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Ethnic Studies Diversity Research Prize

Ethnic Studies students are encouraged to participate in the annual Pacific Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference. During this spring-time event, students from a broad spectrum of disciplines present posters and give oral presentations on a wide variety of topics.

The Ethnic Studies Program awards a $100 prize annually for the outstanding undergraduate research paper and research poster on "Diversity in the United States," which are presented at the Pacific Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference.

Learn more about the Adobe Acrobat icon Ethnic Studies Research Prize.

2009 Winners


Outstanding Research Paper
Nahila Ahsan: "The ‘Hindoo' Invasion of the 20th Century—Understanding a Misunderstood Group."

Outstanding Research Poster
Lauren Ehrhart: "The Days of Lower Lamos—Immigrant Lebanese Women"

Student Spotlight: Nahila Ahsan


Nahila Ahsan
Nahila Ahsan

Nahila Ahsan graduated in 2009 with a B.A. in English and two minors: one in Ethnic Studies and one in International Relations.

While at Pacific, Nahila was involved in the Community Involvement Program, Muslim Student Association, Interfaith Council, Social Justice Community and United Cultural Council. In her spare time, she studies Turkish, Urdu and Arabic. She hopes to apply to graduate school.

Among her many awards and scholarships, Nahila recently won an Ambassador Corps Fellowship from the Global Center for Social Entrepreneurship where she will intern with Fundacion Paraguaya at the rural agricultural high school.

She was also awarded a Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) to study Beginning Urdu in Lucknow, India. Urdu is the national language of Pakistan and one of the official languages of India.

The Scholarship is sponsored by the U.S. State Department, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The CLS Program offers intensive summer language institutes overseas in 11 critical need foreign languages.