Outstanding Graduating Student Award

2022 Student Excellence Award

Diana Cazandra Rangel

The Department of Ethnic Studies faculty selected Diana Cazandra Rangel for the Outstanding Ethnic Studies Department Graduate of the Academic Year 2021/2022.

Diana encapsulates the spirit of Ethnic Studies as both a scholar and community activist. She brings her experiences as a Chicana and the first generation of her family to attend college. She is currently a Teaching Assistant for Dr. Figueroa’s Chicana/o Experience ETHN 130. She is a McNair Scholar who has published and presented research, including a paper on Latino male’s academic experiences in higher education. Her Sac State teaching and research experiences have inspired her to serve her community as a future educator.

Her coursework is representative of her wide variety of interests and scholastic curiosities. These courses have included Introduction to Native American Studies, Asian American Experience, Ethnic America, Chicano Latino Politics, and Pan African Studies. In addition to this academic work, she is also the student Coordinator for the Center on Race, Immigration, & Social Justice. In this role, she has led workshops and events around issues of immigration and social justice, developed promotional materials including flyers and social media announcements, and updated the CRISJ website and social media accounts. She is indeed a strong student leader.