Hi! My name is Patriccia Ordoñez-Kim. I love learning about what makes people and society tick. I also love dogs and brown sugar boba.

I am a Ph.D. candidate at the University of California, Riverside's School of Education. My dissertation research is about Ethnic Studies teachers' pedagogies. Before researching K-12 education, I was (and still am) deeply invested in higher education, student affairs, and equity. I earned my Master of Arts degree in Educational Administration in Higher Education and my Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from California State University, Northridge--an outstanding state college!

My philosophical stances about K-12 education, higher education, and societal change stem from my experiences as a high schooler in Los Angeles public schools. My lack of academic engagement and sense of belonging at LA Unified School District strengthen my stance: education must be critical, engaging, and liberatory to empower youth, which is integral to a functioning democracy.

I did a lot of thinking, reading, and writing about Filipino students in the USA, graduate student experiences, and emergent bilingual students' experiences. I presented my research findings about these topics at multiple conferences, including the American Educational Research Association. I also like to put together panels, workshops, and rallies to bring community voices together. Some examples include the work I did with amazing people: women of color in academia (Students of Color Conference), UCR4COLA, graduate student stories (AERA), CRT and Ethnic Studies (WAESN), APIDA Solidarity (School of Education), and Fellowship and Grant Writing (Research on the Education of Asian Pacific Americans).

I am grateful for the institutional support and recognition to jumpstart my doctoral education. I received the Eugene Cota Robles Diversity Fellowship from 2016-2020. And I was recognized with an Outstanding Teaching Assistant of the Year award in my department and among other graduate students across UC Riverside. I am proud to have been selected by the School of Education to attend the inaugural Gates Notes Deep Dive with Bill Gates. Being a Ford Foundation Honorable mention is such an honor, as well.

When I'm not working on my dissertation, I work as the Executive Director for the University of California Graduate and Professional Council (UCGPC). At UCGPC, I can continue representing student interests and advocating for social justice. In my spare time, I use my creative and digital skills for two roles: an apprentice for the Equity and Excellence in Education Journal and an independent consultant, working with the Institute of Mixed Methods Research and the Colloquium for College Sport Inequity.

Maraming salamat!