Vijay Kanagala

Dr. Vijay Kanagala is Associate Professor of Secondary and Higher Education and teaches in the Higher Education in Student Affairs Program at the McKeown School of Education at Salem State University.

Teaching:

Dr. Kanagala employs contemplative pedagogies and practices to foster holistic student development, connecting the heart and mind in a transformative classroom experience. His teaching emphasizes an ethic of care, compassion, and empathy while preparing student affairs professionals to address social, racial, economic, and environmental justice issues. 

Research:

Dr. Kanagala’s primary research focuses on improving college access and success for first-generation, limited-income students. Dr. Kanagala has collaborated with researchers nationwide, securing over $6.5 million in funding for major educational research projects. Through these projects, he has championed asset-based frameworks in educational research, advocating for student success models that recognize and leverage the diverse cultural wealth students bring to higher education. In September 2023, he and his colleagues received a three year $2.3 million National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to examine equity-focused institutional collaborations in marine and climate science by employing qualitative inquiry methods (ACE-MCS).

Dr. Kanagala is currently co-editing a book titled, Fostering Equity and Inclusion in Graduate Education: Key Strategies and Perspectives, with Drs. Stephanie Bondi and Uyen Tran-Parsons. This book offers theoretical perspectives and practical guidance for creating equitable and inclusive learning environments in graduate and professional education.

Dr. Kanagala co-authored and co-edited another book, The Latino Student's Guide to STEM Careers, which focused on the importance of STEM education for Latinx students and provides a comprehensive array of the most current information students and families need to make informed decisions about entering and succeeding in a STEM career. In addition to several book chapters, Dr. Kanagala's scholarship has been published in the International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education and Equity & Excellence in Education.

Prior to his arrival at Salem State University, Dr. Kanagala worked at the University of Vermont (Assistant Professor, Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration Program, 2014-2019), and the University of Texas at San Antonio (Post-doctoral Fellow, Center for Research and Policy in Education and Lecturer, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, 2011-2014). He earned his Ph.D. in Education (emphasis: Educational Leadership) (2011), Master of Education (emphasis: Higher Education and Student Affairs) (2011), and Master of Business Administration (2004) from Iowa State University.

Kanagala, V., Bondi, S., & Tran-Parsons, U. (in press, 2025). Facing the headwinds—A call to action for equity and inclusion in graduate education. In S. Bondi, U. Tran-Parsons, & V. Kanagala (Eds.), Fostering Equity and Inclusion in Graduate Education: Key Strategies and Perspectives. Routledge.

Bondi, S., Tran-Parsons, U., & Kanagala, V. (in press, 2025). Why equity and inclusion matter in graduate education? In S. Bondi, U. Tran-Parsons, & V. Kanagala (Eds.), Fostering Equity and Inclusion in Graduate Education: Key Strategies and Perspectives. Routledge.

Kanagala, V., Castillo, E., Valens, K. L., & Ruiz, Y. (2024). Cultivating an inclusive campus roadmap to servingness: The emergence of a Hispanic-minority serving institution in the Northeastern United States. In J. A. Gutierrez, J. T. Lujan, R. M. Banda, A. M. Flowers, III, & N. Grafnetterova (Eds.), Student success and intersectionality at Hispanic-serving institutions: Policy and practice. (pp.293-307). Palgrave Macmillan.

Gogue, D. T-L., Poon, O. A., Maramba, D. C., & Kanagala, V. (2021). Inclusions and exclusions: Racial categorizations and panethnicities in higher education. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education. DOI: 10.1080/09518398.2021.1982045

Kanagala, V. & Oliver, S. T. (2020). Our younger selves: QPOC student affairs Professionals supporting QPOC students. Equity & Excellence in Education. 52(4), 409-423, DOI: 10.1080/10665684.2019.1705204

Rendón, L.I., Nora, A., Bledsoe, R., & Kanagala, V. (2020). Científicos Latinx: The untold story of underserved student success in STEM fields of study. In S.J. Paik, S.M. Kula, J.J. Gonzalez, V.V. Gonzalez (Eds.), High-achieving Latino students: Successful pathways toward college and beyond. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.

Rendón, L.I., Kanagala, V., & Bledsoe, R. (2018). Shattering the deficit grand narrative: Toward a culturally-validating Latino student success framework. In A.G. de los Santos, L.I. Rendón, G.F. Keller, A. Acereda, E.M. Bensimon, & R.J. Tannenbaum (Eds.), New directions: Assessment and preparation of Hispanic college students. (pp. 223-242). Tempe, AZ: Bilingual Press.

Rendón, L.I. & Kanagala, V. (2017). The Latino student’s guide to STEM careers. Westport, CT: Greenwood.

Kanagala, V., Rendón, L.I., & Nora, A. (2016). A framework for understanding Latino/a cultural wealth. Diversity & Democracy. 19(1). Washington, DC: Association of American Colleges and Universities. 

Rendón, L.I., Nora, A., & Kanagala, V. (2015). Ventajas/Assets y Conocimientos/Knowledge: Leveraging Latin@ strengths to foster student success.  In J. Mendez, F.A. Bonner, II., J. Mendez-Negrete, & R.T. Palmer (Eds.), Hispanic serving institutions in American higher education: Their origin, and present and future challenges. (pp. 92-118). Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing.

Rendón, L.I., Nora, A., & Kanagala, V. (2014). Ventajas/Assets y Conocimientos/Knowledge: Leveraging Latin@ strengths to foster student success. San Antonio, Texas: Center for Research and Policy in Education, The University of Texas at San Antonio.

Rendón, L.I. & Kanagala, V. (2014). Embracing contemplative pedagogy in a culturally diverse classroom. In B.F. Tobolowsky (Ed.), Paths to learning: Teaching for engagement in college. (pp. 61-76). Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina, National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition.

Johnson, J. M., Yao, C. W., Lally, M., Jackson, E. R., Kanagala, V., George Mwangi, C., Yao, C. W., & Scott Price, O. (2025, April). It’s a very white place: Racial realities in undergraduate science education for BIPOC geoscientists. Paper to be presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Denver, CO.

Mullineaux, L. S., Kanagala, V., et al (2024, December). BRAID: A novel alliance approach to broadening participation in geosciences. Panel presentation at the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union, Washington, D.C.

Duran, G. E., Kanagala, V. et al (2024, December). Facing the headwinds - Increasing racial and ethnic diversity in the geosciences in an hostile political environment. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union, Washington, D.C.

Kanagala, V., George Mwangi, C., Yao, C. W., Johnson, J. M. & Scott Price, O. (2024, November). Towards a critical race onto-epistemological consciousness: An R3 approach for racial equity-driven STEM collaborations. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for the Study of Higher Education, Minneapolis, MN.

Kanagala, V., & Jefferson, D. (2023, February). Contemplative pedagogy and practice by a faculty of color in a higher education/student affairs program. Paper presented at the inaugural meeting of the International Society for Contemplative Research in San Diego, CA.

Vega, C. & Kanagala, V. (2021, April). Latino college student athletes as Nepantleras: An identity development model. Paper presented virtually at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association. [Virtual Conference due to COVID-19 Pandemic]

Kanagala, V. (2020, November). Being Latinx, becoming cientificos: Testimonios of STEM success. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for the Study of Higher Education [Virtual Conference due to COVID-19 Pandemic]

Kanagala, V. (2020, November). Being and becoming: A model of consciousness development among Desi-Asian Indian American Generation 1.5 students. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for the Study of Higher Education [Virtual Conference due to COVID-19 Pandemic]

Kanagala, V., & Oliver. S. T. (2019, November). The spaces in between: QTPOC student affairs professionals navigating campus environments and supporting QTPOC students. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for the Study of Higher Education in Portland, OR.

Kanagala, V., & Vega, C. (2019, November). Latino college student athletes as Nepantleras: Fostering academic success and athletic identity. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for the Study of Higher Education in Portland, OR.