2017-18 SDSU Sally Casanova Scholars

“Six San Diego State University students with aspirations to further their education have been recognized by the California State University Chancellor’s Office as 2017-18 Sally Casanova Scholars.

Each of the honorees receives a $3,000 scholarship, designed to help students explore and prepare for doctoral programs in their chosen field of study.

“Funded activities may include prospective student visits, attendance at professional meetings, entrance exams, application fees, memberships in professional organizations and subscriptions to professional journals,” said Cristina Sanchez, coordinator of Graduate Programs and Evaluations. “CSU faculty sponsors may help guide Sally Casanova scholars with preparation for doctoral study in a wide variety of ways.”

Each scholarship recipient is working with an SDSU faculty member to accomplish their educational goals. This year’s SDSU Sally Casanova Scholars and their mentors are:

  • Elena Arroyo and Arlette Baljon, faculty mentor
  • Ilex Beltran-Najera and Claire Murphy, faculty mentor
  • Manuel Gonzales and Aaron Blashill, faculty mentor
  • You Her and Lianne Urada, faculty mentor
  • Kathy Nguyen and Marissa Vasquez Urias, faculty mentor
  • Jeanette Zambrano and Dustin Thoman, faculty mentor

SDSU’s six honorees are among 73 Sally Casanova California Pre-Doctoral Scholars for 2017-18. Awards are given to students who demonstrate academic excellence while experiencing economic or educational disadvantages, and are committed to a career in teaching and research at the college or university level.

The scholarship is named after Sally Casanova, who founded the Pre-Doctoral Scholar Program in 1989 to increase diversity within the pool of university faculty by supporting the doctoral aspirations of students in the CSU system.

The CSU will open the online application for the 2018-19 Sally Casanova Scholar program in early December. All current upper-division or graduate students enrolled at a CSU campus are eligible to participate.”