Jennifer Ayala, Ph.D.
Professor
Director of TCUS
Director, Latin American and Latino Studies
Contact Info
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(201) 761-6153
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Sociology Urban Studies & Anthropology
Latin American and Latino Studies
Hilsdorf Hall, Room 404
About Dr. Ayala
Jennifer Ayala, Ph.D. is a Professor in the Sociology, Urban Studies, and Anthropology Department, Director of TCUS, and Director of the Latin American and Latino Studies program at Saint Peters University in Jersey City, New Jersey. Her scholarship focuses on education and immigrant justice issues using a PAR Entremundos approach with youth. More recently, her research examines how Latine young adults conceptualize and engage wellbeing.
“There are many reasons why I enjoy being part of the SPU community. Because of its small size and deep connections. It means I can get to know the students, and these connections dont always simply cease once they graduate. Because of its truly diverse student body, which means that students learn from one another as much as, if not more than, what they learn from me. Because of its social justice Jesuit mission. The work beyond the classroom walls, the relationship building and community engagement are tied to the university mission. Though there is always more work to do to live up to this image, it is an important one to struggle towards.”
“There are many reasons why I enjoy being part of the SPU community. Because of its small size and deep connections. It means I can get to know the students, and these connections dont always simply cease once they graduate. Because of its truly diverse student body, which means that students learn from one another as much as, if not more than, what they learn from me. Because of its social justice Jesuit mission. The work beyond the classroom walls, the relationship building and community engagement are tied to the university mission. Though there is always more work to do to live up to this image, it is an important one to struggle towards.”
Research Interests
- Participatory action research entremundos
- Education
- Youth studies
- Immigration rights
- Latinidades
Career & Accomplishments
Degrees
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•The Graduate School at CUNY, Ph.D.
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•Montclair State University, B.A.
Publications
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Armas, D.; Juarez, I.; Ayala, J.; Dobles, J.; Estrada, A. , Youth, 3, 1030-1052, 2023.
(Invited paper).
Ayala, J., Fine, M., Mendez, M.,Juarez Mendoza, A.N., Garcia Rivera, J.C., Finesurrey, S.Villeda, H.T., Mena, V., Azzam, K., Galletta, A., Houston, A., jones, v., Mungo, D., Qualitative Inquiry, 2020
Mendez, M., Ayala, J., & Rojas, K., 唬棗鳥鳥喝紳勳喧勳梗莽.泭釦棗釵勳梗喧勳梗莽,泭11(2), 47. MDPI AG, 2021
“Living Praxes and Principles in PAR EntreMundos.” In J. Cammarota (Ed.)..
Berta-vila, M., Rivera, M., Ayala, J., & Cammarota, J. – Palgrave Macmillan: London, 2021
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J. Ayala, J. Cammarota, M. Rivera, L.R. Rodriguez, M. Berta-Avila, M.E. Torre – Peter Lang Publishing, Inc., 2018
B.C. Rubin, J. Ayala, M. Zaal – Curriculum Inquiry, 2017
J. Ayala, M. Zaal – Networks: An Online Journal for Teacher Research, 2016
PAR Entremundos: A Practitioners Guide
J. Cammarota, M. Berta-Avila, J. Ayala, M. Rivera, L. Rodriguez – Growing Critically Conscious Teachers: A social justice curriculum for educators of Latino/a youth, 2016
V. Jones, C. Stewart, A. Galletta, J. Ayala – Teachers College Record, 2015
M. Zaal, J. Ayala – Journal of Curriculum Theorizing, 2013
J Ayala, A Galletta – Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology, 2012
M. Fine, J. Ayala, M. Zaal – Journal of Education Policy, 2012