Role Model 2008-09
Category: Faculty
Dr. Marisol Clark-Ibáñez, Sociology Department
Marisol Clark-Ibáñez, Ph.D., was born in Lima, Perú to a Peruvian mother and an Irish-American father. She lived her first years in South America and then immigrated to California with her parents. Growing up in Berkeley and Davis, Marisol and her sister Giselle spent each summer to Trujillo, Perú, a northern coastal town where her grandmother lived. Now, married to Ecuadorian-born Luke Lara (whose father is Afro-Ecuadorian and mother is German-American)has allowed herto add another "home" country to visit and which to introduce her own children. International issues and travel are cornerstones of Marisol's research, teaching, and personal interests.
At CSUSM, Marisol enjoys teaching Latino Communities (Soc 345) and Children's Human Rights in a Global Society (Soc 403) for the Department of Sociology. Her research currently focuses on the experiences of undocumented Latino college students. Marisol coaches and facilitates research and digital story telling with undergraduate and graduate researchers on this topic and others related to the Latino community (e.g., Latino parent-participation).
Her most rewarding experience at CSUSM has been serving as co-advisor for the student club, Espíritu de NuestroFuturo, which strives to support and advocate for undocumented college students. Marisol is extremely impressed by the club members' dedication, leadership abilities, outreach efforts, lobbying for the DREAM Act, and fundraising for the club's scholarship. She also enjoys working with co-advisor SilverioHaro and learning from his expertise on Chicano history, organizing, and empowerment. Marisol hopes to see CSUSM become designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution, the development of a Chicano/a Studies program, and increased retention and success for Latino/a students.
