Dr Virginia Montero Hernandez

Dr. Virginia Montero Hernandez is a Professor and Program Director. She received her PhD in Education (Curriculum and Instruction/Higher Education) from the University of California, Riverside in 2010. She was a doctoral fellow (2005-2010) through the binational fellowship program by the University of California Institute for Mexico and the U.S (UCMEXUS) and El Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT) in Mexico. She was a postdoctoral scholar at the Graduate School of Education at UCR and Scholar in Residency at UCMEXUS. Through the CONACYT repatriation program, Dr. Montero Hernandez was appointed as an Assistant Professor and Program Coordinator of the master’s Program at The Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos (UAEM), in the city of Cuernavaca located in Morelos, Mexico. During her work in UAEM, she was honored as an active member of the National System of Researchers, Level 1 with CONACYT.

Dr. Montero Hernandez’s research explores the ways in which formal and informal educational processes, particularly at the postsecondary educational level, shape individuals’ identity formation. Through her work, she explores effectives ways to design a curriculum and instructional practices that promote identity work and transformational learning experiences that allow individuals to be empowered. Dr. Montero Hernandez’s research approach includes micro and macro categories of analysis such as agency, identity, resilience, curricular structures, learning dynamics, interactional structures, organizational structures and behaviors, policy, and cultural resources. Using a socio-cultural and cultural psychology perspective, Dr. Montero Hernandez examines how educational institutions respond to issues of intersectionality and the ways in which educational leaders can design creative curriculum structures to support the holistic development of individuals whose multiple marginalization and positionalities define their everyday lives. Some of her more recent work include the design of educational interventions to address mental health issues and empower adult learners from the Latinx community. She has designed a student empowerment program whose six modules guide participants to develop self-authorship and psychological empowerment. The goal of this program is to equip higher education students with personal resources to navigate the college experience from a place of agency and self-advocacy.  

She has co-authored a book, book chapters, and several articles in the field of Higher Education, including critical issues in the community colleges, the academic profession, the context of Mexican higher education, faculty learning, mental health issues among Latinx student in higher education, graduate education, and graduate mentoring. Dr. Montero Hernandez has been Principal Investigator (PI) and Co-PI for several CONACYT and Ministry of Education funded research projects in Mexico and multi-year research projects through the National Science Foundation in the U.S. Dr. Montero Hernandez has designed and delivered undergraduate and graduate courses on critical education topics and qualitative research methodology. Dr. Montero Hernandez has also led professional development experiences for university professors in STEM and non-STEM fields. She has chaired more than 25 doctoral dissertations.

Dr. Montero Hernandez honors cultural diversity and is passionate about developing effective learning environments where individuals can gain self-knowledge, build skills up, and define personal projects. She advocates for the development of individuals’ agency and psychological empowerment, particularly among disadvantaged populations. Personal hobbies and interest include artistic practices, dog walks, self-care, and understanding intergenerational well-being.