KXO Radio AM1230 and FM 107.5

Yuma, Arizona  - Among the NAU-Yuma graduates this week will be two doctoral degree candidates, Vicki L. Ardisana and Gerrick J. Monroe.  Both will be among the nearly 200 graduates awarded diplomas during commencement exercise on Friday May 18^th.  The event will be held on the campus shared jointly by Arizona Western College and Northern Arizona University’s Yuma Branch Campus.

Ms. Ardisana is receiving her Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction.  Mr. Monroe is receiving his in Educational Leadership.  Both students have received numerous honors and awards during their careers and during their time at NAU-Yuma.

Ardisana has been an educator in the Yuma area for 20 years.  She is a member of several local and national professional organizations for mathematics, science and English as a second language.  She is currently a member of NAU-Yuma’s faculty, where she facilitates teacher certifications.  Ardisana continues to work in partnership with local school districts, helping to improve teacher quality in mathematics, science and academic language. 

Monroe has also been an educator in the Yuma area for 13 years, including teaching English and coaching basketball at Cibola High School.  He began his career in school administration as an Assistant Principal at Cibola and is currently is Assistant Superintendent for Financial Services with Yuma Union High school District.  Monroe holds memberships in various professional organizations including the Arizona Association of School Business Officials and the American Association of School Administrators. 

Ardisana will represent the graduates as commencement speaker, having been selected for this honor by the NAU-Yuma faculty and staff.  The Arizona School Administrators at their conference will honor Monroe as “Outstanding Doctoral Student” in June.

NAU – Yuma, a branch campus of Northern Arizona University, has been serving the southwestern Arizona and southeastern California communities since 1988.  NAU-Yuma’s partnerships with Arizona Western College (Yuma) and Imperial Valley College provide students an innovative, direct path to complete four-year programs. Recently designated a Hispanic-Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education, NAU-Yuma offers undergraduate and graduate courses in a growing number of fields,  including biology, business, criminal justice, education, psychology, sociology, social work and Spanish.