Category Archives: Graduate Life

Congratulations from Lurie College Dean Heather Lattimer

Congratulations to all of our SJSU Lurie College of Education undergraduate, graduate, credential, and doctoral students for completing a very challenging and unconventional semester! Watch this video for a shoutout from Dean Heather Lattimer.  The transcription of the message is available below.

Congratulations!  You have made it through what has been one of the craziest, most unpredictable, most challenging semesters that I’ve experienced in more than 20 years as a member of a university community.  I hope that you recognize your accomplishment and that you take great pride in the fact that you made it through.

You deserve huge admiration.

Continue Reading…

Become a Special Education Teacher Through our Residency Program

Make a difference in the lives of students with disabilities by joining SJSU’s Teacher Residency Program in Special Education!  In this program, you will complete a Special Education Teacher Credential in 1 year while receiving over $16,000 in stipends and becoming eligible for additional scholarship funding.  Those who are interested in this opportunity should contact Department of Special Education faculty Dr. Lisa Simpson at lisa.simpson@sjsu.edu.

SJSU Lurie College of Education Teacher Education Department Elementary

Lurie College Set to Celebrate Spring 2020 Graduates

SJSU Lurie College of Education Spring 2020 Graduation Celebration

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted so many facets of society over the past couple of months, that’s not stopping the Lurie College of Education at San Jose State University from organizing a live graduation celebration to recognize its more than 500 Spring 2020 graduates (and soon-to-be alumni)!

This is an incredibly significant moment for our graduates, their support networks, our Lurie College of Education community, and our society as a whole. College commencement ceremonies are a rite of passage for students every year who have worked tirelessly to prepare themselves for the next chapters in their lives. While we are saddened that we are not able to celebrate with our graduates in person at this time as a result of COVID-19, we are proud of how our entire Lurie College community of students, faculty, and staff have responded and persevered during this pandemic, and so it’s our priority to celebrate virtually with our graduates to acknowledge their accomplishments and bring some closure to their academic experiences with us.  We look forward to welcoming our graduates back to campus and celebrating in person together at the Fall 2020 or Spring 2021 Commencement events. – Dean Heather Lattimer

The Lurie College Graduation Celebration will take place online on Friday, May 22, at 4pm and begin with a college-wide ceremony that will include remarks from Dean Heather Lattimer, Associate Dean Marcos Pizarro, and student speaker Giselle Arellano, who is graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Child and Adolescent Development.

It feels really special to be the graduation speaker, especially during these times.  When I was first selected as the speaker, it was more of an ‘I did it’ moment as a first-generation student of an immigrant family and someone who is representing that small percentage of graduating Latinas all over the world.  Now it feels like I am the person who is able to voice what I’m hearing from my fellow classmates, my friends, from those who are graduating from other departments.  Many of us are feeling the same sadness about not being able to celebrate in person, but we still feel very accomplished and made it to a point where, even though the odds may not be in our favor right now, we still can celebrate and know that ‘we did it’! – Giselle Arellano

Each Spring 2020 graduate will also be recognized during the college-wide ceremony.  Lurie College graduates, faculty, and staff have been invited to attend the event live and family and friends are invited to watch the ceremony live on the Lurie College YouTube channel.

After the college-wide ceremony, each Lurie College department – Child & Adolescent Development, Communicative Disorders & Sciences, Counselor Education, EdD Leadership, Special Education, and Teacher Education – is hosting an online reception to include remarks from faculty chairpersons, individualized slideshows, and socializing among graduates, faculty, and staff to close out the academic year.

Since this year’s experience is entirely digital, Lurie College has created some other digital items to enhance the experience, such as:

San Jose State University as a whole is honoring and celebrating all Spring 2020 graduates by launching graduate recognition websites, which will go live on Friday, May 22.  Learn more about the San Jose State University graduate recognition websites on the SJSU Newsroom website.

I’m looking forward to seeing everyone’s faces and feeling that overall sense of relief in knowing that, while this journey seemed daunting at first, I’m finally able to say ‘I’m a graduate’ and complete something that I’ve been working towards for so long.  Overall, this all feels very surreal and amazing! – Giselle Arellano

SJSU Lurie College of Education Child and Adolescent Development Student Giselle Arellano

Giselle Arellano, SJSU Lurie College of Education Graduation Speaker

Watch our MA in Special Education Student Research Project Presentations

Congratulations to our Lurie College graduate students in our Department of Special Education who recently presented their final research projects!

  • 3:34 – Nathaly Cisneros-Mendoza: “Perceptions of Latino/a parents when accessing services for their child with autism”
  • 11:51 – Marissa Richers: “Cerebral Palsy: The impacts on a child’s motor and social development”
  • 20:32 – Fatema Rahim: “Impact of South Asian cultural views on parents of children with special needs”
  • 29:12 – Monica Gonzalez: “The effect of a graphic organizer intervention on math word problem solving skills for English language learners with high incidence disabilities”
  • 40:26 – Elizabeth Sanchez: “The effect of culture on parent involvement in special education”
  • 50:31 – Ashley Highsmith: “The disproportionality of black students in special education”
  • 1:02:00 – Madison Henry: “Homeschooling vs public schooling: Decisions to homeschool children with special needs”
  • 1:10:01 – Dilkash Ahmed: “Teacher perceptions of assistive technology classroom implementation”

Connect with Lurie College at https://linktr.ee/sjsulurie to receive more news about academic and student life!

Educators of Impact | Candice Nance

With the COVID-19 crisis making it abundantly clear the critical role that educators play in our society, Lurie College is recognizing SJSU Educators of Impact who have made a transformative difference in the lives of children, families, and communities.  Learn more about SJSU Alumni and current Lurie College EdD Leadership Program student Candice Nance below.  To nominate an SJSU graduate who is an Educator of Impact, please complete this brief Google form.

SJSU Lurie College of Education Educator of Impact Candice Nance

“Of anyone I’ve ever met, Candice embodies the idea of being a lifelong learner.  She constantly works to improve her own knowledge and skills so she can improve opportunities for her students.”

Attend the Lurie College MA in Special Education Research Presentations

Join us on Tuesday, May 12, from 7-8:30 on Zoom at https://sjsu.zoom.us/j/92109854969 to learn from 8 graduate students in our Department of Special Education as they present their thesis research!

  • Nathaly Cisneros-Mendoza: “Perceptions of Latino/a parents when accessing services for their child with autism”
  • Marissa Richers: “Cerebral Palsy: The impacts on a child’s motor and social development”
  • Monica Gonzalez: “The effect of a graphic organizer intervention on math word problem solving skills for English language learners with high incidence disabilities”
  • Dilkash Ahmed: “Teacher perceptions of assistive technology classroom implementation”
  • Ashley Highsmith: “The disproportionality of black students in special education”
  • Madison Henry: “Homeschooling vs public schooling: Decisions to homeschool children with special needs”
  • Elizabeth Sanchez: “The effect of culture on parent involvement in special education”
  • Fatema Rahim: “Impact of South Asian cultural views on parents of children with special needs”

MA in Special Ed Research Presentations

New Lurie College Master’s in Educational Leadership

The SJSU Connie L. Lurie College of Education’s Master’s in Educational Leadership with a concentration in Emancipatory Leadership is designed for emerging K-12 school leaders who wish to engage with emancipatory leadership practices to improve educational opportunities for historically marginalized students. This program will prepare school leaders through deep engagement with research and practice through applied consulting on living case studies.  Apply by May 15 to begin your 14-month transformation starting Summer 2020.  New admits will each receive a $3500 scholarship.  To learn more, visit sjsu.edu/education/mels.

SJSU Lurie College of Education Ed.D Leadership Program Students

Special Education Intern Feature: Jessica Celeridad

COVID-19 has significantly impacted the way that our society functions. This is especially true at all levels of education. At the SJSU Lurie College of Education, our faculty and staff have been challenged to create accessible and equitable educational opportunities for our students. Many of our Lurie College students are also in teaching positions and student support positions at the K-12 and higher education levels. In this video series, we would like to give a special shoutout to Jessica Celeridad and all of the other Special Education Intern students who are supporting students with special needs remotely. Learn more about Jessica through this conversation with Lurie College faculty member Lisa Simpson.

Connect with Lurie College at https://linktr.ee/sjsulurie to receive more news about academic and student life! Video edited by Brian Cheung Dooley – http://brianpdooley.com. “Going Higher” provided royalty free by bensound.com

Special Education Intern Feature: Rosa Gonzalez

COVID-19 has significantly impacted the way that our society functions. This is especially true at all levels of education. At the SJSU Lurie College of Education, our faculty and staff have been challenged to create accessible and equitable educational opportunities for our students. Many of our Lurie College students are also in teaching positions and student support positions at the K-12 and higher education levels. In this video series, we would like to give a special shoutout to Rosa Gonzalez and all of the other Special Education Intern students who are supporting students with special needs remotely. Learn more about Rosa through this conversation with Lurie College faculty member Lisa Simpson.

Connect with Lurie College at https://linktr.ee/sjsulurie to receive more news about academic and student life! Video edited by Brian Cheung Dooley – http://brianpdooley.com. “Going Higher” provided royalty free by bensound.com

Special Education Intern Feature: Rachel Mein

COVID-19 has significantly impacted the way that our society functions. This is especially true at all levels of education. At the SJSU Lurie College of Education, our faculty and staff have been challenged to create accessible and equitable educational opportunities for our students. Many of our Lurie College students are also in teaching positions and student support positions at the K-12 and higher education levels. In this video series, we would like to give a special shoutout to Rachel Mein and all of the other Special Education Intern students who are supporting students with special needs remotely. Learn more about Rachel through this conversation with Lurie College faculty member Lisa Simpson.

Connect with Lurie College at https://linktr.ee/sjsulurie to receive more news about academic and student life! Video edited by Brian Cheung Dooley – http://brianpdooley.com. “Going Higher” provided royalty free by bensound.com

Watch the Faces of Learning Student Researcher Panel

During the Fall 2019 and Spring 2020 semesters, a group of SJSU undergraduate student researchers met with students across campus to get a deeper understanding of their learning experiences and then utilized photography and narrative to shine a light on those students’ learning experiences.

Watch this virtual Student Researcher Panel to learn from those who were most involved in this project and visit http://sjsu.edu/education/faces to view their student-curated exhibition.

Apply for the Lurie College STEM+C Summer Teacher Institute

The SJSU Lurie College of Education has created summer opportunities for current credential candidates, SJSU alumni, future SJSU credential candidates, and teachers in partner districts to develop their knowledge, skills, and abilities to teach math and/or computer science at NO COST in an effort to pursue educational equity and social justice by reducing STEM barriers in education!

For our Summer 2020 Teacher Institute, you can build your STEM+C content knowledge and earn a math or science foundational-level credential. The foundational level credential allows you to teach middle school math or science. It can be added to a multiple or single subject credential by successfully completing the methods class included in this summer program and passing the corresponding CSET subtest(s).

To learn more and apply, visit sjsu.edu/education/stem-institute.  Listen to Department of Teacher Education alumni Robyn Riedstra’s experience in the 2019 program and how it resulted in multiple full-time job offers for her.

SJSU Lurie College of Education Summer 2020 STEM+C Teacher Institute

Student Spotlight: Anthony Zelaya-Umanzor

Congratulations to Anthony Zelaya-Umanzor, graduate student in the Lurie College Department of Counselor Education, who recently earned the James William Allen Service Scholarship from the H.B. McDaniel Foundation. Watch this video to learn about his professional goals related to service in the field of school counseling!

Connect with Lurie College at https://linktr.ee/sjsulurie to receive more news about academic and student life! Video edited by Brian Cheung Dooley. “Adventure” provided royalty free by bensound.com

SJSU Faces of Learning Project | Meet Project Coordinator Briettny

The Lurie College Faces of Learning Project shines a light on SJSU students’ learning experiences – huge thanks to graduate student Briettny Curtner for sharing her experience with us!  When asked about what motivated her to participate, she said, “This project was my first hands-on experience with qualitative research. It provided the opportunity for me to support students, learn a methodology, and curate authentic representation of each Spartan who shared their learning story with us.”

Visit sjsu.edu/education/faces to view the student-curated photo exhibition and RSVP to attend our student panel on Thu., Apr. 30, at 12pm.

SJSU Lurie College of Educaiton Counselor Education Department Graduate Student Briettny Curtner

– Name: Briettny Curtner
– Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
– Year and Major / Minor: Second Year, Graduate Student / Education, Counseling and Student Personnel
– Fun Fact / Hobby: I have been to 13 states!
– What motivated you to participate in this project? This project was my first hands-on experience with qualitative research. It provided the opportunity for me to support students, learn a methodology, and curate authentic representation of each Spartan who shared their learning story with us.

—

Connect with Lurie College at https://linktr.ee/sjsulurie to receive more news about academic and student life.  Audio edited by Sydney Ahmadian.

Upcoming Scholarship and Grant Application Deadlines

  • Scholarships:  Watch this recording to learn from staff in the SJSU Scholarships Office and faculty on the Lurie College Scholarship Review committee about the 2020-2021 Lurie College scholarship application process.  More details about all of the Lurie College scholarship and grant opportunities are available at sjsu.edu/education/financial-aid.  The deadline to apply for SJSU and Lurie College scholarships is Friday, May 1, 2020, so start your application process as soon as you can!
  • Student-Research Awards:  Supports students to be mentored by a faculty mentor on a student-initiated research project.  Students can receive an award of $2,000 per semester and $4,000 a year.  The deadline to apply for these awards for the 2020-2021 academic year is Thursday, April 30, 2020, at 4pm via this Google form.  Learn about research projects by Department of Special Education graduate student Monica Gonzalez and Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences student James Chow who each received a student-research award for the 2019-2020 academic year.

Statement from Lurie College Dean Heather Lattimer | April 23, 2020

Watch this video message from Dean Heather Lattimer following the announcement from SJSU about planning for the Fall 2020 semester in response to COVID-19.  The transcription of the message is available below.

Hello Lurie College.  The message that we received earlier this week that we’re not coming back to campus as usual this fall was hard to hear.  Although many of us might have suspected that such a message was coming, based on news reports that we’re seeing from across the country and around the world, it was nevertheless hard to see in print.  Many of us are grieving a sense of normalcy, missing rites of passage that were supposed to take place this spring, especially commencement, and frustrated that this sense of limbo that we’re all in might continue for weeks and even months ahead.

I want you to know that we see you, and we understand.

We see how hard you’re working in your academic classes, we see how many challenges you are navigating in school, at home, with family and finances.  We see the pain, the exhaustion and the fear that many of you are experiencing.  We also see your successes.  We see the triumphs, large and small, academic and personal.  We see the kindness that you’ve shown to one another and to our larger community and we’re grateful.

Continue Reading…

Plans Underway for Lurie College Graduation Celebration

While we at the Lurie College of Education are saddened that we are unable to have an in-person commencement ceremony during the Spring 2020 semester as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, we also realize the importance of continuing to follow our current public health orders for the health and safety of our families, our communities, and society as a whole.  Despite these constraints, we still want to celebrate with all of our Lurie College graduates this semester to recognize their accomplishments and perseverance, even if we must do so in a virtual environment.  Plans are underway for a live Lurie College of Education Graduation Celebration on Friday, May 22, at 4pm and we will send out an invitation with more detailed information to our graduates, faculty, and staff in the near future!

SJSU Lurie College Graduation Celebration Zoom Background

Lurie College Student and Faculty Published in Multilingual Educator Journal

Congratulations to Teacher Education Department graduate student Danielle Patenaude and faculty member Eduardo Muñoz-Muñoz, whose respective articles “Classroom Translanguaging: Building Identity and Agency” and “¿Qué español debo enseñar en mi clase? Permanezcamos en silencio, escuchemos, apreciemos y aprendamos” were recently published in the spring issue of the California Association for Bilingual Education’s (CABE) Multilingual Educator.  Give the articles a read at https://bit.ly/2RU2npY.

SJSU Lurie College of Education Teacher Education Graduate Student Danielle Patenaude

SJSU Lurie College of Education Teacher Education Faculty Eduardo Munoz-Munoz

Attend the Lurie College NSSLHA Virtual Happy Hours

The SJSU Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) Chapter is hosting a series of virtual happy hours for the remainder of the semester!  If you are a Communicative Disorders & Sciences students, you should have received the links to participate in these events in your email.

  • Fri., Apr. 17, 4pm | Crafty Happy Hour
  • Wed., Apr. 22, 3pm | Grad Application Panel
  • Fri., May 1, 4pm | Yoga & Pets Happy Hour
  • Fri., May 15, 4pm | QuaranTEA Party & Trivia

SJSU Lurie College NSSLHA Happy Hour Series

#IBelongAtLurieCollege | Justine Vuong

What provides you with a sense of belonging at Lurie College?  Is it your drive to become a transformative educator, counselor, therapist, school or community leader?  A faculty member, advisor, your friends or student groups?  The events and culture?  Share with us on Instagram by tagging @sjsulurie and using the hashtag #IBelongAtLurieCollege in your caption or email us at brian.cheungdooley@sjsu.edu so we can share uplifting stories from our community.  Learn about Justine Vuong, Department of Child and Adolescent Development alumni and Department of Teacher Education credential student, and what provides her with a sense of belonging!

“I’ve been to countless schools throughout my life and can say with absolute certainty that the love and support I’ve found in my peers, advisors, professors, and deans here are truly unparalleled to anything I’ve experienced anywhere else. It was here where I not only found my voice, but felt empowered enough to *actually* use it to advocate for myself, for others, and more importantly, for the greater good within my community. This has been invaluable in my work as a preservice teacher because I’ve learned how to become a champion for my students (and their families, too). Above all, though, it’s the relationships I’ve made here that I’m most thankful for – and it’s been a real privilege to be part of the Lurie College family.  What provides you with a sense of belonging at our college?”

SJSU Lurie College of Education Teacher Eduation Department student Justine Vuong

Lurie College Student Opinion Piece Published in Mercury News

Shoutout to Single Subject Credential Program Elizabeth Unpingco, whose letter to the editor “Homeland security means taking care of our own first” was recently published in the Mercury News.  Give it a read below or by visiting the Mercury News at https://bayareane.ws/34tDhU4.

SJSU Lurie College of Education Teacher Education Department Student Elizabeth Unpingco

It is up to us to prime the pump of recovery

Homeland security means taking care of our own — first and foremost. If we learn anything from the horrific experience we find ourselves in now, it is that without a strong, cohesive and healthy foundation — supporting essential health care, food industry, education and government workers on the front lines — we are all in danger of succumbing to collapse.

We must reevaluate our priorities — care for one another and the environment and not consider wasteful military spending as essential to the survival of our way of life.

Let’s let our elected leaders hear that we demand the reallocation of billions of dollars currently budgeted for military spending toward real security.

It is up to us to prime the pump of recovery and human survival.  The world is watching the USA as a leader and we must be a better model of action by the people for the people.

Upcoming ChAD Club Events

The Lurie College Child and Adolescent Development (ChAD) Club is organizing some events over the remainder of the spring semester for students to connect with one another over Zoom.  Please provide your input on the types of events you’d like to have and when you’re available by filling out this brief Google form by Tuesday, April 14.

SJSU Lurie College of Education Child and Adolescent Development Department ChAD Student Club

Lurie College Hardship Fund Requests and Contributions

Lurie College has a limited amount of grant funds available to support its students who have experienced an unforeseen financial hardship that will prevent them from continuing their enrollment at Lurie College and SJSU. Awards are processed fall and spring semesters only, but advisors are available year-round. If you are a currently-enrolled Lurie College undergraduate, graduate, credential, or doctoral student who has experienced this type of hardship, please complete this brief Google form so that a Lurie College advisor can contact you.

We’ve recently had two donors who have agreed to match additional contributions to the Lurie College Hardship Fund.  If you have the means to contribute to the fund, you can do so by visiting the Lurie College Giving webpage and indicating “Student Financial Hardship Grant” in the special instructions section.  Contributions of any size are greatly appreciated since they will become tripled after matching – $10 will become $30, $25 will become $75, $50 will become $150, etc.

SJSU Lurie College of Education Hardship Fund

Attend the SJSU Education and Public Service Virtual Job Fair

The SJSU Education and Public Service Job/Internship Fair has gone virtual and will take place on Thursday, April 23, from 3-6pm.   Registered employers include:

  • Continuing Development/Child Development Centers’
  • iMentor
  • Internal Revenue Service
  • King City Union School District
  • San Benito High School District
  • San Francisco Unified School District
  • San Leandro Unified School District
  • The Primary School
  • and more!

Visit the SJSU Handshake portal to view the list of employers and apply to their opportunities from Thursday, April 2 – Thursday, April 9.  Selected students will be invited for a 10 to 15 minute video chat with reps from school districts, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations regarding their anticipated full-time, part-time, volunteer and internship opportunities. This event is open to all current SJSU students and registered alumni members.  If you have any questions, please contact the SJSU Lurie College of Education Career Counselor, Christine Bautista, at christine.bautista@sjsu.edu.

Spring 2020 SJSU Virtual Education and Public Service Job Fair