Carmen Serrata

Carmen Serrata is an Assistant Professor of Higher Education at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC Charlotte), affiliated with the Cato College of Education’s Department of Educational Leadership. Her work focuses on equity in higher education, particularly for marginalized student populations such as first-generation, low-income, and Latinx students. She explores themes like college access, immigration/citizenship intersections, and family influence on educational pathways.

Dr. Serrata holds a Ph.D. in Educational Administration from the University of Texas at Austin, an M.Ed. from the University of Texas at San Antonio, a B.B.A. in Marketing from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, and an A.A. in Spanish from Del Mar College. She teaches courses on equity, access, and educational leadership in master’s and doctoral programs.

Her research, supported by grants like the John M. Belk Endowment, examines community college transfer pathways, rural student experiences, and Latinx students’ educational trajectories. Notable publications include studies on transfer student perceptions, rural Latina values, and family roles in college readiness.

Awarded the Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at UNC Charlotte (2021–2023) and the LatinxEd Fellowship (2022), her work bridges scholarship and practice through service in local/state education initiatives. She advises graduate students, serves on dissertation committees, and advocates for equitable education policies.