Madeline Pérez, Ph.D., M.Phil., M.S.W.
Assistant Professor of Social Work and Latino Community Practice
Contact:
E-mail:
madelineperez@sjc.edu
Dr. Madeline Pérez embraces her role as a teacher not only as an opportunity to use pedagogical skills to best connect with students but also to approach undergraduate social work education by examining larger socio-economic and political issues that impact college level education. "One significant issue is rooted in a political economy that does not guarantee that all undergraduate students will arrive at college with a strong K-12 education," Dr. Pérez said. "Therefore, students enter the college classroom with varying degrees of writing skills and mixed emotions connected to how they view themselves as writers and learners. I argue that focusing on increasing student participation and weaving writing instruction into course content are ways to help alleviate the social injustice of educational inequities."
In 2005, Dr. Pérez's participatory work with a group of Bronx public school mothers in putting together a parent-designed guide to high school admissions was published. Her dissertation showcased findings from her 14-month ethnographic research on how families negotiate public school choice for their children. Central to Pérez's research design and analysis was MADRES (Mothers Advocating and Doing Research in Educational Settings), an advisory group of mothers of color who had recently experienced the high school application process firsthand with their own children.
Prior to her graduate studies, Dr. Pérez worked as a community organizer in low-income communities throughout California and New York City; she has campaigned to raise awareness of domestic violence and for affordable housing, school reform, and access to affordable health care. As a second-generation, American-born working-class Puerto Rican whose parents were monolingual Spanish speakers, Dr. Pérez was cast in the role of translator and advocate at a very young age. This included everything from contacting the New York City Housing Authority about much-needed repairs to translating on parent-teacher night at her public school. Dr. Pérez reflected, "My background as a member of an and an advocate for low-income communities of color has greatly shaped my views, stance, and style as a researcher and as an educator."
Dr. Pérez joined the Saint Joseph College faculty in 2009 and was recently honored by Connecticut Magazine in their "40 Under 40" feature of community leaders in March of 2011.
View the story: http://www.connecticutmag.com/Connecticut-Magazine/March-2011/40-Under-40
Academic Degrees:
Ph.D., Education, The Graduate Center, City University of New York (Ph.D. with distinction)
M.Phil., Education, Philosophy, The Graduate Center, City University of New York
M.S.W., Social Work, Hunter College, City University of New York
B.A., Psychology, Saint Francis College
Recent publications:
Pérez, M. (2011) Two Tales of One City: A Political Economy of the New York Cit
y Public High School Admissions Process. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. City University of New York. January, 2011.
Pérez, M. (2009). “Latina Parents, School Choice, and Pierre Bourdieu.” In Anyon, J (Ed.) Theoretical Encounters in Educational Research. Routledge Press. New York.
Pérez, M. (2009). “Personal Reflection: My Relationship with Theory.” In Anyon, J (Ed.) Theoretical Encounters in Educational Research. Routledge Press. New York.
DeJesús, Anthony & Pérez, Madeline (2009). From Community Control to Consent Decree: Puerto Ricans Organizing for Education and Language Rights in NYC. Centro Journal. Centro de Estudios Puertoriqueños, City University of New York, Fall 2009, 21(2): 7-31.
Pérez, M. (2006). The Family-to-Family Guide to Small High Schools in the Bronx., Bronx Institute of Lehman College. 2006.
Recent Presentations:
Association of Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors (BPD) Conference, Cincinnati, Ohio - 2/24/2011 "¡Adelante!: Institutional and Individual Transformations When Latinas Return to College"
Puerto Rican Studies Association Conference (PRSA), Hartford, CT -10/23/2010 "¡Adelante!: Institutional and Individual Transformations When Latinas Return to College" Panel presentation with multiple stakeholders: students, faculty and administrators.
Saint Joseph College - Weekend Program Faculty Retreat, West Hartford, CT - 5/4/2010 "Empowering Adult Learners as Writers: Using Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) Techniques."
Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), San Antonio, TX - 11/2009 "From Community Control to Consent Degree: Puerto Ricans Organizing for School Decision-Making & Language Rights in New York City during the1960's."
American Educational Research Association (AERA), New York, NY - 3/2008 "The Family-to-Family Guide: Parents' Experiences with the New York City High School Admissions Process: A Participatory Project."
