Preconference

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Rosemary J. Perez

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Abstract

Dr. Rosemary J. Perez is an assistant professor in the School of Education at Iowa State University. She earned her B.S. in Biological Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University, her M.Ed. in Higher Education and Student Affairs at The University of Vermont, and her Ph.D. in Higher Education from the University of Michigan.

Dr. Perez is a higher education scholar who leverages the strengths of student development and organizational theories to explore individual and organizational learning and development in collegiate contexts. She primarily uses qualitative methods to explore: 1) how people cultivate their voices as they make meaning of their experiences; 2) the nature of intercultural learning and development; and 3) the professional learning and development of graduate students and new practitioners. Across her program of research, Dr. Perez’s work explores the tensions between structure and agency, and how power, privilege, and oppression affect individuals and groups within higher education. Her teaching, research, and praxis reflect her commitment to empowering individuals and communities as we work towards creating a more equitable and just society.