COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

GREATHOUSE, LAURA, Ph.D.
Dean of College of Education

Dr. Greathouse received both her Doctorate and her Master of Arts in Anthropology from Binghamton University (SUNY).  She received her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Anthropology from The University of Akron, Ohio.  She has taught at California State University, Fullerton and State University of New York, Binghamton.

Her professional experiences include teaching TESOL courses both abroad and in the U.S for over ten years.  Dr. Greathouse has also developed various exams for the Certificate of Proficiency in English.

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BEEMAN, THOMAS, M.A.,

Associate Dean of College of Education

Professor Beeman received his Master of Arts in Linguistics from California State University, Fullerton and his Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Linguistics from California State University, Long Beach. He is also credentialed to teach Spanish in the state of California.

In addition to teaching courses at Irvine University, Professor Beeman teaches high school Spanish classes. His research interests include Linguistic Prejudice and Spanish in the United States. His co-authored book, Voices: Latino Students Speak Out on Life in the United States, has recently been accepted for publication.

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MUZZALL, JULIE A., M.A.

Professor of Education

Professor Muzzall received her Master of Arts in Anthropology in 2005 and her Bachelor of Arts in Art History from California State University, Fullerton in 1998.

Her professional experiences include working as an instructor for The Berkeley School in Fullerton CA, and as a Consultant and Personal Consultant for Hyatt Regency Hotel, Fiji Islands, and Old Auckland Custom House in New Zealand..

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SCHROEPPEL, CLAUDIA, M.A.

Assistant Professor of Education

Professor Schroeppel received a Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instructional development from Arizona State University, where she took significant graduate level courses in TESOL. She has her Preliminary Single Subject Teaching Credential in English, California Clear-Cross Cultural Language and Academic Development Certificate, California Preliminary Single Subject Teaching Credential in Foreign Language, and an Arizona Single Subject Teaching Certificate in German for the Secondary level. Professor Schroeppel studied Geography, German, and English at the University of Regensburg in Germany.  She speaks German, French, and Latin.

Professor Schroeppel has taught in Middle Schools and High Schools and has competed in the IMS beginning teacher support and assessment indication program. She has performed various duties, as a Graduate Teaching Assistant, Student Teacher, Graduate Research Assistant, ESL instructor, and Language Assistant.

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PLOTNER, JESSICA, M.A.
Professor of Education

Professor Plotner received her Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics and her TESOL Certificate from San Diego State University. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Business Management from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Her research interests include Teaching Listening with Authentic English, Authentic Listening Using Internet Resources, and Language and Language Attitudes in Veneto, Italy.

For the last four years, Professor Plotner has presented at various prestigious conferences such as the CATESOL Annual state Conference. She has also taught ESL courses at the intermediate and advanced levels for the University of California, San Diego and Human International Academy.

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DAVIS, SHERRY, M.A.,
Professor of Education

Professor Davis received her Master of Arts in English with an emphasis on TESOL and her Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts from California State University, Dominguez-Hills, Carson. She is credentialed to teach adult education in English, ESL and Communications.

Professor Davis has taught TESOL abroad and in the U.S.  She is a technical writer and continues to develop instructional material for the distance learning community.

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HUME-DAWSON, RODNEY B., M.A.,
Professor of Education

Professor Hume-Dawson received his Master of Arts in Education from California State University, Dominguez Hills in 2002, and a Bachelor of Arts in English and Philosophy from the University of Sierra Leone in 1995. He received his Professional Clear Single Subject Credential from California State University, Dominguez Hills and his Certificate of Completion in Adult Education Training in 2003.

Professor Hume-Dawson has taught at various schools, including Coast Christian, Gardena Valley Christian, Divine Savior Elementary, and Calvary Christian schools: Nimitz Junior High and George Washington Preparatory High School. He facilitated and presented Motivational Strategies and Ways to Teach Reading to Highly Unmotivated Kids at the South Bay Reading Annual Conference held in October 2001. He also presented and facilitated the AB1086 Literacy Strategies to teachers at Nimitz Middle School in Los Angeles. Professor Hume-Dawson is a member of the California Reading Association, the National Council for the Teachers of English, the South Bay Area Reading Council, the California Teachers Association, Poets and Writers Organization, and the American Federation of Teachers.  Professor Hume-Dawson is bilingual in English and Krio.

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ZACK, YANNI ZAFIROPOULOS, Ed.D., Ph.D.,
Professor of Education

Professor Zack received his Doctorate in Education from Saint Regis University in 2001 and his Doctorate in Special Education from Americus University in 2002. In 1989, he received his Master of Arts in Education and his Master of Arts in TESOL from the United States International University. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Radio Television from California State University, Northridge. Professor Zack holds a Paralegal Certificate from Glendale University of Law and a Special Education Credential from California State University, Los Angeles. He also holds an Administrative Credential from University of La Verne.

Professor Zack served as a Bilingual ESL and Special Education Teacher with the Los Angeles Unified School District from 1984-2000. He has also served as an ESL Instructor with Glendale Community College and Compton Community College. He has taught courses at Long Beach City College, California State University, Dominguez, Azusa Pacific University, and at Walden University as an Adjunct Faculty Instructor.

Professor Zack’s professional activities include serving as a Commissioner with the Los Angeles Unified School District Special Education Commission from 1995-1996, and as a presenter for the Middle Schools Conference in 1994. Professor Zack was professionally recognized as a Special Educator with CEC in 1998.

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JONES, DOUGLAS W., M.A.
Professor of Education

Professor Jones received his Master of Education degree, and his Single Subject Credential in Social Studies and English from the University of California, Los Angeles. He also received his Master of Educational Administration degree from California State University, Los Angeles in 2002.

Professor Jones has served as a Migrant Education Teacher, a Mentor Teacher, and a Middle School Teacher for Mountain View School District (MVSD) from 1987-2003.

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TRAN, TRI C., Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Education

Dr. Tran received his Ph.D. and M.A. in Romance Linguistics and Literatures from the University of California, Los Angeles and a B.A. in Spanish Linguistics from the University of California, Irvine. He received his TESOL degree from Teacher Training College in Nha Trang, Vietnam.

Dr. Tran has taught courses in Second Language Acquisition, English-Spanish Contrastive Analysis, Spanish Morphology and Syntax, History of the Spanish Language, Introduction to French Linguistics and Phonetics, Vietnamese Literature in English Translation, and History of the Spanish Language. His selected publications include Gapping in Spanish- A Minimalist Account, Bilingual Dictionary for Students of Linguistics, and El espanol conversacional para vietnamitas.

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COTNER, DOUGLAS, M., Ph.D.
Professor of Education

Dr. Cotner received his Doctorate of Science in Sustainable Development and Environmental Geography from The American Institute of Urban and Regional Affairs in 1998, and his Master of Arts degree in Geography from Columbia Pacific University in 1995.He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Geography and Economics from California State University, Long Beach. Dr. Cotner is a well-regarded interdisciplinary scholar within the academic community, especially in Europe at the University of Belgrade. Characterized as cutting edge, his research interests include major new insights into Sustainable Development, Globalization, Mega Cities, Geography, and Bioregional Economics.

Professor Cotner is currently engaged in Advanced Research on Mega-Cities and the Threat of Globalization. Here he focuses on the Triggering Mechanism that causes a large city to metamorphose into a Mega-City. This focus also considers the Environmental Consequences generated there from, as well as the role of Mega-Cities in Globalization. His argument in this context is what he has identified as the Thea [0] Factor.

Dr. Cotner’s Scholarship has found its way to a wider international audience, through unsolicited International Agency at the University of Belgrade, the Institute of Architecture and Urban & Spatial Planning of Serbia, Moscow State University, The Technion, and Nihon University, where it has been well received, especially at international conferences and symposia. Furthermore, his work has advanced new questions essential to problem solutions and issues resolution in the important areas of Sustainable Development, Mega-City Analysis, Geography, and the Human Organization of Small Urban Space.

He has taught courses at American Intercontinental University, Compton Unified School District, The American Institute of Urban and Regional Affairs, and Brooks College. His professional experience includes working as a Senior Banking Structure Analyst for United California Bank, as a CEO for Planning 2000, and as the Chief Scientist for The Hemispheric Research Laboratory and Policy Institute. He was nominated for the Tyler Environmental Prize in 2000 and was honored with the Brooks College Outstanding Interdisciplinary Professor Award in 2001.

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TACAPAN, JOHN C., M.A.
Assistant Professor of Education

Professor Tacapan received his Master of Arts degree in English as a Second Language in 2001 from the University of the Philippines.He received his Bachelor of Secondary Education in English from West Visayas State University. He also holds a Reading Program Certificate from UCLA, a Clear Cross-Cultural Language Academic Development Certificate, and a CA Professional Clear Single Subject Credential in English.

Professor Tacapan has taught courses in Effective Writing, Technical Writing, Police Report Writing, Speech and Oral Communications, Argumentation and Debate, World Literature, Developmental Reading, Phonology, and Teaching English as a Second Language at the University of Iloilo in the Philippines.He has also taught AP English Language and Composition at Dominguez High School.

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EBERSOLD, DEBORAH L., M.A.
Assistant Professor of Education

Professor Ebersold received her Master of Arts in TESOL and her Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies from California State University, Los Angeles.

She has taught ESL for Pacoima Skills Center, American International University, and Rinaldi Adult School. Professor Ebersold has tutored students of all ages and backgrounds at the Learning is Fun Center and Academic Advantage from 2006 to 2007.Currently, she is tutoring students at Woori Tutor, as well as studying at Ashford University for an Master of Arts in Education with an emphasis in Special Education.

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CERDENIO, RACHEL, M.A.
Associate Professor of Education

Professor Cerdenio received her Master of Arts degree in International Multicultural Education from the University of San Francisco in December 2005 and her Bachelor of Arts in French from Andrews University in 1997.She went on to receive her TESOL Certificate from Irvine University in August 2009. She also was a Fulbright Scholar at De La Salle University in Manila, Philippines in 2004, where she wrote and presented Working Woman of Colonial and Post Colonial Philippines: A Comparative Study.

In addition to teaching at Irvine University, Professor Cerdenio teaches courses at UCI. Her professional experience includes working as a Home Stay Recruiter for the Embassy CES Center and as a Program Director for Study Group USA. She has worked as a Language Arts Coordinator for the Upward Bound Program at California State University, Los Angeles and as an Admissions Office Representative for Pasadena City College. She has also volunteered her time as a Curriculum Developer for the International Museum of Women in San Francisco, CA. She has also taught ESL and French courses at Pasadena High School and World Missions University.In 2000, she was nominated for Disney’s Outstanding Teacher Award.