FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 13, 2008
Media Contact: George Cagala, (760) 750-4012

Top Education Leaders to Receive Doctoral Degrees from Cal State San Marcos

Talk to Jeff Felix about his three-year mission to earn an Ed.D. from the joint CSUSM/UCSD doctoral program in education and you can’t miss the elation in his voice.

“Now that I’m through it, I feel like I’m at the top of the education game,” he beams. “I’m more knowledgeable about the education process. I know more clearly than ever before about the direction we need to take education in order to really make a difference in today’s children.”

Felix, who is slated to become superintendent of the Coronado Unified School District this year after nearly two years at the helm of the Bonsall Union School District, is one of seven top school administrators receiving a doctorate in education at CSUSM’s commencement exercise Saturday, May 17. They are the first doctoral candidates to receive their degrees from CSUSM.

The others receiving degrees  include:

Kevin Daniel Holt
Superintendent, San Marcos Unified School District

Luis Angel Ibarra
Associate Superintendent, Human Resources
Oceanside Unified School District

Michelle Lustig
Coordinator, San Diego County Office of Education, Foster Youth Services

Karen Schultz Rizzi
Assistant Superintendent, Educational Services
Escondido Union High School District
 
Melavel Odviar Robertson
Assistant Superintendent
Poway Unified School

Andrés Peter Santamaría
Principal
Fallbrook Union Elementary School District

Designed for the working educational professional, the joint CSUSM/UCSD doctoral program is aimed at “putting your knowledge to work in a practical way,” says Jennifer Jeffries, director of the program at CSUSM. “The work place becomes your laboratory. The whole goal is to increase student achievement through skilled and committed leadership in the schools.

Since being launched in 2005, the program has enrolled a total of 65 students.

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