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Nearly 150 PhD and EdD candidates were officially hooded in McCarthy Quad on Thursday, May 16 at the ������̳ Doctoral Commencement Ceremony. Flag bearers Monica Esqueda PhD ’13 and Evelyn Jimenez EdD ’13 headed the streams of cardinal regalia into the ceremony, at which Professor Emeritus Stuart Gothold spoke of the significance of the traditional garb and the tremendous honor and responsibility of holding a USC doctorate degree. Two recipients of the 2013 ������̳ Outstanding Dissertation Award also were honored at the ceremony – Kris DePedro ’12 and Christine Hamlin EdD ’13.

2013 ������̳ Outstanding Dissertation Award Winners

• Kris DePedro PhD ’12
  Title: “The Role of School Climate in the Mental Health and Victimization of Students in Military-Connected Schools”
  Chair: Dr. Ron Avi Astor

• Christine Hamlin EdD ‘13
  Title: “The Practice and Effects of a School District’s Retention Policies”
  Chair: Dr. Dennis Hocevar

2013 Doctoral Commencement Flag Bearers

• Monica Esqueda PhD ‘13
  Esqueda’s research focuses on pre-college and college experiences of underserved student populations, and the impact of education policies on postsecondary access, choice and success. Her dissertation examined college choice processes and decisions of military-connected students, and she plans to continue working as a researcher with the Building Capacity for Military-Connected Schools project, under the direction of Professor Ron Avi Astor.

• Evelyn Jimenez EdD ‘13
  An educator at Loyola High School of Los Angeles, Jimenez conducted her doctoral dissertation research on closing the college readiness gap for Latino English Language Learners. She aspires to become a principal, and continue consulting with school districts to find solutions for the Latino English Language Learner achievement gap.