PhD, Sociology, University of Southern California

Zoë Corwin brings more than two decades of experience leading research that expands educational opportunity and strengthens the connection between scholarship and practice. Corwin studies college access and success, digital equity, the experiences of at-promise students and the institutions that serve them, and the intersection of skateboarding, well-being and community. Her work is distinguished by deep partnerships with research
participants, schools, community organizations, and public agencies; robust collaboration with colleagues; and a strong commitment to equity and care. 

As a Professor of Research, Corwin has had the flexibility to engage in innovative projects with the goal of broad impact—from developing a suite of analog and digital college access games used nationwide to increase FAFSA completion, to exploring the experiences of skateboarders in ways that have informed advocacy for skateparks across the country, to working with university systems to shift institutional culture in support of at-promise student success. She has secured and contributed to more than $18 million in funded research supported by organizations including the U.S. Department of Education, the National Institutes of Health, the Gates Foundation, the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, TG Foundation, and the Tony Hawk Foundation, among others. 

Corwin currently leads the Promoting At-promise Student Success (PASS) project and USC Skate Studies. She is dedicated to research that resonates with target audiences, and she prioritizes developing highly accessible resources—from digital tools and practitioner guides to briefs, graphics, zines, and animated videos. She is co-editor of Diversifying Digital Learning: Online Literacy and Educational Opportunity and Postsecondary Play: The Role of Games and Social Media in Higher Education, both published by Johns Hopkins University Press, and Preparing for College: Nine Elements of Effective Outreach with SUNY Press. 

Passionate about the power of qualitative research, Corwin frequently teaches research methods to students in Rossier’s Postsecondary Administration and Student Affairs MA program. Her contributions to community-engaged scholarship and mentoring have been recognized by USC.

Expertise
Sociology of Education | College Access & Success | Digital Equity | Qualitative Methodologies

Extended bio and CV at USC Rossier