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Dominican Celebrates Spring 2026 Commencement

ggrubb — Fri, 01 May 2026 16:17:32 +0000

Dominican Celebrates Spring 2026 Commencement ggrubb Fri, 05/01/2026 - 09:17 05/04/26

Mary Jane Burke ’74, who served as Marin County Superintendent of Schools for 28 years, will deliver Dominican University of California’s Spring 2026 Commencement address on May 16.

The Commencement ceremony begins at 10 a.m. on Forest Meadows Field. More information.

Burke grew up in Stockton as the oldest of eight children. She graduated from Dominican College in 1974 with a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, and four teaching credentials. Over a career spanning almost 50 years and counting, she has held a variety of positions in Marin County public schools, including special education instructional assistant, teacher, principal, special education director, assistant superintendent, and deputy superintendent.

Burke served as Marin County Superintendent of Schools from 1994 to 2022. As superintendent, she led impactful projects to broaden technical education pathways in our local high schools. She also advanced improvements in special education, early childhood education and career education programs across Marin while facilitating collaboration between parents, schools, districts and the community.

Burke currently sits on several boards, including the Dominican Sisters Charitable Trust, WestEd, EdSource, The Civics Center, Brewster West Foundation, and the IBIS Group. She is a consultant and advisory board member to the UCSF Dyslexia Center’s Multitudes Project and is a consultant to the John H. and Regina K. Scully Foundation. Her esteemed service on Dominican University of California’s Board of Trustees will come to an end next month.

Burke was awarded Dominican’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 1995 and the Sister Patricia Lyons Award in 2021.

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Pulitzer Prize-Winning author Jason Roberts to speak at MFA Residency

ggrubb — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 22:39:16 +0000

Pulitzer Prize-Winning author Jason Roberts to speak at MFA Residency ggrubb Wed, 04/29/2026 - 15:39 04/30/26

Dominican University of California’s Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program will host a conversation between Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jason Roberts and MFA writing mentor Lee Kravetz at 6:30 p.m. June 6.

The conversation is free and open to the public. To reserve a seat, please email mfa@dominican.edu. For more information about the MFA program, please visit dominican.edu/mfa.

In his book, "Every Living Thing," Roberts writes about how conflicting approaches to knowledge in the 18th century have created and shaped the field of biology. Roberts wrote parts of his prize-winning book in the Dominican library.

“The Archbishop Alemany Library at Dominican has been a creative oasis of mine for over a decade now,” Roberts says. “I don’t remember the research task that brought me there in the first place, but I know I’ve kept coming back on the slightest of pretexts.”

“Unlike far too many other libraries, the Alemany is designed for reading. The atrium pours light onto the page. The dual levels let the ceiling soar without feeling cavernous. If you’re far from a window, it’s by choice. You’re comfortable, but not insulated from the outside world. It’s easy to register the weather outside, and the changing seasons … nestle with a book or three, or focus on filling your own pages. I probably owe at least a chapter’s worth of 'Every Living Thing' to the Alemany, and I’m grateful for that.”

The Summer MFA residency runs from June 4 to June 13. This year, the residency will focus on story/line, particularly how to craft a story. Visiting writer Shobha Rao will give a talk on method writing. Related to a similar technique in acting, this process involves stepping into a character through the senses. This sensory exploration can imbue our stories with authenticity, humanity and depth. Dr. Judy Halebsky, MFA program director, will lead a series of workshops in live storytelling.

MFA faculty and alumni will also lead a panel discussion on community engagement. Maw Shein Win, MFA writing mentor and recipient of the 2026 AWP George Garrett Award for Outstanding Community Service in Literature, will discuss her work in teaching, organizing literary events, editing, and publishing as ways to create and expand a literary community. MFA alum Melanie Dines (MFA ’24), a registered nurse, will join the panel. Melanie focused on narrative medicine while in the MFA program and will discuss her role leading a breast cancer writing group.

The MFA program is also offering a noncredit, three-day creative writing course open to the public June 5-7. This course welcomes writers to Dominican to have an immersive experience that dovetails with the MFA student residency. Called "Green Room," the course is geared toward serious writers along with MFA alumni. It includes morning workshops with MFA faculty members, group lunches on campus and afternoon sessions that include special guest speakers, a poolside pizza party and a dedicated reading open to friends and family. For more information visit the Green Room creative writing course page here.

News School of Liberal Arts and EducationCreative WritingMFA

Scholarly, Creative Works Conference Showcases Student Accomplishments

ggrubb — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 21:37:39 +0000

Scholarly, Creative Works Conference Showcases Student Accomplishments ggrubb Fri, 04/17/2026 - 14:37 04/20/26

Dominican University of California held its 11th annual Scholarly and Creative Works Conference on April 22 to showcase student research, creative writing, artwork, dance, and performance. Julia Reinhard ’22 and Shivani Amin ’23 delivered the keynote address.

Here Julia and Shivani discuss how their undergraduate years helped shape their professional lives.

Julia graduated in 2022 with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science. She now serves as a board aide to Marin County Supervisor Mary Sackett. During her time at Dominican, Julia was involved with the Dominican Political Science Association, IGNITE, and the peer mentoring program.

What research/scholarship were you involved with at Dominican?
I wrote my senior thesis about local news deserts (the lack of a newspaper in an area) and if there was any clear effect between a state’s news desert counts, voter turnout, and civic engagement.

Why do you feel participating in hands-on research and scholarship is an important part of a college career?
It’s an opportunity to practice your critical thinking skills. By diving into an academic area, you are reading others’ scholarship and learning how to craft your own thoughts into a contribution. Learning how to research is key to any job.

Tell us about your interest in public service and how your experience at Dominican helped you reach your goals.
My political science courses set the foundation for my interest in public service. During my junior year, I had an opportunity to intern in Marin County Supervisor Katie Rice’s office. Two of my peers, Allison Kustic and Katya Palacios, had held the internship prior and connected me. I appreciated on campus activities with the Dominican Political Science Association and IGNITE to engage in debates and voter registration with my peers.

What advice would you give today's Dominican students about making the most of their undergraduate or graduate experience at the University?
My advice is to not underestimate the power of your critical thinking skills as well as emotional intelligence. Whether it’s the influence of AI, or that in general humans have very short attention spans, take the time to look people in the eye and really listen to them. It’s also okay to not have an answer to everything, get comfortable with saying: I don’t know and I’ll get back to you.

Shivani graduated in 2023 with a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing. She currently works as a pediatric nurse as well as a clinical instructor in Dominican’s nursing department. During Shivani’s time at Dominican she was involved as a peer mentor, tutor, worked in the nursing simulation department, recreational hikes, nursing peer mentor, and DNSA.

What’s one specific experience at Dominican that changed how you practice as a nurse today?
At Dominican, the patient simulation scenarios really changed how I see nursing. I was so focused on doing everything “right” that I almost missed subtle signs my patient was getting worse. During the debrief with my instructors, it finally clicked that nursing isn’t just about tasks, it’s about truly noticing and thinking ahead. Since then, I’ve been more intentional about trusting my instincts, paying attention to small changes, and speaking up early to advocate for my patients.

What research did you work on at Dominican, and what did it teach you about patient care or outcomes?
During my senior year, my capstone research project focused on the impact of self-care on anxiety in Asian American breast cancer patients. Through this research, I learned how cultural factors influence how patients experience and express anxiety, as well as their willingness to seek support. It reinforced the importance of culturally sensitive care and incorporating self-care strategies, such as meditation and arts and crafts, into treatment plans to help reduce anxiety and improve patient outcomes.

Tell us about a time you worked with a vulnerable or underserved population — what did you learn that changed how you see patients?
One meaningful experience for me was doing clinicals in Marin County during COVID. I helped with testing and vaccine clinics. We saw a diverse group of patients, and many were anxious, unsure, or had limited access to reliable information. It taught me how important it is to stay calm, communicate clearly, and meet people where they are. I learned that even small things, like explaining the vaccine in simple terms or just reassuring someone who was nervous, can make a big difference in trust and outcomes.

What was the hardest part of going from student to new grad nurse, and what helped you get through it?
The hardest part of transitioning from student to new grad nurse was learning to feel confident making decisions on my own. As a student, I always had someone double-checking me, but as a new nurse, I had to start trusting my own clinical judgment while still managing a full workload. What helped me get through it was leaning on my preceptors and asking questions early instead of waiting until I felt unsure. I also reminded myself that it’s okay not to know everything right away. Over time, gaining experience and reflecting after shifts really helped me build confidence and feel more grounded in my practice.

News The Dominican ExperienceUniversity NewsUndergraduate ResearchScholarship Experience Readiness

Sea Sponge “Library” Enhances Biomedical Research at Dominican

ggrubb — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 17:21:00 +0000

Sea Sponge “Library” Enhances Biomedical Research at Dominican ggrubb Tue, 04/14/2026 - 10:21 04/14/26

In a Dominican University of California research laboratory containing more than 1,200 species of sea sponges, along with approximately 13,700 vials of sponge-derived crude extracts, researchers are diving into studies focused on how small molecules derived from sponges could slow down the aging process and serve as therapeutic lead compounds to treat cancer, neurobiological disorders, and neglected tropical diseases.

The sea sponge repository was donated to Dominican by distinguished professor of chemistry Phillip Crews from the University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC). The collection dates back to 1973, when Dr. Crews launched a program at UCSC in marine natural products chemistry from local expeditions along the Northern California coastline to examine macroalgae.

“Dominican’s sea sponge repository, housed in the Johnson Lab, is the largest west of the Mississippi” says Dr. Tyler Johnson, associate professor in the Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.

“Phil built a remarkable program in marine natural products chemistry. He’s also been incredibly generous as an educator, collaborator and mentor to so many who studied under or collaborated with him over the years.”

Read the story in the Marin Independent Journal

Johnson, who studied under Dr. Crews to obtain his PhD in Chemical Oceanography, participated on a dozen scientific diving expeditions over the past two decades.

“Having organized close to 100 scientific expeditions, Phil is a true pioneer that probed the frontiers of knowledge in marine bioorganic chemistry. We are truly blessed to have the opportunity to continue this tradition of interdisciplinary research,” Dr. Johnson says.

The Dominican sea sponge repository is a library of potential new lead compounds just waiting to be unlocked.

“Our research group is now focused on using medicinal chemistry efforts to alter the chemical instability (limited shelf life) or toxicity seen with some of these marine natural products so they can go on to serve as next generation chemical probes or optimized therapeutic lead compounds to treat selected diseases,” Dr. Johnson says.

Johnson calls the marine natural products in the sponge repository sit on the shelf compounds, because most of their unique chemical structures have already been solved in the 20th century. However, many of these compounds have never been tested against anything except for cancer cells.

“They’re just waiting to be salvaged for repurposing when tested for new biological activities against different disease targets to generate greater rates of scientific discovery,” Dr. Johnson says.

Repurposing of compounds from the sea sponge repository has begun to bear fruit. Johnson and six students from his lab recently collaborated with the University of Southern California (USC) discovering a potent and selective new chemical probe to study the aging process that extends lifespan in worms. The study was published the peer review publication GeroScience.

The work showcased how the semi-synthetic sponge-derived compound was not only more stable, but also more selective for cancer versus normal cells compared to the marine natural product.

Other areas of interest to the Johnson lab include neuroscience. In a pilot study, the Johnson Lab collaborated with the Whistler Group at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) to screen 96 sponge-derived extracts to discover the first marine derived opioid with a signaling profile that resembles the endorphins (the brain’s natural pain reliever and anti-depressant). The work was published in the journal ACS Chemical Neuroscience.

Johnson’s lab also began a new collaboration with the Rosenthal Lab at UCSF, screening sponge-derived chemotypes to see if they inhibit the malaria parasite P. falciparum. The study found two compounds with potent activity: one on par with the World Health Organization standard anti-malarial dihydroartemisinin, the other was twice as potent. This exciting development will be reported in due course, Dr. Johnson says.

In spring 2024, a 26 foot U-Haul truck was used to transport 142 crates containing crude extracts, sponges, and repository documentation from UCSC to Dominican. Graduate students, postbaccs, and undergraduates in the Johnson Lab, along with two high school student volunteers, spent six months processing over 20,000 sponge-derived crude extract vials into crates. This same team also converted, cataloged, and transferred over 1,000 unextracted sponges into 1L glass jars from decomposing 2L Nalgene bottles that were originally used to transport the organisms from the IndoPacific back to the lab.

At Dominican, all science students can begin working in the lab their freshman year as part of the University’s unique Research Methodology program. Through undergraduate research, students gain lifelong skills: how to structure an experiment, use laboratory equipment, record results, analyze data, and present their findings for peer review.

This hands-on curriculum, which continues in Dominican’s Master’s of Biological Sciences program, provides a unique experience for undergraduates, contributes to the success of faculty research programs, and prepares students for success in industry, graduate school, and medical school.

Projects that have emerged from the Johnson Lab have already served as a cornerstone to propel junior scientists to the next phase of their career by providing them research opportunities in the physical or natural sciences at the interface of chemistry and biology as they relate to health and medicine.

Sofia Odronwas was recently accepted to her first choice for medical school at the University of Washington. Natalie Oyler will study for her PhD in Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy through the Moffitt Cancer Center at University of South Florida. Joe Gerke was accepted to his first choice for medical school at the Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences (PNUHS). Jacob Peterson participated on two key scientific diving expeditions for the Johnson Lab while preparing his file for medical school. He worked with a team of divers in Bali to survey mariculture studies with sponges that are a source of a chemical probe used in biotechnology to study the cell cycle. These mariculture studies serve as a pilot program to pay locals to harvest sponges as an alternative to fish bombing. Jacob presented his findings at a seminar at Dominican. He was accepted to Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences, Griffith University in Australia, and California’ s Touro University for medical school.

“Dominican now has an incredible resource on site to harness for launching the next wave of scientists or physicians on their paths forward to accelerate biomedical research and to have fun doing it,” Dr. Johnson says.

“Having precisely 1,290 unextracted IndoPacific marine sponges and 13,792 sponge-derived crude extracts to explore is vast,” he adds. “Dominican’s nascent sea sponge repository will be a beacon for motivated science students to investigate for their potential to advance discoveries in biomedical research for years to come.”

_{Pictured. From left: Dr. Tyler Johnson, Natalie Oyler, Victoria Barlow, Brisa Navarette, Matt Nickel, and Brook Young.}

News School of Health and Natural SciencesNatural Sciences and MathematicsFaculty ResearchChemistry and BiochemistryUndergraduate Research

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.

Learn More About the Marin Advantage Program (MAP)
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.

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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.”

Learn More About Dominican's Nursing Program

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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.

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