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Oleander Identified as New Host for Sudden Oak Death Pathogen

ggrubb — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 17:44:02 +0000

Oleander Identified as New Host for Sudden Oak Death Pathogen ggrubb Tue, 03/03/2026 - 09:44 03/16/26

New research by Dominican University of California scientists has found that oleander, one of the most widely planted ornamental shrubs in the United States, can host the pathogen responsible for sudden oak death, one of California’s most destructive forest diseases.

Sudden oak death is a serious disease of native plants caused by the invasive pathogen Phytophthora ramorum. Since it was first detected in the 1990s, the disease spread along the California coast and killed many millions of trees, especially Coast Live Oaks and Tanoaks, changed whole ecosystems and increased the risk of wildfires.

Researchers at the Dominican University of California’s National Ornamentals Research Site (NORS-DUC) have confirmed that the Phytophthora ramorum pathogen infects oleander. The study marks the first report of the pathogen occurring on oleander in the United States.

“First Report of Phytophthora ramorum Causing Leaf Blight on Nerium oleander in the United States” has been published as a short report in the peer-reviewed journal Plant Disease.

“Oleander is a very popular ornamental plant cultivated worldwide, and therefore our finding can have an effect for nurseries growing and selling oleanders, and on the official regulations by federal and state agencies,” said Dr. Wolfgang Schweigkofler, Research Professor and Lead Scientist at NORS-DUC.

Oleander is commonly planted along highways, in residential landscapes, and in commercial developments because it is fast-growing, drought-tolerant, and produces abundant flowers in different colors. California alone is estimated to have approximately 25 million oleanders lining roadways. Because infected plants may not show severe or lethal symptoms, they can act as silent carriers, spreading the pathogen to nearby wildlands through wind-driven rain and water runoff.

The disease, called ramorum blight when found in nurseries and sudden oak death in the wild, has more than 100 susceptible host plants, including such common garden ornamentals as camellias and rhododendrons. Once introduced into natural areas, the pathogen can infect native species, including tanoaks and coast live oaks, accelerating forest decline.

In May 2024, NORS-DUC researchers observed small brown necrotic leaf spots on residential oleanders in Mill Valley, California — an area where many California bay laurels also are infested with Phytophthora ramorum.

To confirm oleander as a host, researchers fulfilled Koch’s postulates — a standard scientific method used to establish a cause-and-effect relationship between a pathogen and a disease. Healthy oleander plants were inoculated with the pathogen and subsequently developed the same symptoms, confirming susceptibility.

The study’s authors, all research scientists with NORS-DUC in the Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at Dominican University of California, are graduate student Dinh Hieu Pham, Huiying Liu, Tomas Pastalka, and Schweigkofler.

“The findings underscore the importance of monitoring ornamental plants as potential reservoirs for invasive pathogens and may inform future nursery regulations and landscape management practices aimed at protecting California’s forests,” said Schweigkofler.

A collaboration between Dominican University of California, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), the NORS-DUC research site studies emerging and invasive quarantine pathogens of ornamental and native plants in an open, nursery-like environment.

NORS-DUC focuses on diseases of ornamental and forest plants, especially those caused by members of the genus Phytophthora, such as P. ramorum and more recently P. tentaculata, a newly discovered plant pathogen in North America impacting native plant nurseries in California.

The research facility’s main focus is applied research, such as validation and development of best management practices (BMPs); development of remediation options for soil, water and infested plants; and development of monitoring and control strategies.

News University NewsFaculty ResearchNatural Sciences and Mathematics

First-Year Student Balances Research, Social Justice, and Passion for Community

ggrubb — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 21:47:55 +0000

First-Year Student Balances Research, Social Justice, and Passion for Community ggrubb Thu, 03/12/2026 - 14:47 03/12/26

In her first year at Dominican University of California, Emberly López Escobar ’29 is already making an impact—advancing housing justice, researching ocean acidification, and volunteering at a health clinic that cares for low-income patients.

And she’s only just begun to explore all the opportunities Dominican offers its undergraduates.

This semester Emberly was selected as one of three students to work on a housing justice initiative with Canal Alliance, the San Rafael nonprofit committed to breaking the generational cycle of poverty for Latino immigrants and their families.

The students are working alongside community leaders on door-to-door outreach to residents to inform them of their rights as tenants and showing them the steps that can be taken to protect those rights.

The teams also are collecting data from residents about the issues they experience as renters and the impact these challenges have on their lives. The data, which will be used to support future advocacy and programs, is essential in documenting the impact of housing issues on the lived experience of Canal residents.

For Emberly, the work is personal. Her parents met in the Canal. Emberly and her younger brother were born and raised in the Canal. She is committed to empowering her neighbors with knowledge and resources.

“I love the Canal. The Canal is my community, and it is a really close and supportive community.”

Going door-to-door and hearing people’s stories of being afraid to complain to their apartment managers about conditions - mold, insects, broken alarms going off at all hours - inspires in Emberly a commitment to advocacy.

“I care, and I want to help. I want to be a voice.”

A love of science in high school led Emberly to join Dominican as a biological sciences major. She added a second major in social justice, inspired by a presentation during a summer bridge program at Dominican.

For her fall service-learning class in her first semester, she served with RotaCare, a nonprofit providing healthcare to low-income clients. There, she witnessed stark healthcare inequities—even in wealthy communities such as Marin County—and found her calling in assisting patients with limited access to care. The experience sparked her interest in pursuing a career focused on dismantling healthcare inequality.

As with her work with Canal Alliance, Emberly is moved by the patients’ stories. “Those stories - they just stick to my heart,” she says.

“That mission of providing healthcare to people who do not have insurance or have no income really calls to me,” she says. “It is rewarding and empowering to see how by working at RotaCare I can help people in my community at a time when they need the support. I hear their stories - they are heard - and I cannot let them down.”

The experience made such an impact that when her service-learning placement ended, Emberly continued to work at RotaCare as a volunteer.

While in high school, Emberly enjoyed visiting the Dominican campus, which is located only about two miles from the Canal neighborhood.

“When I was about 15, I fell in love with the Dominican campus, especially the nature and the calm energy. It is very different from where I lived in the Canal, which is always busy with cars and people.

The first in her family to attend college, Emberly was initially nervous about the transition from high school to college.

“As a first-gen student I was really scared of what college looks like and if I could succeed in college,” she recalls. “I was really nervous about college.”

Emberly found early support through the university’s Marin Advantage Program (MAP), which offers scholarships to students who have graduated from a Marin high school. Through MAP, Emberly was able to attend a summer bridge program prior to the beginning of her first year. The program is designed to foster belonging and connection, and Emberly said the experience eased her nerves.

Indeed, it was during the summer program that Emberly initially heard about Dominican’s service-learning program.

“Professor Emily Wu came and talked with us about service-learning, and it intrigued me so much that students have so many opportunities to work in the community,” she recalls “I thought ‘sign me up’ — I was born here, I grew up here, and I love my community. But there’s so much to improve on — there is always room for improvement.”

Because of Emberly’s strong academic performance, she was selected to join the inaugural cohort of students awarded scholarships through Dominican’s Fletcher Jones Emerging Leaders Scholarship & Integrative Coaching Initiative. Funded by a $1 million grant from the Fletcher Jones Foundation, each year Dominican will provide a cohort of eight incoming students scholarship support for tuition, on-campus housing, and study abroad programs. The program prioritizes first-generation students who demonstrate academic accomplishment and a commitment to community service.

It wasn’t long before Emberly’s love of science was noticed. She was invited to join Dr. Diara Spain’s research lab, which is examining the impact of ocean acidification on intertidal crabs in Northern California. The students are documenting the exoskeleton weight, size, and composition of the crabs, which are housed in a wet lab in the science center. Findings will be presented next month at the Scholarly & Creative Works Conference.

Not only is Emberly gaining insight into the scientific process, she also is gaining a community. Each Friday, all the research groups gather in Dominican’s Science Center to share their work. Talking about her research each week with faculty and fellow science students has expanded Emberly’s confidence and professional network.

And, if a passing tour group of high school students stops by, Emberly is more than happy to share her experiences.

“It’s been a great way to practice my public speaking skills,” she notes. “I’ve talked with many groups about the crab research. High schoolers and College of Marin students come in and ask many questions. It’s fun to talk about Dominican and my work, and I enjoy hearing what the other students are saying about their research.”

Now, Emberly is exploring future opportunities at Dominican that will help her deepen her interests in healthcare and scientific research.

In the coming semesters, she looks forward to learning more about opportunities for research at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging. Since 2009, Dominican and the Buck Institute have partnered to offer a Master of Biological Sciences program, with some undergraduates also working in the labs.

Emberly is also interested in the Dominican/Kaiser Permanente Pre-Med Mentor Program, which gives Dominican students the opportunity to spend two semesters shadowing Kaiser Permanente physicians. The program offers undergraduates a rare chance to observe the daily responsibilities and real-world role of a physician firsthand.

“I’m so blessed to be here,” she says. “It’s exciting to discover where I’m meant to make a difference.”

Student Story School of Health and Natural SciencesStudent StoryService-Learning Experience Personal Growth

Faculty, Students Contribute to Canal Alliance Housing Justice Initiative

ggrubb — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 23:27:14 +0000

Faculty, Students Contribute to Canal Alliance Housing Justice Initiative ggrubb Tue, 03/10/2026 - 16:27 03/10/26

Dominican University of California faculty and students are working with Canal Alliance to enhance an initiative aimed at empowering Spanish-speaking residents of San Rafael’s Canal neighborhood to educate their neighbors and others in the community about tenants’ rights and housing policies.

The Canal Leadership for Affordable Housing Project is grounded in a tenant-leader model in which trained community leaders conduct weekly door-to-door outreach to learn about housing challenges, share trusted tenant rights information, and connect residents to support, says Aaron Burnett, Canal Alliance’s Director of PACE (Policy and Civic Engagement).

Faculty from Dominican’s Susan and Dennis Gilardi Center for Community Engagement and Partnerships are training Canal Alliance staff and the Dominican students in community-engaged research methods and data analysis.

Three Dominican students — two of whom grew up in the Canal neighborhood — are involved with the work. This semester, the students are working alongside members of Voces del Canal, a community coalition of leaders, on door-to-door outreach to gather information about tenant experiences, inform residents of their rights as tenants, and outline the steps that can be taken to protect those rights. The students are assisting in data analysis to identify patterns in tenant experiences. This includes specific issues as well as the impact these issues have on the lived experience of residents. The data will be used to improve responses from service providers and support future advocacy, policies and programs.

Other student activities include assisting community leaders with outreach activities, assisting with tenant interviews, and connecting tenants with support services.

The Dominican team is supporting Canal Alliance staff in creating research protocols to ensure informed consent and confidentiality, accurate transcriptions, and safe data storage.

In February and March, Dr. Emily Wu, who teaches foundational courses for Dominican’s social justice major, conducted two trainings in community-engaged research methodologies for Canal Alliance staff. The first workshop provided an overview of the goals and processes of a research justice approach. The second workshop focused on learning a process for qualitative analysis. For this workshop, the Dominican students prepared the tenant interview transcripts and an initial analysis. At the workshop, they shared their findings and then paired up with Canal Alliance staff to identify major themes. The workshop culminated with recommendations to refine the interview process and questions as the project proceeds.

“This project will recruit and cultivate grassroots leadership, expand civic participation, strengthen community networks, and alleviate strain on local service providers who must currently respond to the housing crisis one client at a time,” Burnett says.

The work is an example of community engagement at Dominican. Earlier this year, Dominican earned the prestigious 2026 Carnegie Community Engagement (CE) Classification, a national designation that recognizes the university’s deep commitment to community engagement.

“As the only four-year university in Marin County, Dominican has an important role to play as an advocate and ally,” says Julia van der Ryn, executive director of Dominican’s Gilardi Center for Community Engagement & Partnerships.

Nationwide, 279 institutions (of which only 81 are private universities) currently hold the designation. The classification recognizes the highly collaborative work of Dominican’s faculty, students, and partner organizations in expanding opportunities to advance thriving for all members of our community.

The students working this semester on the Canal Alliance housing project are Diana Yax, a biology major and social justice double major and a Canal neighborhood resident; Emberly Lopez Escobar, a biology and social justice double major and a Canal neighborhood resident; and Karina Abundiz, a social justice major.

The project is providing the students with practical exposure to tenant rights work, community organizing strategies, and the operational realities of a community-based nonprofit, says Julia van der Ryn, executive director of Dominican’s Gilardi Center for Community Engagement & Partnerships.

“The Dominican students bring their own cultural knowledge and lived experience to this project as well as a specific skill set in community engagement practices,” van der Ryn adds.

“As social justice majors, they are deeply committed to using their education to co-create more equitable conditions for people and communities that have been historically marginalized. They also know the strength and generosity present in these communities and are able to build trusting relationships,” she adds. “Central to their education at Dominican, they are learning frameworks and methodologies for uplifting and centering community knowledge to advocate for policy and systemic change.”

For Karina Abundiz, a first-generation Latina and daughter of Mexican immigrants originally from East Side San Jose, the work aligns with her interests and her future goals.

“My journey has been defined by a deep-rooted commitment to community, advocacy, and a passion for lifelong learning,” she notes.

After beginning her undergraduate studies at Georgetown University, Karina transferred to Dominican as a junior to pursue a social justice major that aligns with her goals and provides a strong foundation and experience in place-based, community-centered practices that are vital to social change work. Working on the tenant rights project allows her to engage deeply with the San Rafael community “The grassroots power I see in the Canal neighborhood reminds me of the strength of organizations like Somos Mayfair in my hometown—a constant reminder of the love and solidarity that shaped me.”

Dominican has a long history of collaboration with Canal Alliance. In 2012, Dominican faculty collaborated on a participatory action research project that culminated with the Voces del Canal: Building Safe Communities Through Strong Partnerships.

During the pandemic, faculty and staff co-designed and implemented several programs with Spanish-speaking Dominican students, including Digital Literacy, Family Support, and Rental Assistance. In 2022, faculty and students collaborated with Voces del Canal members on another participatory action research project, Lighting the Beauty of the Canal, which culminated in a presentation to the San Rafael City Council and the commitment of $100,000 to improve public safety in the canal with increased lighting.

Dominican’s van der Ryn describes how the Service-Learning program is the nexus of the Center for Community Engagement. With more than 300 students a year enrolled in service-learning designated classes, the program has built trust over 20 years of collaboration with Canal-serving schools and non-profit partners and directly with community members.

In 2022, Dominican created the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), Dominican and Canal Community Partnership for Equity with Canal Alliance and Voces del Canal.

“This MOU reinforces Dominican’s commitment to a long-term vision for a safe and thriving Canal community while deepening the educational practices and policies within the university itself,” van der Ryn says.

“Through the intentionality of this agreement we have also created stronger pathways for Canal youth to see Dominican as a viable opportunity for college, and we have greatly increased representation on campus of students from this nearby neighborhood.”

The MOU was recently featured in a chapter in the book "Exploring Equitable Community-Campus Relationships," published by the American Association of Colleges and Universities. The chapter, titled “Grounded in Community: Transformative Relationships in an Evolving Campus–Community Partnership for Equity,” is co-authored by Omar Carrera, CEO of Canal Alliance, and Dominican faculty van der Ryn, Wu, and Dr. Lucia Leon.

The Canal neighborhood is among the most segregated neighborhoods in the Bay Area and is characterized by low educational attainment, disproportionately high levels of environmental health risks, high vulnerability to climate change and displacement, historic underdevelopment, and inadequate representation in local government.

Canal residents also face barriers to accessing public systems and civic decision-making, such as participation in local planning processes, access to housing and safety services, and engagement with emergency response systems. Yet the Canal is also a vibrant neighborhood where people come together to support each other and celebrate cultural traditions.

Canal community leaders actively seek to create more equitable conditions, van der Ryn says.

The tenant rights project, alongside Canal Alliance’s community planning initiative, Nuestro Canal, Nuestro Futuro, seeks to support and expand the capacity of Canal residents to advocate for their rights to better their neighborhood, Burnett says, adding that he is grateful for the opportunity to deepen the partnership with Dominican and the expertise the Dominican team brings to a resident-led planning initiative.

News University NewsService-LearningThe Dominican ExperienceCenter for Community Engagement and PartnershipsCommunity Engagement Experience Connectedness

Oxford University Experience Opens up a World of Opportunity

ggrubb — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 02:35:41 +0000

Oxford University Experience Opens up a World of Opportunity ggrubb Thu, 02/26/2026 - 18:35 02/27/26

Sulgi Kim ’26 originally selected Dominican University of California so she could stay close to home, maintain strong ties with her close-knit family, and pursue her dream of a career in immigration law.

Yet, she had always wanted to explore the world, eager to travel beyond her familiar surroundings and immerse herself in new cultures and experiences.

That dream came true last semester when Sulgi was selected to attend the University of Oxford through the Dominican Scholars at Oxford program, which is now in its 10th year.

The experience of living and studying at St. Catherine’s College, one of the University of Oxford’s 44 autonomous colleges and permanent private halls, was life-changing. Sulgi engaged with academic work that was both intellectually challenging and hugely rewarding. She also formed friendships with people who were just as eager to hear her story as she was to learn about theirs.

It was the ideal way to conclude a college journey that delivered rewarding, often unexpected, experiences both inside and outside the classroom. By fully embracing everything Dominican offers, Sulgi — a history and political science major — developed the confidence to step beyond the boundaries of her neighborhood.

“I wanted to push myself and see what I was capable of,” she says. “Since I came to Dominican I’ve been pushing myself to my fullest, my max, because I want to show not only to those people who didn’t believe in me, but to me, myself, that I’m capable of doing things that I could never imagine.”

Faculty mentorship has been central to Sulgi’s Dominican experience. Encouraged early on by political science professor Alison Howard, Sulgi pursued opportunities outside the classroom that aligned with her academic goals.

She added a concentration in pre-law and, by the end of her first year, was serving as co-president of the Dominican Political Science Association.

Sulgi later interned with the Marin County Office of Equity and worked at E.R.S. Immigration Services, a company formed by Dominican alumna Erika Rosales-Shelfo ’17 to guide clients through services such as family petitions, work permits, asylum packages, and naturalization.

When presented with the opportunity to attend Oxford, Sulgi didn’t have to think twice. She applied and, several months later while on a family vacation in her native Guatemala, received the good news.

“I just couldn’t believe it — my family couldn’t believe it,” she recalls. “I was going to study at the most prestigious university in the world.”

Sulgi arrived at Oxford last fall and immediately immersed herself in a completely new way of studying.

Oxford’s tutorial system differs from that of an American university, with more time spent on individual work and tutorials. Each week students prepare for their weekly tutorial by reading and then producing a paper to discuss with the tutor – a subject expert – who provides immediate feedback.

Sulgi selected two tutorial courses: international human rights law and the history of the Cold War and its effects.

“I was the only student in both of my tutorials, and I felt incredibly lucky to have that one-on-one experience,” she recalls. “I genuinely looked forward to each meeting. The work was quite demanding, but I loved it. There was a lot of reading, and I had to submit an essay every week. It was wonderful to share my thoughts one-on-one without the added pressure of a full class watching me, especially since English is not my first language.”

Through this intense work, Sulgi developed stronger critical thinking skills and learned to analyze texts with greater depth and confidence.

Beyond academics, Oxford felt almost surreal. Sulgi made a point of visiting all the university’s libraries, spending hours studying in her favorite spots, including the Radcliffe Camera, the Bodleian Library, and the Taylor Institution Library.

Formal hall dinners — three- and four-course meals in historic dining halls — became opportunities to form friendships across colleges. She enjoyed learning ice hockey and exploring the countryside around Oxford with her new friends. She joined clubs and societies — including the yoga club, the walking club, the Oxford Society, the Hispanic Society, and the debate club. She traveled to London, Paris, and Edinburgh, visited Christmas markets, and connected with extended family in Yorkshire.

Oxford not only allowed Sulgi to pursue academic interests, but also to connect with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures. It did not take long for St. Catherine’s to feel like home.

“We cooked together, discussed our studies, and supported one another,” she says of her hallmates, many of whom were law students. “I was far from home, but I felt a sense of belonging at Oxford.”

Sulgi’s family enjoyed a constant stream of photographs of her adventures. “My mom was so proud. She was thrilled that I was able to study at Oxford and was posting about it all the time!”

Now, back on the Dominican campus for her final semester, Sulgi is drawing on her studies at both Dominican and Oxford as she prepares a capstone project examining the immigration priorities of presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan, analyzing their refugee and amnesty policies and connecting them to debates within the current U.S. administration. She looks forward to presenting her research at Dominican’s Scholarly and Creative Works Conference in April.

Her studies and experiences at both Dominican and Oxford – particularly the insight gained by studying legal frameworks protecting displaced populations — has reinforced Sulgi’s desire to pursue a law degree to advocate for individuals seeking better opportunities and safety across borders.

Her motivation to advocate for others is deeply personal.

As a teenager, Sulgi moved from Guatemala to the United States, reuniting with her mother for the first time in 12 years. Arriving in San Rafael, she had just one month before starting classes at San Rafael High School.

“I went through the process of leaving everything I knew and coming to a new place. It was very hard adapting to a new culture and a new language without many of my family and friends.”

Sulgi’s mother immediately set firm expectations: only English at home, only English-language television, and only English-language books. Sulgi rose to the challenge and excelled.

“That push, that urgency of me learning English, helped me a lot,” she recalls.

In three years, Sulgi advanced from English Language Development to AP English, while also taking classes at College of Marin.

That struggle is what shaped both her resilience and her determination to pursue a career in immigration law.

“Most of my family are immigrants, and I have seen how they are treated. I just felt it was my calling to represent people in similar situations,” Sulgi says. “I want to serve people who just want a better life and, most of the time, are treated as criminals instead of human beings.”

Attending Oxford revealed something powerful to Sulgi. She is ready to pursue challenges far beyond San Rafael, Marin, and California. She’s eager to embrace what is next as she goes through the process of applying for law school.

Sulgi’s Oxford experience also helped her achieve a goal she continues to hold close: to make her mom proud.
“She has given me everything and worked tirelessly to provide me with a better future and help me fulfill my dreams,” Sulgi says. “Knowing that I could share this accomplishment with her made the experience even more special.”

Student Story University NewsSchool of Liberal Arts and EducationStudent StoryPolitical ScienceHistoryHistory and Politics Experience Personal GrowthExperience AccomplishmentExperience ConnectednessExperience Readiness

Nursing Students Assess, Address Community Health Needs Throughout County

ggrubb — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 20:13:46 +0000

Nursing Students Assess, Address Community Health Needs Throughout County ggrubb Tue, 02/24/2026 - 12:13 02/24/26

In professor Deborah Meshel’s community health and nursing course, students don’t just study theory — they actively engage with vulnerable, at-risk populations across the lifespan.

All Dominican University of California senior nursing students complete four units of community health and nursing in their first semester of senior year. This includes a weekly lecture and 90 hours of clinical experience in community-based settings.

On average 60 students are placed with sites across Marin and the Bay Area. Meshel selects sites that provide meaningful, hands-on experiences where students can work directly with populations outside of the hospital setting.

Current and recent sites include Marin County Jail, Vivalon, Marin Community Clinics, By the Bay Health, Kids Cooking for Life, Bayside Drug Rehabilitation, Community Action Marin, and multiple K–12 schools throughout the Bay Area.

“Our nursing students are expected not only to participate, but also to assess the needs of the population they are serving and design a small, evidence-informed intervention,” Meshel says.

Recently, following a classroom discussion on health disparities, the students prepared care bags to distribute to individuals experiencing homelessness. Meshel had gathered donations and purchased supplies, with additional support from Rho Alpha Sigma Internal Honors Society, nursing Chair Dr. Kendra Hoepper, and Health and Natural Sciences Dean Dr. Ken Frost.

“This initiative strongly reflects Dominican University’s mission and values and Deborah's commitment to community health,” Dr. Hoepper noted.

Hands-on experiences in community nursing are an essential component of a nursing education, particularly as healthcare continues to shift, Meshel says.

“We will need more nurses working in home care, public health, and community settings in the coming years.”

Home-based care is significantly less expensive and, when appropriate, often safer and more patient-centered, Meshel notes.

“Patients are being discharged from hospitals earlier than ever before. Cost is a major driver. In California, the average cost of one hospital day is approximately $3,500–$4,000, depending on acuity and facility. In contrast, a month of home health services may cost $2,000–$5,000 total, depending on frequency and complexity of care.”

Prevention is critical, she adds.

“Community health nursing focuses on addressing problems “upstream” and preventing chronic disease, reducing complications, and addressing social determinants of health before patients require hospitalization,” Meshel says. “Prevention is not only more cost-effective, it improves quality of life. Students need to understand healthcare beyond hospital walls.”

Working with vulnerable populations is particuarly important in Marin County, which despite being ranked as one of the healthiest counties in California has areas with significant health disparities.

“Marin has one of the highest life expectancies in the nation (around 83 to 85 years) however there are communities within the county, particularly underserved and low-income areas where our students work, where health disparities and inequities are clearly visible,” Meshel notes.

“While overall health indicators are strong in many Marin communities, inequities remain very real in underserved pockets of the county. Our students see that firsthand through their direct work in those communities.”

News University NewsSchool of Health and Natural SciencesNursing

CNN Talks with Dr. Melba Pattillo Beals, Chair Emerita of Communications

ggrubb — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 17:22:12 +0000

CNN Talks with Dr. Melba Pattillo Beals, Chair Emerita of Communications ggrubb Tue, 02/17/2026 - 09:22 02/17/26

Dr. Melba Pattillo Beals, chair professor emerita of communications and media studies at Dominican University of California, talked with CNN about her historic role in the civil rights movement as a member of the “Little Rock Nine.”

The CNN crew spent a day on the Dominican campus with Dr. Beals, who was interviewed in Meadowlands Hall by CNN’s senior legal analyst Elie Honig. The interview ran on CNN February 16.
Watch CNN’s interview with Dr. Melba Beals
In 1957, Dr. Beals was one of nine African American high school students to integrate Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. Under protection of the 101st Airborne Division dispatched by President Eisenhower, the “Little Rock Nine” defied mobs and death threats to tear down walls of segregation.

A detailed account of this history-making event may be found in Dr. Beals’ award-winning memoir, "Warriors Don’t Cry." Warriors won the 1994 American Library Association Award for Nonfiction Book of the Year. Dr. Beals also received the Robert F. Kennedy Award for Excellence in Writing.

In 1958, a voter-led shutdown of Little Rock schools occurred to prevent integration. The NAACP moved Dr. Beals to Santa Rosa, California, to continue her education and live with Dr. George and Carol McCabe. Dr. McCabe helped to establish Sonoma State University.

Dr. Beals eventually moved to San Francisco and completed her undergraduate degree from San Francisco State University. Later, she attended Columbia University to study journalism. Returning to the Bay Area, Dr. Beals enjoyed a successful career as a news reporter for KQED, NBC, and KRON-TV. She later earned a PhD from USF in international multicultural education.

Dr. Beals joined Dominican in 1999. As chair of the Communications Department, Dr. Beals helped to shape the university’s communication and media studies major.

Today this dynamic program includes classes in strategic communication, media production, digital media, and communication studies. Students can write across media and learn new technologies such as podcasting, broadcasting, and production of enriched online viewer experiences.

Dr. Beals retired from Dominican in January 2014. The Melba Beals Award for Excellence in Diversity was established by Dominican to honor Dr. Beals’ legacy of courage and education.

Dr. Beals holds more than 100 awards for heroism and courage. In 1999, the U.S. Congress voted Dr. Beals and her Little Rock Nine companions the Congressional Gold Medal — the nation’s highest honor — for their contribution to the Civil Rights movement. In 2002, Dr. Beals was named to the Marin Women’s Hall of Fame. In 2012, she was honored by the Marin Human Rights Commission.

News University NewsCommunications and Media StudiesSchool of Liberal Arts and Education

ILS Welcomes Cory Booker, Kate Bowler, Jon Meacham, Michael Pollan

ggrubb — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 23:25:09 +0000

ILS Welcomes Cory Booker, Kate Bowler, Jon Meacham, Michael Pollan ggrubb Wed, 02/04/2026 - 15:25 02/04/26

Jon Meacham, Senator Cory Booker, Michael Pollan, and Kate Bowler will headline the spring 2026 Leadership Lecture Series at Dominican University of California.

The popular series is presented by Dominican’s Institute for Leadership Studies (ILS) in partnership with Book Passage. For the past 21 years, ILS has engaged the community on topics related to individual, organizational and/or social change inspired by effective leadership from the domains of arts and sciences, business, entertainment, literature, pop culture, politics, and government.

Details and tickets for Dominican's ILS Spring Series events.

All four lectures will be held in Angelico Concert Hall on the Dominican University of California campus. There is plenty of free parking in the Conlan Recreation Center parking lot on Grand Avenue.

Sunday, February 22 at 7 p.m. Jon Meacham will discuss his new book "American Struggle: Democracy, Dissent, and the Pursuit of a More Perfect Union: An Anthology." The book covers a wide spectrum of history from 1619 to the 21st century, with primary-source documents that examine critical moments in which Americans fought over the meaning and the direction of the national experiment.

Thursday, April 2 at 7 p.m. Michael Pollan returns to the ILS series to discuss "A World Appears: A Journey into Consciousness." The book explores consciousness — what it is, who has it, and why — through a variety of perspectives, including scientific, philosophical, literary, spiritual and psychedelic.

Saturday, April 4 at 4 p.m. In his new book "STAND," Senator Cory Booker shares personal reflections and stories of leadership and offers actionable insights for Americans from all walks of life. Senator Booker is the senior United States Senator from New Jersey.

Thursday, April 23 at 7 p.m. Kate Bowler will present her memoir, "Joyful, Anyway." A survivor of stage-four cancer, Bowler examines the magic of joy and how we can access it even when happiness feels out of reach. Kate Bowler is a four-time New York Times best-selling author who hosts the popular podcast Everything Happens and writes the Substack of the same name.

For more information about the lectures, contact Book Passage at Bookpassage.com or (415) 927-0960.

Learn more about ILS.

News University NewsInstitute for Leadership StudiesBarowsky School of Business

Supportive, Collaborative Dominican Experience Inspires Optometry School Selection

ggrubb — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 21:03:05 +0000

Supportive, Collaborative Dominican Experience Inspires Optometry School Selection ggrubb Mon, 02/02/2026 - 13:03 02/02/26

There are only 25 schools and colleges of optometry in the United States. Hannah Lam-Truong ’26 has been accepted into programs in Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Massachusetts, California, and Oregon. Each offers strong academics, impressive facilities, and exciting opportunities. But after touring campuses, Hannah realized that what truly mattered could not be captured in a viewbook or ranking.

What mattered most was the feeling of being supported, encouraged, and known within a close-knit community.

That feeling was familiar: It felt just like Dominican.

Dominican didn’t just prepare Hannah academically; it showed her what a supportive academic community looks like.

“Dominican showed me the kind of environment I need to thrive,” she says. “That sense of community is something I’ll carry with me wherever I go.”

Four years ago, when Hannah graduated from nearby San Marin High School, she didn’t think twice about enrolling at the small university only five miles from her home in Novato. She was interested in a career in the medical field, and she knew that Dominican’s science program had a strong track record helping students prepare for graduate school.

Women’s tennis coach Cristina Viscio Hassanali made the initial introduction to Dominican. After playing tennis throughout high school, Hannah was especially excited about the opportunity to compete at the collegiate level on Dominican’s NCAA Division II team.

Throughout the recruitment process, Hannah was drawn to Dominican’s small class sizes and close-knit environment. This environment helped significantly during the transition from high school to college.

“I had worried about starting college, but the transition was not at all stressful,” she recalls. “Dominican really made that move easy.”

Becoming a member of the women’s tennis team helped her build instant connections, and traveling for competitions across Colorado, Arizona, California, and Hawaii created strong bonds with teammates and a coach who supported her both academically and personally.

Inside the classroom, Hannah discovered the depth of Dominican’s support through its faculty and staff, including in unexpected and transformative ways.

While Hannah enrolled at Dominican with the goal of pursuing a medical career, she wasn’t initially sure which specialty she wanted to follow. That uncertainty changed during a second-year science course.

Hannah developed a strong interest in eye health while studying general anatomy with professor Doreen Gurrola. One memorable assignment required students to study and present a report on the senses. Hannah chose to focus on vision and glaucoma, using straws to demonstrate the effects of peripheral vision loss. Teaching others about eye health made the field feel both meaningful and tangible, helping solidify her interest in optometry.

Professor Gurrola recalls that Hannah’s enthusiasm for science was obvious early on.

“Hannah was a student in my general anatomy course two years ago. While most students take this course in their junior or senior year, she enrolled as a sophomore and performed exceptionally well,” Professor Gurrola says. “She is a bright, motivated, and driven student and she is always willing to help out the department whenever needed.”

Hannah went on to serve as a teaching assistant for the human physiology and human anatomy classes while also contributing to the Department of Natural Science’s outreach efforts, including presenting at local high schools and assisting with tours of the science center.

Courses like physics with Dr. Christine Koh, assistant professor of chemistry, further prepared Hannah for the rigorous Optometry Admission Test (OAT), building confidence for the next step in her career.

“Physics is such an important part of optometry, and I loved being in Dr. Koh’s class. She was so good at explaining everything. When I was reviewing materials for the OAT, I realized how well her class had prepared me for the test,” Hannah says.

Victoria Worch, NSM student services administrator, not only ensured that Hannah’s schedule met all prerequisite requirements for optometry school but also showed genuine support and understanding of the added challenges of balancing athletics, academics, and a part-time job. It was Worch who introduced Hannah to a nearby optometry clinic, noting that she would make an excellent intern.

That internship ultimately led to a part-time position as an optician technician — an experience that strengthened Hannah’s application and helped her stand out in the optometry school admissions process.

At Dominican, Hannah also experienced growth in unexpected and transformative ways. While her biology courses were rigorous and heavily focused on memorization and technical detail, creative writing with Dr. Claudia Morales, assistant professor of English, became a surprising and welcome outlet.

Studying with Dr. Morales, Hannah discovered a space that allowed her to decompress, express herself, and engage a different side of her brain. Creative writing — and later courses in Latinx literature and advanced creative writing — allowed Hannah to process stress, emotions, and the pressures of being a college student.

“I realized that creative writing helps my brain relax,” Hannah says. “This was an eye opener for me because my creative writing classes were so different from my biology classes, which involve so much memorization. It is stressful being in college, but writing gives me the freedom to be creative and to decompress any built up emotions.”

As she prepares for the next chapter of her journey, Hannah carries with her the relationships, confidence, and sense of belonging that Dominican gave her.

“I loved being here at Dominican. It’s a hidden gem in a beautiful and quiet area. But it is also so close to towns and nature – so I can find things to do off campus within a short drive. It’s just the perfect place in so many ways.”

Student Story School of Health and Natural SciencesBiological SciencesAthleticsTennis Experience Personal GrowthExperience AccomplishmentExperience ConnectednessExperience Readiness

Sustainability in Action: Alumna at the Heart of Innovative Furniture Bank

ggrubb — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 20:46:22 +0000

Sustainability in Action: Alumna at the Heart of Innovative Furniture Bank ggrubb Fri, 01/30/2026 - 12:46 01/30/26

When Analisa Garcia graduated from Dominican University of California in 2022, she knew she wanted more than just a job. She wanted a career rooted in her deepening commitment to sustainability.

Today, Analisa is the Senior Community Impact and Logistics Manager at Make It Home, a Marin-based furniture bank that furnishes homes for individuals and families transitioning out of homelessness. The organization, which operates throughout the Bay Area, recycles, repurposes, and curates donated furniture and goods to turn empty spaces into homes.

In the five years Analisa has worked at Make It Home — starting as an intern before being hired first part-time and then becoming a full-time employee shortly after graduation — the organization has served about 3,000 households and diverted more than 3,300 tons of furniture from landfills.

It’s a rewarding role within an organization that continues to grow in terms of size, reach, and services. Analisa remains grateful for Dominican’s role in preparing her for the workplace — from coursework that built strong professional skills to career services that facilitated her initial introduction.

However, Dominican wasn’t initially on Analisa’s radar during her college search.

She knew she wanted to stay in California, within driving distance of her family, and sought a small, close-knit campus that reflected the learning environment she enjoyed at Moreau Catholic High School in Hayward.

While applying to colleges through the Common App, Analisa noticed a message that Dominican was waiving its application fee. The location and size looked like a good fit.

“Dominican was already in the Common App system,” she recalls. “So, I thought — why not apply?”

After being accepted, Analisa visited Dominican for the first time. She was captivated by the walkable campus and its natural beauty. She particularly liked what she heard about the campus community.

“Once I toured and learned about the small classrooms and close relationships with professors, I knew this was the right place for me,” she says. “Dominican felt the right size. I was so used to learning in a smaller environment and really wanted to continue with that in college. I didn’t want to be in a classroom with 200 other students.”

Analisa began her college journey as a psychology major, living in the residence halls before later moving off campus. Early in her studies, she participated in service-learning courses that placed her in local elementary and middle schools, where she gained firsthand insight into the economic pressures facing Marin’s low-income residents. Although she enjoyed psychology, Analisa realized she wanted to develop skills more directly applicable to the workplace, including marketing, financial management, and accounting, which led her to change her major to business administration.

“The business program taught me so much — not just about business, but about how to function as a professional,” Analisa says.

Courses like Exploring the World of Business and Business Communication left a lasting impact.

“EWB was the most influential class for me. We heard from Dominican alumni who were honest about where they started, where they were now, and how their careers evolved. Seeing real people who once sat in our seats made what came next feel possible.”

Career support at Dominican played a major role in shaping Analisa’s confidence. The business school’s career development office regularly shared internship and job opportunities tailored to students’ academic and career interests.

“It meant so much to know that companies were genuinely open to hiring Dominican students,” Analisa says.

One internship opportunity stood out. Make It Home’s founder and CEO Carolyn Rebuffel Flannery contacted Dominican seeking an intern. From the moment Analisa read about the organization, she was hooked.

“I had never thought about what happens after someone who was formerly homeless gets into housing,” Analisa says. “Many people end up sleeping on the floor because they don’t have a bed. They keep their belongings in trash bags. These details matter. By creating a true home environment, Make It Home sets people up for success.”

Each Make It Home project is styled with gently used furniture, accessories, and textiles. The goal is to not only create functional, comfortable and welcoming spaces but also keep furniture out of the landfills.

This focus on sustainability resonates deeply. While working part-time in retail during college, Analisa became increasingly aware of waste in the fashion industry.

“Seeing how much plastic was thrown away never felt good,” she says. “Make It Home does the opposite by rescuing furniture that would otherwise end up in landfills.”

Analisa initially interned for six months and was then hired to work part-time during her junior and senior years. She stepped into a full-time role immediately after graduation. Early on, it was a small team, and Analisa wore many hats: invoicing, coordinating with social service agencies, approving furniture donations, organizing the warehouse, managing volunteers, and helping physically furnish homes.

Susan Brennan, Make It Home’s board president, has witnessed Analisa’s journey from the very first employee to a senior leader at the heart of the organization.

“Taking on whatever was needed in our early startup days—from administrative work to warehouse organization, she was instrumental in building the foundation of the organization,” Susan recalls.

“ As the organization expanded, so did her responsibilities. Today, Analisa is an accomplished and trusted senior manager, leading complex programs with skill, consistency, and heart. What started as an internship has grown into a meaningful career, marked by dedication, versatility, and a deep commitment to the mission.”

Today, Make It Home has grown into a nine-person full-time team and a strong group of volunteers. Analisa oversees the organization’s services program, managing relationships with more than 100 agency partners, coordinating delivery schedules across the Bay Area, and overseeing all other logistics for the non-profit’s delivery vehicles. What once meant serving 15–20 households a month has grown to 50–70 households monthly.

One of Analisa’s proudest accomplishments has been working on the expansion of Make It Home’s community space projects, focused on furnishing entire affordable housing developments. Recently Make It Home helped transform Casa Canal in San Rafael from an empty office building into housing units for formerly unhoused individuals, furnishing not only the apartments but also the shared community spaces. The success of the Casa Canal development has led to additional projects with the same developer elsewhere in the Bay Area, furnishing individual units and shared community spaces for low-income families and seniors.

For Analisa, what began as a chance application became the foundation for a purpose-driven career. Looking back, she is grateful for how seamlessly Dominican prepared her for life after graduation.

“I have friends from other colleges still trying to figure out their professional path,” she notes. “Dominican made internships and career alignment a priority, and that made all the difference.”

Student Story University NewsBarowsky School of Business

Transferring to Dominican Allowed Psychology Alumna to Excel in Research, Community Engagement

ggrubb — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 20:19:37 +0000

Transferring to Dominican Allowed Psychology Alumna to Excel in Research, Community Engagement ggrubb Thu, 01/15/2026 - 12:19 01/22/26

Madelyn Ayers ’25 began her college journey at larger universities in Colorado and Virginia before transferring to Dominican, where she found the perfect fit. At Dominican, she discovered the support, encouragement, and opportunity she needed to excel.

In December, Madelyn graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in psychology at the fall 2025 commencement ceremony. She was honored with the Outstanding Student Award for the School of Liberal Arts and Education and was selected to deliver the undergraduate commencement address.

“I feel grateful for Dominican,” Madelyn says. “The small school size allowed me to build relationships with my professors who offer one-on-one help and recognize my academic strengths."

A passion for studying and reforming the intersections between psychology and social justice drew Madelyn to Dominican’s psychology program and its hands-on approach to education.

“I have been interested in psychology since middle school, and I love that Dominican psych students complete directed research and field placements, as these classes contribute to a holistic education.”

Her first year at Dominican, Madelyn made the dean’s list both fall and spring semesters, joined the Honors Program, and was inducted into Dominican’s Psi Chi chapter. Dominican’s flexible curriculum allowed her to add two minors aligned with her major. The clinical and counseling science minor teaches skills needed to succeed as a psychotherapist, while the health humanities minor focuses on how to analyze health in the context of literature, ethics, and psychology.

Madelyn joined Dr. Ben Rosenberg's Health and Motivation Lab for the 2024-2025 school year. Working with in the lab led her to focus on research into trauma-informed care. In 2025, she presented her work at the Western Psychological Association’s conference in Los Vegas. Her senior thesis "Trauma-informed Care - A Catalyst for Strong Therapeutic Alliances" was nominated for the Psychology Department’s Dr. Bob Shukraft Award for Excellence.

As a transfer student whose goal was to graduate a semester early, Madelyn particularly appreciated the guidance and support received from her faculty advisor, Dr. Veronica Fruiht, associate professor of psychology.

“Veronica has been very helpful and attentive as an advisor. She made a detailed graduation plan for me, and I appreciate the role advisors play in student success at Dominican.”

“I also took one of her classes my first semester. As a professor, she engages students during lectures, offers 1:1 help when asked, and quickly responds to questions and concerns. While she is a challenging professor, she has pushed me to learn more.”

Other professors who have made an impact are Dr. George Faithful, associate professor of religion and philosophy, and Dr. Christine Schaefer-Willis, adjunct professor of psychology. “Both are easy to reach outside of class to talk deeper about content,” Madelyn says. “They are also caring professors, and I felt pushed to become a better student and learn more.”

Troubled by both the income disparities and lack of racial diversity in the wider Marin community, Madelyn has embraced the opportunity to work with Marin’s diverse communities.

Through the “Ethics and Housing and Homelessness” service-learning course, Madelyn spent the semester working with San Rafael’s Downtown Streets Team and its Streets Team Volunteers Program, which invites people experiencing homelessness to volunteer on teams dedicated to cleaning streets, parks, and other public spaces while they chart a path out of homelessness.

Madelyn worked alongside team members to clean the streets of San Rafael.

“I built relationships with individuals experiencing homelessness,” she recalls. “Likewise, I learned about various programs that Marin County and California offer to help combat homelessness.”

All psychology students are required to design and conduct their own research on a topic of their choice. Integrating this research topic with a field placement in the same content area gives students specialized knowledge of and first-hand experience in their own area of interest.

Madelyn worked as a mental health intern and youth mentor with the Youth Mental Health Academy. The academy is run by the Child Mind Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to working with children from structurally marginalized communities who struggle with mental health. Madelyn worked with students as they developed capstone projects examining specific topics in mental health. She continued to mentor nine students throughout the year, preparing them to transition into either higher education or the workplace.

“I am surprised and inspired by my mentees’ interests in mental health,” Madelyn says. “Each of them had unique, specific topics they wanted to research and learn more about. I wish there were more opportunities to learn about mental health and psychology in high school.”

Working with clinicians from the Child Mind Institute gave Madelyn insight into trauma-informed practices as she developed her senior research project.

Madelyn is currently working as a full-time Kindergarten teaching assistant. Next, she plans to attend graduate school to study Counseling Psychology to continue working with children and adolescents in the counseling field.

_{While attending Dominican, Madelyn was a recipient of the Jordan A. Fromm Memorial Scholarship.}

Student Story School of Liberal Arts and EducationPsychologyTransfer StudentsThe Dominican Experience Experience Personal GrowthExperience AccomplishmentExperience ConnectednessExperience Readiness