Page 6 - 2021 CEHD Graduate Commencement Program

Featured speakers
Michael C. Rodriguez, interim dean of the College of Education and Human Development Rachel Croson, executive vice president and provost
Joan T.A. Gabel, president, University of Minnesota
Heather Mueller, commissioner, Minnesota Department of Education
Conferring of Degrees
Honorable Kendall J. Powell, Chair, Board of Regents
Candidates for the MEd, MA, MS, MSW, EdD, PhD and specialist certificate degrees
Biographical Information
Michael C. Rodriguez
Michael C. Rodriguez, PhD, is the interim dean of the College of Education and Human Development and the Campbell Leadership Chair in Education and Human Development and a professor of educational psychology. He is a fifth-generation Minnesotan and first-generation college graduate, who received his BA from
the Morris campus. His research focuses on understanding the psychometric properties of tests—for example, the use of constructed-response versus multiple-choice items. Rodriguez works with school districts to develop methods for improving their use of large-scale test information to improve practices and policies. In addition, he is dedicated to improving the accessibility of assessments of students with disabilities and multilingual learners. Rodriguez leads the Minnesota Youth Development Research Group which helps school districts make use of the Minnesota Student Survey, reporting on positive youth development
and social and emotional learning. Rodriguez provides advisory support and leadership to several national organizations, including the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards, National Assessment of Educational Progress, U.S. Department of Defense on military personnel testing, Association of American Medical Colleges, and National Council on Measurement in Education.
Rachel T.A. Croson
Rachel T.A. Croson came to the University of Minnesota from Michigan State University (MSU), where she served as Dean of the College of Social Science and MSU Foundation Professor of Economics. She is professor of economics and the 2018 winner of the Carolyn Shaw Bell Award. Prior to her tenure at MSU, she served as dean of the School of Business at the University of Texas at Arlington, division director for Social and Economic Sciences at the National Science Foundation, professor and director of the Negotiations Center at the University of Texas at Dallas, and associate professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. She earned her bachelor’s degree in economics and the philosophy of science from the University of Pennsylvania and her master’s and PhD in economics from Harvard University.
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