For many educators, earning a doctorate is often postponed due to career, family, and other responsibilities. That’s why the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) program at Pacific Oaks College was designed to make doctoral study more accessible, without asking educators to step away from the lives and work that define them.
Designed for working educators, the Pacific Oaks Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) program combines online coursework with structured mentorship and cohort-based learning.
Rokeya Rahman, a first-cohort Ed.D. student and full-time faculty member at East Los Angeles College, chose the Ed.D. program at Pacific Oaks it fit into her full professional and personal life. Pacific Oaks’ structure allows her to balance teaching, caregiving, and community leadership while pursuing research focused on early childhood education.
Meet a Pacific Oaks Student Managing Teaching, Family, and Doctoral Study
Name: Rokeya Rahman
Role: Full-time faculty, East Los Angeles College (ELAC)
Experience: More than 25 years in education, from preschool teacher’s assistant to full-time community college faculty
Leadership: Nonprofit mentor for Bangladeshi girls (middle school through college), service on two private school boards, caregiver, spouse, and mother
Ed.D. focus: Culturally responsive teaching practices for early childhood educators
From Early Childhood Classrooms to Community College Faculty
Rokeya Rahman’s story begins in Bangladesh, where she completed her bachelor’s degree before immigrating to the United States about 25 years ago.
“I worked as a teacher’s aide, then a teacher, site supervisor, and instructional coach,” says Rahman. “Eventually, I became faculty.”
Today, Rahman is a full-time faculty member at East Los Angeles College and an active community leader. She mentors young women through Young Sisters of MUNA, a nonprofit organization that supports Bangladeshi girls from middle school to university. She also serves on two private school boards, all while balancing family life as a wife, mother of two adult sons, and caregiver to her mother.
“It’s a packed schedule,” she laughs, “but it’s who I am. I love being busy and contributing wherever I can.”
Finding the Right Doctor of Education Program at Pacific Oaks
For years, Rahman had her sights set on a research-based doctorate, but the search proved challenging. Many Ed.D. programs she explored leaned heavily toward leadership and administrative training. While these are valuable paths, she was looking for something different: thorough research grounded in early childhood education and culturally responsive teaching, paired with a structure that fit her life.
That search led her back to a familiar place: Pacific Oaks College.
“I previously studied at Pacific Oaks, so when I heard they were launching an Ed.D. program, I kept checking for updates,” says Rahman. “When a colleague texted that applications were open, I applied right away, even though I was traveling abroad.”
The decision was about more than coincidence. The Pacific Oaks ethos of social justice, equity, and inclusion spoke directly to her own experiences.
“Many programs talk about diversity,” she explains, “but Pacific Oaks lives it. As a woman who wears hijab, I never feel out of place. Here, I can be who I am, and that acceptance means everything.”
Faculty Guidance and Cohort Support at Pacific Oaks
From her very first interview with Judy Krause, Ed.D., program director for the Ed.D. in Early Childhood Education at Pacific Oaks, Rahman felt confident she had found the right place.
“That conversation sealed it,” she says. “Dr. Krause’s warmth and empathy gave me the courage to begin. Especially because English is not my first language, her support has meant a lot to me. She’s still my academic advisor and continues to be my biggest supporter.”
Mentorship has been a cornerstone of Rahman’s success. But so has the sense of belonging within her cohort. As part of Pacific Oaks’ first Ed.D. cohort, she joined a group of about 15 educators from varied professional and cultural backgrounds.
“We’re so diverse, but that’s our strength,” Rahman says. “Everyone brings a different experience, and yet, we’re united.”
That extends beyond the classroom. Faculty and staff across departments create a structure of guidance, from the Writing Center and student success team to the librarian at the Andrew Norman Library, who helps students with their research design and academic writing.
“These services are there for students,” Rahman says. “It’s not just academic support; it’s emotional, too. They really care about you as a whole person.”
Culturally Responsive Teaching in Early Childhood Education
Rahman’s doctoral research focuses on an issue she sees every day in her own classrooms: the need for early childhood educators to be culturally competent and inclusive.
“As community college faculty, we’re preparing the teachers who will work directly with young children,” she explains, “But many of them don’t feel equipped to serve children from diverse backgrounds, languages, or abilities, especially after the pandemic, which disrupted so much hands-on learning.”
Her Ed.D. studies explore culturally responsive teaching (CRT) practices and how educators can integrate awareness, respect, and inclusivity into every interaction with children and families.
“Cultural responsiveness includes everything: language, ability, identity, family structure,” she says. “It’s about recognizing every child’s context and creating space for all of them to belong.”
Courses at Pacific Oaks, particularly one led by professor Monica Hunter, Ph.D., deepened Rahman’s commitment to this work. The class, which focuses on culturally responsive instruction, inspired her to begin conducting professional workshops on the topic.
“So far, I’ve led two sessions,” she says proudly. “One through Teach for LA, which serves educators across Los Angeles, and another for a partnership between East Los Angeles College and early childhood faculty from Japan. My presentation was translated into Japanese; it was incredible.”
Rahman’s long-term goal is to develop a professional development module that teacher preparation programs can embed directly into their practicum courses, helping future educators translate theory into action.
Managing Doctoral Work Alongside Teaching and Family Life
Given her schedule of full-time teaching, doctoral work, and family life, Rahman’s days are packed, yet she maintains a sense of calm by leaning on structure, intentions, and a surprising amount of joy.
One of her biggest takeaways from the Ed.D. program’s first semester came from a course on time management. “We read a book about time traps, and I realized how easy it is to lose focus on things that don’t serve your goals,” she recalls. “Since then, I’ve followed a system called the ‘three red-zone tasks.’ Every night, I write down the three most important things I need to accomplish the next day.”
This small ritual keeps her grounded, and when she skips it, she feels the difference.
“I can tell immediately when I don’t do it,” she laughs. “It keeps me accountable, productive, and less overwhelmed.”
Her weekly rhythm is equally intentional: coursework on Tuesdays and Thursdays, grading on Mondays and Wednesdays, and research on weekends. She even applies time management to cooking.
“As a Bangladeshi, I love to cook,” she says, “but I plan meals so they last two days. That way, I can still feed my family well without adding stress.”
Even with structure, life sometimes intervenes. Earlier this year, Rahman faced illness and family challenges at home and abroad. Her approach: communication and self-compassion.
“I reached out to my professors for short extensions, and I told my students when I fell behind on grading. Being open helped everyone understand, and it reminded me that I’m human.”
How Doctoral Study Shapes More Empathetic Educators
Returning to school after decades as a teacher has reshaped Rahman’s perspective on what students need to succeed. “I’ve always tried to be understanding, but now I’m even more flexible,” she says. “I know what it’s like to juggle work, family, and school. When my students struggle with technology or child care or immigration issues, I understand that they’re doing their best. My job is to support them, not judge them.”
Working in Los Angeles, Rahman teaches a student population that often faces significant challenges: financial hardship, housing insecurity, and fear related to immigration status. “Many of my students are first-generation college students, immigrants, or parents,” she says. “Some are homeless or afraid to travel because of immigration enforcement. They need professors who see them as whole people.”
Rahman’s Ed.D. coursework reinforces that approach, connecting empathy to academic rigor. “The Pacific Oaks philosophy, rooted in social justice, reminds us that inclusion isn’t optional,” she says. “It’s a responsibility.”
What Distinguishes the Pacific Oaks Doctor of Education Program
As Rahman reflects on her work, she credits her progress: “There have been tough moments when I’ve been sick, exhausted, or worried about family, but I take it one step at a time,” she says. “I tell myself: just do something today, even if it’s small. Progress is progress.”
That steady mindset, combined with her support system at Pacific Oaks, allows her to flourish across multiple roles. She’s advancing her research, mentoring other educators, and preparing to contribute to statewide discussions on equity in early childhood education.
“I’m developing the teachers of young children,” Rahman says. “If they become more culturally competent, more inclusive, that change multiplies through every classroom and every child they touch.”
If you’re an educator ready to deepen your effectiveness while balancing life, work, and other responsibilities, the Pacific Oaks Doctor of Education is ready for you. Fill out the brief form below for more information.
