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CLS Celebrates: Estela Gonçalves de Souza
February 11, 2025
CLS Graduate Certificate graduate Estela Gonçalves de Souza, History PhD student, recently collaborated with MSU’s Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies to develop a resource package for teachers in K-12 education about Brazil and Latin America. The materials contain information about slavery in Brazil and its effects on daily life and culture in the present day, and resources related to the long lasting effects of slavery in the US for purposes of comparisons. For more information, see https://clacs.isp.msu.edu/information-resources/americas-award-resources/clacs-books/
CLS Research Spotlight: Linda Halgunseth
February 7, 2025 - Karessa Weir
Linda C. Halgunseth is core faculty in Chicano/Latino Studies, a member of the Chicano/Latino Studies Advisory Board, and an associate professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at Michigan State University.
CLS Celebrates: Four Authors
February 6, 2025
MSU Chicano/Latino Studies is celebrating the successes of our students, faculty, alumni and staff in a new series "CLS Celebrates." Our first celebration is for three alumnae and a current PhD student who have authored a chapter on Midwest Tejanes.
CLS Core Faculty wins MSU Excellence in Diversity Award
January 23, 2025
CLS Core Faculty Dr. Delia Fernandez-Jones is part of the collaborative team MSU's Counseling and Psychiatric Services/College of Arts and Letters/Graduate School/ Career Services/Women of Color Initiative that is among this year's recipients of the university's 2024-25 Excellence in Diversity Equity and Inclusion Awards.
Ignacio Acevedo Receives Faculty Award for Outstanding Contributions to J-DEI
December 9, 2024 - Shelly DeJong
Congratulations to Ignacio Acevedo, an associate professor of ecological-community psychology and core faculty in Chicano/Latino Studies and the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, on receiving the 2024-25 Faculty Award for Outstanding Contributions to J-DEI. This award recognizes the department’s faculty and staff’s outstanding contributions to the advancement of justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion (J-DEI).
MSU research suggests party affiliation is main voter cue, but candidate identity matters
October 22, 2024 - Jack Harrison
Eric Juenke, associate professor in Chicano/Latino Studies and the Department of Political Science, found that minority candidates were successful at the same rate as white candidates. Further, in some cases, they held a slight advantage — suggesting racial biases factor less often in minority candidate success compared to their party affiliation.
Student View: Building community and finding empowerment at MSU
October 17, 2024
2024 Homecoming Court Member Abigail Rodriguez shares what it means to be a Spartan during National Hispanic Heritage Month
Cities are clearing encampments, but this won’t solve homelessness − here’s a better way forward
October 15, 2024 - Deyanira Nevárez Martínez
Deyanira Nevárez Martínez is core faculty in Chicano/Latino Studies and Urban and Regional Planning. She wrote the following article for The Conversation.
CLS Research Spotlight: Estrella Torrez
October 14, 2024 - Karessa Weir
As a researcher, teacher, and advocate, Estrella Torrez has worked in all types of learning environments.
CLS student nominated for Marshall Scholarship
September 26, 2024 - Karessa Weir
Abigail Rodriguez is a Political Science Pre-Law major in the College of Social Science who is double majoring in Art and Humanities in the Residential College in the Arts and Humanities, minoring in Chicano/Latino Studies and is a member of the Honors College.
Access Torch: Teresa Rivera
September 18, 2024 - Emily Jodway
Teresa Rivera is our September Access Torch. Rivera is a PhD student in the Department of Sociology and the Chicano/Latino Studies Program. Her research interests include understanding the lived experiences of Latino immigrants, individual and collective conceptualizations of trauma, the duality of resilience, and how U.S. mental health interventions can holistically support the needs of the Latino immigrant community.
Access Champion: Dr. Maria Isabel Ayala
September 11, 2024 - Emily Jodway
Dr. Maria Isabel Ayala, Director of the Chicano/Latino Studies Program and Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology, is our September Access Champion. Ayala researches many aspects of the Latinx population, including sociodemographic behaviors, intra-group diversity and Latinx experiences in higher education. Her humanistic and social justice commitment and dedication to inclusivity shape both her research and teaching.
Punishing poverty: The Supreme Court’s criminal approach to homelessness
July 11, 2024 - Deyanira Nevarez Martinez
The Supreme Court decision in Grants Pass v. Johnson marks a troubling shift. By ruling in favor of Grants Pass, the majority has sanctioned criminalizing homelessness, allowing cities to penalize individuals for sleeping in public spaces even when no shelter is available. This decision overturns a Ninth Circuit ruling, which held that anti-camping ordinances violate the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment.
Ask the expert: US Supreme Court to rule on homeless encampments
June 21, 2024 - Jack Harrison
CLS Core Faculty Deyanira Nevarez Martínez is an assistant professor in the Urban and Regional Planning Program in the School of Planning, Design and Construction in the colleges of Agriculture and Natural Resources and Social Science. Nevarez Martínez’s expertise focuses on the role of the state in homelessness and housing precarity and informality. In fact, she was part of a group of social scientists who submitted an amicus brief with peer-reviewed research on homelessness in support of the plaintiffs.
CLS professor PJ Pettis wins second dissertation award
June 12, 2024
A month after winning Best Dissertation Award for the Mental Health Section of the American Sociological Association, Assistant Professor PJ Pettis has won the 2024 Roberta G. Simmons Outstanding Dissertation in Medical Sociology Award for his dissertation “Contextualizing Heterosexism: An Intersectional Approach to Sexual Minority Health Inequalities.”
CLS Core Faculty awarded Best Dissertation
May 20, 2024 - Karessa Weir
Dr. Philip J. “PJ” Pettis was awarded best dissertation for his work “Contextualizing Heterosexism: An Intersectional Approach to Sexual Minority Health Inequalities” at Vanderbilt University.
CLS Core Faculty emphasizes pride and resilience in his commencement speech as Outstanding Teacher
May 2, 2024 - Karessa Weir
“As I address you, I am mindful of the diverse paths that brought us here. Many of you, like myself, are first-generation college students, immigrants, children of immigrants, returning adults, or servicemen and women. Your presence exemplifies the resilience and excellence of your families and communities, of which you should be immensely proud,” said Dr. Philip J. “PJ” Pettis, CLS Core Faculty and Assistant Professor of Sociology and this year’s College of Social Science Outstanding Teacher.
CLS Research Spotlight: Rosaura Domínguez-Rebollar
April 25, 2024 - Karessa Weir
When Rosaura Domínguez-Rebollar was deciding where to attend graduate school, her visit to the Chicano/Latino Studies program at Michigan State University was among the reasons she chose MSU.
Graduating Student Spotlight: Erika Vallejo
April 24, 2024
Congratulations to our wonderful graduates! Today we celebrate Erika Vallejo, who has completed her PhD in Political Science and her Graduate Certificate in Chicano/Latino Studies!
Graduating Student Spotlight: Abbie Nelson
April 24, 2024
Today we are celebrating Abbie Nelson! Abbie is graduating with a PhD in Social Work and a Graduate Certificate in Chicano/Latino Studies!
Graduating Student Spotlight: Natalie Rivera
April 23, 2024
Congratulations to our wonderful graduates! Today we celebrate Natalie Rivera who has completed her masters degree in Criminal Justice with a Graduate Certificate in Chicano/Latino Studies.
Graduating Student Spotlight: Kiana González Cedeño
April 23, 2024
Congratulations to our wonderful graduates! Today we celebrate Kiana González Cedeño, who has earned a PhD in English with a Graduate Certificate in Chicano/Latino Studies.
Graduating Student Spotlight: Jesenia Rosales
April 22, 2024
Congratulations to our wonderful graduates! Today we celebrate Jesenia Rosales, who has earned a PhD in Higher Education and Lifelong Learning with a Graduate Certificate in Chicano/Latino Studies.
Graduating Student Spotlight: Rosaura Domínguez-Rebollar
April 21, 2024
Congratulations to our wonderful graduates! Today we celebrate Rosaura Domínguez-Rebollar, who has earned a Dual Major Doctoral Degree in Ecological/Community Psychology and Chicano/Latino Studies. ,
CLS Research Spotlight: Deyanira Nevarez Martinez
April 15, 2024 - Karessa Weir
Now assistant professor of Urban & Regional Planning and core faculty in Chicano/Latino Studies, Deyanira Nevarez Martinez has a passion for studying the ways these migrant camps have changed and evolved – in many ways making it harder for families to work and find suitable housing.
CLS minor nominated for Beinecke Scholarship
April 1, 2024
Michigan State University has nominated third-year student Abigail Rodriguez for the nationally competitive Beinecke Scholarship. Results of the scholarship competition will be announced in April.
CLS Research Spotlight: Ignacio Acevedo
March 17, 2024 - Karessa Weir
Associate Professor of Psychology and Core Faculty in Chicano/Latino Studies, Dr. Ignacio Acevedo has contributed greatly to the research on how young people access services and supports, especially within Latine communities. It is the basis of his Community-AID Lab which uses data to develop, disseminate and improve sustainable preventative and positive development programs for all youth.
CLS PhD student publishes blog on Afro-Puerto Rican Art
March 4, 2024
Melanie Rodríguez Vázquez, dual doctoral student in CLS and English, has published a blog entitled "(Paréntesis): A Brief Reflection of (Un)Belonging and Collective Memory in Afro-Puerto Rican Art"
CLS Core Faculty wins Outstanding Teaching Award
March 1, 2024 - Karessa Weir
Chicano/Latino Studies core faculty member PJ Pettis (Sociology) has been named the College of Social Science Outstanding Teaching Award.
CLS Research Spotlight: Eric Gonzalez Juenke
February 29, 2024 - Karessa Weir
Dr. Eric Gonzales Juenke, Core Faculty in the Chicano/Latino Studies Program, recently published his research “Evaluating the Minority Candidate Penalty with a Regression Discontinuity Approach” in the British Journal of Political Science.
Delia Fernández-Jones Named Associate Dean for Equity, Justice, and Faculty Affairs
January 11, 2024
CLS Core Faculty Delia Fernández-Jones has been appointed Associate Dean for Equity, Justice, and Faculty Affairs for the College of Arts & Letters, effective on Jan. 1, 2024.
MSU Chicano/Latino Studies Core Faculty Deyanira Nevarez Martinez appointed to the U.S. Interior advisory council on climate
December 11, 2023 - Karessa Weir
Dr. Deyanira Nevarez Martinez (Chicano/Latino Studies (CLS), Department of Urban and Regional Planning, School of Planning, Design and Construction) has been appointed by the Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland as a member of the new Advisory Council for Climate Adaptation Science.
MSU Sociology Professor Emerita Jualynne Dodson inducted as a HistoryMaker
December 7, 2023 - Karessa Weir
The U.S. Library of Congress’s digital repository for the Black experience, The HistoryMakers, now includes MSU Sociology Professor Emerita Jualynne Dodson.
MSU Chicano/Latino Studies dual major doctoral degree student shares her experience working with rural migrant school children and their families
December 6, 2023 - Karessa Weir
Chicano/Latino Studies (CLS) dual major doctoral degree student Rachelle Rosario works with rural and migrant children as a Latinx school social worker. She shared her experiences in a new paper published in Reflections: Narratives of Professional Helping.
Want higher graduation rates? New study shows public spending on families is key
December 6, 2023 - Shelly DeJong
CLS Core Faculty Dr. Ignacio Acevedo-Polakovich has published research that finds public spending on social safety net programs and on education spending each independently impact high school graduation rates, which are key predictors of health and well-being later in life.
Rivera family endowment celebrates the history and culture of Mexican Americans in the Midwest
November 17, 2023 - Karessa Weir
The Diana Huizar Rivera and Pedro Rivera, DO Mexican American Culture Endowment (MACE) is designed to support events that highlight the unique qualities of the Mexican American culture, especially in the Midwest.
Thank you for joining our Open House Fall 2023
October 31, 2023
Thank you for coming to our open house and celebrating dia de los muertos with us! Here are a few photos of the event:
Dr. Estrella Torrez joins East Lansing Board of Education
October 30, 2023
CLS Faculty member Estrella Torrez was selected for an open seat on the East Lansing Board of Education recently.
Student view: Growing and learning to lead
October 11, 2023 - Luz Vazquez
George Ramirez is a senior from Grand Rapids, Michigan, pursuing a degree in elementary education with a minor in Spanish and an interest in Chicano/Latino Studies. Ramirez is a 2023 Homecoming Court member.
CLS minor is bridging cultures to get to higher education
September 25, 2023 - Mark Johnson
Sofia Mireles-Gonzalez grew up in a border town in Mexico and saw firsthand how the issues surrounding immigration affected her community. This experience influenced her to seek a degree in journalism to one day tell the stories of immigrants that often go untold.
Ballet Nepantla brings pride and connection to CLS Hispanic Heritage Month celebration
September 17, 2023
The Chicano/Latino Studies Program has partnered with the Hispanic/Latino Commission of Michigan (HLCOM), the College of Social Science and the Institutional Diversity and Inclusion Office to bring Ballet Nepantla to perform Mística at the Wharton Center for a FREE event on September 15th at 7pm.
CLS partners with Hispanic/Latino Commission of Michigan to bring Ballet Nepantla to Wharton
August 30, 2023
The Chicano/Latino Studies Program has partnered with the Hispanic/Latino Commission of Michigan (HLCOM), the College of Social Science and the Institutional Diversity and Inclusion Office to bring Ballet Nepantla to perform Mística at the Wharton Center for a FREE event on September 15th at 7pm.
Dr. Delia Fernandez-Jones awarded tenure, teacher of the year award
August 23, 2023 - Patti McDonald
Dr. Delia Fernandez-Jones was recently promoted to a tenured faculty position within the History department. She is a core faculty member and Undergraduate Program Coordinator in the Chicano/Latino Studies Program.
CLS Summer Internship Spotlight: Estefania Reyes-Reynoso
July 12, 2023
CLS is proud to share a series of Summer Intern Spotlights! Please meet Estefania Reyes-Reynoso who is interning with Capital Area Latina Youth.
CLS alum is first assistant director for diversity, equity and inclusion in the Office of Admissions
July 10, 2023
After graduating from MSU in 2006 with a degree in political science pre-law and a specialization in Chicano/Latino Studies, Florensio Hernandez had plans to teach and perhaps attend law school. However, one day at a CRU meeting, Hernandez heard about a fellowship opportunity with the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials.
CLS Summer Internship Spotlight: Xasha Gonzalez
July 3, 2023
CLS is proud to share a series of Summer Intern Spotlights! Please meet Xasha Gonzalez who is working with the Department of Family Medicine this summer.
CLS Summer Internship Spotlight: Nytalia Flores
June 21, 2023
CLS is proud to share a series of Summer Intern Spotlights! Please meet Nytalia Flores who is working with the Indigenous Youth Empowerment Program this summer.
CLS Summer Internship Spotlight: Bella Hoye
June 11, 2023
CLS is proud to share a series of Summer Intern Spotlights! Our first is Bella Hoye, a Psychology junior interning with The Masa Center.
CLS certificate student wins COGS award
May 24, 2023
Jesenia Rosales (she/her/hers/ella) is a PhD candidate in the Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education program at Michigan State University (MSU). She is also a Chicano/Latino Studies certificate student at MSU. Jesenia received her B.A. in Psychology & Hispanic Studies and minors in Studio Art & Latin American Studies from Wheaton College. She earned a M.Ed. in Postsecondary Administration & Student Affairs at the University of Southern California. Jesenia began her professional experience in education as a secondary education teacher and later transitioned to a career in student affairs, specifically in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Jesenia’s research interests includes the professoriate, organizational equity, critical whiteness studies, computer science spaces, and arts based methods.
CLS 25th Anniversary Gala in Photos
May 24, 2023
College of Social Science photographer Jackie Belden Hawthorne has shared photos from the May 5 Chicano/Latino Studies 25th Anniversary Gala at the Wharton Center.
Lifetime Advocate Awards honor legacy of support of Chicano/Latino Studies
May 14, 2023 - Karessa Weir
From their rallies and marches in the 1960s to their support and advice to students in Chicano/Latino Studies program today, four longtime CLS associates - Diana Rivera, Rosa Morales, and Juan and Diana Marinez - were honored with Lifetime Advocate Awards.
Two CLS students win Maximillian Monroy-Miller Memorial Fellowships
May 11, 2023
In memory of Maximillian Monroy-Miller, a Graduate Student in the Chicano/Latino Studies Program who passed away before his time, a fellowship was created. The Maximillian Monroy-Miller Memorial Fellowship is awarded to graduate students, including first year students, engaged in an area of research focused on Chicano/Latino communities, histories, cultures, or the arts, who have a demonstrated commitment to social justice and advocacy.
With pride for the past and hope for the future, Chicano/Latino Studies celebrates 25 years
May 9, 2023 - Karessa Weir
The Chicano/Latino Studies program at Michigan State University celebrated its 25th Anniversary with a gala Friday May 5, an event filled with speeches of gratitude for those who made the program possible, appreciation for the current leaders, and hope that the program’s future will continue to grow under the next generation of scholars and educators in CLS.
Leeslie Shakira Herrera Receives 2023 Aguila Award
May 7, 2023
Leeslie Shakira Herrera is a Senior studying Criminal Justice with a Chicano/Latino Studies minor and the recipient of a 2023 César E. Chávez and Dolores Huerta Community Leadership Aguila Award.
CLS Graduate Spotlight: Angélica Ruvalcaba
May 2, 2023
Angélica Ruvalcaba has completed her dissertation work in Sociology and Chicano/Latino Studies. Today we celebrate her!
CLS Graduate Spotlight: Vanessa Aguilar
May 1, 2023
Vanessa Aguilar has completed her doctoral studies in Chicano/Latino Studies. Today we celebrate her!
CLS Graduate Spotlight: Dr. Esther Ayers
April 30, 2023
Esther Ayers has completed her doctoral studies in Chicano/Latino Studies. Today we celebrate her!
Dr. Estrella Torrez wins 2023 Distinguished Partnership Award for Community-Engaged Creative Activity
April 18, 2023
CLS Core Faculty Estrella Torrez is an associate professor in the Residential College in the Arts and Humanities, or RCAH, at Michigan State University. Torrez holds a Ph.D. in educational thought and sociocultural studies and a master’s degree in early childhood multicultural education and bilingual education from the University of New Mexico. Torrez is a Gates Millennium Scholar and recently received MSU Outreach and Engagement’s 2023 Distinguished Partnership Award for Community-Engaged Creative Activity for her work with the Lansing School District: Building an Intergenerational Constellation of Partnerships with Latinx and Indigenous Lansing School District Youth and Families.
CLS Dual Major PhD student awarded P. Lea Martinez Endowed Scholarship
April 12, 2023
Teresa Rivera is a Dual Major Doctoral Degree student in Chicano/Latino Studies and Sociology. She has been awarded the P. Lea Martinez Endowed Scholarship award for 2023-24 school year from the Julian Samora Research Institute (JSRI). JSRI is pleased to offer her this scholarship in honor of P. Lea Martinez, who as a professional in the nation's healthcare systems, demonstrated the highest standards of caring by treating patients, co-workers, and students with respect and dignity. The scholarship, named in honor of P. Lea Martinez, supports one graduate student conducting research on health issues among Latinos.
CLS PhD student wins King-Chávez-Parks Future Faculty Fellowship
April 10, 2023
Rosaura Dominguez-Rebollar, a Dual Major PhD student in Chicano/Latino Studies and Psychology, has been awarded the King-Chávez-Parks Future Faculty Fellowship from the state of Michigan.
Dr. Delia Fernandez-Jones wins the Plantando Semillas Award
April 3, 2023
We are happy to share that Dr. Delia Fernandez-Jones has been awarded the Faculty Award at the César Chávez and Dolores Huerta Celebration
CLS PhD student publishes research on immigrant trauma
April 3, 2023
Teresa Rivera, Dual Major Doctoral Degree student in Chicano/Latino Studies and Sociology, has published "A Social Ecological Approach to Latino Immigrant Trauma and Intervention: An Integrative Review."
CLS PhD student wins GenCen student leader award
April 2, 2023
Angélica Ruvalcaba is the 2023 recipient of the Inspiration Award in the MSU Student Leader Award by the Center for Gender in Global Context (GenCen).
CLS student wins Julian Samora scholarship
March 23, 2023
Erika Vallejo is a PhD student in the Department of Political Science and is pursuing a graduate certificate in Chicano/Latino Studies.
CLS class undertakes an oral history of Chicano/Latino studies at MSU
March 19, 2023 - Karessa Weir
Dr. Delia Fernández-Jones’ class CLS 492: Research, Theory, and Practice is interviewing longtime associates with Chicano/Latino studies at Michigan State University. Dr. Fernández-Jones is Assistant Professor of History in the College of Social Science and a Core faculty member for CLS.
Dr. Delia Fernández-Jones to present keynote address to Grand Valley State University history roundtable
March 3, 2023
Keynote Presentation by Dr. Delia Fernández-Jones on migration, placemaking, and activism among Grand Rapids' Latino communities is the highlight of the 14th annual Local History Roundtable at Grand Valley State University this spring.
CLS Faculty receives NSF grant to study informal housing
March 1, 2023 - Andrew Orlando
CLS Core Faculty Deyanira Nevárez Martínez, together with Noah Durst, will conduct research on: "Informality and Inequality in the Global North: Regulation, Non-Compliance, and Enforcement in U.S. Land Use and Housing Law."
Deyanira Nevarez Martinez on The Latinx Paradox and Homelessness
March 1, 2023
CLS Core Faculty member Dr. Deyanira Nevarez Martinez with the Department of Urban and Regional Planning in the School of Planning, Design and Construction, was featured on the Poverty Research & Policy podcast from the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Institute for Research on Poverty.
CLS Apapachos
February 16, 2023 - Dr. Isabel Ayala
Whereas we all have very individual ways to cope with the horrible loss of this week, please know that you have a community that cares for you, that values your presence, that is ready to sit with you and provide you with love and support. If you need to sit in silence, do so. If you need others, if you need us, we are ready for you.
CLS Faculty Dr. Delia Fernández-Jones publishes new book on Latinos in Grand Rapids
January 12, 2023
Large numbers of Latino migrants began to arrive in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in the 1950s. They joined a small but established Spanish-speaking community of people from Texas, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. Delia Fernández-Jones merges storytelling with historical analysis to recapture the placemaking practices that these Mexicans, Tejanos, and Puerto Ricans used to create a new home for themselves.
CLS faculty leading collaborative project on "Race, Class, Gender and Sexuality in Africa: the History and Current Status of LGBTQ+ in Kenya"
January 3, 2023
A collaborative project focusing on “Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality in Africa: the History and Current Status of LGBTQ+ in Kenya,” led by College of Arts & Letters faculty Jonathan Choti and Danny Mendez, will bring two guest speakers from Kenya to Michigan State University this spring to share their knowledge, experiences, approaches, and ideas in implementing intersectionality and inclusion in curriculum design and pedagogical practices.
Four students win Maximillian Monroy-Miller Memorial Fellowships
December 13, 2022
In memory of Maximillian Monroy-Miller, a Graduate Student in the Chicano/Latino Studies Program who passed away before his time, a fellowship was created. The Maximillian Monroy-Miller Memorial Fellowship is awarded to graduate students, including first year students, engaged in an area of research focused on Chicano/Latino communities, histories, cultures, or the arts, who have a demonstrated commitment to social justice and advocacy.
Navigating the Coming Out Process
October 10, 2022 - Shelly DeJong
Every October 11, National Coming Out Day is recognized. But for many, it is still a challenging day of figuring out what path is best for them. A team of psychologists and counselors collaborated to figure out the best ways for mental health service providers to support clients who are in the early stages of navigating the coming out process.
CLS celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month in this WKAR podcast
October 9, 2022 - Russ White
CLS Director Dr. Isabel Ayala and CLS Core Faculty Deyanira Nevarez Martinez joined Francisco Villarruel and Luis Alonzo Garcia for a podcast on National Hispanic Heritage Month with Russ White.
Student view: Representing my community on the homecoming court
September 26, 2022
Leeslie Herrera is a senior from Mission, Texas, studying criminal justice with a minor in Chicano/Latino studies. She earned an associate degree in criminal justice from South Texas College through an early college program at her high school before coming to Michigan State University.
Dual PhD student Angélica Ruvalcaba wins Dissertation Completion Fellowship
September 13, 2022
Angélica Ruvalcaba is a dual-major doctoral candidate in the Department of Sociology and the Chicano/Latino Studies Program with a specialization in Women’s and Gender Studies at Michigan State University (MSU). She is currently working on her dissertation which explores Latina undergraduate student activism on a predominantly white campus in the Midwest.
CLS Director Dr. Isabel Ayala named Academic Leadership Fellow
September 8, 2022
Dr. Ayala is also an Associate Professor of Sociology.
Exploring Cultural Wealth with Latinx Youth: Interweaving Testimonios as a Youth Participatory Action Research Practice
July 31, 2022
Chicano Latino Studies PhD student Esther Ayers has published research along with CLS Affiliated Faculty Dr. Estrella Torrez (Residential College in Arts and Humanities).
CLS faculty Dr. Dylan Miner appointed RCAH Dean
July 21, 2022
MSU Chicano/Latino Studies is happy to congratulate our affiliated faculty member Dr. Dylan Miner on his appointment as Dean of the Residential College in the Arts and Humanities at MSU. Dr. Miner is an artist, activist and scholar and a valued member of our community.
Graduate students awarded dissertation fellowship grants from the Center for Gender in Global Context
July 20, 2022
Three Chicano/Latino Studies PhD students have been awarded fellowship grants from MSU’s Center for Gender in Global Context.
CLS student Leeslie Herrera selected for Homecoming Court
July 11, 2022
Being selected to represent Michigan State University on the Homecoming Court is considered one of the highest honors for MSU seniors.
CLS members receive Latinx Staff/Faculty Awards
May 3, 2022
The MSU Office of Cultural and Academic Transitions presented several awards to CLS community members at their recent Latinx Achievement Gala including Dr. Eric Gonzalez Juenke, Amanda Flores and Samuel Saldivar.
Robin Morales receives the Julian Samora Endowed Scholarship award
April 20, 2022
Robin Morales is this year's recipient of the JSRI undergraduate scholarship. Morales is a CLS minor who is majoring in Interdisciplinary Studies in Social Science.
CLS student Stephanie Garcia wins multiple awards
April 19, 2022
Garcia, who a CLS minor, won a Board of Trustees' Award and the Dorothy Carr Houvener Memorial Award.
I am Amanda and I am a Spartan
March 22, 2022 - Ellen Doepke and Deon Foster
A proud daughter of migrant farmworkers from Texas, Amanda Flores is a doctoral candidate in the higher, adult and lifelong education program with a graduate certificate in Chicano/Latino studies. Coming to Michigan State University has afforded her the opportunity to explore the connection between the university and the state of Michigan’s history with migrant farmworkers.
CLS PhD student Angélica Ruvalcaba passes her dissertation proposal
February 1, 2022
CLS is thrilled to announce Angélica Ruvalcaba has passed her dissertation proposal defense entitled "Latina Undergraduate Students' Engagement in Activism on a Predominantly White Campus". Way to go Angélica!
Jasmin Vargas awarded the KCP Future Faculty Fellowship
January 10, 2022
CLS Dual Major PhD student Jasmin Patron-Vargas has been awarded a King-Chavez-Parks Future Faculty Fellowship for the Spring 2022 Semester.
Marcos Martinez: Don't Give Up
December 20, 2021 - Liz Schondelmayer
Many undergraduate students come to Michigan State University with the impression that they'll be able to earn their degree in just four years. And while that is definitely the case for most, others may find that the path from orientation to graduation is a little less straightforward.
Dr. Isabel Ayala publishes methods to deal with microaggressions
December 20, 2021
CLS Director Dr. Isabel Ayala has published research on Racial Microaggressions and Coping Mechanisms Among Latina/o College Students in Sociological Forum.
Dr. Eric Gonzalez Juenke named exemplary mentor
October 26, 2021
CLS Core Faculty Dr. Eric Gonzalez Juenke was presented with the Adaljiza Sosa-Riddell Mentor Award by the APSA Committee on the Status of Latinos y Latinas in the Profession to recognize the exemplary mentoring of Latino y Latina students and junior faculty each year. The award is named in honor of Adaljiza Sosa-Riddell, the first Latina to earn a PhD in political science.
Diversity Torch: Brenda Pilar-Ayala
September 22, 2021 - Liz Schondelmayer
Brenda Pilar-Ayala is a senior majoring in Psychology and Political Science Pre-law, and minoring in Chicano-Latino Studies, Educational Studies and Leadership in Integrated Learning. Born in Mexico City, Brenda grew up in Lansing and came to Michigan State University in 2017, where she has since exemplified the Spartan spirit of working hard, giving back and helping others - earning her a spot on MSU's 2021 homecoming court.
Stephany Bravo named PAGE Fellow
September 20, 2021
Stephany Bravo, a dual-degree PhD student in Chicano/Latino Studies and English, has been selected for Imaging America's Publicly Active Graduate Education (PAGE) Fellowship, a program that provides graduate students in the field of humanities, arts, and design with collaborative professional opportunities.
“Decolonizing” Curriculum and Pedagogy: A Comparative Review Across Disciplines and Global Higher Education Contexts
September 16, 2021 - Riyad A. Shahjahan
Dr. Riyad A. Shahjahan, CLS Core Faculty and Associate Professor of Higher, Adult & Lifelong Education, has published research that critically analyzed multidisciplinary literature to define what "decolonizing" means in context of curriculum and pedagogy; how decolonization can occur; and what are the limitations and complexities in incorporating decolonization into higher education.
Student view: Stepping out from the shadows
September 14, 2021 - Brenda Pilar
Brenda Pilar is a senior majoring in psychology and political science: pre-law in the College of Social Science. Pilar is minoring in Chicano/Latino studies, educational studies and leadership in integrated learning. She is a Bailey Scholar and a member of the 2021-22 Homecoming Court.
Testimonios and Turntables: Claiming Our Narratives through Sound and Space
September 1, 2021
CLS Dual Major students Stephany Bravo and Vanessa Aguilar have published "Testimonios and Turntables: Claiming Our Narratives through Sound and Space" in Kairos: A Journal of Rhetoric, Technology, and Pedagogy.
Welcome to the Chicano-Latino Studies Program
August 31, 2021 - Dr. Isabel Ayala
CLS Director Isabel Ayala has a message for all new and returning members of the CLS community.
Stephany Bravo named a Fellow of the Chancellor's Doctoral Incentive Program (CDIP)
July 29, 2021
Stephany Bravo, Dual Major PhD in English and Chicano/Latino Studies, has been named a Fellow for the California State University Chancellor's Doctoral Incentive Program.
Brenda Pilar-Ayala named to MSU Homecoming Court
July 8, 2021
CLS minor Brenda Pilar-Ayala has been selected as an MSU Homecoming Court representative. Brenda is one of 10 seniors chosen to represent the diversity and richness of the MSU experience and to serve as exceptional role models and Spartan ambassadors.
CLS student, faculty receive Student Leadership Awards
May 13, 2021
CLS Graduate Certificate Student Amanda Flores earned the Graduate Student Leader Award and Dr. Patricia Marin was named the Walter Adams Advisor of the Year.
Dual PhD student Vanessa Aguilar awarded pre-dissertation research funding
May 11, 2021
Vanessa, a doctoral student in English and Chicano/Latino Studies, is researching how women in New Galicia sought relief in spiritual practices and magic to put social justice into their own hands.
CLS Core Faculty Dr. Erin Graham receives ISS Teaching Award
April 29, 2021 - Karessa Weir
As an Assistant Professor of History and Core Faculty in Chicano/Latino Studies Program, Dr. Graham explores labor, migration, and gender in Latin America, with a specific focus on Mexico and the U.S.-Mexico borderlands.
Latinx Listening Space
March 30, 2021
MSU CAPS invites you to join this inclusive, non-judgmental virtual space for sharing, listening, connecting, processing and healing. Issues within the Latinx community and Latinx experience will be shared.
Writing a Dissertation During a Pandemic: A Blog
March 29, 2021 - Dianey Leal, Amanda Flores, Christian Ramirez
On February 24, the Chicano/Latino Studies Program at Michigan State University invited us to participate on a panel to reflect on our different perspectives, challenges, and strategies as we navigated the dissertation journey. During the panel, we shared our personal stories and hoped that this space would provide a sense of community for us and others who were also writing their dissertations or would be starting on this journey soon. Although we chose to not record the panel (given the nature of the topic and our desire to be honest and transparent about our challenges), we also understood how important this conversation was for so many and decided to share our perspectives through this blog.
Factors and Interventions that Foster Success of Latinx Students in Public Community Colleges
February 22, 2021
Rosaura Dominguez-Rebollar, dual major PhD in CLS and Psychology, just published a manuscript in the Journal of Hispanic Higher Education with co-author Ignacio D. Acevedo-Polakovich, PhD entitled Factors and Interventions that Foster Success of Latinx Students in Public Community Colleges
CLS PhD student presents her research on adventure therapy with latinx youth
November 25, 2020
CLS Graduate Student Esther Ayers has presented her research at the 2020 AEE Symposium for Experiential Education Research.
Diana Rivera shares Latino art from the 1930s
November 23, 2020
CLS Librarian Emerita and Core Faculty member Diana Rivera shares Latino art dating back to the 1930s.
MSU Artists Earn Two Latin Grammy Nominations
October 19, 2020
MSU Music Professor Dr. Ricardo Lorenz, a Chicano/Latino Studies Core Faculty Member, has been nominated for Best Classical Album and Best Classical Composition in the Latin Grammy Awards for his album King Mangoberry.
Beyond Enrollment and Graduation: Examining Strategic Plans from Hispanic-Serving Institutions from Texas
October 8, 2020
CLS PhD student Dianey Leal and CLS Graduate Certificate student Amanda Flores have published their research in the Journal of Latinos and Education.
Hispanic and Latino students encouraged to apply for 2020-2021 Future Leaders Scholarship
September 24, 2020
The Hispanic Latino Commission (HLCOM) announced they are now accepting applications for the 2020-2021 Future Leaders Scholarship program. HLCOM is offering $35,000 in scholarships to higher-education students of Hispanic/Latino descent currently enrolled in a Michigan-based college, university or other recognized higher education institutions.
Cesar Chavez’s legacy at MSU How the celebrated activist’s influence lives on
September 21, 2020 - Layne Cameron
"The current Chicano/Latino Studies Program was the result of work, actions, meetings, negotiations and planning by students, faculty and university administrators, many of whom knew or grew up knowing about Chavez and Huerta's work," said Diana Rivera, Chicano Studies Librarian Emerita.
Diversity Champion: Dr. Ignacio Acevedo-Polakovich
September 14, 2020
Dr. Ignacio Acevedo-Polakovich is an associate professor of psychology at MSU and a core faculty member of Chicano/Latino Studies. Specializing in community psychology, Dr. Acevedo-Polakovich is the founder and director of the Community-Academic Innovation and Dissemination (Community-AID) lab, which studies ways to support the success and well-being of families and youth of all backgrounds.
Learn more about CLS!
August 27, 2020
Interested in learning more about the Chicano/Latino Studies program? Check out this informative video!
CLS Core Faculty Dr. Yomaira Figueroa receives tenure
June 25, 2020
MSU's Chicano/Latino Studies Program would like to congratulate CLS Core Faculty Dr. Yomaira Figueroa, Associate Professor of English, on receiving tenure! Well deserved!
Taking Care of your Self This Summer: A Care Kit for You
May 18, 2020
CAPS is reaching out to provide you a (virtual) point of connection combining basic wellness strategies, coping skills, resources for dealing with loss, and tips to find meaning and motivation along the way.
Supporting Faculty During & After COVID-19: Don't Let Go of Equity
May 18, 2020 - Leslie D. Gonzales
Dr. Leslie Gonzales has recently published a technical report on COVID-19 and supporting faculty. Dr. Gonzales is core faculty of Chicano/Latino Studies and Associate Professor in Higher, Adult and Lifelong Learning.
Director Isabel Ayala named a Academic Leadership Program Fellow
April 22, 2020
Maria Isabel Ayala, Associate Professor, Sociology and Director, Chicano/Latino Studies Program, College of Social Science has been named a 2020-2021 Academic Leadership Program Fellow.
CLS announces courses available for Fall 2020 and Spring 2021
April 13, 2020
Chicano/Latino Studies is happy to announce the full roster of courses available for Fall 2020 and Spring 2021.
Latest Update on the COVID-19 response by MSU
March 16, 2020
All classes and instruction will continue to be offered in virtual settings through the conclusion of the semester, including finals. May 2020 Commencement is postponed.
MSU moves to online courses only until April 20
March 11, 2020
Effective at noon March 11, MSU is suspending face-to-face instruction in classroom settings and moving to virtual instruction. We are continuing to work with faculty and staff on laboratory and performance classes, and the university will provide additional guidance. This suspension of in-person classes will last until April 20.
MSU strives to keep community safe and informed on coronavirus
February 28, 2020
As the university continues to actively monitor the coronavirus outbreak and various media and organizations are discussing its spread internationally and domestically, our goal is to continue keeping campus informed on the university’s response and proactive efforts. It is important to note that there are still no confirmed cases of coronavirus in the state of Michigan.
Vanessa Aguilar presents her research at 2020 CLACS Conference
February 26, 2020
Chicano/Latino Studies PhD student Vanessa Aguilar presented her pre-dissertation research titled, "Excavating: Curanderismo in the Archive" at the 2020 CLACS Conference, a project sponsored by CLS and CLACS Tinker Grant.
Abstracts open for 11th Annual La Academia del Pueblo
February 25, 2020
La Academia del Pueblo, an annual academic forum hosted by the Wayne State University’s Center for the Latino/a and Latin American Studies, seeks to establish mutually beneficial connections between the academy, engaged citizens and urban communities.
New Website launched for Undocumented Students
January 24, 2020
MSU's Office for Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives announces the launch of a website that will provide information and resources for undocumented students, refugees and recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
Dr. Eva Palma-Ramirez defends her dissertation
January 3, 2020
Congratulations to Dr. Eva Palma-Ramirez who successfully defended her dissertation in Chicano/Latino Studies.
Christian Ramirez's research to be published in Rio Bravo: A Journal of the Borderlands
January 3, 2020
Christian Ramirez's research to be published in Rio Bravo: A Journal of the Borderlands