2011 Commencement is Colorful, Celebratory  

Rossier Doctoral and Master's graduates -- more than 700 total -- marked 2011 commencement with several days of activities leading up to ceremonies on Thursday and Friday. LAUSD Superintendent Dr. John Deasy was keynote speaker for Friday's Master's ceremony.

  

To mark the ceremonial events and associated activities of commencement week, Rossier has produced its second annual commencement newspaper.
   
Filled with graduation day photos, notable quotes from our keynote speakers, and profiles of a selection of graduating students, the newspaper captures the celebrations of 2011 and is a keepsake for all new Rossier graduates.

The eight-page newspaper will be available by the end of this week in the Waite Phillips Hall lobby racks. To request your own copy, contact Thomas Jenkins at tjenkins@usc.edu or visit WPH 500  to pick one up.

MAT@USC Grad in the News

Record-Journal, a Central Connecticut newspaper, featured the USC Rossier School's MAT@USC online degree program, whose graduating class of 2011 met in person for the first time at commencement last week.

Rossier student Richard Cassella said the program was a good fit for him, allowing him to continue working full-time at Lyman Hall High School while earning his master's.

The story stated that USC was the first university to partner with technology provider 2tor, for classes that mirror real-life classrooms, with students and faculty able to see each other via live video and form real connections and friendships.

MAT@USC Instructor Carlos Cortez helped him get a job teaching an online course at UCLA. "I got to interact with him and he is a very passionate student who is connected to the pulse of education reform," Cortez said.

Read the article.

New STEM Collaboration Receives Provost Funding

Dr. Gisele Ragusa (left) received a grant from the Provost's new USC Research Collaboration Fund.

Ragusa, along with co-investigator Dr. John Slaughter (at right), were awarded $20,000 to create the "USC STEM Education Pipeline Consortium."

The consortium will promote the expansion of interdisciplinary research across USC in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Tierney Initiated to Honor Society of PKP

Dr. William G. Tierney was elected to membership in the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, USC's oldest honor society.

He was initiated at a ceremony on Wednesday, May 11 in Bing Theatre, where he presented a keynote address.

This Week on CHEPA's 21st Century Scholar Blog

Monday, 5/16 Bill Tierney:
The Life of the Mind and Soul

Tuesday, 5/17 Randy Clemens:
Education is the New Space Race?

Wednesday, 5/18 Bill Tierney:
Risky Behavior

Thursday, 5/19 Kristan Venegas:
The Thursday Pop

Friday, 5/20 Zoe Corwin:
Pathfinder Update

Go to 21st Century Scholar now.

Polikoff Speaking at PACE Policy Briefing Today

Dr. Morgan Polikoff will be speaking at the policy briefing, titled "The Road Ahead for New State Assessments," today, May 16th, in Washington, D.C.

The briefing features the release of an important policy brief examining the development of "next generation" education assessments by the Rennie Center for Education Research & Policy and the Policy Analysis for California Education.

New Staff & Upcoming Tours at APRISE 

Two new staff members have recently joined the office of the Asia Pacific Rim International Study Experience (APRISE), which spearheads Rossier's partnerships with schools abroad, programs like the new Global Executive Ed.D., and international study tours for students and faculty.

Recent Rossier graduate Dr. Elizabeth Jordan (EdD '11, PASA '08) (pictured at left) is the center's newest member, with the position of Project Specialist. She participated in the 2010 APRISE study tour to Hong Kong and Singapore, and wrote her dissertation on international branch campus development.

Also new to APRISE is Kathleen Brown, who also works for Math for America Los Angeles. Brown is the center's new Administrative Budget Assistant.

APRISE is facilitating an Ed.D. Study Tour to Shanghai and Beijing, with a focus on K-12 education, happening this week. A new blog will chronicle the experiences of students and faculty on the trip. Check it out here.

In August, APRISE will lead two Ed.D. Study Tours to Delhi, with emphases on K-12 and higher education.

For more information about APRISE, visit the website.

Rossier Ed.D. Grad Recognized

New graduate Dr. Maurita De La Torre-Rubalcava (EdD '11) was honored at the 2011 USC Student Recognition Ceremony on Thursday, May 12, 2011.

She was nominated for the USC Student Recognition Award by her dissertation chair, Dr. Robert Rueda, for her outstanding leadership, volunteerism, and contributions to the campus and community.

De La Torre-Rubalcava, who was also hooded last week, is principal of Stephen R. Fitz Intermediate School in the Garden Grove Unified School District.