2026-2027 Catalog
Chicana/o Studies Department
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Chicana/o Studies is a multi/inter-disciplinary and transformative academic field of study that advances the critical understanding of Chicana/o and Latino/a communities and issues in the United States. Since 2008, Chicana/o Studies has been committed to students, community, scholarship, and social justice. Chicana/o Studies has provided students a sense of belonging, academic support, and empowerment to make change in their community.
Chicana/o Studies traces its origins to El Plan de Santa Barbara, a 1969 document calling for the implementation of Chicana/o Studies programs in colleges and universities throughout the U.S. These programs pushed their universities to better serve the needs of historically minoritized students and surrounding communities. Chicana/o Studies does this by supporting student organizations, student representation at department meetings, community engagement and service learning, internships, culturally responsive events, faculty lectures at libraries and museums, and community organizations.
Chicana/o Studies aims to teach critical thinking and effective written and communication skills so that students learn to navigate and challenge complex systems of oppression, power and privilege. Inside the classroom, students will find supportive faculty who help build a sense of belonging and an intellectual identity. By doing so, students will gain confidence and become empowered to become agents of social change in their communities.
The department offers a B.A. and a Minor that prepares students for postgraduate study and a variety of career paths in the public and private sector, k-12 education, government, non profit organizations that serve underserved communities, and a variety of other fields and career paths. Before they graduate, many students take advantage of our department’s internship program and community service learning opportunities that help them decide on a future career.
The department curriculum is grounded in the university’s mission of placing students at the center and facilitating their learning through integrative and interdisciplinary, community engagement, and international and multicultural perspectives. It explores the dimensions of race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality and culture in the United States. The eye-opening curriculum will also help students learn more about themselves and others’ lived experiences.
In 2020 Chicana/o Studies became an independent department and since then it has consistently offered the largest minor on campus because once students take a class, they become empowered and want to take more courses. In addition, the department becomes a second home for students and gives them a sense of belonging in the university setting and serves as a retention tool. A quantitative study found strong evidence that students enrolled in a Chicana/o Studies course will not only find community, but achieve student success. Alumni have shared that Chicana/o Studies has prepared them for graduate study and professional careers that are making a positive impact on their communities.
Chicana/o Studies established the Michele Serros Endowment, Archival Collection at Broome Library, and Permanent Mural and Exhibition in Rush Hall. Michele Serros was born and raised in Oxnard and became a nationally recognized writer, poet. television writer and social commentator until she died in 2015. Serros was a supporter and friend of the program and generously donated her royalties, publishing rights and personal collection. Every year, the program organizes “Mucha Michele Day” to keep her legacy alive.
Faculty Highlights
The Chicana/o Studies (CHS) Department is currently supported by a dedicated team of tenured faculty members and non-tenure-track faculty. Together, these faculty members represent a diverse range of scholarly expertise in areas such as Chicana/o labor and immigration history, Indigenous Studies, Latinx cultural and musical expression, Xicana feminism, reproductive health justice, Central American Studies and community-based research. Their professional qualifications and long-standing commitment to student success, interdisciplinary teaching, and community engagement are essential to the fulfillment of the department’s educational objectives.
Chicana/o Studies Faculty have been leaders in advancing diversity, equity and inclusion at CSUCI. In 2017, Dr. Alamillo was appointed as chair of the President’s Advisory Council on Inclusive Excellence (PACIE) (2017-2021) to develop recommendations to the President on how to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion on campus. PACIE developed shared definitions, Inclusive Excellence Action Plan (IEAP) and Equity Lens Framework (LEF) to conduct a gap analysis on diversity, equity, and inclusion at CSUCI. On December 7, 2020, Dr. Alamillo received the Presidential Medallion for leading efforts to build a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion at CSUCI.
Chicana/o Studies faculty have played a central role in advancing “Servingness” at CSUCI through culturally relevant pedagogy and curriculum that is critical to the academic success of students. In 2019, Cal State Channel Islands earned the Seal of Excelecia, the first campus in the CSU system. Two examples that were mentioned in the Seal of Excelencia were the Michele Serros Living and Learning Community and Chicana/o Studies pathway course from Oxnard High School to CSUCI, both developed by Dr. Jennie Luna. CSUCI received the Seal of Excelencia in 2017, the first CSU campus to receive this designation. Additionally, CHS faculty have led and participated in H.S.I.-related grants and activities. CHS has organized culturally relevant events and programs that center the voice, identity and culture of Latinx students and their families.
Chicana/o Studies Faculty have been leaders in teaching and pedagogy. In 2020, Dr. Nicholas Centino received the President’s Award for Innovations in Teaching and Learning for his fresh, fun approach to teaching and educational equity. He invites students to express their reactions to readings in spoken word poems that build confidence, creativity, activism, and public speaking skills. Centino regularly hosts Facebook watch parties and Facebook Live events, welcoming guest speakers, students, their families, and the public to join in learning and discussion.
In AY 21-22 the School of Arts and Sciences awarded the Chicana/o Studies Department with the Dean’s Award for Collaborative Achievement for leadership in advocacy in racial equity and social justice at CSUCI.
Student Opprotunities
One of the most impactful examples of student-centered, experiential learning within the Chicana/o Studies curriculum is the department’s Internship Program. Designed as an upper-division course (CHS 492), the internship offers students an opportunity to apply classroom knowledge in real-world settings while deepening their understanding of the Chicana/o/x and Latina/o/x communities. Students self-select their internship placements based on personal interests and career goals, which reinforces autonomy and relevance in the learning process. Since2017, over 60 majors and minors have completed internships in a wide range of fields-including law, education, public health, nonprofit advocacy, cultural arts, local government, and research.
The Chicana/o Studies Department has developed a strong record of community engagement, exemplified by the annual Farmworker Immersion Program in which students participate in an experiential learning activity at local farms engaging directly with local farmers, agricultural workers, food justice advocates, and community members.
Elective courses will allow single major students to take additional courses in Chicana/o Studies or encourage students in Spanish and History to double major in Chicana/o Studies. We approved courses in Spanish and History to double count thus allowing students a smooth pathway to double major and graduate on time.
This major prepares you for graduate school and a variety of career paths. Some of these include: Teacher/Professor, School/College Counselor, Social Worker, Behavioral Health Specialist, Attorney/ Lawyer, Clinical Counselor, Government/Public Policy Administrator, Community Organizer, Nonprofit Director/Manager, Translator/Interpreter and Media Relations Manager
Contact Information
Amanda Sanchez
Academic Program Analyst
amanda.sanchez@csuci.edu
(805) 437-3517
Faculty
José M. Alamillo, Ph.D.
Chairperson & Professor of Chicana/o Studies
Madera Hall, Room 1366
(805) 437-2685
jose.alamillo@csuci.edu
Jennie Luna, Ph.D.
Professor of Chicana/o Studies
Madera Hall, Room 1727
(805) 437-3727
jennie.luna@csuci.edu
Nicholas Centino, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Chicana/o Studies
Madera Hall, Room 1408
(805) 437-8879
nicholas.centino@csuci.edu
Affiliated Faculty
Theresa Avila, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Art
theresa.avila@csuci.edu
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