California Pre-Doctoral Scholarship

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The California Pre-Doctoral Program supports exceptional upper-division and master’s students in the CSU who plan to pursue research doctorates and careers in university teaching and research. Selected students are named Sally Casanova Scholars and receive funding for academic and professional development, as well as the opportunity to participate in a fully funded summer research experience at a major U.S. research university.

The program provides funding to approximately 70 CSU juniors, seniors, and graduate students each year to help them explore and prepare for doctoral study in their chosen fields. Awards are granted through a competitive application process and are offered to upper-division or graduate students who demonstrate academic excellence, have experienced economic or educational disadvantage, and are committed to pursuing careers in university-level teaching and research.

Each of the applicants selected will be designated a Sally Casanova Pre-Doctoral Scholar and will work closely with a CSU faculty sponsor to develop an overall plan which prepares the student for enrollment in a doctoral program. The plan should be tailored to the specific goals and career objectives of the student.

Sally Casanova Scholars receive up to $5,000 to support activities that foster doctoral readiness, including:

Travel to academic symposia or professional meetings to present research or engage with scholars in their field
Graduate school preparation expenses, such as application and test fees
Visits to doctoral-granting institutions to learn about graduate programs and connect with potential faculty mentors
Professional development resources, including memberships in academic organizations and subscriptions to scholarly journals
Eligible for additional funding for an 8-week summer research experience at a major research university

Health Professions Track

With an eye on preparing individuals to build a more equitable health care system for California, the CSU has created a Health Professions Track (HPT) pilot within its California Pre-Doctoral Program. The new program will support students aspiring to careers in health professions, including public health, kinesiology, nursing, social work and speech/language/hearing sciences, that require professional doctorates.

While the goals of the HPT align with the California Pre-Doctoral Program—to prepare current CSU students to earn research doctorates—the new track will focus on preparing individuals to diversify the health care workforce in a broad range of research-informed roles, including as future CSU faculty. The goal for graduates is to help improve health care service delivery and public health systems, and influence health care policies, programs and practices through evidence-based approaches.

Students with questions about HPT should contact:

Dr. Arnab Mukherjea
Faculty Director for the Health Professions
amukherjea@calstate.edu

Application Period is Currently Closed and Will Reopen in November/December 2026

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ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
To be eligible to apply to the California Pre-Doctoral Scholarship for the 2026-2027 Cycle, applicants must:
- Be a CSUSM junior, senior, or master’s student.
- Be enrolled in Spring 2026, and for at least one semester in the 2026-2027 academic year.
- Plan to pursue a research doctorate (Ph.D. or equivalent).
- Have a faculty sponsor from CSUSM who will be available for the duration of the plan specified in the application.
  
  *DACA students are also eligible for this scholarship.
Those not eligible:
- Current or former Pre-Doctoral Scholars are not eligible to reapply.
- International students
- Students interested in obtaining professional degrees (law, medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, or an MBA degree)
APPLICATION COMPONENTS
To apply to become a California Pre-Doctoral Program Scholar, you’ll need to provide the following Application Materials:

Essays (3)
300-600 words each
1. Describe a field of study you would like to pursue for a doctoral degree. What are the specific research questions or theoretical perspectives that interest you? What activities or achievements from past experiences have helped you develop important knowledge and skills related to these research interests? Be specific about your interests, but please use language that someone outside of your discipline would understand.
2. Describe your interest in a faculty career at a college or university that serves a diverse student body. What specific research mentoring or teaching activities interest you based on your past experiences? How have these experiences developed interpersonal skills related to working with people from different backgrounds? Be specific with concrete examples of leadership or group activities related to educational, research, work, and/or community service settings.
3. Describe your experience overcoming challenges or setbacks to your goals. What specific strategies did you take to resolve them and achieve long-term goals? How have these experiences developed interpersonal, adaptability, or self-management skills to succeed in a doctoral program? Be specific with concrete examples of adapting or self-managing goals related to your educational, research, work, and/or community service activities.
Unofficial Transcripts
- Current CSU transcripts
- Undergraduate degree transcripts (for master’s students)
- Community college transcripts, if applicable
Curriculum Vitae (CV)

Budget Proposal (must total $5,000)

Please provide details on the components of the plan and assign a tentative dollar amount to each.

Eligible expenses may include:
- Travel to academic conferences or professional meetings
- Travel to visit doctoral programs
- Graduate school application fees
- GRE preparation or test fees
- Memberships, journal subscriptions, software, or research materials (limit $500 for research items)
Please note that travel is permitted only within the U.S., and visits to doctoral degree-granting institutions are limited to those universities that are accredited. Summer research experiences are funded separately from this budget.

Faculty Mentor Letter of Recommendation

Letter from Faculty Mentor that details the abilities, skills, mastery of theory and method, accomplishments, and motivation that are likely to contribute to this student’s ability to succeed in doctoral study.
- Mentors will receive a link to submit their recommendation letter after applications are created.
- Letters are due one week after the student application deadline
APPLICATION PROCESS

Review the components of the application and start to prepare them in advance of the submission deadline.

Although not mandatory, it is strongly suggested that you have the Campus Coordinator review your application before submitting. Please send your materials to Nam Nguyen at gradstudies@csusm.edu

Upload all application components to SmartSheet by the deadline.

NOTE: Faculty Mentors will be sent a link to upload a Letter of Recommendation after you submit your application to Smartsheet.
SELECTION CRITERIA
2026-27 cohort will include 75 juniors, seniors, and master’s students in the California State University. Applicants will be selected through a holistic review process by CSU faculty members considering the following criteria:
1. Potential for success in completing a doctoral program.
2. Clarity and feasibility of their budget proposal and plan for educational enrichment
3. Alignment with the California Pre-Doctoral Program’s goals to increase access to advanced education for California’s future faculty
INFORMATION SESSIONS

TBD
HEALTH PROFESSIONS TRACK
The Health Professions Track (HPT) of the California Pre-Doctoral Program will award funds to approximately ten juniors, seniors, and master’s students in the California State University (CSU). These funds will support students as they explore and prepare to succeed in doctoral programs in the health professions, including public health, social work, human development (with a focus on health), health psychology, kinesiology/physical therapy, nursing, and speech/language/hearing sciences. Awards are
based on competitive review of applications from current upper-division or master’s students who, in the judgment of the review panel, demonstrate academic excellence while having experienced economic or educational disadvantage, and have a strong interest in pursuing research-oriented careers in the health professions. Professional interests or career goals in health include (but are not limited to):
- Becoming a faculty member at a CSU or other public institution of higher education in California
- Improving health care service delivery or public health systems in a leadership rol
- Influencing policies, programs, and practices through evidence-based approaches in an expert capacity
The HPT welcomes applications from matriculated CSU students committed to health equity and creating a health workforce that is reflective of and responsive to California’s diverse communities.

Please thoroughly review the Health Professions Track Application Guide.

Students with questions about HPT should contact:

Dr. Arnab Mukherjea
Faculty Director for the Health Professions
amukherjea@calstate.edu
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Review the Chancellor's Pre-Doctoral website

Questions? Contact the CSUSM Pre-Doc Campus Coordinator: Nam Nguyen, gradstudies@csusm.edu

Congratulations to our Sally Casanova Scholars!

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2025-2026 AWARDEE

Arianna Monterossa - Sociological Practice Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Lori Walkington, Sociology Department
2024-2025 AWARDEES

Anthony Amaral - Sociological Practice Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Marisa Salinas, Sociology Department

Dulcinea Arroyo Escamilla - Sociological Practice Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Marisa Salinas, Sociology Department

Tyrone Jones - Psychology Undergraduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Denise Garcia, Biology Department

Alfredo Bello Vasquez -Sociological Practice Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Marisa Salinas, Sociology Department
2021-2022 AWARDEES

Alex Gonzalez - Biological Sciences Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr.Julie Jameson, Biological Sciences Department

Tommi Mayers - Psychological Science Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Dustin Calvillo, Psychology Department
2020-2021 AWARDEE

Cynthia De La Rosa - Sociological Practice Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Xuan Santos, Sociology Department
2019-2020 AWARDEE

Sterling Sh'ron Briggs - Sociological Practice Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Xuan Santos, Sociology Department
2018-2019 AWARDEES

Daisy Avila - Sociological Practice Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Xuan Santos, Sociology Department

Kelsey Baird - Sociology Undergraduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Bob Roberts, Sociology Department

Daniela Carreon - Sociological Practice Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Christopher Bickel, Sociology Department

Celeste Espindola Rodriguez - Crimonology & Justice Studies and Psychological Science Student

Mentor: Dr. Mohamed Abumaye, Sociology Department
2017-2018 AWARDEES

Felipe Rendon - Sociological Practice Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Xuan Santos, Sociology Department

Martin Leyva - Sociological Practice Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Xuan Santos, Sociology Department

Chris Santos - Business Adminstration Undergraduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Rebeca Perren, Marketing Department
2016-2017 AWARDEES

Jayd Blankenship - Psychological Science Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Kimberly VanderBilt, Psychology Department

Micah Savin - Psychological Science Undergraduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Kim Pulvers, Psychology Department
2015-2016 AWARDEE

Oscar Soto - Sociological Practice Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Xuan Santos, Sociology Department
2014-2015 AWARDEES

Mario De Matteo - Literature & Writing Studies Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Rebecca Lush, Literature & Writing Studies Department

Sarah Neal - Psychology Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Nancy Caine, Psychology Department
2013-2014 AWARDEES

Heather Cody - Psychology Undergraduate Student

Mentor: Dr. Kimberly D'Anna-Hernandez, Psychology Department

David Mcmillan - Kinesiology Undergraduate Student

Mentor: Dr. Todd Astorino, Kinesiology Department
2012-2013 AWARDEES

Jelena Jablanovi - Biological Sciences Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Deborah Kristan, Biological Sciences Department

Fernando Sanchez - Literature & Writing Studies Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Kenneth Mendoza, Literature & Writing Studies Department
2011-2012 AWARDEES

Samantha Lang - Biological Sciences Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Deborah Kristan, Biological Sciences Department

Carolina Valdivia - Sociology Graduate Student

Mentor: Dr. Marisol Clark-Ibanez, Sociology Department
2010-2011 AWARDEES

Gina Altavilla- Literature & Writing Studies Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Martha Stoddard-Holmes, Literature & Writing Studies Department

John Fernandez - Biological Sciences Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. George Vourlitis, Biological Sciences Department

Michael Santana - Mathematics Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. K. Brooks Reid, Mathematics Department
2009-2010 AWARDEES

Megan Dunbar - Psychology Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Elisa Grant-Vallone, Psychology Department

Christian Garcia - Sociology Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Joely Proudfit, Biological Sciences Department

Michele Petracca (Fanelli) - Psychological Science Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Kim Pulvers, Psychology Department
2008-2009 AWARDEE

Mario Martinez - Spanish Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Darci Strother, Spanish Department
2008-2009 AWARDEE

Claudia McCraine- History Undergraduate Student

Mentor: Dr. Anne Lombard, History Department
2005-2006 AWARDEE

Matthew Spears- Literature & Writing Studies Undergraduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Lance Newman, Literature & Writing Studies Department
2004-2005 AWARDEE

Martha Moran - Spanish Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Darci Strother, Spanish Department
2002-2003 AWARDEES

Bonnie Hepburn - Psychological Science Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Marie Thomas, Psychology Department

Amy Ramos - Psychological Science Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Marie Thomas, Psychology Department
2001-2002 AWARDEE

Valerie Marino - Psychology Undergraduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Gina Grimshaw, Psychology Department