Paula Selvester, EdD

Dr. Selvester is the Coordinator of the Liberal Studies (Elementary Teacher Education) Bachelor of Arts degree program. She is also a professor in the School of Education. She is the former CSU, Chico Faculty President and Chair of the Academic Senate. She was elected to the CSU Statewide Senate by the faculty in 2015 for a three-year term. Dr. Selvester teaches courses in the School of Education and in Liberal Studies.

Paula M. Selvester joined the School of Education in 1994. Before coming to CSU, Chico, she taught both in the US and internationally in England and Cairo, Egypt. She taught at the American University in Cairo for three years designing curriculum and developing educational programs. She also taught three years at the American Language Institute at San Francisco State University. After receiving a Multicultural Education Teaching Mentorship supported by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing and issued in Colusa Unified School District, she developed a school-by-school, district-wide assessment process and English language development curriculum for Colusa Unified School District and taught high school English to English learners in Colusa, California for seven years.

Dr. Selvester holds a doctorate in Education Organization and Leadership. In addition, she holds current the following teaching credentials: Multiple Subject Credential, Professional Clear, California; Cross-cultural, Language and Academic Development Certificate, Professional Clear, California; Supplementary Credential Authorization: English as a Second Language, Professional Clear, California; Single Subject Credential, English, Speech, and Drama, Professional Clear, California; and California Community College Instructor's Credential, Basic Education, awarded by the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, California. Her courses at CSUC include literacy methods, access and equity in education, research methods, and curriculum development, including fieldwork supervision courses in Northstate public schools. Her teaching practice and research interests include emergent and adolescent literacy development, technology in higher education, and second language teaching and learning. Her education policy interests include curriculum development, technology use in higher education and faculty rights. Dr. Selvester is currently the Coordinator of the Liberal Studies Program, the CSU, Chico Statewide Senator, and past Faculty President and Academic Senate Chair (2013-2014).

Dr. Selvester has authored numerous articles on teaching and learning in Issues in Teacher Education, The International Higher Education Teaching and Learning Review, College and University Media Review, Educational Studies, The Reading Professor, The California Reader, among others. She has recently co-authored a book that provides a framework for a socially responsible pedagogy of literacy development for young adults, Adolescent Voices: The Power of a Socially Responsible Literacy Pedagogy (2102) published by Teachers College Press, Columbia University. For her work in teaching issues of access and equity in education, she received the Taking It To The Classroom Award from the CSU, Chico Office of Diversity in 2012.