CLS Scholarship and Award Winners for 2022-2023
Rigoberto Gonzalez Jr
Psychology
Chicano & Latino Studies Major
Why Chicano and Latino Studies?
"Being the young brown Chicano that I am and being exposed to the American educational system, there was never any professor/mentor that looked or sounded like me. With the Chicano & Latino Studies department, I see an opportunity where I’m allowed to continue working on my passions and where I can be a beam of hope as an educator and provide as much as I can to the next leaders of tomorrow in the educational system."
Rigobert won the Guillermo Rojas Scholarship Award
Named after Guillermo Rojas, Professor Emeritus of Chicano and Latino studies, this award acknowledges the perseverance of a student and an ongoing commitment to intellectual growth of as a way of honoring the many years of service that Professor Rojas gave to students and the Department of Chicano & Latino Studies.
Kelly Salaya
Psychology
Chicano & Latino Studies Major
Why Chicano and Latino Studies?
"Knowing that less than 5 percent of the population at the U is Latinx, I chose to be a CLS major because becoming conscious of what these identities represent would empower me throughout my time here. Additionally, this major was important to me because I knew that the professors and faculty, that have navigated academia before me, would provide support and guidance communally and academically."
Kelly won the Best Chicano Studies Essay Award, you can the winning essay by clicking Here
Best Chicano Studies Essay Award applicants are students who have declared the Chicano and Latino studies major and submitted a high-quality essay produced while enrolled in a Chicano and Latino Studies course.
Alessia Guzman Huaman
Political Science
Chicano & Latino Studies Major
Spanish Minor
Why Chicano and Latino Studies?
"Choosing the Chicano and Latino Studies major has helped me understand and connect with my cultura. CLS has pushed me to inspect my own family dynamics and all the hidden history that I wasn't taught growing up. Being a part of the CLS department has provided me with the opportunity to learn from professors and peers who understand the struggles of academia."
Sandy won the ¡Adelante! Scholarship for Newly Declared Majors
This scholarship is intended to support new majors who have declared in the current academic year and submitted a two-page, single-spaced essay on why they decided to become a Chicano and Latino studies major and what they hope this degree will help them achieve.
