College of Education, Sport, and Human SciencesMarcus Poppen

Marcus Poppen

  1. Associate Professor of Special Education
  2. Director, WSU Center for Research and Innovation in Special Education (WSU RISE)
Email Addressmarcus.poppen@wsu.edu
LocationCleveland Hall 358
Phone509-335-6363

Biography

Dr. Poppen would love to hear from you. Don’t hesitate to reach out to him at marcus.popen@wsu.edu if you have any questions or would like to find a time to connect.

Research Interests

Dr. Poppen’s research and scholarship is broadly focused on supporting career development and transition outcomes for youth and young adults with disabilities. His interests include understanding the unique paths of career development for youth and young adults with disabilities, including those involved in the juvenile justice system, foster care system, and/or living with mental health concerns; collaborative school-based transition programs that are designed to facilitate the coordination and delivery of per-employment transition services; post-secondary education programs for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities; and, program evaluation and capacity building efforts that support data-based decision making. He is also the founding director of the WSU Center for Research and Innovation in Special Education (WSU RISE), which started as a research collaborative in 2016 and more recently established as a center.

Teaching and Professional Interests

Dr. Poppen’s teaching interests lie within Special Education and Research Methods. He often teaches within the secondary pre-service education program, special education endorsement and masters program, and special education doctoral program. He is passionate about supporting future educators and scholars and seeks to support and challenge his students in their learning. He is also a key earlier contributor and faculty advisor for WSU ROAR an inclusive post-secondary education program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. He led the successful completion of a 2020-2025 federal grant to further refine and develop the program, which has since created an inclusive college experience for more than 70 students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Selected Scholarship and Publications

  • Jernigan, M., Akinrotimi, B., & Poppen, M. (2025). WSU ROAR: Evaluating the Audit Course Experience of Students Enrolled in an Inclusive Post-Secondary Education Program. Submitted to WSU ROAR.
  • Poppen, M., Sheftel, A., Dunn, M., Xue, Y. (2024). Understanding the Reentry Needs and Challenges of Individuals Existing Juvenile Rehabilitation in Washington. Submitted to Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families.
  • Poppen, M., Sheftel, A., Whittenburg, H., Velasquez, C., & Gauthier, B. (2024). Extended Statewide Evaluation of the Coordination and Delivery of Pre-Employment Transition Services in Virginia. Submitted to Virginia Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services.
  • Taylor, J., Whittenburg, H., Avellone, L., Castruita Rios, Y., Park, S., Poppen, M. & Tansey, T. (2024). Impact of Pre-Employment Transition and Individualized Vocational Rehabilitation Services on Employment Outcomes. Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals.
  • Yuan, W., Dunn, M., Kennedy, J., Hsiao, Y, & Poppen, M. (2024). The impact of speech generating device interventions on vocalizations of individuals with autism and severe communication impairment: A systematic review of the research. Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities.
  • Poppen, M., Sheftel, A., Lindstrom, L., Rowe, D., Unruh, D., & Mazzotti, V. (2024). Transition Self-Assessment Tool: The development and field testing of a statewide assessment of pre-employment transition services [special issue]. H. Whittenburg, J. Taylor & P. Wehman (Eds.). Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation.
  • Whittenburg, H., Avellone, L., Taylor, J., Park, S., Poppen, M., Castruita Rios, Y., & Tansey, T.  (2024). State-level characteristics and trends in pre-employment transition service delivery to students with disabilities. [special issue]. H. Whittenburg, J. Taylor & P. Wehman (Eds.). Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation.
  • Sheftel, A., Poppen, M. & Brown Ruiz, A. (2023). Pulling the Lever: Supporting Critical Consciousness in Secondary Special Education and Transition with Teacher Educators and School Administrators. Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals.
    Mazzotti, V. L., Morningstar, M. E., Lombardi, A., Raley, S., Rowe, D., Poppen, M., Reardon, K., Carlson, S., Unruh, D., Monahan, J., Rousey, J., Vicchio J., & Test, D. (2023). Conceptualizing and Developing the Secondary Transition Fidelity Assessment to Support Transition Programming and Practice. Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals.
  • Alsalamah, A., & Poppen, M. (2022). Transition experiences of young women who are deaf and hard of hearing in Saudi Arabia. Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals.
  • Poppen, M., Whittenburg, H., Bruno, L., Sheridan-Stiefel, K., & McMahon, D. (2021). Evaluation of the Coordination and Delivery of Pre-Employment Transition Services in Washington State. Submitted to Washington Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.
  • Gotch, C., Poppen, M., Razo, J., & Modderman, S. (2021). Examination of teacher formative assessment self-efficacy development across a professional learning experience. Teacher Development.
  • McMahon, D., Hirschfelder, K., Poppen, M., Whittenburg, H., & Bruno, L. (2021). WSU ROAR and ROAR Online! Program Description and COVID-19 Response. Rural Special Education Quarterly. Advanced online publication.
  • Lombardi, A., Rifenbark, G., Poppen, M., Reardon, K., Mazzotti, V. L., Morningstar, M. E., Rowe, D. A., & Raley, S. (2021). Development and validation of the Secondary Transition Fidelity Assessment. Assessment for Effective Intervention. Advanced online publication.
  • Mazzotti, V.I, Rowe, D. A., Kwiatek, S., Voggt, A., Chang, W., Fowler, C., Poppen, M., Sinclair, J., & Test, D. (2021). Secondary transition predictors of post-school success: An update to the field. Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals, 40(1), 47-64.
  • Poppen, M., & Alsalamah, A. (2020). Evaluation of School-Based Pre-Employment Transition Services in Washington State. Submitted to Washington Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.
  • Scheef, A., Thapa, E., Lerum, E., & Poppen, M. (2020). The impact of an inclusive post-secondary course on pre-service teachers. Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship, 19(1), 1-11.
  • Barrio, B., Carbonneau, K., Poppen, M., Miller, D., Dunn, M., Hsiao, Y. (2019). Theory to Practice: Implementation Achievements and Challenges of Response to Intervention in a Rural District. Journal of the American Academy of Special Education Professionals, 11(1), 125-160.
  • Poppen, M., & Alverson, C. (2018) Policies and practice: A review of legislation affecting transition services for individuals with disabilities. In B. Hughes, C. Johnson & B. Taga (Eds.). New Directions for Adult & Continuing Education, Support and Transitions for Adults with Special Needs, 2018 (160), 63-76.
  • Scheef, A., Barrio, B., Poppen, M., McMahon, D., & Miller, D. (2018). Exploring barriers for facilitating work experience opportunities for students with intellectual disabilities enrolled in post-secondary education programs. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability.
  • Poppen, M., Lindstrom, L., Unruh, D., Khurana, A., & Bullis, M. (2017). Preparing youth with disabilities for employment: An analysis of vocational rehabilitation case services data. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 46, 209-224. doi:10.3233/JVR-160857
  • Lind, J., Poppen, M., & Murray, C. (2017). An intervention to promote positive teacher-student relationships and self-determination among adolescents with emotional disturbance. Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals, 40, 186-191.
  • Scheef, A., Barrio, B., & Poppen, M. (2017). Developing partnerships with businesses to support job training for youth with disabilities in Singapore. Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals, 40, 156-164.
  • Mazzotti, V.I, Rowe, D. A., Sinclair, J., Poppen, M., & Woods, W. (November 2016). Predictors of post-school success: A systematic review of NLTS-2 secondary analyses. Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals, 38, 196-215.
  • Poppen, M., Sinclair, J., Hirano, K., Lindstrom, L., & Unruh, D. (May 2016). Perceptions of mental health concerns for secondary students with disabilities during transition to adulthood. Education and Treatment of Children, 39, 221-241.
  • Lindstrom, L., Harwick, R., Poppen, M., & Doren, B. (2012) Gender gaps: Career development for young women with disabilities, Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals, 35(2), 108-117.

Education Background

  • Ph.D., Special Education, University of Oregon (2014)
  • M.S., Special Education, University of Oregon (2012)
  • B.A., Family and Human Services, University of Oregon (2007)