Much of our center's success can be attributed to very special individuals. To learn more about our skilled staff, please take some time to read their brief biographies below.

Phylis Cancilla Martinelli, PhD

Phylis Cancilla Martinelli, PhD, is a professor of sociology at Saint Mary's College. With co-founder Dana Herrera, she developed the Foundation Generation Project, which included their development of courses on those who are the first in their family to attend college, to give "voice" to their contributions and challenges. They also amassed and analyzed data from the life histories they collected. They presented their model at a Lasallian Conference in Rome in 2007, and in 2009 she presented a paper at the American Sociological Association on their research related to Collegiate Seminar and the First Generation Experience.

Their work is now the Center for First Generation to College Studies at SMC. A San Francisco native, she was the first in her family to attend college.

Learn more about Phylis by viewing her faculty profile.

Frances Sweeney

Learn more about Frances Sweeney by viewing her faculty profile.

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Mailing Address

Saint Mary's College of California
1928 Saint Mary's Road
Moraga, CA 94556
(925) 631-4000
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