Pacific Oaks prides itself on its community of change agents—the students, faculty, and alumni who are making a profound impact in the fields of education, human development, and marriage and family therapy. Our graduates are representations of the college's philosophy and approach to learning; they embrace a respect for individual and cultural differences, a commitment to serve the underserved, and a dedication to the principles of social justice.
Read how our alumni, faculty, and students are making a positive impact in the lives of children and families, and in their communities.
Anti-Bias to Anti-Bullying
Professor Louise Derman-Sparks' groundbreaking Anti-Bias Curriculum, published in 1989, represented a milestone in Pacific Oaks' long tradition of students, faculty, and alumni working to right many of the world's wrongs. Today, Tisha Marina Bernard's battle against bullying is just one example of social justice at work in the college community. Read more.
Head Start to Head of the Class
Following President Lyndon Johnson's 1964 War on Poverty legislation, the U.S. government asked Pacific Oaks to launch one of the nation's first Head Start training programs. Today the early childhood education profession continues to benefit from the insight and expertise the college has to offer. Read more.
Storytelling to Scholarship
A year after the National Center for Educational Statistics released an in-depth analysis of the challenges facing non-traditional students, Dr. Susan Bernheimer published her own compelling insights, gathered from years of teaching and interviewing impoverished students intent on becoming teachers. Her work joins the growing list of publications produced by Pacific Oaks faculty and alumni, whose research adds depth and understanding to the body of professional literature. Read more.
Transformative Learning
Watch two short videos that follow the stories of Jayanti and Kristi, Pacific Oaks College graduates who have used their degrees in Human Development to become agents of change in their communities. Read more.