Originally from Bronx, New York, Shoshanna moved to Philadelphia in pursuit of her educational interest. She completed her doctoral thesis entitled “Moving from Rhetoric to Practice, Exploring the Tensions and Possibilities in Mentoring Black Women in the Academy” which earned her an Ed.D in Education Leadership from Saint Joseph’s University in 2005. She also holds a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Bachelors of Arts in Sociology and History from Saint Lawrence University. Primarily a qualitative researcher, her academic interests include critical race and feminist theory, mentoring and leadership development, multicultural counseling competencies, and gender and racial micro-aggressions.
She began her tenure on Hawk Hill in 1997, serving as the Act 101 Counselor until 1999 when she accepted a promotion to become the Director of the Multicultural Life Office at Saint Joseph's University. Her responsibilities included developing comprehensive university-wide programing that encouraged understanding, appreciation and celebration of multiculturalism and cultural diversity. After almost 18 years of maintaining a duel appointment as both an administrator and an adjunct, Shoshanna transitioned from her position as a SJU administrator in the summer of 2014 to focus on her academic interest.
Dr. Edwards-Alexander serves as a member of the affiliate/adjunct faculty providing instruction both on-line and on campus for the Sociology and Education departments. She currently teaches both undergraduate and graduate level in the MS in Secondary Education. She teaches course such as: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives in American Education, Public Schools and Social Equality in Urban Contexts, Administration, Organization Culture, and Planned Change, Seminar in Feminist Theory, Managing a Diverse Workforce, and Therapeutic Strategies in Counseling for Criminal Justice Settings.
In addition to her on campus responsibilities, Dr. Edwards-Alexander lectures on a variety of topics related to access, equality and multiculturalism in higher education. Her most notable presentations include: "Culturally Responsive Teaching”, “Counseling African-American Students Attending Predominately White Universities," “African-Centered Social Work Practice: An Alternative to Traditional Models”, "Understanding the Challenges of Diversity at a Predominately White Institution (PWI)” and “Diversity 101: Contemporary Methods of Teaching across Race, Class, and Gender."
When she is not wearing her academic hat, Shoshanna enjoys cooking, gardening and spending quality time with her family and friends. She currently resides in Pennsylvania with her husband and two children ages 17 and 13.
Education
- Ed.D Saint Joseph's University, Educational Leadership (2005)
- M.S.W. University of Pennsylvania, Masters of Social Work (1995)
- B.A. St. Lawrence University, Bachelor's of Science in Sociology & History (1993)
