Rosa Maldonado received a Master of Arts in Chicana/o and Latina/o Studies from Cal State LA’s College of Ethnic Studies with a 3.8 GPA during Commencement on May 24.
Maldonado, 28, was among seven Cal State LA students selected for the 2022-23 Sally Casanova pre-doctoral scholar awards, which are granted each year to support the doctoral aspirations of students across the 23-campus California State University (CSU) system. Each scholar receives a $3,000 award to help fund graduate exams, fees for professional conferences and other costs related to graduate school.
She is interested in exploring how structural racism is embedded within the U.S. food system by focusing on archival and contemporary research of agricultural workers in the U.S. She aims to illustrate the links between the historical legacies of settler colonialism and recent neoliberal policies that render migrant workers vulnerable to racialized and gendered forms of violence. A Los Angeles resident, she plans to pursue a doctoral degree in the social sciences.
Maldonado has been awarded six scholarships in her time here at Cal State LA, including the Sally Casanova pre-doctoral scholar award. She also received Cal State LA’s 2022 Summer Change Fellowship and has completed three internships with the city of Los Angeles and the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.
During her time at Cal State LA, Maldonado has taken great strides to serve the university community, including creating a group to help students apply for doctoral programs, providing a guide for the university on ways to meet the needs of students with dependents, and providing mentorship to peers and younger students.
“Rosa is a mother-scholar and activist,” says Anita Tijerina Revilla, professor and chair of the Department of Chicana/o and Latina/o Studies. “Her classmates look to her for guidance and mentorship, and she is an organic intellectual who always extends her generosity and skills to peers and faculty.”
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