Mary Dueñas is an assistant professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies (ELPS) and the College Student Personnel (CSP) program coordinator at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Dr. Dueñas’ research addresses issues of equity and access in higher education, focusing on Latina/o/x college students attending four-year colleges/universities, their sense of belonging, and their experience with imposter syndrome. In her research practice, she uses holistic frameworks and critical theory to share stories and explain systemic inequities that marginalized communities face as they persist through higher education. She pays particular attention to college access and creates pathways for underrepresented and marginalized students to thrive and succeed in higher education.

Dr. Dueñas teaches master’s and doctoral students and typically teaches College Student Development Theory and Introduction to Scholarship. Mary Dueñas holds her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.