
California Pre-Doctoral Scholarship
The California Pre-Doctoral Program (a.k.a. Sally Casanova) awards funds to approximately 70 juniors, seniors, and graduate students in the CSU. These funds are designed to enable students to explore and prepare to succeed in doctoral programs in their chosen field of study. Scholarships are based on a competitive review of student applications and awarded to current upper-division or graduate students who, in the judgment of the review panel, demonstrate academic excellence while having experienced economic or educational disadvantage, and who are committed to a career in teaching or research at the university level.
Students who are chosen for this prestigious award are designated California Pre-Doctoral Scholars as a tribute to Dr. Sally Casanova, for whom the scholarship is named.
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.
If you are selected as a California Pre-Doctoral Program Scholar, you will receive:
An award of $5,000 for:
- Visits to doctoral-granting institutions in the continental United States
- Attending or presenting research at professional conferences
- Journal subscriptions in your field or membership fees to professional organizations
- Graduate school application fees, GRE or other graduate exam preparation course or registration fees
In addition, each Pre-Doctoral Scholar is eligible to apply for:
- A fully funded Summer Research Experience with a faculty member of their choosing in their discipline at an accredited Ph.D.-granting university in the continental United States.
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 pilot 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
- ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
To be eligible to apply to the California Pre-Doctoral Scholarship, applicants must:
- Be a CSUSM junior, senior, or master’s student.
- Be enrolled in Spring 2025, and for at least one semester in the 2025-2026 academic year.
- 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)
- Describe the field of study in which you would like to pursue a doctoral degree and the research questions or theoretical perspectives that interest you in this field. Please be specific.
- What elements of your educational, research, community service and/or personal experience have contributed to your interest in and preparation for pursuing doctoral study, and your determination to succeed in it?
- Many professionals with doctoral degrees enter careers to serve as college and university faculty, and most faculty serve a diverse student body. Describe your interest in such a career and experience that would prepare you for it.
Transcripts
One (1) copy of your transcripts (official or unofficial) must be submitted with your application. Graduate students must include a copy of both undergraduate and graduate transcripts from all institutions, including the CSU.
Student Budget Plan
Budgeting template
Please provide details on the components of the plan and assign a tentative dollar amount to each. An award of $5,000 is made to each Scholar. 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.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.
You will input your Faculty Mentor’s information into Smartsheet and they will be emailed a link to upload their letter after you submit your application.
- APPLICATION PROCESS
Review the components of the application and start to prepare them in advance of the submission deadline. An Application Guide is also available.
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 by no later than FEBRUARY 5, 2025 if you would like feedback.
All attachments, including all transcripts and essay responses, must be saved as a single PDF document. Your completed (single file PDF) application must be uploaded to SmartSheet
- Application
- 3 Essay Responses
- Transcripts
- Budget (use this template)
Applications are due electronically by 5:00pm on Friday, February 14, 2025.
NOTE: Faculty Mentors will be sent a link to upload a Letter of Recommendation after you submit your application to Smartsheet.Their letter must be received by Friday, February 14th. Do not wait until the last day to upload as your Faculty Mentor will need time to upload their portion.
- SELECTION CRITERIA
Applicants will be selected based on three major criteria:
- Potential for success in completing a doctoral program.
- Probable effectiveness of the student/faculty plan.
- Level of economic and educational disadvantage.
- INFORMATION SESSIONS
Interested in applying for the Pre-Doctoral Program? Please attend one of our upcoming information sessions:
- Tuesday, December 10, 2024 | 5-6pm | CONCLUDED
- Wednesday, January 15, 2025 | 5-6pm | CONCLUDED
- HEALTH PROFESSIONS TRACKThe 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.
Applications for the HPT are due via Smartsheet on February 14, 2025 at 5pm PST.
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 and the Application Guide and Health Professions Track Application Guide
Questions? Contact the CSUSM Pre-Doc Campus Coordinator: Nam Nguyen, gradstudies@csusm.edu
Congratulations to our previous Sally Casanova Scholars!
- 2024-2025 AWARDEES
Anthony Amaral - Sociological Practice Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Marisa Salinas, Sociology DepartmentDulcinea Arroyo Escamilla -Sociological Practice Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Marisa Salinas, Sociology DepartmentTyrone Jones - Psychology Undergraduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Denise Garcia, Biology DepartmentAlfredo 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 DepartmentTommi Mayers - Psychological Science Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Dustin Calvillo, Psychology Department - 2020-2021 AWARDEECynthia De La Rosa - Sociological Practice Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Xuan Santos, Sociology Department - 2019-2020 AWARDEESterling Sh'ron Briggs - Sociological Practice Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Xuan Santos, Sociology Department - 2018-2019 AWARDEESDaisy Avila - Sociological Practice Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Xuan Santos, Sociology DepartmentKelsey Baird - Sociology Undergraduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Bob Roberts, Sociology DepartmentDaniela Carreon - Sociological Practice Graduate StudentMentor: Dr. Christopher Bickel, Sociology DepartmentCeleste Espindola Rodriguez - Crimonology & Justice Studies and Psychological Science StudentMentor: Dr. Mohamed Abumaye, Sociology Department - 2017-2018 AWARDEESFelipe Rendon - Sociological Practice Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Xuan Santos, Sociology DepartmentMartin Leyva - Sociological Practice Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Xuan Santos, Sociology DepartmentChris Santos - Business Adminstration Undergraduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Rebeca Perren, Marketing Department - 2016-2017 AWARDEESJayd Blankenship - Psychological Science Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Kimberly VanderBilt, Psychology DepartmentMicah Savin - Psychological Science Undergraduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Kim Pulvers, Psychology Department - 2015-2016 AWARDEEOscar Soto - Sociological Practice Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Xuan Santos, Sociology Department - 2014-2015 AWARDEESMario De Matteo - Literature & Writing Studies Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Rebecca Lush, Literature & Writing Studies DepartmentSarah Neal - Psychology Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Nancy Caine, Psychology Department - 2013-2014 AWARDEESHeather Cody - Psychology Undergraduate StudentMentor: Dr. Kimberly D'Anna-Hernandez, Psychology DepartmentDavid Mcmillan - Kinesiology Undergraduate StudentMentor: Dr. Todd Astorino, Kinesiology Department
- 2012-2013 AWARDEESJelena Jablanovi - Biological Sciences Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Deborah Kristan, Biological Sciences DepartmentFernando Sanchez - Literature & Writing Studies Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Kenneth Mendoza, Literature & Writing Studies Department - 2011-2012 AWARDEESSamantha Lang - Biological Sciences Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Deborah Kristan, Biological Sciences DepartmentCarolina Valdivia - Sociology Graduate StudentMentor: Dr. Marisol Clark-Ibanez, Sociology Department - 2010-2011 AWARDEESGina Altavilla- Literature & Writing Studies Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Martha Stoddard-Holmes, Literature & Writing Studies DepartmentJohn Fernandez - Biological Sciences Graduate StudentMentor: Dr. George Vourlitis, Biological Sciences DepartmentMichael Santana - Mathematics Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. K. Brooks Reid, Mathematics Department - 2009-2010 AWARDEESMegan Dunbar - Psychology Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Elisa Grant-Vallone, Psychology DepartmentChristian Garcia - Sociology Graduate StudentMentor: Dr. Joely Proudfit, Biological Sciences DepartmentMichele Petracca (Fanelli) - Psychological Science Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Kim Pulvers, Psychology Department - 2008-2009 AWARDEEMario Martinez - Spanish Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Darci Strother, Spanish Department - 2008-2009 AWARDEEClaudia McCraine- History Undergraduate StudentMentor: Dr. Anne Lombard, History Department
- 2005-2006 AWARDEEMatthew Spears- Literature & Writing Studies Undergraduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Lance Newman, Literature & Writing Studies Department - 2004-2005 AWARDEEMartha Moran - Spanish Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Darci Strother, Spanish Department - 2002-2003 AWARDEESBonnie Hepburn - Psychological Science Graduate Student
Mentor: Dr. Marie Thomas, Psychology DepartmentAmy Ramos - Psychological Science Graduate StudentMentor: Dr. Marie Thomas, Psychology Department - 2001-2002 AWARDEEValerie Marino - Psychology Undergraduate StudentMentor: Dr. Gina Grimshaw, Psychology Department