Faculty Spotlight | Anthony Collatos

"It is not only about having a presence in our academic community. It is about making a difference in our actual community, outside the walls of the classroom."

Dr. Anthony Collatos, assistant professor of education at the Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP) has a special interest and expertise in urban education.

Collatos supports the GSEP Urban Initiative by leading three innovative programs: the Urban Parent Teacher Education Collaborative, which encourages parents to participate in their students' learning as teacher educators; the Riordan Extreme Leadership Program, which promotes leadership skills in high school students by providing networking opportunities with potential mentors; and the Youth Empowerment and Research Seminar, which advances civic participation and critical research. Of his work with urban youth, Collatos said, "Everyday we witness students becoming empowered. They are transforming into the types of engaged citizens we want leading our community.”

Collatos teaches several classes for the Master of Arts in Education with Teaching Credential and Learning Technologies programs. He began his career as a secondary social studies instructor because he wanted to show his students how their education applies to the real world: "It is not only about having a presence in our academic community. It is about making a difference in our actual community, outside the walls of the classroom."