HSI Pathways Fellows Will Matriculate into Ph.D. Programs for the Third Consecutive Year

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Brandy Jones
Telephone: 848-932-0788
Email: brandy.jones@gse.rutgers.edu

New Brunswick, NJ. July 29, 2020— The Rutgers Center for Minority Serving Institutions (CMSI) is proud to announce that 23 Fellows from our HSI Pathways to the Professoriate program will be matriculating into graduate programs in the fall. Of the 23 Fellows, 16 will enter Ph.D. programs and 7 Fellows from the program will be matriculating into master’s degree programs.

The HSI Pathways to the Professoriate program aims to increase the diversity of faculty members in the humanities. Fellows in the program participate in an intensive summer research experience where they receive guidance from faculty mentors and institutional coordinators as well as tools for crafting independent scholarship aligned with their research interests. Throughout the on-going program, Fellows are also taught professional skills and provided tools for strengthening their academic agency, and better articulating their complex research projects.

“Watching each of the Fellows grow over the past couple of years has been inspiring. We are excited to see these students thrive in graduate school and are committed to supporting them in reaching their goals to become faculty,” shared Marybeth Gasman, Executive Director at the Rutgers Center for Minority Serving Institutions and Samuel DeWitt Proctor Endowed Chair in Education.

This year, HSI Pathways Fellows have secured admission and are matriculating into the following Ph.D. and master’s degree programs:
 
From California State University, Northridge:

• Ashlee Monton, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Ph.D., American Studies
• Clarissa Campos, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Ph.D., American Studies
• Dani Murillo, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Ph.D., Sociology
• Danielle Snali, State University of New York at Binghamton, Ph.D., History
• Genesis Pia, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, Ph.D., Sociology
• Kevin Ginosian, University of Arizona, Ph.D., Rhetoric, Composition, & the Teaching of English
• Kevin Ramirez, New York University, Ph.D., History
• Lissette Chavez, The Ohio State University, Ph.D., Comparative Studies
• Virginia Gomez, Indiana University, Ph.D., Gender Studies

From Florida International University:

• Aaron Uranga, New York University, M.A., European and Mediterranean Studies
• Anaridia Molina, University of Michigan, Ph.D., English Language and Literature
• Chelsea Colon, University of Chicago, M.A., English
• Michael Soriano, Florida International University, Ph.D., Political Science
• Robert Vives, University of Florida, Ph.D., English
• Saniorah Lynn Edouard, City University of New York, Ph.D., Comparative Literature
• Tiffany Oharriz, Florida International University, M.A., English

From The University of Texas at El Paso:

• Alexis Swope, University of Virginia, Ph.D., History
• Anahi Ponce, University of Texas at Austin, Ph.D., Mexican American and Latina(o) Studies
• Annel Mena, New Mexico State University, M.Ph., Public Health
• David Castillo, Indiana University Bloomington, M.A., Russian and East European Studies
• Gisela Argote, University of Iowa, Ph.D., History
• Grecia Sanchez, Western Michigan University, M.A., Philosophy
• Luisa Perez, University of Houston, M.A., Art History

“Given the impact of COVID-19, it is imperative that we continue to support these students as they matriculate into their graduate degree programs and adjust to the ‘new normal’ brought on by the pandemic,” said Andrew Martinez, Research Associate at the Rutgers Center for Minority Serving Institutions. “We are very proud of each student in the program and happy to share that the students’ preparation has resulted in Fellows enrolling in 23 graduate programs.”

Supported by a $5.1 million grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the program is coordinated by CMSI in partnership with three Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) — Florida International University; The University of Texas at El Paso; and California State University, Northridge — and five majority research institutions (MRIs) — New York University; University of California, Berkeley; University of Pennsylvania; Northwestern University; and University of California, Davis.

The HSI Pathways program spans over five years and we are currently in the fifth year of the program. Throughout the five years, the CMSI team simultaneously conducted a study to determine how students in the program are navigating the graduate school process, including an examination of the challenges and impetuses for success that may arise as Fellows make their way toward the Ph.D.

About the Rutgers Center for Minority Serving Institutions
The Rutgers Center for Minority Serving Institutions (CMSI) brings together researchers and practitioners from across the Minority Serving Institution spectrum. CMSI’s goals include: elevating the educational contributions of MSIs; ensuring that they are a part of national conversations; bringing awareness to the vital role MSIs play in the nation’s economic development; increasing the rigorous scholarship of MSIs; connecting MSIs’ academic and administrative leadership to promote reform initiatives; and strengthening efforts to close educational achievement gaps among disadvantaged communities. The Rutgers Center for Minority Serving Institutions is part of the Graduate School of Education at Rutgers University, New Brunswick. For further information about CMSI, please visit http://cmsi.gse.rutgers.edu./