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Torchbearers Series
About the Torchbearers Series
Igniting Change Through Education. The inaugural Torchbearer Series event, hosted by the Multicultural Center and Doctorate in Educational Leadership Program, sparks a journey towards igniting conversations and fostering connections with Sac State’s doctoral alumni.
We have a beautifully diverse student population which is also reflected in our EDD cohorts. The incredible graduates of our program have conducted dissertation studies that address current issues. In collaboration, the Multicultural Center and the EDD program, we are piloting the Torchbearer Series in which two Alum (A BIPOC & non-BIPOC) talk about their career journey, challenges, inspiration, and study’s findings.
All students should learn about Torchbearers, as this series provides an additional opportunity for your students to hear from someone who is outside the University setting, they can learn even more. One undergraduate who approached Dr. Caster last fall told her, “I didn’t know what a doctorate was and now that I’ve heard you and Dr. Acosta today, I want to pursue one!”
We hope you will join us for our Torchbearers Series!
For more information or to inquire about the details for the next gathering, please contact: The Sac State Multi-Cultural Center (916) 278-6101 mcc@csus.edu University Library, 1010 Mon. – Fri. 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
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Partners
The Doctorate in Educational Leadership at Sacramento State presents the Torchbearers series in partnership with: Sacramento State College of Education and the Multicultural Center at Sacramento State.
Participant Highlights
“The exposure because I'm also trying to obtain my doctoral degree and having an early exposure to what it takes to obtain one gives me the tools and the insights. Adding, knowing that Sac State and Coordinators (Cathy) are willing to help me achieve my educational goals by exposing me to events such as this one, creates a "Si Se Puede" (Dolores Huerta) mindset.”
“I enjoyed hearing the information these women who hold doctorates where able to share. I felt they were an inspiration to me. I enjoy getting to know how they got to where they are. It was empowering to see two high achieving women of color.”
Torchbearers Series Upcoming Dates & Times
- October 10, 2024, from 12PM-1:30PM
- February 6, 2025, from 12PM-1:30PM
- April 17, 2025, from 12PM-1:30PM
APR 18 | Dr. Derek Bradley & Dr. Margaret Hwang
APR 18 | Dr. Derek Bradley & Dr. Margaret Hwang
Dr. Derek Bradley
Derek Bradley is a first-generation college graduate from San Bernardino, CA. One thing about Derek, you will always see him either smiling or laughing, he has an infectious smile. Derek currently serves as the Interim Director of Belonging Education and Support. In this role, Derek ensures our campus promotes and fosters an inclusive and welcoming environment where all identities and cultures feel they belong and have agency at Sac State. Derek focuses his research around using Hip-Hop as an empowerment model to close the opportunity gap for Black males attending Historically White Institutions.
Dr. Margaret Hwang
Margaret Hwang has 18 years of experience within higher education. In her current capacity as the Chief of Operations for Administration and Business Affairs (ABA) at Sacramento State, she works in tandem with the Vice President for Administration/CFO and the ABA leadership team where she manages and implements strategic initiatives, develops leadership communications, and oversees the operational rhythms within the ABA division. Margaret also works closely with other campus colleagues to support several university-wide responsibilities including upkeep of the University Policy Manual and Records Management Program. Margaret is three time graduate of Sacramento State, obtaining a undergraduate degree in business administration, an MBA, and a doctorate in educational leadership. Her research pursuits explore the career paths of Asian American leaders within higher education.
Watch the Torchbearers Series Video with Dr. Bradley & Dr. Hwang
FEB 8 | Dr. David Gutierrez and Dr. Ashleigh Pane
FEB 8 | Dr. David Gutierrez and Dr. Ashleigh Pane
Dr. David Gutierrez
Dr. David Gutierrez has been a principal and educator for over 15 years. He is a bilingual educator whose doctoral research focused on the role of Xicanx 'torchbearers' in education. He recently received his EdD and is an instructor at Sacramento State teaching courses such as multicultural counseling and providing Trauma Informed Peer Support for the Center for Social Resilience.
His work effectively transforming school climate and culture in some of the most underperforming schools in California has set a foundation for his work advocating for trauma-informed practices in schools with a focus on equity and community collaboration.
Dr. Ashleigh Pane
Dr. Ashleigh Pane, a devoted member of the Hornet community, boasts a comprehensive academic background, having obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree, Master's in Curriculum and Instruction, and Doctorate in Educational Leadership, all from Sacramento State. Her doctoral research was centered on investigating the determinants influencing the text selection practices of high school educators, with a particular focus on determining the underpinnings behind the underrepresentation of certain demographic groups among the authors selected, as compared to the student population in California.
With a career spanning 17 years, Dr. Pane has devoted 15 of those years to teaching eighth-grade English and AVID. Presently, she teaches high school English in West Sacramento. Driven by a commitment to fostering an inclusive learning environment, her overarching goal is to cultivate a classroom atmosphere wherein each student experiences a sense of value, support, and resonance within the curriculum.
OCT 12 | Dr. Isabel Acosta and Dr. Konstantina Caster
OCT 12 | Dr. Isabel Acosta and Dr. Konstantina Caster
Dr. Isabel Acosta
Dr. Isabel Acosta, an English Learner and a first generation college graduate is the eldest of six children. She has Mexican roots and is a proud Chicana. She grew up in Chico, Ca working with her parents in their family business, a taco truck. Out of high school, she attended Butte Community College to pursue her EMT certification and begin working on her general education. At the age of 21, she married her boyfriend of 4 years, Ismael, and moved to Sacramento. Once married, She took time off school and was hired full-time as a clerk in the Department of Student Services in the now Twin Rivers Unified School District where she has dedicated the last 19 years of her career. There, two of her supervisors saw her potential and encouraged her to return to school to become a teacher. At the age of 23, as a wife and a mother of a toddler, Dr. Acosta returned to school and attended American River College where she earned her Associates. Dr. Acosta transferred to Sac State while continuing to work full time. Over the span from 2008 to 2020, she earned 3 degrees and two credentials. She earned a Bachelor of the Arts in Spanish with a minor in Education, a Teaching Single-Subject credential with a Bilingual Authorization, a Master of Arts in Multicultural Education, an Administrative Services Credential, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy, all from California State University, Sacramento. She was the first doctoral student to take on another full time program in order to obtain her administrative credential, which began the conversation of creating a reasonable pathway for doctoral students to obtain their Admin credential. Today, Dr. Acosta is 19 years happy with her husband Ismael and is the proud mother of 18-year-old Isaiah and 11-year-old Isaac. She is currently a TK-8 Principal in the same district where she was encouraged to start her teaching career. Her doctorate has opened other doors for her as well. She uses her principal lens to develop future administrators and future teachers at Sac State. She is a single subject supervisor in the Teaching Credential program and is a Lecturer, Supervisor and an Advisory Board member of the graduate TK-12 Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Program. Her research and contributing publications focus on various leadership styles, social dominance, Impostor Phenomenon, racial micro-aggressions in the workforce among women with higher education degrees, and the resilience of Torchbearers. Dr. Acosta’s journey has not been easy and has made it her mission to be her family’s social capital, and the Community Cultural Wealth for others. The following is Dr. Acosta’s quote about her place in the world:
“I am empowered to continue to thrive, to take my torch, and to relentlessly, unapologetically, take my place, be heard, and academically and professionally reproduce female leaders so to
Dr. Konstantina Caster
I was born and raised in Athens, Greece where I completed a bachelor's degree in Education. My pursue for graduate studies brought me in Sac State, where I completed a master's degree in Special Education and later my Ed Specialist teaching credentials. For the last 22 years I have been serving San Juan Unified School District as a special education teacher, new-teacher support provider, as well as an administrator. My research area involves developing new teacher support systems that could increase retention in schools serving students from underprivileged backgrounds.
About The Multi-Cultural Center
At the Multi-Cultural Center, their mission is to foster an empowered campus that is committed to building bridges, promoting social justice, honoring diverse perspectives, and advancing social awareness and cross-cultural understanding.