My professional improvement activities connect with my course and dissertation work with the College of Education at California State University, Stanislaus. My doctoral studies there in Educational Leadership with a focus on Community College Leadership has allowed me to research the needs of this Central Valley area and better understand the equity and social justice issues facing students today. My leadership, collaborative, and communication skills all continue to grow due to this program, along with a new-found awareness of the diverse community connections within the Community College environment. Much of my course work research papers had their focus on Yosemite Community College, especially the equity environment here on campus. I have satisfactorily taken 48 units of core and specialization courses, and I am in the process of my final semester of my 12 units of dissertation credits. …show more content…
I also underwent the process of a written qualifying exam, where I volunteered at the Modesto Gospel Mission, and applied coursework theories to my experience in looking at the community environment at the Mission. This was a highly rewarding experience, that left me with a broader sense of who our students are, and the barriers many face in getting an education. Last April my dissertation proposal was accepted by my committee, and I am in the process of finishing this research, and will defend this work at the end of April this year. My dissertation is titled: ‘Beyond the classroom: A descriptive social epidemiological study comparing two school sites in Modesto California by investigating the relationship among place, health and