Nelly Patiño-Cabrera was advocating for equity in education well before her academic journey to become an educator even began. Now, the first generation college student from Ecuador is graduating from Portland State University (PSU) with a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership: Curriculum and Instruction, and has dedicated her career to bilingual education.
This, however, is not Patiño-Cabrera's first walk across PSU’s commencement stage. In 2014 she completed the Bilingual Teacher Pathway program and received her master’s degree in education. Several years later she returned to the College of Education to earn an Initial Administrator License.
Patiño-Cabrera says she loves PSU. What’s kept her coming back?
The answer is simple. “PSU was always the place for me because I always found people that look like me,” she says. “It's wonderful to see so many different people at PSU, so many Latino educators too. Even my doctoral program was so diverse and I learned so much from the perspectives of my classmates.”
Humble beginnings
Patiño-Cabrera was born and raised in a small rural community in Ecuador, South America. She’s the fifth of 10 siblings and has eight sisters and one brother. Patiño-Cabrera has fond memories of a happy childhood and a love of learning, but life wasn’t always easy. Resources were scarce and money was tight.
Systemic inequities in education –– common across Latin American countries –– meant many children didn’t go to school. If families couldn’t afford to buy the required school uniform and supplies their children were not allowed in the classroom. Higher education was technically free, but a rigorous testing and application process meant fierce competition for a limited number of spots.
Patiño-Cabrera was fortunate to secure a scholarship to attend a semi-private university in Ecuador that received government funding. Her mother was able to give her $25 dollars a week, which often meant choosing between paying for books and transportation, or for food.
After college, while working on community development projects, Patiño-Cabrera was devastated to see so many bright children on the streets, not attending school due to lack of funds. So she started a grassroots foundation to raise money in support of youth education.
Discovering a passion for bilingual education
While in university, Patiño-Cabrera met and began dating an Oregonian who was studying abroad in Ecuador. The couple later married and — after several post-college years together in Ecuador — relocated to Portland.
Patiño-Cabrera was excited to arrive in the United States, but worried about what kind of work she could find. Her husband’s family, recognizing her passion for education, suggested she might enjoy teaching.
She quickly realized through her first job in the U.S. working as an instructional assistant (or para educator) that she did indeed love teaching. It wasn’t long before she learned about PSU’s Bilingual Teacher Pathway program and enrolled, confident it was a great fit.
After completing the program, with a master’s degree and an Oregon Teachers License in hand, Patiño-Cabrera went to work teaching in a Spanish/English dual language program in the West Linn-Wilsonville School District.
Her career began during a time of major educational reforms, including the integration of curriculum with common core state standards, the establishment of English language development standards and mandatory state testing under the No Child Left Behind Act.
Patiño-Cabrera spoke out, voicing her thoughts on curriculum choices for dual language programs and the experiences of dual language teachers. She recognized that decisions like using English materials to teach Spanish literacy implied that Spanish is less important, reflecting a broader systemic issue in educating students who speak minority languages.
“These advocacy experiences, along with my experience working with pre-service and in-service teachers later on, catalyzed my pursuit of [post] graduate studies,” Patiño-Cabrera says.
Inspiration and dedication
Since 2018, Patiño-Cabrera has worked as an instructor for current in-service and pre-service teachers at Oregon State University (OSU). She also coordinates the OELA National Grant and leads OSU’s Teachers Educating All Multilingual Students (TEAMS) program.
In her roles at OSU, she has been moved by many students who have approached her and expressed their admiration, inspired to see a highly educated Spanish-speaking Latina teaching and leading research at the university. For Patiño-Cabrera, hearing students refer to her as “professor” was deeply meaningful, furthering her resolve to pursue a doctorate degree.
“Since they're going to call me ‘professor' I want to be a professor,” she says.
For her doctoral dissertation at PSU, Patiño-Cabrera designed a study examining the work experiences of Latine dual language teachers. Her research emphasizes the distinct challenges these educators face and underscores their commitment to care work.
“I deeply appreciate their work and am committed to making their perspectives more prominent in research,” Patiño-Cabrera says.
Through her work at OSU, Patiño-Cabrera will continue empowering and advocating for bilingual students and educators. She is excited about her ongoing research projects and upcoming publications that will advance local and national dialog around dual language education.
It takes a village
The path has not been easy, but Patiño-Cabrera’s dedication has never wavered. As a working mother with two young children, she credits a long list of people who have supported her academic journey.
“My dissertation chair, Dr. Rachel Bhansari, was a lifesaver,” she says. “We had a really good relationship; she was always there for me when I needed help processing ideas, answering questions or analyzing data.”
One of the most enjoyable aspects of the doctoral program at PSU for Patiño-Cabrera was the incredible bond she formed with her classmates. “Our cohort was wonderfully diverse, including educators from various backgrounds,” she says.
While Ecuadorians naturally value collaboration, she says her experience in the doctoral program has broadened its significance and deepened her ability to collaborate effectively.
“Now, I not only appreciate the importance of working together but also actively seek out opportunities to collaborate with other educators and researchers,” she says. “This has enriched my own work, but has also enhanced the collective impact we can make in the field of education.”
Reflecting on her latest accomplishment — a doctoral degree — Patiño-Cabrera is transported back to her humble beginnings — in a small town in Ecuador where resources were scarce but determination and ganas (desire) for change prevailed. She describes it as a journey filled with memories of love, commitment to hard work and the pursuit of social justice.
“As a first-generation Latine woman, this degree holds profound meaning for me,” Patiño-Cabrera says. “It symbolizes not only personal achievement but also a beacon of hope for my family and my lovely community. I envision a future where my children, nieces, nephews, and siblings are empowered to reach for their dreams. !Si podemos!”
“This degree is a testament to our Latine power and pride,” she says.