School of Educational Studies SES at Claremont Graduate University

At the Vanguard of Faculty Excellence: Aubrey Douglass
1925

Aubrey A. Douglass was the first full-time faculty member at Claremont Colleges. A nationally renowned expert in secondary education, he oversaw the development of all graduate work, as well as the financially critical summer session. His success caught the attention of administrators in Sacramento, where he accepted an appointment as director of secondary education in the California Department of Public Instruction. Though he chose to pursue a career in government, he remained heavily involved in the development of Claremont Colleges, serving as a confidante of James A. Blaisdell’s during the crucial early years.

💯 Visit the 100 for 100 page at 100.cgu.edu to explore more stories across disciplines, as well as give back to CGU and shop the Centennial exclusive merch!

A Passionate Believer in Public Education: Carl Cohn
2009

During Carl Cohn’s long tenure as superintendent, the Long Beach Unified School District became a model for high academic standards and accountability, achieving record attendance, the lowest rate of suspension in a decade, a decrease in student failure and dropout rates, and an increase in the number of students taking college preparatory classes. Cohn, now an emerit professor at CGU, has also served as superintendent of schools in San Diego, a member of the California State Board of Education, and executive director of the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence. At CGU, he has been a professor, director of the Urban Leadership Program, and senior research fellow. But of all his endeavors as an educator, the most gratifying is far from the corridors of power: For more than 20 years, he has volunteered in a first-grade class at Colin Powell School on the North Long Beach-Compton border. “Observing first-hand how much these remarkable youngsters from a poor neighborhood love their school, their amazing teacher, and their classmates makes me feel blessed to have a special window on what is positive about California public schools.”

💯 Visit the 100 for 100 page at 100.cgu.edu to explore more stories across disciplines, as well as give back to CGU and shop the Centennial exclusive merch!

A Life Dedicated to Teaching and Access - David Drew
1978

David Drew is the longest-serving faculty member at the School for Educational Studies — 47 years before his retirement this year — but his career should be measured by its impact rather than its longevity. His dedication to fostering innovative teaching practices and mentoring educational leaders has had a lasting impact on the broader educational community. A sociologist with a deep background in computer programming, he tapped his expertise to address discriminatory barriers that prevent many marginalized students from accessing STEM courses. His research also transcended traditional education curricula. “I have chosen to explore several different areas beyond education partly because I have a low boredom threshold and partly because I believe transdisciplinary research can stimulate creativity and the generation of new perspectives.”

💯 Visit the 100 for 100 page at 100.cgu.edu to explore more stories across disciplines, as well as give back to CGU and shop the Centennial exclusive merch!

A Champion of Change - Linda Perkins
2003

Linda Perkins has reshaped our understanding of African American women’s education. A historian, mentor, and advocate, Perkins has spent her career uncovering untold stories of resilience and achievement that challenge long-standing narratives in academia. As a professor and director of Applied Gender Studies, her impact extends beyond research — she empowers students to question, rethink, and transform the future of education. Through her groundbreaking work and mentorship, Perkins helps ensure that the voices of those once sidelined are now central to the conversation.

💯 Visit the 100 for 100 page at 100.cgu.edu to explore more stories across disciplines, as well as give back to CGU and shop the Centennial exclusive merch!

We are proud to announce that Dr. Guan Saw has been promoted to fill the Joseph B. Platt Chair. Previously held by Dr. David Drew, this position was dedicated to the Management of Technology. We are looking forward to see how Dr. Guan Saw dedicates this position to the betterment of CGU.

Joseph B. Platt was the first president of Harvey Mudd College, and served as the 8th president of Claremont Graduate University. Revered by the community, the position holds his name in the title to continue his legacy of leadership at the Claremont colleges.

Honoring the Man Who Changed Pedagogy - Paulo Freire
1992

CGU has long recognized significant contributors to society by bestowing honorary doctorates during its commencement ceremonies. In 1992, the university selected Paulo Freire, a Brazilian educator and philosopher, for his profound impact on educational theory and practice. Freire’s pedagogy emphasizes the importance of empowering learners to actively participate in transforming their world. His ideas developed from his experience teaching Brazil’s laborers to read by encouraging students to question the teacher. In 1962, he applied his theories to teach 300 sugarcane harvesters to read and write in just 45 days.

Image source: The State University of Campinas

💯 Visit the 100 for 100 page at 100.cgu.edu to explore more stories across disciplines, as well as give back to CGU and shop the Centennial exclusive merch!

At its core, CGU is a community — people whose vision, perseverance, teaching, research, impact, and philanthropy have helped shape the university throughout its first century. 100 for 100 celebrates those contributions, shared in five chapters leading up to our Centennial celebration week in October.

Stay tuned for features of the stories highlighting members of the SES community.
Check out the full campaign at 100.cgu.edu, where you can give to CGU, share community memories, and shop the exclusive Centennial merchandise.

Last Saturday, our graduates of the 2025 school year celebrated their academic achievements at graduation.
🎓⭐🎓⭐🎓
Good luck on your next journey, and remember to keep us in the loop now that you are alumni! Please email any career or personal accomplishments to [email protected] if you would like them broadcasted to the SES community; or tag us in your own social media posts.

Attention scholars and practitioners!

Are you interested in presenting your research to other scholars and practitioners? Then you may want to consider submitting a proposal to AERA for their 2026 conference.

On Wednesday, May 28th, the Stat Lab will be hosting an AERA Proposal Workshop led by Guan Saw, Dina Maramba, and Emilie Reagan.
To register, email [email protected] to receive the Zoom link.

This week, we have three SES students defending their dissertations. Congratulations to Kevin, Lindsey, and Jenifer!

If you would like to attend their defense but will not be on campus, they will be live streamed over Zoom. Please see the individual event links for the students below:

Kevin K. Nguyen- https://www.cgu.edu/event/dissertation-defense-kevin-nguyen-phd-in-education/

Lindsey Kunisaki - https://www.cgu.edu/event/dissertation-defense-lindsey-kunisaki-phd-education/

Jenifer Kelson - https://www.cgu.edu/event/dissertation-defense-jenifer-kelson-phd-in-education/

On Wednesday night, the students of TNDY 446: Foundations in Data Storytelling presented their culminating blog project on different themes about climate change. The teamwork displayed by group members across different disciplines reaffirmed the
importance of transdisciplinary work, and the stories that were told through data visualizations were inspiring.

Stay tuned to see the final blogs that our studentscrafted in a couple of weeks!

Instructors: Gwen Garrison and Anthony Lyons
TA: Matthew Gold

🏥 Air Quality and Public Health: Giang Huynh and Akshat Shah
🚜 Climate Change and Agriculture: Melody Adejare and Jose Ortega
📦 Climate Migration and Displacement: Jessica Almos and Leslye Deleon
🏭 Global Carbon Emissions Analysis: Brian Cruse and Armando Bustos
🌡 Impact of Extreme Weather Events: Francesca Mills and Aaron Galef
🌇 Urban Heat Islands: Edwin Urbina and Hope (Ge) Tian

🏆 The Urban Leadership Alumni Achievement Award, 2025 🏆

Congratulations to Kern Oduro Ph.D.! Dr. Kern L. Oduro is an accomplished education leader with over 27 years of experience as a teacher, principal, and administrator. He currently serves as the Assistant Superintendent of Student Services for the Chaffey Joint Union High School District. Oduro holds a Ph.D. in Education with an emphasis in Urban Leadership from Claremont Graduate University. A dedicated advocate for equity in education, he has been recognized for his contributions, including the 2017 Teacher Education Alumnus of the Year from CGU and the 2020 Outstanding Leadership in Education Award from the California Association of African American Superintendents and Administrators. His expertise spans leadership, administration, and curriculum development.

Celebrate our SES Awards winners on Thursday, May 15 at the SES Awards Night. Register here: https://lnkd.in/gbVZkujj