Antar A. Tichavakunda Dean s Fellow, PhD Student, University of Southern California Pullias Center for Higher Education, Rossier School of Education tichavak@usc.edu EDUCATION Ph.D. Urban Education Policy University of Southern California Advisor: Dr. William G. Tierney Major: Higher Education Cognate: Sociology 2013 present M.Ed. Special Education 2013 George Mason University B.A. Education Policy 2011 Brown University PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Qualitative Analyst for Mission Admission Grant Project Pullias Center for Higher Education, University of Southern California. Federally funded grant concerning digital equity and college access. Research Assistant. Pullias Center for Higher Education. Rossier School of Education, University of Southern California. 2014- present 2013- present Teach for America Corps Member 2011-2013 6 th grade Special Ed Teacher/Caseworker and 11 th grade English Teacher RESEARCH Interests Digital & Technological Practices of Historically Underrepresented Youth, College Readiness, Black Experiences at Predominately White Institutions, Qualitative Research Methods, Ethnography Peer-Reviewed Articles Tichavakunda, A. A. (2017). Perceptions of Financial Aid: Black Students at a Predominantly White Institution. The Educational Forum (81)1, 3-17. Tichavakunda, A. A & Tierney, W.G. (in press). The Wrong Side of the Divide: Highlighting Race for Equity s Sake. Journal of Negro Education.
Tichavakunda, A. A. (in press). Fostering College Identities: An Ethnography of a High School Afterschool Program. Education and Urban Society. Tichavakunda, A.A. (under review Teachers College Record). The Summer Before College: A Case Study of First-Generation, Latino/a Students. Manuscripts in Progress Tichavakunda, A.A. (in progress). (to be submitted to Equity and Excellence in Education). Financial Aid at a Predominantly White Institution: A Critical Race Analysis. Book Chapters Corwin, Z. & Tichavakunda, A.A. (in press). Facilitating Digital Access: The Role of Digital Empowerment Agents. Diversifying Digital Learning: Online Literacy and Educational Opportunity. Baltimore, MD: JHU Press. Published Work in Popular Media Tichavakunda, A.A. (2015, March 2). On Watching and Seeing: The Limits of Cell Phone Evidence. In Media Res- A Media Commons Project. Retrieved from http://mediacommons.futureofthebook.org/imr/2015/03/02/watching-and-seeing-limitscell-phone-evidence Tichavakunda, A.A. & Tierney, W. (2014, April 3). Punishing Public Service. Huffington Post Education Blog. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/william-gtierney/punishing- public-service_b_5083043.html Tichavakunda, A.A. & Tierney, W. (2014, April 9). Are We Letting Community College Students Down? Huffington Post Education Blog. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/william-g-tierney/a-failure-tocommunicate_1_b_5119881.html PRESENTATIONS Peer Reviewed Conference Presentations Tichavakunda, A.A. (2017) From Where They Enter: Intersectionality, Digital Equity, and Educational Opportunity. Presented at the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting. San Antonio, TX, April 17-May1. Tichavakunda, A.A. & Galan, C. (2017) Missed Messages and Motivated Students: Examining the Summer Before College. Presented at the AERA Annual Meeting. San Antonio, TX, April 17-May1. Tichavakunda, A.A. & Galan, C. (2017). The Summer Before College: A Case Study of First- Generation, Latino/a Students. Presented at the 7 th Annual California State University Long Beach Education Leadership Symposium. Long Beach, CA, Jan 28.
Tichavakunda, A.A. (2016). University Class Confessions: Making the Hidden Visible. Presented at the AERA Annual Meeting. Washington, DC, April 8-12. Ochsner, A. & Tichavakunda. A.A. (2016). Using Games to Improve College Access for Underserved Students. Presented at the AERA Annual Meeting. Washington, DC, April 8-12. Tichavakunda. A.A. (2015). Is There Room for a Safe Space? A Call for Clarity and Expansion. Presented at the Association of for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) Annual Meeting. Denver, CO. Tichavakunda, A.A. (2015). College Access and Persistence for Historically Marginalized Groups: The Role of A Safe Space. Presented at the ASHE Annual Meeting. Denver, CO, November 4-7. Tichavakunda, A.A. (2015). Fostering College Readiness: An Ethnography of an Afterschool Program. Presented at the ASHE Annual Meeting. Denver, CO, November 4-7. Tichavakunda, A.A. (2015). The Roots of Civic Youth Engagement: An Ethnography. Presented at the California Association of Freirian Educators (CAFÉ) Conference, Los Angeles, CA, April 24-25, Tichavakunda, A.A. (2015). Perceptions of Financial Aid: Black Students at a Predominately White Institution (PWI). Presented at the AERA Annual Meeting. Chicago, IL, April 17-20. Tichavakunda, A.A. (2015). Fostering College Identities: An Ethnography of an Afterschool Program. Presented at the AERA Annual Meeting. Chicago IL, April 17-20. Coles, J. & Tichavakunda, A.A. (2015). Black Male Student Support Group at a PWI: A Safe Space? Presented at the AERA Annual Meeting. Chicago IL, April 17-20. TEACHING EXPERIENCE Teaching Assistant. EDUC 728. Dr. William Tierney 2013 & 2014 Complexity of Educational Systems: Emerging Ideas, Emerging Markets Global Executive Ed.D. Rossier School of Education Teaching Assistant. EDHP 551. Dr. William Tierney Fall 2014 Ethnography and Education Rossier School of Education INVITED LECTURES AND PRESENTATIONS That Looks Like a Bad Dude Too: What does Critical Race Theory have to do with it?
2016 Race Matters: An Introduction to Critical Race Theory 2016 University of Southern California: Introduction to Education: Examining Critical Issues September 21 Understanding the Intellectual Framework for Critical Race Theory 2016 University of Southern California: The Research University in the 21 st Century August 22 An Introduction to Critical Race Theory 2016 University of Southern California: Introduction to Education: Examining Critical Issues February 29 Innovation in Education 2015 University of Southern California: Complexity of Educational Systems: Emerging Ideas, Emerging Markets January 8 On Participant Observation 2014 University of Southern California: The Researcher in the 21 st Century October 15 COMMUNITY OUTREACH/WORKSHOPS Trojan-Marks College Access Day 2016 Panelist for student/faculty panels to audience of 50 high school students Los Angeles, CA, November 7, 2014 Young Black Scholars Financial Aid Workshop 2015 Presented information about financial aid to high school students Los Angeles, CA, February 14 Trojan-Marks College Access Day 2014 Nominated moderator for student/faculty panels to audience of 50 high school students Los Angeles, CA, November 7, 2014 Product of Our Dreams Financial Literacy Day 2014 Presented to foster youth about the importance of financial literacy Los Angeles, CA, October 25 USC s Meet-4-Lunch Series featuring Dr. John Slaughter 2014 Facilitated discussion among faculty and administration Los Angeles, CA, October 8 Mentor Training for MoneyThink 2014
Led presentation about mentoring and working with high school youth Los Angeles, CA, February 9 Volunteer Positions I AM Mentor 2013- present Aid two students every year with the college application and personal statement process Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA) College Application Mentor and Tutor 2014-2015 PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS American Education Researcher Association, Division J Association for the Study of Higher Education AWARDS/HONORS University of Southern California Graduate School Final Year Fellowship 2017-2018 Chosen by Graduate School/Provost s Office Based on Dissertation Proposal and Recommendations to Receive $30,000 Full-Coverage Fellowship Stipend Rossier Student Organization Student Research Award for Doctoral Programs 2017 Awarded for novel and important work on Black students in STEM in higher education Dean s Fellowship in Urban Education Policy 2013-2017 Rossier School of Education, University of Southern California How They Stay: An Ethnography of Black Engineering and Computer Science Students. University of Southern California, Rossier Internal Research Funds. Award Amount $1000 2017 Nominated Participant of ASHE Graduate Student Policy Seminar 2015 Represented USC Rossier School of Higher Education at the annual ASHE preconference for graduate student scholars interested in policy. OTHER AFFILIATIONS Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Eagle Scout, Boy Scouts of America