Scholarships

Please check out our CSUN AAS facebook page for announcements of jobs, internships and research opportunities.

Annual Awards

Every year, Asian American Studies faculty members honor students for their achievements and contributions to the department, campus, and community. To be considered for one of the departmental scholarships, applicants must:

1) Complete the AAS Student Awards Scholarship Application
2) Write one brief essay (500 words, see below for essay prompt)
3) Write a short bio (50-100 words)
4) Submit a 1-page resume (see below for suggested format)
5) Be available for the AAS graduation & student awards ceremony.

New deadlines will be announced

If you have any questions, please contact Professor Masequesmay at gina.masequesmay@csun.edu.

Award Descriptions

The following is a list of non-monetary awards. If you are a faculty member, please nominate students for one of our (non-monetary) awards using the Nomination Form

• Promising Freshman Award: This award is provided to freshmen who have demonstrated promise in context of academics and/ or community involvement. The ideal candidate might have demonstrated solid critical thinking skills, academic and/or personal improvement, and/or a burgeoning commitment to racial justice. Students are eligible if they: (a) are a freshman (0-29 units) and (b) have enrolled in at least two courses in AAS (or one AAS course + one course in AFRS, AIS, CATS, or CHS). 
• Promising Sophomore Award: This award is provided to sophomores who have demonstrated promise in context of academics and/ or community involvement. The ideal candidate might have demonstrated solid critical thinking skills, academic and/or personal improvement, and/or a burgeoning commitment to racial justice. Students are eligible if they: (a) are a sophomore (30-59 units) and (b) have enrolled in at least two courses in AAS (or one AAS course + one course in AFRS, AIS, CATS, or CHS). 
• Promising Transfer Award: This award is provided to transfer students who have demonstrated promise in context of academics and/ or community involvement. The ideal candidate might have demonstrated solid critical thinking skills, academic and/or personal improvement, and/or a burgeoning commitment to racial justice. Students are eligible if they: (a) are a transfer student and (b) have enrolled in at least one course in AAS.
• Community Builder Award: This award recognizes students who play a crucial role in building Asian, Pacific Islander, and Desi American (APIDA) communities on- and/ or off-campus. The ideal candidate might have demonstrated meaningful campus or community-based involvement/ participation, and/or advocacy efforts. Students are eligible if they: (a) are currently enrolled at CSUN and (b) have enrolled in at least two courses in AAS (or one AAS course + one course in AFRS, AIS, CATS, or CHS).

The following is a list of monetary awards:

• Glenn Omatsu Community Engagement Project Award: This award is for students who are AAS major, double major, or minor. The student or group of students write a one-page proposal of their community engagement project (from an AAS class or with a community group) to receive either a $100 individual stipend, or a $250 small group stipend, or a $500 group stipend. The project proposal must be clear on how the work will benefit a community group in a feasible timeframe. (Please see instruction on how to apply)
• Asuncion C. Abarquez and Rose Abarquez-Alcantara Endowment Scholarship
• Donna Kawamoto Special Achievement Award: The student who receives this award may not necessarily have a high GPA or be considered a visible leader, but the student has demonstrated resiliency and a strong ability to overcome unusual hardships and life circumstances while pursuing higher education.
• Enrique de la Cruz Social Justice Award: The student who receives this award has demonstrated a commitment to ending social oppression, an impact on Asian and/ or Pacific Islander American communities on- or off-campus, and /or involvement in social justice organizations or projects; and completed or are in the process of completing community internship hours via the AAS 495 or 497 courses.
• Eunai Shrake Promising Educator Award: This award attempts to address the lack of Asian American representation in the teaching force, and recognizes students who have demonstrated a commitment to and potential for a career in the education field be it in the K–12 classroom or higher education.
• Laura Uba Academic Achievement Award: The student who receives this award should be a major/double-major in AAS and has demonstrated a strong academic performance and critical understanding of AAS and/ or Ethnic Studies. Priority will be given to a student with senior standing.
• Kenyon Chan Outstanding Leadership Award: The student who receives this award is an AAS major, double major, or minor; and has demonstrated the goals and values of the department, as well as campus leadership. The student is engaged in practices that bridge the university and Asian and/ or Pacific Islander American communities, and has advanced Ethnic Studies through research and/or activism.