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Kremen School of Education and Human Development

Susana Hernández

Associate Professor

Educational Leadership

suhernandez@csufresno.edu

Education

  • Iowa State University, Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, Certificate in Social Justice, Certificate in Applied Research Methods in the Human Sciences – Qualitative Methods, 2013
  • California State University, Long Beach, M.S. Counseling, Student Development in Higher Education, Certificate in Community College Leadership, 2009
  • UC Irvine, B.A. Political Science, B.A. Sociology, Minor, Education, 2004

Courses Taught

  • Master’s Level Courses
    • HEAL 221: Student Affairs in Higher Education
    • HEAL 298/HEAL 299 Culminating Project/Thesis
    • EAD 262: Educational Leadership
    • EAD 266: Higher Education Finance 
    • ERE 220: Research in Education
  • Doctoral Level Courses
    • EDL 580T: Critical Qualitative Inquiry
    • EDL 508: Theories of Cross-Cultural Education               
    • EDL 580T: Contemporary Issues in Higher Education
    • EDL 599: Dissertation Chair

Dr. Susana Hernández (She, her, ella) is an Associate Professor in Higher Education Administration and Leadership, Core Faculty Member in the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership, and Chair of the Department of Educational Leadership.

Dr. Hernández adopts critical frameworks and methods to examine educational opportunity in discourse, policy, and practice. Her research aims to interrogate institutional policies and practices to create more equitable educational experiences for underserved communities with a focus on Hispanic Serving Institutions, undocumented immigrant student experiences, and the preparation of educational leaders.

Dr. Hernández’s professional affiliations include: the Education Trust – West Educators Advisory Council, the UC Berkeley Executive Leadership Academy, the NASPA Emerging Faculty Leadership Academy, and the University of Pennsylvania Center for MSI – Elevate Fellowship.  Dr. Hernández is a recipient of the Iowa State College of Human Sciences Young Alumni Award, Fresno State Campus Advisors Network Outstanding Advisor, and the Fresno State Promising New Faculty Award.

Prior to becoming a professor, Dr. Hernández held several professional roles in higher education and students affairs across all 3 public systems of higher education in California. These roles included  working with high school students, community college students, undergraduate students, and families across the state of California.

Dr. Hernández is the daughter of Mexican immigrants from the state of Jalisco and grew up in the city of Inglewood, California. Her longstanding commitment to educational equity is demonstrated in the meaningful ways she incorporates her family’s history into her daily practice as a scholar and educator. 

  • Research interests
    • Latinx educational opportunity
    • Hispanic Serving Institutions
    • Immigration and education
    • Undocumented immigrant students
    • Student affairs leadership and practice
    • Leadership preparation
  • Qualitative Methods and Methodologies employed
    • Critical discourse analysis
    • Critical policy analysis
    • Platicas
    • Testimonios
    • Community cultural wealth

Hernández, S. (2020). Creativity and leadership: Graduate preperation programs as a place to engage in creative practice. In R. D Kelly, C. Stewart, & Associates (Eds), Disruptive transformation: Leading creative and innovative teams in higher education. Washington, DC: NASPA.

Hoffman, J. L., & Hernández, S. (2020). Institutional types, roles, and public good: Organizational structure. In J. Freeman, C. Keller, R. Cambiano (Eds.), Higher Education's Response to Exponential Societal Shifts. Hershey, PA: IGI Global.

Franco, M., & Hernández, S. (2018). Assessing the capacity of Hispanic Serving Institutions to serve Latinx students: Moving beyond structural diversity. New Directions for Institutional Research, 177, 57-71.

Hernández, I., Hernández, S., & de la Teja, M. (2017, May). Five things student affairs professionals can do to support Latinx/a/o students in community colleges. Washington, DC: NASPA.

Hernández, S. & Ortiz, A. M., (2016). Latinx college students. In M. J. Cuyjet, M. F. Howard-Hamilton, & D. L. Cooper (Eds), Multiculuralism on campus: Theories, models and practices for understanding diversity and creating inclusion (2nd edition) (pp. 83- 111). Sterling, VA: Stylus.

Hernández, S., & Gonzales, L. (2015). Testimonio for living and learning in academia: Caring for mind, body, and soul. In F. Hernandez, E. Murakami, & G. Rodriguez (Eds.), Abriendo Puertas, Cerrando Heridas (Opening Doors, Closing Wounds): Latina/os Findings Work-Life Balance in Academia. (pp. 85 – 96). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.

Gildersleeve, R. E., & Hernández, S. (2012). Producing (im)possible peoples: Policy discourse analysis, in-state resident tuition and undocumented students in American higher education. International Journal of Multicultural Education, 14(2), 1-19.