Senior Assistant Dean Tamara Schaps' leadership journey through STRIVE
By Carol Jean Tomoguchi-Perez
February 13, 2025
February 13, 2025
Tamara Schaps (center) at STRIVE Graduation Ceremony in December 2024 with Terri Winbush, UC San Diego’s Chief Human Resources Officer (left) and Shaun Travers, Executive Director for UC San Diego’s EDI Learning and Professional Development and Schaps' STRIVE Mentor.
In the world of higher education, where nurturing future leaders is paramount, Tamara Schaps serves as an example of continuous growth and dedication. Having recently graduated from UC San Diego's STRIVE Leadership Program, Schaps, now the senior assistant dean at UC Irvine's School of Education, reflects on the transformative five-year journey that has shaped her leadership style and professional trajectory.
Her path to STRIVE began in the fall of 2019, when her then-supervisor, Kit Pogliano, dean of UC San Diego’s School of Biological Sciences, nominated her for the program. Initially hesitant to apply so early in her role, Schaps credits a colleague’s encouragement for pushing her to step outside her comfort zone.
“After attending an information session where past participants described their experiences, I wanted to apply, but also thought I should wait a year,” Schaps said. “A colleague encouraged me to go for it, so I did. To this day, I’m grateful I took her advice. STRIVE has been invaluable to my career.”
One of the key takeaways from STRIVE was the development of emotional intelligence - the ability to understand and manage her own emotions, as well as those of others, a critical leadership skill. The program also helped Schaps identify her strengths and talents, giving her insight into how to leverage them in the workplace and beyond. For example, one top theme is "learner", which she activates daily in her work at the School of Education, by asking lots of questions, researching potential solutions, and recalling past experiences at other schools to help solve current challenges in a new context.
Balancing STRIVE with doctoral studies at USC and a full-time job was no small feat. She credits her success to the unwavering support of her STRIVE mentors, Paula Finnegan and Shaun Travers, and the program’s leadership team, Linda Thai Schlossman and Anne Curtis.
“Both (Finnegan and Travers) were instrumental in my success,” Schaps said. “The STRIVE leadership team was incredibly supportive of our entire cohort, and UC San Diego’s Chief Human Resources Officer, Terri Winbush, deserves a huge shoutout for prioritizing STRIVE.”
Now settled into her role at the School of Education, Schaps is excited about the future and the strong momentum being built at UC Irvine. However, she also embraces a state of restlessness in her life, which has been ever-present since childhood and has led her on many adventures. With characteristic ambition, she shares her long-term aspiration: to one day serve as a college president.
“There are some important steps between my current role and a presidency,” Schaps noted. “But I think it’s important to share my goal with the colleagues and mentors who will help me get there.”
Her journey through STRIVE exemplifies the power of mentorship, resilience, and continuous learning—qualities that will undoubtedly shape her leadership path in the years to come.
Her path to STRIVE began in the fall of 2019, when her then-supervisor, Kit Pogliano, dean of UC San Diego’s School of Biological Sciences, nominated her for the program. Initially hesitant to apply so early in her role, Schaps credits a colleague’s encouragement for pushing her to step outside her comfort zone.
“After attending an information session where past participants described their experiences, I wanted to apply, but also thought I should wait a year,” Schaps said. “A colleague encouraged me to go for it, so I did. To this day, I’m grateful I took her advice. STRIVE has been invaluable to my career.”
One of the key takeaways from STRIVE was the development of emotional intelligence - the ability to understand and manage her own emotions, as well as those of others, a critical leadership skill. The program also helped Schaps identify her strengths and talents, giving her insight into how to leverage them in the workplace and beyond. For example, one top theme is "learner", which she activates daily in her work at the School of Education, by asking lots of questions, researching potential solutions, and recalling past experiences at other schools to help solve current challenges in a new context.
Balancing STRIVE with doctoral studies at USC and a full-time job was no small feat. She credits her success to the unwavering support of her STRIVE mentors, Paula Finnegan and Shaun Travers, and the program’s leadership team, Linda Thai Schlossman and Anne Curtis.
“Both (Finnegan and Travers) were instrumental in my success,” Schaps said. “The STRIVE leadership team was incredibly supportive of our entire cohort, and UC San Diego’s Chief Human Resources Officer, Terri Winbush, deserves a huge shoutout for prioritizing STRIVE.”
Now settled into her role at the School of Education, Schaps is excited about the future and the strong momentum being built at UC Irvine. However, she also embraces a state of restlessness in her life, which has been ever-present since childhood and has led her on many adventures. With characteristic ambition, she shares her long-term aspiration: to one day serve as a college president.
“There are some important steps between my current role and a presidency,” Schaps noted. “But I think it’s important to share my goal with the colleagues and mentors who will help me get there.”
Her journey through STRIVE exemplifies the power of mentorship, resilience, and continuous learning—qualities that will undoubtedly shape her leadership path in the years to come.
