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Dr. Roberta Espinoza
Professor
Dr. Roberta Espinoza is excited to join the sociology faculty at LMU after serving for seven years in university leadership as Vice Provost for Global-Local Affairs and Associate Provost for International Programs and Partnerships. A first-generation college graduate, Dr. Espinoza brings to the department a deep commitment to equity, access, and student success in higher education. She earned her doctoral degree in Sociology from the University of California, Berkeley, where she developed a strong foundation in the study of educational inequality and institutional transformation.
Dr. Espinoza’s research sits at the intersection of race, class, and educational opportunity, with particular attention to how systems of support—and barriers—shape student experiences. Her work examines how institutional practices and policies can either expand or restrict access to resources, belonging, and academic success for historically marginalized students. Grounded in a commitment to social justice, her scholarship seeks to illuminate pathways toward more equitable and inclusive educational environments.
In connection with her research, Dr. Espinoza is deeply passionate about teaching and mentorship. She strives to create classroom spaces that affirm students’ identities, encourage critical thinking, and connect sociological theory to lived experience. She is especially committed to supporting first-generation and minoritized students as they navigate higher education and develop their own academic and professional pathways.
Welcome to LMU Dr. Espinoza!