Armando Lizarraga
Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership, The University of Texas at Austin, expected 2026
M.A. in Higher and Postsecondary Education, Teachers College, Columbia University, 2021
B.A. in Chicana/o Studies and Sociology, University of California, Los Angeles, 2019
A.A. in General Studies, El Camino College, 2016
Email: alizarraga@utexas.edu
M.A. in Higher and Postsecondary Education, Teachers College, Columbia University, 2021
B.A. in Chicana/o Studies and Sociology, University of California, Los Angeles, 2019
A.A. in General Studies, El Camino College, 2016
Email: alizarraga@utexas.edu
Armando Lizarraga, a local of Inglewood, California, is currently a doctoral candidate in the Program in Higher Education Leadership and Policy (PHELP) at The University of Texas at Austin. His involvement with Project MALES, the Texas Prison Education Initiative, and Texas Appleseed has profoundly influenced his research, teaching methods, and professional practices. These experiences have strengthened his commitment to promoting diversity and equity in higher education, especially for students who are incarcerated or have been formerly incarcerated.
Armandos experiences growing up in a working-class, Black, Brown, and immigrant community, as well as navigating higher education from the margins, have shaped his research agenda. This agenda focuses on incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women, financial aid, and postsecondary education access in carceral facilities. Through a qualitative case study, his dissertation explores the impact on access, student debt, and reentry outcomes from the perspectives of formerly incarcerated women. By centering on their experiences, his work seeks to provide a more nuanced understanding of the intersections of gender, incarceration, and higher education, while advocating for policies that humanize and reimagine educational opportunities.
Armandos work has received support from organizations such as The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS), the Bard Prison Initiative, the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education (AAHHE), the ECMC Foundation, and the Texas Association of Chicanos in Higher Education (TACHE).
Outside academia, Armando plays meaningful roles as a son, brother, tío, grandson, friend, mentor, and educator, reflecting his deep commitment to the communities he serves.
Armandos experiences growing up in a working-class, Black, Brown, and immigrant community, as well as navigating higher education from the margins, have shaped his research agenda. This agenda focuses on incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women, financial aid, and postsecondary education access in carceral facilities. Through a qualitative case study, his dissertation explores the impact on access, student debt, and reentry outcomes from the perspectives of formerly incarcerated women. By centering on their experiences, his work seeks to provide a more nuanced understanding of the intersections of gender, incarceration, and higher education, while advocating for policies that humanize and reimagine educational opportunities.
Armandos work has received support from organizations such as The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS), the Bard Prison Initiative, the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education (AAHHE), the ECMC Foundation, and the Texas Association of Chicanos in Higher Education (TACHE).
Outside academia, Armando plays meaningful roles as a son, brother, tío, grandson, friend, mentor, and educator, reflecting his deep commitment to the communities he serves.
