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About Jennifer Pigza

Jennifer M. Pigza, Ph.D., is the director of the Catholic Institute for Lasallian Social Action and Adjunct Assistant Professor in Leadership (Kalmanovitz School of Education).

Scholarly Interests: 
Grounded in a critical pedagogical framework and the belief that social justice is both an outcome and a process, my scholarship and practice explore higher education’s responsibility to advance social justice and inclusion. I explore three streams of inquiry: teaching and learning for social justice/critical pedagogy (particularly through community engagement), leadership for social justice (by multiple stakeholders), and the organization of higher education itself toward social justice aims.

Personal Interests:
  • Music: I am a beginning ukulele player who enjoys singing as much as playing.
  • Sewing: I enjoy the process of designing and piecing quilts.
  • Baking and cooking: I enjoy the art and science of trying new recipes.
  • Forest Bathing with Axel: My dog and I enjoy daily walks in Redwood Regional Park.

Positions

2018 - Present Committee on the Integrated Undergraduate Education Experience, Saint Mary's College of California
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June 2015 - Present Director, Catholic Institute for Lasallian Social Action, Saint Mary's College of California
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2015 - Present Ex officio member, Undergraduate Core Curriculum, Community Engagement & Common Good Working Group, Saint Mary's College of California
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2015 - Present Member, Institutional Strategic Plan Implementation Team: Faculty Research about Poverty & Marginality, Saint Mary's College of California
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2015 - Present Member, Sustainability Committee, Student Life sub-committee, Saint Mary's College of California
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2013 - Present Member, Justice, Community & Leadership (undergraduate major), advisory council, Saint Mary's College of California
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2005 - Present Member, Cummins Institute for Catholic Thought, Culture & Action, member and budget committee, Saint Mary's College of California
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Present Faculty Member, Saint Mary's College of California ‐ Master of Arts in Leadership
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Present Faculty Member, Saint Mary's College of California ‐ Kalmanovitz School of Education
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2010 - 2016 Member, First Year Experience Committee, Saint Mary's College of California
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2014 - 2015 Curriculum redesign team member, Saint Mary's College of California ‐ Master of Arts in Leadership
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July 2005 - May 2015 Associate Director, Catholic Institute for Lasallian Social Action, Saint Mary's College of California
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2005 - 2014 Founding member and Chair, Social Justice Coordinating Committee, Saint Mary's College of California
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2014 Co-chair, Institutional Strategic Plan Development Committees, Facilities and Footprint, Saint Mary's College of California
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2014 Member, Institutional Strategic Plan Development Committees, From De La Salle to Lasallian, Saint Mary's College of California
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2014 Member, Institutional Strategic Plan Development Committees, Vision and Mission, Saint Mary's College of California
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2011 - 2012 Curriculum design lead team, Saint Mary's College of California ‐ Master of Arts in Leadership
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2010 - 2012 Member, Mission Effectiveness & Assessment Council, Saint Mary's College of California
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2012 Departmental review team member, Saint Mary's College of California ‐ Master of Arts in Leadership
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Disciplines

Grants

2017 - 2020 Catholicism and the Common Good: Theology and the University Colloquium
Duquesne University/The Henry Luce Foundation
2011 - 2012 High Impact Practices for Student Success,
Association of American Colleges & Universities
2007 - 2010 Core Commitments Project
Association of American Colleges & Universities
2006 - 2009 Community-Based Research Grant
Princeton University/Bonner Foundation
2005 - 2007 Fund for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education
(FIPSE)/Bonner Foundation, Civic Engagement Initiative
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Professional Service and Affiliations

2018 - Present Member, Committee on the Integrated Undergraduate Education Experience
2018 Organizational team member, Place-Based Justice Network: Institutions of Higher Education Engaged in Their Communities
2014 Conference planning committee member, Lasallian International Research Symposium
2011 - 2013 Support person for Oakland community, Jesuit Volunteer Corps
2012 Conference planning committee member, Huether Lasallian Symposium
2011 External reviewer, Catholic Lasallian Assessment Program
2011 National conference redesign team, Ignatian Solidarity Network
2011 Participant, Stop the Hate Train-the-Trainer Development - Campus Pride
2006 - 2010 Cook for winter shelter, Youth Engagement Advocacy & Housing
2010 External reviewer, Mills College Civic Leadership Program
2009 National conference planning committee member, Association of American Colleges & Universities: Network for Academic RenewalConference
2000 - 2005 Annual staff decision-making process facilitator, Jesuit Volunteer Corps: East
2001 - 2003 Field consultant, Council of Independent Colleges, Engaging Communities and Campuses Project
2000 - 2002 President, Maryland President and Past
1997 - 2002 Member, ACPA: College Student Educators International
2001 National conference planning committee member, The Forum on Volunteerism, Service & Learning
1998 - 2000 Coordinator, East Coast Graduate Fair
2000 Member, National convention special events committee
1994 - 1996 Hotline volunteer, Steps to End Domestic Violence
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Honors and Awards

  • Bonner National Institute on Social Action Curriculum Development, invited participant (one of 25) 2017
  • California Campus Compact Richard E. Cone Retreat for Excellence & Leadership in Cultivating Community Partnerships in Higher Education, invited participant (one of 25) 2015
  • Saint Mary’s College of California Faculty Writing Retreat, selected participant (one of 12) 2012
  • K. Patricia Cross Future Leaders Award, Association of American Colleges & Universities (2005)
  • Graduate Student Distinguished Service Award, University of Maryland (2005)
  • Kellogg Forum on Higher Education and the Public Good, invited graduate discussant (2002-2003)
  • Theta Alpha Kappa National Theology Honor Society (1990)
  • Cura Personalis Graduation Award for Leadership, Scholarship, and Service (1990)

Courses

  • Exploring Leadership, education course (undergraduate) Saint Mary’s College of California
  • Leadership for Social Justice Living-Learning Program, sociology course (undergraduate) Saint Mary’s College of California
  • MICAH Summer Fellowship, theology and religious studies course (undergraduate)
  • Jumpstart, psychology course (undergraduate)
  • Global Perspectives in Social Justice Leadership (graduate)
  • Social Movements (graduate)
  • Values & Ethics (graduate)
  • Race & Culture (undergraduate)
  • Organizational Change & Innovation (graduate)
  • College Success (undergraduate)
  • Leadership & Community Service (undergraduate service-learning)
  • Experiences in College Teaching: Undergraduate Teaching Assistants for Service-Learning (undergraduate) University of Maryland
  • Doing Faithjustice (undergraduate domestic service-learning immersion)
  • Remaking & Reconciling Rwanda (undergraduate)
  • Crossing Borders Inside & Out: Rwanda (undergraduate international service-learning immersion)
  • Public Service Internship (undergraduate service-learning)
  • Foundations of Justice (graduate)

Education

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2016 Certificate, Higher Education Management Development Program, Harvard University ‐ Graduate School of Education
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May 2005 Ph.D. Social Foundations of Education, University of Maryland at College Park
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May 1996 M.Ed. Higher Education & Student Affairs Administration, The University of Vermont
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May 1990 B.A. English Literature, Loyola University, Maryland
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Links

Contact Information

Office
203 Ferrogiaro Hall

925-631-4755

Box 4595, 1928 St. Marys Road, Moraga CA 94575

Email:

Presentations (35)

Honors, Awards, & Grants (10)