Ph.D. in Educational Policy & Leadership—Higher Education, The Ohio State University

Joseph A. Kitchen, Ph.D. is an Associate Research Professor at the University of Southern California's Pullias Center for Higher Education. His research examines asset-oriented, equity-based, and systems-level approaches to supporting academic success, psychosocial well-being, and career development among low-income, first-generation, and other underserved college students. Using quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods methodologies, he studies how students navigate higher education and how institutions can better support their educational and career trajectories. He is committed to translating his research to inform policies and practices that promote justice and equity in education.

For over a decade, he has led work on the Promoting At-Promise Student Success (PASS) project. PASS is a multi-million dollar mixed-methods research-to-practice university partnership that has resulted in the identification of several college student success models, practices, and approaches that foster academic, social, and career development and outcomes. He led the development of the Ecological Validation Student Success Model and the Major and Career Self-Efficacy Ecology Model—each of which present evidence-based, asset-oriented, ecological approaches to supporting student success to and through college and into their careers.

Following postdoctoral scholar appointments with Harvard University and USC Pullias Center, Dr. Kitchen served as an assistant professor of higher education at the University of Miami before rejoining the Pullias Center in 2021. He received his B.A. (Psychology) and M.A. (City and Regional Planning) from The Ohio State University, as well as his Ph.D. in Educational Policy & Leadership.

Expertise
STEM education | College Success

Extended bio and CV at USC Rossier