The prestigious Debra D. Bragg Dissertation Award annually recognizes an individual who sheds new light on broadening access and advancing equitable outcomes for community college students who are historically underserved.
2026 Debra D. Bragg Dissertation Award Honoree
Dr. Jessica Wojtysiak completed her doctoral degree in educational leadership at California State University, Bakersfield, in August 2024. Her dissertation, titled “Making Us Fearless”: A Mixed Methods Study Of The California Community College Baccalaureate Degree,” examined whether or not the CA CCB program is achieving its legislatively mandated goal of expanding access to new job opportunities and promotion through the provision of a quality baccalaureate education to California’s students and to investigate how the self-efficacy of enrolled students compares to those earning a bachelor’s degree at traditional 4-year institutions.
2025 Debra D. Bragg Dissertation Award Honoree
Dr. April Mazon completed her doctoral degree in Community College Leadership at San Diego State University in December 2024. Her dissertation, titled Voces Rurales: Examining Latina Rural College Student Experiences in Navigating Transitions from College to Career or Post-Baccalaureate Studies, explores the critical intersection of rurality, gender, and ethnicity in higher education. Her work strives to inform policies and practices that expand access to baccalaureate degrees, improve support systems for Latina students, and strengthen workforce development in rural communities.
Dr. Mazon prides herself on being a first-generation Latina college graduate, a San Diego native, and a resident of Imperial County, California for 15 years. She has worked in education for the past 23 years. Dr. Mazon is Imperial Valley College’s Program Manager for “LIFT the Valley,” a Department of Energy-funded initiative focused on workforce development in the lithium and geothermal industries. Dr. Mazon also teaches part-time at San Diego State University Imperial Valley in the teaching credential program, where she works with local emerging K-12 educators.