San Diego, CA - Dr. Cynthia Darche Park, Professor Emerita at San Diego State University and Director of the Institute for Transformative Education, is inspiring a fresh perspective on education that connects personal history, cultural identity, and hands-on experience. Drawing from her lifelong journey as an educator that began as a teenager in the Girl Scouts, Dr. Park’s work and the Institute’s initiatives are reshaping the way educators and students approach teaching, learning, and self-development.

Growing up surrounded by educators, Dr. Park first discovered her gift for teaching at the age of 14 while leading younger Girl Scouts in song. “I was just able to stand up, teach them, and help them have fun,” she recalls. She attributes her early confidence to watching her mother, an educator, and learning intuitively from family experiences. These formative moments helped her realize that many essential teaching skills are not innate for everyone and that effective guidance, as well as positive interaction, can be learned.

This understanding lies at the core of the Institute for Transformative Education at SDSU. The Institute is dedicated to guiding students and educators not just to improve skill sets, but also to re-imagine their own potential and influence. Dr. Park differentiates between continuous improvement (getting incrementally better at a skill) and the deeper change that happens when a person shifts how they see themselves and interact with the world. Her approach is as much about personal growth as it is about professional progress.

A critical turning point in Dr. Park’s career came when, after taking on three major educational grants simultaneously, she recognized the need for outside support. “I was really in over my head. That’s when I realized the importance of reflection and rethinking how I worked with others,” she shares. This led her to a long-term relationship with a consultant, illustrating her belief that real change rarely happens in isolation. Dr. Park emphasizes the value of identifying mentors, consultants, and sponsors who can provide the honest feedback and cultural insight necessary for meaningful professional and personal development.

The Institute’s unique approach integrates academic coursework with real-world service learning, particularly in underrepresented communities. “What we’re teaching is not just content; it’s collaboration, reflection, and the ability to connect classroom knowledge to community service,” Dr. Park explains. Students at SDSU engage in service-learning courses that require them to work hands-on in local schools, connecting theory to practice. These experiences are intentionally structured, with reflection exercises helping students draw connections between their actions and their growth as individuals.

Dr. Park’s research also highlights the importance of developing a personal voice, especially for women and students from historically marginalized backgrounds. At the Institute, students are encouraged to explore who they are and what they want, rather than simply responding to external expectations. Through projects like “Voices from the Third Space,” students write autoethnographies (personal narratives that explore their cultural backgrounds and educational journeys). “Many women I’ve worked with struggle to articulate what they want for themselves. Our programs help them find that voice, which is a liberating experience,” Dr. Park notes.

The Institute actively addresses the differences between transactional and deeper learning environments. Dr. Park critiques traditional teaching methods that rely solely on lectures or checklists. “If you want people to learn, you have to engage as most people don’t really know how to listen,” she says. Service-learning at SDSU is designed to be collaborative and interactive, moving away from passive learning towards active participation and group reflection.

In today’s rapidly evolving educational landscape, Dr. Park argues that the biggest challenge is cultivating better educators prepared to guide holistic student development. “You have to have really good teachers, and there aren’t enough out there,” she emphasizes. She advocates for teacher preparation that goes beyond technical skills to include reflection, critical thinking, and the ability to facilitate meaningful discussion and growth among students.

The Institute’s work bridges disciplines, drawing connections between science, the humanities, and the arts. Dr. Park is a strong advocate for integrating creative disciplines into STEM education, emphasizing that science is not just about acquiring knowledge, but about embracing change and creativity. She recounts supporting colleagues who successfully combined scientific and artistic perspectives, helping students and teachers alike discover new dimensions of learning.

Looking ahead, Dr. Park and the Institute continue to develop models for authentic service-learning and research that encourage students to reflect, collaborate, and grow. Their approach equips students not just for academic success, but for lifelong self-discovery and adaptability. As Dr. Park sums it up: “Listen to your intuition. Very often, what you’ve suffered can educate you more than your accolades.”

About the Institute for Transformative Education at SDSU:

The Institute is dedicated to connecting academic learning with hands-on community experience, supporting students and educators to develop both professional expertise and deep personal insight. Programs include service-learning courses, research on student narratives, and support for underrepresented groups in education and health sciences.

For more information about Cynthia Darche Park, PhD and the Institute For Transformative Education at San Diego University, please visit https://ite.sdsu.edu/directory/cynthia-park-ite/ and https://www.24-7pressrelease.com/press-release/528463/cynthia-darche-park-phd-presented-with-the-albert-nelson-marquis-lifetime-achievement-award-by-marquis-whos-who/