UTEP Educational Leadership & Foundations

09/23/2026

EDLF Faculty Spotlight
Congratulations Dr. Cisneros!!

UTEP’s Dr. Jesús Cisneros, Principal Investigator, and Dr. Azuri González, Co-Principal Investigator, are leading a new national research initiative focused on strengthening graduate STEM opportunities for low-income students.

UTEP, in collaboration with the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Research Universities (HSRU) and research partners from the University of New Mexico, the University of Illinois Chicago, and the University of California, Santa Barbara, has received a nearly $3 million award from the National Science Foundation to establish the S-STEM Hub: Translating Undergraduate Success into Graduate Opportunity.

The five-year initiative will bring together researchers from research-intensive universities to investigate how institutional practices and undergraduate experiences influence graduate STEM pathways for low-income students. Through collaborative, multi-institutional research, the Hub will generate evidence to help colleges and universities strengthen graduate opportunities and translate research into actionable institutional practices.

Read more: https://www.utep.edu/education/news/nsf-award-2026.html

08/19/2026

EDLF Alumni Spotlight:
Congratulations Juan Martinez Ed.D for this well deserved honor.
Go Miners!

The journey of 2026 Gold Nugget recipient Juan Martinez, Ed.D., ’93, ’96, ’17 is a testament to the transformational power of education. A first-generation college student and graduate of what is now the Woody L. Hunt College of Business and UTEP College of Education, Martinez built a career dedicated to helping students and educators overcome barriers and achieve their goals.
Martinez now serves as the superintendent of Clint Independent School District.

Reflecting on his career in education, he said, “I see my work as a mission of supporting students in realizing their potential and creating pathways to success.”

Read more about the full list of 2026 Gold Nugget recipients here: bit.ly/UTEP26GN

08/17/2026

Pictures from our M.Ed/Principal Certification Orientation held on Saturday 8/15.
Best wishes in this new academic journey!

05/14/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Rosy Vega-Barrio for successfully defending her dissertation, Bridging Leadership: An Autoethnographic Inquiry into the Governance and Decision-Making Experience of a Latina Rural School Superintendent.
We also recognize her dissertation chair, Dr. Rodolfo Rincones and committee members, Dr. Isela Pena, Dr. Don Schulte and Dr. Veronica Vigil. Thank you for your commitment to our students.

05/13/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Maria Erika Avalos-Fernandez for successfully defending her dissertation, What are you doing in my classroom? Elementary Teacher Perspectives of Instructional Coaches.
We also recognize her dissertation chair Dr. Rodolfo Rincones and committee members Dr. Isela Pena, Dr. Don Schulte, and Dr. Davette E. Alonzo. Thank you for your commitment to our students.

05/12/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Ruby Shivery for successfully defending her dissertation, Understanding The Role Of The School Librarian: Insights From Principals and Librarians.
We also recognize her dissertation chair Dr. Rodolfo Rincones and committee members Dr. Don Schulte, Dr. Wei-Ling Sun, and Dr. Catherine Kennedy. Thank you for your commitment to our students.

05/11/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Ramon Varela for successfully defending his dissertation, THAT SONG SPEAKS TO ME: AN EXPLORATION OF MUSIC CONSUMPTION AS A SENSEMAKING TOOL FOR FIRST GENERATION, FIRST YEAR COLLEGE STUDENTS.
We also recognize his Dissertation Chair Dr. Wei-Ling Sun, and committee members Dr. Jesus Cisneros, Dr. Gary Edens, and Dr. Denise Lujan. Thank you for your commitment to our students

05/11/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Melissa Ann Aguilera for successfully defending her dissertation, Adjunct Faculty Onboarding Experiences at a Hispanic-Serving Community College on the U.S.-Mexico Border: Faculty Perceptions of Integration and Effectiveness. We also recognize her Dissertation Chair Dr. Eduardo Arellano, and committee members Dr. Penelope Espinoza, Dr. Rodolfo Rincones and Dr. Steven E. Smith. Thank you for your commitment to our students.

05/06/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Claudia Ureno-Olivas for successfully defending her dissertation, Navigating School Consolidation: An Autoethnographic Study of Leadership, Identity, and Organizational Change. We also recognize her Dissertation Chair Dr. Rodolfo Rincones, and committee members: Dr. Wei-Ling Sun, Dr. Don Schulte, and Dr. Elena Izquierdo. Thank you for your commitment to our students.

05/06/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Claudia Chacón Haley for successfully defending her dissertation, What Do Captains and Lieutenants Believe to be the Most Effective Professional Development for Fire Officers? We also recognize her Dissertation Co-Chairs: Dr. Isela Peña and Dr. Rodolfo Rincones, and committee members: Dr. Gary Edens, Dr. Victor M. Manjarrez. Thank you for your commitment to our students.