Past Fellows

The Ethnic Minority Dissertation Fellowship began in 1993 with major grant funding from the James Irvine Foundation. Dr. Gerardo Marin, former Senior Vice Provost of Academic Affairs, was the principal architect of this initial fellowship program at USF. Funding from the Irvine grant ended in 2010. Since that time, the Provost's Office has funded this fellowship due to its highly successful record of recruiting and retaining talented ethnic minority scholars from across the country. Additionally, the fellowship program was later renamed the Gerardo Marín Diversity Fellowships in 2016.

Spring 2021 Gerardo Marín Diversity Dissertation Fellow

Zachary Reese, Ph.D., Social Psychology, University of Michigan

  • USF appointment: Department of Psychology, College of Arts & Sciences
  • Current appointment: Gerardo Marín Diversity Post-Doctoral Fellowship, University of San Francisco

2020-21 Gerardo Marín Diversity Dissertation Fellow

David Philoxene, Ph.D., Social and Cultural Studies, University of California, Berkeley

  • USF appointment: Department of Teacher Education, School of Education
  • Current appointment: Gerardo Marín Diversity Post-Doctoral Fellowship, University of San Francisco

2019-20 Gerardo Marín Diversity Dissertation Fellow

Britni Wilcher, Ph.D., Economics, American University

  • USF appointment: Department of Economics, College of Arts & Sciences
  • Current appointment: VA/Stanford Postdoctoral Fellowship in Health Services Research and Development, Stanford University

2018-19 Gerardo Marín Diversity Dissertation Fellow

Ajar Chekirova, Ph.D., Political Science, University of Illinois-Chicago

  • USF appointment: Department of Politics, College of Arts & Sciences
  • Current appointment: Assistant Professor, Politics, Lake Forest College

2017-18 Gerardo Marín Diversity Post-Doctoral Fellow

Karishma Desai, Ed.D., Curriculum and Teaching, Teachers College, Columbia University

  • USF appointment: Department of International and Multicultural Education, School of Education
  • Current appointment: Assistant Professor, Educational Theory, Policy, and Administration, Rutgers Graduate School of Education

2016-17 Gerardo Marín Diversity Dissertation Fellows

Nicole Arlette Hirsch, Ph.D., Sociology, Harvard University

  • USF appointment: Department of Sociology, College of Arts & Sciences
  • Current appointment: Turpanjian Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Southern California

Kimberly Reyes, Ph.D., Higher Education, University of Michigan

  • USF appointment: Department of Leadership Studies, School of Education
  • Current appointment: Advisor, Diversity & Inclusion, RMIT University, Australia

2015-16 

Gerardo Marín Diversity DISSERTATION FELLOWS

Osita (IK) Udekwu, Ph.D., Rhetoric, UC Berkeley

  • USF appointment: Department of Rheotric and Language, College of Arts & Sciences
  • Current appointment: Lecturer, Communications for Engineering Leaders, Fung Institute, UC Berkeley Engineering

Sepehr Vakil, Ph.D., Education in Mathematics, Science, and Technology, UC Berkeley

  • USF appointment: Department of Teacher Education, School of Education
  • Current appointment: Tenure-track faculty member, Learning Sciences, School of Education and Social Policy, Northwestern University

Gerardo Marín Diversity POST-DOCTORAL FELLOW

Michael Anthony Mendez, Ph.D., City and Regional Planning, UC Berkeley

  • USF appointment: Department of Environmental Studies, College of Arts & Sciences
  • Current appointment: Assistant Professor, Environmental Planning and Policy, UC, Irvine

2014-15 Ethnic Minority Dissertation Fellows

Jaclynn Hawkins, Ph.D., Social Work and Sociology (Joint Program), University of Michicagn

  • USF appointment: Public Health, School of Nursing and Health Professions
  • Current appointment: Associate Director, Gender and Health Research Lab, Michigan State University

Nicole Gonzales Howell, Ph.D., Composition and Cultural Rhetoric, Syracuse University

  • USF appointment: Department of Rheotric and Language, College of Arts & Sciences
  • Current appointment: Assistant Professor, Rheotric and Language; Coordinator, Mellon Scholars, University of San Francisco

Rigoberto Marquez, Ph.D., Education, UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies

  • USF appointment: Leadership Studies and International and Multicultural Education departments, School of Education
  • Current appointment: Director, Community Engaged Learning in Identity, Haas Center for Public Service, Stanford University

2013-14 Ethnic Minority Dissertation Fellows

Mirian Liu, Ph.D., Psychology, Claremont Graduate University

  • USF appointment: Department of Psychology, College of Arts & Sciences
  • Current appointment: Assistant Professor, Institute for Health Aging, UCSF School of Nursing

James Zarzadiaz, Ph.D., History, Northwestern University

  • USF appointment: Department of History, College of Arts & Sciences
  • Current appointment: Assistant Professor, History; Coordinator, Yuchengco Philippine Studies, University of San Francisco

2012-13 Ethnic Minority Dissertation Fellow

Ruth Kim, Ph.D., Education, UC, Santa Cruz

  • USF appointment: Department of International and Multicultural Education, School of Education
  • Current appointment: Senior Trainer and Consultant, Alameda County Training and Education Center

2011-12 Ethnic Minority Dissertation Fellow

Valerie Francisco, Ph.D., Sociology, City University of New York

  • USF appointment: Department of Sociology, College of Arts & Sciences
  • Current appointment: Assistant Professor, Sociology, San Francisco State University

2008-09 Irvine Fellows

Decoteau Irby, Ph.D., Urban Education, Temple University

  • USF appointment: Department of Leadership Studies, School of Education
  • Current appointment: Assistant Professor, Educational Policy Studies, College of Education, University of Illinois at Chicago

Quayshawn Spencer, Ph.D., Philosophy, Stanford University

  • USF appointment: Department of Philosophy, College of Arts & Sciences
  • Current appointment: Assistant Professor, Philosophy, University of Pennsylvania

2007-08 Irvine Fellows

Violet Cheung, Ph.D., Psychology, UC Berkeley

  • USF appointment: Department of Psychology, College of Arts & Sciences
  • Current appointment: Professor, Psychology, University of San Francisco

Kouslaa Kessler-Mata, Ph.D., Political Science, University of Chicago

  • USF appointment: Department of Politics, College of Arts & Sciences
  • Current appointment: Professor, Politics, University of San Francisco

Wanjiru Kamau-Rutenberg, Ph.D., Political Science, Comparative Politics, International Relations, University of Minnesota

  • USF appointment: Department of Politics, College of Arts & Sciences
  • Current appointment: Director, African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD)

2006-07 Irvine Fellow

Melissa Moreno, Ph.D., Education, Culture and Society, University of Utah

  • USF appointment: Department of International and Multicultural Education, School of Education
  • Current appointment: Professor, Ethnic Studies, Woodland Community College

2005-06 Irvine Fellow

Jorge Aquino, Ph.D., Graduate Theological Union

  • USF appointment: Department of Theology and Religious Studies; Latin American Studies Program, College of Arts & Sciences
  • Current appointment: Associate Professor, Theology and Religious Studies, University of San Francisco

2004-05 Irvine Fellows

Victor M. Rios, Ph.D., Comparative Ethnic Studies, UC Berkeley

  • USF appointment: Department of Sociology, College of Arts & Sciences
  • Current appointment: Professor, Sociology, UC Santa Barbara

Evelyn I. Rodriguez, Ph.D., Sociology, UC Berkeley

  • USF appointment: Department of Sociology, College of Arts & Sciences
  • Current appointment: Professor, Sociology, University of San Francisco

Shawan Worsley, Ph.D., American Studies, University of Michigan

  • USF appointment: Department of Performing Arts & Social Justice, College of Arts & Sciences
  • Current appointment: Marriage & Family Therapist, Castro Valley

2003-04 Irvine Fellow

Gena E. Chandler, Ph.D., English, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

  • USF appointment: Department of English, College of Arts & Sciences
  • Current appointment: Associate Professor, English, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

2002-03 Irvine Fellow

Stephanie Sears, Ph.D., African American Studies and Sociology, Yale University

  • USF appointment: Department of Sociology, College of Arts & Sciences
  • Current appointment: Professor, Sociology, University of San Francisco

1999-00 Irvine Fellows

Ange-Marie Hancock, Ph.D., Political Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

  • USF appointment: Department of Politics, College of Arts & Sciences
  • Current appointment: Professor, Political Science and Gender Studies, University of Southern California

Rachel Gortarez Salas, Ph.D., Special Education, University of Texas at Austin

  • USF appointment: Department of Instruction & Learning, School of Education
  • Current appointment: Assistant Professor, Literacy, College of Education, University of Nevada, Reno

1998-99 Irvine Fellows

Eileen Fung, Ph.D., Medieval Literature, UC Santa Barbara

  • USF appointment: Department of English, College of Arts & Sciences
  • Current appointment: Professor of English and Senior Associate Dean, College of Arts & Sciences, University of San Francisco

Roderick Hernandez, Ph.D., English, Stanford University

  • USF appointment: Department of English, College of Arts & Sciences
  • Current appointment: Assistant Professor, English, CSU Dominguez Hills

David Kim, Ph.D., Philosophy, Syracuse University

  • USF appointment: Department of Philosophy, College of Arts & Sciences
  • Current appointment: Professor, Philosophy, University of San Francisco

Julio Moreno, Ph.D., U.S. Business and Diplomacy in Latin America, UC Irvine

  • USF appointment: Department of History, College of Arts & Sciences
  • Current appointment: Professor, History, University of San Francisco

1997-98 Irvine Fellow

Rebecca Chiyoko King-O'Riain, Ph.D., Sociology, UC Berkeley

  • USF appointment: Department of Sociology, College of Arts & Sciences
  • Current appointment: Senior Lecturer, Sociology, Maynooth University, Ireland

1995-96 Irvine Fellow

Kevin Chun, Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, UCLA

  • USF appointment: Department of Psychology, College of Arts & Sciences
  • Current appointment: Professor, Psychology, University of San Francisco

1994-95 Irvine Fellow

Eduardo Mendieta, Ph.D., Philosophy, The New School for Social Research

  • USF appointment: Department of Philosophy, College of Arts & Sciences
  • Current appointment: Professor, Philosophy and Associate Director of the Rock Ethics Institute, Pennsylvania State University

1993-94 Irvine Fellow

Paul Lopez, Ph.D., Sociology, Northeastern University

  • USF appointment: Department of Sociology, College of Arts & Sciences
  • Current appointment: Professor, Chicano Studies and Sociology, CSU Chico

Last update: October 25, 2021