Caitlin Bletscher

Caitlin Bletscher is a Scholarly Assistant Professor in the Department of Human Development at Washington State University Vancouver. Her research focuses on refugee mental health, social integration, and leadership education. She holds a primary faculty appointment in CAHNRS and teaches courses emphasizing intercultural communication and global migration issues.

Her recent grants include a 2023 Mini Grant exploring culturally sustaining mental health approaches for refugees in Southwest Washington ($11,947.55) and a 2025 Collaborative Research Project on community engaged pedagogy co-led with three colleagues ($19,865).

Key research areas include transformative mixed methodologies for vulnerable populations, refugee resettlement experiences, and intercultural competency development. Her work bridges qualitative inquiry, policy analysis, and educational innovation through publications in Journal of Leadership Studies, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, and Journal of Mixed Methods Research.

Bletscher's recent scholarship emphasizes global migration's human dimensions, pedagogical technology integration, and rethinking leadership frameworks in international development contexts. She actively engages in service learning initiatives connecting domestic and international students.