Sociology

2021 Undergraduate and Graduate Sociology Award Recipients

Congratulations to all the 2021 undergraduate and graduate Sociology award recipients!

 

 

Robert H. Schiffman Memorial Award for Outstanding Research Promise

The Sociology department would like to congratulate students, Catherine Johnson, Leah Lamoreaux and Maria Olivet on their nominations for the Robert H. Schiffman Memorial Award for Outstanding Research Promise given by the Graduate Studies Office. 

 

Veronica Elias Scholarship ($250)

The Veronica Elias Scholarship is given in honor of Dr. Veronica Elias, Emeritus Sociology Professor to an undergraduate student who has a demonstrated record of academic achievement. This year it is being awarded to Michelle Garber.

Michelle GarberMichelle Garber

Michelle is a first-generation college student born to immigrant parents who came to America to give their only child opportunities they did not have. Michelle has had many pivotal life experiences that have shaped who she is today. She has overcome the adversities of her medical condition, Pseudotumor Cerebri. This brain disease mimics the debilitating symptoms of a brain tumor but is excess cerebrospinal fluid putting pressure on the brain. Despite having this condition, having constant medical exams, immense pain, and being a full-time student, she managed to graduate from high school as the class Valedictorian and was accepted into CSUN. Overcoming this challenge was her greatest achievement. With a 4.0 GPA, Michelle is proud of her academic career at CSUN. Even though her family was unable to guide her throughout her education, she is internally grateful to have the support of two professors. Without Professor Capous-Desyllas's encouragement, resources, guest speakers, and support throughout her SOC 357 (Anti-Oppressive Social Work Practice) class, Michelle would not have the internship opportunity at Monseñor Oscar Romero Charter School mentoring marginalized students. As a result of Michelle’s active participation and success in SOC 306 (Jewish Families and Communities), Professor Thompson personally reached out to discuss her future goals, minor and double major options, and sociology courses within the Jewish Studies minor that would place her in Jewish non-profit internships. Michelle noted these internship experiences will assist her in pursuing a master's degree, and eventually a career as a social worker.

Michelle is proud of the academic achievements she has accomplished during her two semesters at CSUN, which include being on the Dean’s list, membership in the AKD International Sociology Honors Society, National Society of Collegiate Scholars, and GE Honors Program as a Community Service Committee. Michelle also is an intern at 7 Cups where she has supportive virtual 1-on-1 conversations with adults struggling with mental health. Michelle’s future goals include applying to graduate school and becoming a clinical social worker at a hospital to help teenagers and young adults struggling with mental health.

Beverly Ann Hurd Scholarship ($250)

The Beverly Ann Hurd Scholarship was established by CSUN alumnae Beverly Hurd, a single parent who majored in sociology. The award is given to a student who is a single parent, returned to school after a break in their education, and has succeeded academically. This year the award is being given to Stephanie Escamilla.

Stephanie EscamillaStephanie Escamilla

Stephanie is a first-generation college student and will receive her B.A. in Sociology this semester. Being the eldest of six children whose parents only had a middle school and eleventh-grade education, being the first in her family to pursue a B.A. is a tremendous accomplishment. Throughout her academic career, Stephanie has benefitted from the support of her professors and employers which has helped her to succeed. Many pivotal life experiences shape who Stephanie is today. One of the most life-changing experiences was becoming a mom at seventeen. As a single mother, Stephanie stopped attending school to raise her daughter. Stephanie attributes her daughter as her reason to fight to become a better version of herself and to have a better future.  With the help of her parents, Stephanie pursued her GED and enrolled in Pasadena City College before transferring to CSUN. Stephanie is a proud member of the AKD Sociology Honor Society. Through service-learning and internships, Stephanie had the honor of working with various organizations, including Monsenor Oscar Romero Charter School, where she elevated academic success for struggling students by providing targeted group/individual tutoring. Stephanie also volunteered at June Mazer Lesbian Archives, where she built new relationships and attributed her success in her women studies course. Stephanie’s future career goals include becoming a probation officer for juvenile offenders.

 

Russell Miller Sociology Scholarship ($250)

The Russell Miller Sociology Scholarship is given in honor of Dr. Russell Miller, an Emeritus faculty member in the Department of Sociology. It is given to a student who has shown scholastic achievement and demonstrated exceptional leadership and community service. This year it is awarded to Anet Baghumyan.

Anet BaghumyanAnet Baghumyan

Anet’s academic career began at Glendale Community College. Anet’s journey was challenging, balancing family life as a mother of two children, being a full-time student, and working in the business division at GCC. Anet chose Sociology as her major after the happiness she felt when helping freshmen. Sociology classes enabled her to identify her values, become more aware of her environment, community, society, and goals in life. The pandemic started as soon as Anet transferred to CSUN. While COVID-19 was a barrier, it did not keep Anet from persevering. Her experience with distance learning gave her a fresh perspective on life and education. Anet’s academic achievements include a 4.0 GPA, being on the Dean’s list and Honor’s list. Anet has a passion for writing and research. The most current research paper she completed was a demographic analysis of COVD-19 that focused on how different populations have been affected by the pandemic. This semester Anet interned at Villa Garden Health, helping residents fill out paperwork. Anet looks forward to continuing her academic career by earning a Master’s degree in College Counseling, and pursuing a career as a college or university academic advisor.  She wants to be able to give back to the community and help people through her work. 

Russell Miller Sociology Scholarship ($250)

The Russell Miller Sociology Scholarship is given in honor of Dr. Russell Miller, an Emeritus faculty member in the Department of Sociology. It is given to a student who has shown scholastic achievement and demonstrated exceptional leadership and community service. This year it is awarded to Savannah Garcia-Araniva.

Savannah Garcia-AranivaSavannah Garcia-Araniva

Savannah is a first-generation college student who credits her independence, discipline, and patience as attributes she has come to nurture and appreciate. Savannah has found mentors in friends and academic professionals who have played a significant role in her development. This first began in high school when Savannah came across the UCLA after-school program and was accepted into the program as a peer-tutor. Savannah also participated in the Chicano Latino Youth Leadership Project, in which a group of Latine individuals around the country had the opportunity to meet with a variety of Latine people and professionals ranging from government officials to college students and graduates. Participation in this program changed Savannah’s life for the better as it focused on “the four C’s”: Culture, Community, College, and Communication.

 Savannah has been on the Dean’s list since transferring to CSUN. In her third semester Savannah participated in a service-learning course where she was able to work with a group of parent volunteers to provide lessons to children in the 2nd-4th grades. She has also been involved in the student group M.E.Ch.A. (El Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan) and is currently facilitating a collaboration between M.E.Ch.A. and a community organization that is collecting donations to help day laborers and asylum seekers in the San Fernando Valley. She is also the incoming president of the CSUN Sociology Club. Savannah’s life experiences thus far have not only shown her the power of the people as a collective, but also the power that we hold as individuals. Although Savannah is still unsure of what specific career title she will have in the future, her experience and passion for social justice and equity weighs heavily on her mind, and knows that her future career will involve helping those in need

John J. Plasek Memorial Scholarship ($250)

The John J. Plasek Memorial Scholarship is given in honor of the late father of Dr. John Wayne Plasek, Emeritus Sociology Professor. The award goes to a student who has demonstrated academic excellence (particularly in the major), and has overcome difficulties pursuing higher education. This year’s recipient is Jocelyn Flores.

Jocelyn FloresJocelyn Flores

Jocelyn is the first in her family to attend college and has endured many obstacles after struggling with mental health, unemployment, drug, and alcohol abuse. Jocelyn sought therapy to overcome her battles with anxiety and depression to begin her journey to academic success. Jocelyn was proud of accomplishing her goal in receiving her A.A. from the College of the Canyons; this, however, was short-lived when her mental health took a turn for the worse that resulted in a two-year hiatus. With hard work, she had a breakthrough to learn healthy ways to cope with her struggles. Upon transferring to CSUN, Jocelyn struggled financially and considered accepting a full-time job to survive or pursue her degree. She noted deciding on the latter turned out to be one of the greatest decisions of her life.

Her first Professors were Dr. Karen Morgaine and Dr. David Bogumil. Her anxiety was at an all-time high because she did not think she could be successful with their curriculum. However, with their strong support, she was happy to be proven wrong. Dr. Bogumil was supportive, patient, and reassured Jocelyn that she was on track. Dr. Morgaine played a vital role with the rich knowledge she provided, the challenge to make Jocelyn become a critical thinker and always being available when needed. Jocelyn is grateful for the support they provided and noted that she would not be as successful as she is now without them. Jocelyn has made the Dean’s list three times and has a 3.53 GPA. As a result of her academic success, she has been accepted into the University of La Verne's Master of Science in Education Counseling program and will begin in the Fall. Her future career goal is to be an academic counselor in a high school setting or at a community college. Jocelyn wants to serve underprivileged youth by helping them get a higher degree while dismantling the school-to-prison pipeline.

Jerald Schutte Award for Excellence in Research Methods & Statistics ($300)

The Jerald Schutte Award is given by emeritus faculty member, Dr. Jerald Schutte, to a student who has excelled in statistics and research methods. This year’s award goes to Andrea Wullschleger.

Andrea WullschlegerAndrea Wullschleger

Andrea transferred to CSUN from College of Sequoias. In the Spring of 2020, she enrolled in Professor Jerald Schutte’s hybrid research methods and statistics course. Andrea is proud to have achieved A’s with the adjustment of transitioning to working remotely due to COVID-19.  Andrea notes the spread of COVID-19 brought about unprecedented challenges for people from all walks of life. After returning to her hometown of Visalia, CA, she frequently discussed with her father, a retiree with 30 plus years of social work, their concern for children due to in-home visits temporarily being prohibited. Thinking of these children, a wave of helplessness encompassed Andrea during the early months of COVID-19. As a result, Andrea spent the summer interviewing members of her community on their childhood experiences. She read that an estimated forty percent of children experience trauma before the age of eighteen. The people she spoke with were in pain, a pain she once felt, and pain she wholeheartedly knew could be relieved if cared for properly.

Andrea participated as a peer educator for the Joint Advocates for Disordered Eating (J.A.D.E), and is the treasurer of the Catholic Newman Club, a mentor for Mentor Collective, a member of The Central American United Students Association, and a member of the Resource Fair Committee for CSUN’s Annual National Eating Disorder Awareness Week. Andrea was a grant recipient for the National Lawyers Guild outside of campus, which allocated her to create a podcast in light of the Black Lives Matter demonstrations and civic opportunities available within her community. Additionally, Andrea volunteers at the Visalia Rescue Mission as a kitchen worker for the recovery clients and those in need. Andrea’s future goals include earning her Master’s degree in Marriage and Family therapy at CSUN and working in mental health counseling.

 

Sara & Marshall Magnuson Award for Outstanding Student Accepted to Graduate School ($300)

The Sara and Marshall awards, are funded by the Sara and Marshall Magnuson Endowment in Sociology. Sara and Marshall Magnuson both attended CSUN. In 1971 Sara graduated with a B.A. in Sociology-Anthropology and Marshall graduated with a B.A. in Art. Although they have both passed away, part of their legacy was to financially support scholarships and awards for sociology students.

This award in particular is for students with a record of academic excellence who have been accepted into graduate school (either a master’s degree program or Ph.D. program). This year’s award goes to Gabriela Flores.

Gabriela FloresGabriela Flores

Gabriela is a first-generation college student who had difficulty finding a sense of belonging during her undergraduate career at a predominantly white institution. Her acceptance into CSUN was a turning point in Gabriela’s life. After meeting her first professor of color who studied communities of color, the exposure influenced her desire to become a professor in higher education. Upon receiving rejection letters from all the Ph.D. programs she applied to after receiving her B.A., Gabriela learned that her desire and passion for research alone was not enough. Gabriela used these rejection letters as motivation to enhance her educational and professional background to become a competitive applicant. She noted being a part of CSUN’s Master’s program played a crucial role in honing her research interests and skills. She was challenged in various ways by the courses, faculty, and peers. Gabriela's academic achievements include, CSUN’s Teaching Assistant Fellowship, CSU’s Sally Casanova Predoctoral Program, Using Photovoice Methodology to Understand the Experiences of LGBTQ+ Refugees & Asylum Seekers living in Athens, Greece (supervised by Dr. Moshoula Capous-Desyllas) and Carter, M. J., Martin Aguilar, J., & Flores, R. G. (under review) “Role Identities and Self-Efficacy: Examining the Effect of Conventional vs. Idiosyncratic Role Identity Meanings.” Gabriela was accepted into five Ph.D. programs and will begin her studies this Fall in the Ph.D. program in Sociology at the University of California-Merced. She aims to become a professor in Sociology to mentor students from underserved communities and engage in meaningful research and impactful teaching.

Sara & Marshall Magnuson Award for Outstanding Community Service ($300)

The Sara and Marshall awards, are funded by the Sara and Marshall Magnuson Endowment in Sociology. Sara and Marshall Magnuson both attended CSUN. In 1971 Sara graduated with a B.A. in Sociology-Anthropology and Marshall graduated with a B.A. in Art. Although they have both passed away, part of their legacy was to financially support scholarships and awards for sociology students. 

This award in particular is for students who have contributed significantly to the community through volunteer work and/or internships during their time at CSUN.  This year’s award goes to Patricia Mae Lanting.

Patricia Mae LantingPatricia Mae Lanting

Navigating life in the United States was difficult for Patricia, having migrated from the Philippines six years ago. However, it did not stop her from pursuing education because it is important in her culture and family to finish college. As a transfer student from PCC, Patricia's academic experience has been remarkable because of professors who have helped enhance Patricia’s desire in the field. Patricia always knew her passion and calling would be found in serving other people. Patricia evolved from being a timid student, to reflecting on how her intersectional identities could be put to good use by serving her community. As part of this process she learned how the paradigm of power can be shifted by sharing power with others and advocating for the oppressed. Patricia's dedication to her studies blossomed, as she acquired academic achievements including making it onto the Dean’s List twice and finally graduating Magna Cum Laude as part of CSUN's 2021 graduating class. Patricia is also a member of the AKD Sociology Honor Society, NSLS Honor Society, and Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society. She devoted her time in volunteering for the LA Food Bank, and setting up homeless care kits for non-profit organizations in LA such as PATH. She also volunteered at the Asian Youth Center where she gathered and documented viable sources to enhance the organization’s research project in hopes of improving their current programs to better serve their target population. Her future plans include pursuing a Master’s degree, working with disadvantaged and oppressed groups, particularly the homeless and immigrant communities, and possibly work with children who have speech disorders.

Sara & Marshall Magnuson Top Graduating Senior Award (highest GPA) ($400)

The Sara and Marshall awards, are funded by the Sara and Marshall Magnuson Endowment in Sociology. Sara and Marshall Magnuson both attended CSUN. In 1971 Sara graduated with a B.A. in Sociology-Anthropology and Marshall graduated with a B.A. in Art. Although they have both passed away, part of their legacy was to financially support scholarships and awards for sociology students. This year’s award goes to Kelly Higgins.

Kelly HigginsKelly Higgins

From a young age, Kelly battled with depression, generalized anxiety, and panic disorder. As a first-year student entering CSUN, she was overwhelmed by her lack of confidence and direction. However, within a few months of attending CSUN she realized a sense of belonging through the mentorship of campus professionals. Through their urging, she came to understand the importance of campus resources such as mental health counseling, academic and career advisement, and community organizations that have rekindled her intellectual ambitions at CSUN. Kelly devoted herself to understanding her studies and applying them to her practices and maintained a 4.0 GPA. Kelly was recently profiled at the CSBS commencement ceremony as runner-up for the university's Wolfson Scholar Award.

Kelly challenged herself to become a leader in higher education and to explore abilities outside her comfort zone. Most notable is her time with The Blues Project; a peer-education organization run through CSUN’s University Counseling Services (UCS) dedicated to advocacy and education for depression and suicide prevention. As a volunteer peer educator, advocating for a cause larger than Kelly allowed her to find a community of support through campus peers and professionals. Eventually, she was hired as the Student Coordinator of The Blues Project. Within her work as Coordinator, Kelly has established spaces for psychoeducational discussions through the perspectives of diverse communities by inviting professionals from these communities to facilitate this dialogue, including topics highlighting LGBTQIA+ individuals, ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities, veterans, and more. This includes workshops Kelly developed and facilitated in collaboration with clinicians from CSUN’s Counseling Services, covering topics ranging from Multiracial Mental Health to Effective Coping through the COVID-19 Pandemic. In 2018, Kelly’s article “Our Spectrum of Cultural Influences” was published in the inaugural edition of the CSUN student journal Waves. Kelly is excited to continue her academic career as she enters CSUN’s Masters of Science in Counseling program in College Counseling Student Services this coming Fall. In addition, she plans to obtain LPCC Licensure as a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor to practice future clinical fieldwork.

Sara & Marshall Magnuson Top Graduating M.A. degree recipient Award (highest GPA) ($400)

The Sara and Marshall awards, are funded by the Sara and Marshall Magnuson Endowment in Sociology. Sara and Marshall Magnuson both attended CSUN. In 1971 Sara graduated with a B.A. in Sociology-Anthropology and Marshall graduated with a B.A. in Art. Although they have both passed away, part of their legacy was to financially support scholarships and awards for sociology students. This year’s award goes to Dorothy Goulah-Pabst.

Dorothy Goulah-PabstDorothy Goulah-Pabst

After a successful 35-year career as a model and actress, Dorothy decided it was time for a change and became the first person in her extended family to attend college. The beginning of Dorothy’s academic career was kick-started in the field of Sociology at Valley College where she was inspired by Drs. Raskoff and Southgate to transfer to CSUN where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology. With the encouragement of Drs. McDonald, Prata and Mavaddat, Dorothy decided to apply to and was accepted into the master’s degree program in sociology at CSUN. The graduate program challenged and broadened Dorothy’s interests and abilities fulfilling her lifelong desire to be an academic. Encouraged by Dr. Capous-Desyllas, Dorothy’s auto-ethnography titled “Suicide Years in the Making”, written for master’s credit in Sociology 492: Human Behavior in the Social Environment, was published in peer-reviewed journal Qualitative Inquiry in 2020. This inspired her to concentrate on research and writing. This year Dorothy has been awarded top honors in the Distinguished Thesis/Graduate Project Competition for her research titled, “Suicide Loss Survivors: Navigating Social Stigma”, which is currently under review for publication in the peer-reviewed journal OMEGA: Journal of Death and Dying.

Dorothy has delivered Meals on Wheels to elder shut-ins for St. Vincent Meals on Wheels and has been involved in home visits and phone calls to alleviate loneliness through St. Vincent programs. She is also a facilitator at Solace, a peer-led support group for survivors of suicide loss and is the coordinator for Los Angeles and central California of Healing Conversations, a program to support suicide loss survivors through the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.  Dorothy’s future plans include continued work with survivors of suicide loss, continuation of her education through certificate programs, doing independent research and writing for publications.

Distinguished Thesis/Graduate Project Award ($1,750)

Dorothy Goulah-Pabst

Dorothy Goulah-Pabst

Dorothy was one of four recipients chosen by the Office of Graduate Studies to receive the Distinguished Thesis/Graduate Project Award in the amount of $1,750 for her project titled “Suicide Loss Survivors: Navigating Social Stigma”, which is currently under review for publication in peer-reviewed journal OMEGA: Journal of Death and Dying.

The criteria used in making the selection included the quality of the graduate thesis or culminating project, the papers’ potential acceptance as a publication in their field, and other qualities which are supported by the nomination from thesis committee members, Dr. Capous Desyllas, Dr. McDonald and Dr. Prata. Dorothy’s thesis first made it through a number of culminating projects put forward by the various departments in College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. Dorothy was one of only two from the CSBS. In the end, Dorothy’s project was selected by the graduate committee as the top project among numerous projects from each of the colleges across campus.