USD School of Leadership and Education Sciences

📣 Calling all women of color in leadership!

We're thrilled to announce ARISE 2026, coming to San Diego, CA, September 15–18!

Hosted by USD's School of Leadership and Education Sciences (SOLES), ARISE stands for Advancing Resilience and Innovation through Sisterly Empowerment. This 4-day conference is an exclusive opportunity for women leading in business, education, healthcare, and the nonprofit sector.

Here's what's waiting for you:

🎯 Leadership workshops focused on your differentiators, legacy, and team development

🧘 Wellness sessions: yoga, breath work, and mindfulness

🍽️ San Diego's best dining and cultural experiences

🤝 A powerful sisterhood of change-makers from across industries

Spaces are limited! Register now: https://solesresources.sandiego.edu/arise-conference-brochure/

Tag a woman in leadership who needs to be in the room! 👇

Celebrating Visionary Leadership 🌟

We are thrilled to announce that our very own Dean, Kimberly White-Smith, has been honored with the Karen and Tom Mulvaney Spirit of Community Award!

As part of only the second cohort to ever receive this prestigious honor, Dean White-Smith was recognized for embodying "love in action." This award reflects her dedication to fostering justice-centered partnerships and her commitment to the transformative power of community.

In the words of the Mulvaney Center for Community, Awareness and Social Action (CASA): Through initiatives like the BiGI program and her work with the Monarch School Project and the Urban League, she models what it means to lead with both heart and humility.

The Center highlighted her unwavering support and her ability to show up as a true partner for our students and the broader San Diego community.

Please join us in congratulating Dean White-Smith on this historic and well-deserved recognition! 🥂🙌


University of San Diego

PhD in Education: Deadline Extended to June 30

We’ve officially extended the application window for our PhD in Education program.💫

Designed for working professionals, USD SOLES’ online PhD in Education helps educators and leaders strengthen their research, leadership, and policy expertise while continuing to grow in their careers.

If you are ready to influence educational systems, drive meaningful change, and advance your impact, we encourage you to submit your application for the upcoming cohort.

🔗Link to finalize your submission: https://shorturl.at/X2L0m

“It feels like the right next step at the right moment in my career.”

As we prepare for the Fall launch of our inaugural EdD in Catholic Social Thought in Practice, we’ve been inspired by the sense of purpose our incoming doctoral students are bringing with them.

For those joining this first cohort, the journey is about more than the title—it’s about the opportunity to lead at a deeper level and the commitment to making a lasting, systemic impact.

If you are ready to ground your professional practice in this work, we invite you to take that next step with us.

Final Application Deadline: Monday, May 18th.

Begin your doctoral journey today.

Link to apply: https://shorturl.at/f6H94

Franciscan School of Theology

The future of education needs passionate, prepared educators 🧑‍🏫

If you are looking to make a meaningful impact in the classroom and beyond, join us to learn more about our teaching and credential pathways designed for future educators and working professionals ready to take the next step.

Our programs offer opportunities to earn a graduate degree and/or teaching credential while gaining hands-on classroom experience across diverse educational settings.

Join us for an upcoming virtual information session to explore:
🔹 Program Pathways: Graduate degree and credential options available
🔹 Career Impact: How these pathways support career growth and advancement in education
🔹 Admissions Process: Application requirements, timelines, and next steps

Register Today!
📅 Thursday, May 14
⏰ 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM (PST)
📍 Virtual / Zoom

RSVP HERE: https://shorturl.at/CrYFB

We look forward to connecting with you! 🎓✨

EdD and MA Leadership Application Workshop 📝

Applying to the EdD in Organizational Leadership or MA in Leadership Studies? This workshop provides a direct look at the admissions process and what reviewers expect from candidates.

We will cover:

🔷 Specific criteria admissions reviewers look for.
🔷 How to draft your statement of purpose.
🔷 Ways to present your professional experience.
🔷 Application fee waiver for all participants.

Leave with a clear plan to complete your application.

Link to Register 👉 https://shorturl.at/7boqt

Show the Case 🎤✨

At our Ninth Annual Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice (DISJ) Showcase, keynote speaker Dr. Zachary Green issued a challenge that cut through the noise: “We need to show the case at this showcase.”

As a Professor of Practice in Leadership Studies and the Director of Leadership Development at The Nonprofit Institute, Dr. Green knows that theory without evidence is just talk. He challenged us to ensure our research isn’t just an academic exercise, but a direct intervention in the systems we seek to change.

Every researcher who presented proved that their work is a catalyst for the communities they serve. We are proud of this collective for producing scholarship that refuses to be silent and provides the hard evidence needed to build a more equitable reality.

Standing out in a room of innovators:

🏆 1st Place: Marco Amaral | Special Education & Social Justice Advocacy. Marco’s work is scholarship as resistance—advocating for the dignity and rights of every student.

🥈 Runners-Up: Ha Thu Hoang & Yu-An Wang | International Students' Adaptive Leadership. A vital look at how students navigate and respond to U.S. immigration policy crises.

To our presenters: Your work is the evidence. Thank you for showing the case 💙