D. J. Espinosa

D.J. Espinosa was born in Texas about a mile from the Mexican border. Even though her family had lived in the U.S. for many years, none of them (including all grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins) were high school graduates. Her dream was to become the first. She became the second by graduating a year early as a member of the National Honor Society. Four years later, she earned the first Bachelor’s degree in all of her family (it was in the Sciences).

Dr. D, as many of her students would later call her, accomplished this goal with government help. She completed her undergraduate degree as a single mother receiving a monthly stipend of $86 in welfare, $105 in food stamps, and HUD housing. All of this ended when D.J. accepted a full fellowship to one of the best graduate schools in the nation. The University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB) has long included Nobel Prize winners among its world-class faculty.

As a graduate student, D.J. worked closely with three professors. The first was Dr. William T. Bielby who helped her to earn an M.A. and Ph.D. in Sociology as her mentor and dissertation advisor. The second was Dr. Robert Henry Billigmeier who inspired D.J. to become a professor. The third, Dr. Donald Cressey, helped her to forge a path to success as her graduate advisor.

Dr. D’s career spans three universities: Arizona State University (ASU), University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (UCCS), and University of Houston at Clear Lake (UHCL). Her hard work was noticed at each. Dr. D’s awards include the following from ASU: Outstanding Service Award from the President’s Office, Special Service Award from Chicano/a Faculty and Staff, and Outstanding Professor from the Golden Key National Honor Society. Dr. D was also honored as an Outstanding Student Mentor (at UCCS) and as a Minnie Stevens Piper Outstanding Teaching Finalist (at UHCL).

Like other university professors, Dr. D has numerous publications. Listed among them are encyclopedia entries, chapters in edited volumes, and refereed journal articles. She also participated in a number of research projects. One received a Research Recognition Award from the ASU Commission on the Status of Women. Another led to an Outstanding Research Award for her and her coauthor, Dr. Garry L. Rolison, from the City of Phoenix, Arizona. Ace College Exams is her first book.

Dr. D's only child is also doing well. She became the third person in all of her family to earn a Bachelor’s degree. The degree, in Biomedical Engineering, led to an incredible first job. It was as a flight controller for NASA’s Mission Control Center in Houston, Texas (which is why Dr. D moved to Houston). Her daughter has since earned a graduate degree, is happily married, has a wonderful family, and enjoys her career.

The facts are clear: higher education opens many doors, dreams do come true, and upward mobility is real.