including students in shaping the vision for the college through the Strategic Plan work and other leadership initiatives;
  4. Through our Student Success Center, we are also building a support network with one-on-one and group opportunities for those struggling with the realities of our past and on-going personal experiences with racism, as we create pathways for collective efforts to confront and upend the ways in which our own programs and SJSU as an institution have perpetuated inequities.
  5. We are developing a resource guide to support the entire Lurie College community in our own learning to become racial justice educators, advocates and leaders because we see this as essential to our lifelong commitment to work for justice and equity through our learning, teaching, counseling, mentorship and advocacy.  More details on this will be shared soon.

It is our collective responsibility to actively engage in anti-racist work through our daily lives as educators, counselors, therapists, school and community leaders.  Lurie College is committed to growing in this work and supporting all members of the college in being fierce anti-racist advocates.  Please reach out to us with ideas, needs, suggestions, concerns or if you need any support in pursuing our shared goals for racial justice and equity, and feel free to use this anonymous Google form to give us feedback.

In Solidarity –

Marcos Pizarro, Associate Dean – marcos.pizarro@sjsu.edu
Heather Lattimer, Dean – heather.lattimer@sjsu.edu

Statement from Dean Heather Lattimer | June 2, 2020

Last week’s murder of an unarmed Black man was shocking, horrifying, and infuriatingly familiar.  George Floyd and his family have now joined a grievously long list of Black and Brown Americans who have had their lives and their liberties taken away by individuals and systems that perpetuate injustice and inequality.  Eric Garner.  Sandra Bland.  Philando Castile.  Freddie Gray.  Terence Crutcher.  Alton Sterling.  Walter Scott.  Tamir Rice.  Michael Brown.  Ahmaud Arbery.  Breonna Taylor.  The list of names seems endless and the pain behind each one is overwhelming.

So many in our community are hurting.  We’ve witnessed a modern-day lynching and it has brought fresh trauma to those who have suffered personal and generational wounds of injustice, racism, and oppression.  These are not isolated incidents but part of a larger culture which privileges some and oppresses others in ways that manifest in everything from the disproportional rates of COVID-19 deaths in Black and Brown communities to the flagrant abuse of privilege by a white dog walker calling the police and falsely claiming that her life was threatened by a Black birdwatcher who had simply asked her to follow the posted leash laws.

Our college is committed to the preparation of transformative educators, counselors, therapists, school and community leaders.  In the face of such glaring and graphic evidence of the deep roots of racism and the brokenness of our society, this work has taken on even greater importance and added urgency.

Our society needs transformative leaders in education-related fields now more than ever.  We need teachers who recognize the racist and hegemonic roots of our society and seek to understand how that reality impacts the lived experiences of our students.  We need counselors and therapists who believe that an integral part of being an advocate for the children and clients in our care is the willingness to call out discriminatory structures and systems that continue to breed inequity.  We educators who are willing to interrogate our own assumptions and engage in hard conversations about privilege, marginalization, bias, and inequity.  We need leaders who consistently and repeatedly stand with marginalized communities and vulnerable individuals and take bold action to make transformative change happen.

In the midst of heartache and outrage, I take solace in the knowledge that Lurie College is a community that is deeply committed to equity, inclusion, and racial and social justice.  I see strength in the dedication of our faculty, staff, and community partners.  I see hope in the passion and tenacity of our students and alumni.  Together, we will continue to work toward the promise of transformative change and the realization of a more just and equitable society.

Watch the Lurie College Spring 2020 Graduation Celebration

Spring 2020 Graduation Celebration

The Spring 2020 SJSU Lurie College of Education Graduation Celebration took place on Friday, May 22, at 4pm!  The full recording is available above and at sjsu.edu/education/graduation.  You can also skip to a section of the recording below.

Order of Events

  • 9:56 – Video acknowledgment of Spring 2020 Lurie College graduates (alphabetized by last name) and remarks from Dean Heather Lattimer
  • 13: 29 – Remarks from Associate Dean Marcos Pizarro
  • 18:14 – Remarks from Lurie College Commencement Speaker, Giselle Arellano (undergraduate, child development)
  • 33:17 – Slideshow of collages submitted by graduates (alphabetized by last name)

If you have any questions about the Lurie College Graduation Celebration, please contact luriecollege@sjsu.edu.

SJSU Spring 2020 Graduate Recognition Websites

SJSU has also created a website to recognize all of the Spring 2020 graduates for the entire university.  Visit the recognition webpage for Lurie College of Education Spring 2020 graduates.

Congratulations, New Lurie College Alumni

SJSU Lurie College of Education Commencement Graduation Counselor Education Department New Alumni

Congratulations to our new SJSU Lurie College of Education alumni.  We have no doubt that you are prepared to be transformative educators, counselors, therapists, school and community leaders!

We would love for you to stay connected with us as you transition into your next chapters.  Visit our Alumni webpage to take advantage of the many opportunities to connect with one another, stay connected with the college, and actively participate in the continued growth of the college.

If you plan to enroll in a graduate program, credential program, or doctoral program in the future, we have numerous opportunities available and our Student Success Center Advisors are happy to assist you with your application process.