Christopher Oka, MEd

Christopher (Chris) Oka is an Assistant Professor of Practice in the Graduate College, where he leads graduate student success and mentoring programs and initiatives, including the Grad CATS peer mentoring program and mentoring trainings. In his role, he supports and empowers graduate students to actively engage in growing and shaping their mentoring universe, both as mentees and as mentors and across their graduate academic journeys. He is passionate about collaborating with faculty, staff, and students to cultivate a culture of mentorship across the university, investing in that impact at the relational, curricular, and systemic levels.

In partnership with the STEM Learning Center, he also leads asset-based teaching, mentoring, and student engagement initiatives supporting STEM student success, including grant-funded initiatives that contribute to positive teaching, mentoring, and learning outcomes for graduate and undergraduate students. Christopher previously led curriculum and mentoring projects at the STEM Learning Center and Thrive Center for first-year and transfer undergraduate students.

Christopher holds a B.S. in Computer Science from the University of Arizona, an M.Ed. in Counseling – Student Affairs from Northern Arizona University, and he is currently an Ed.D. candidate in Leadership & Innovation at Arizona State University.