The Adaljiza Sosa-Riddell Mentor Award is presented annually by the APSA Committee on the Status of Latinos y Latinas in the Profession to recognize the exemplary mentoring of Latino y Latina students and junior faculty each year. The award is named in honor of Adaljiza Sosa-Riddell, the first Latina to earn a PhD in political science. APSA was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Dr. Sosa-Riddell in August 2023. The Committee on the Status of Latinos y Latinas honored her legacy and contributions to both the Latino/a community and the discipline as a whole at the 2024 APSA Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Drs. Ricardo Ramirez and Jesse Acevedo were awarded for exemplary mentoring of undergraduate students. Dr. Andrea Silva was awarded for exemplary mentoring of graduate students. Drs. Ines Valdez and Tony Carey were awarded for exemplary mentoring of junior faculty.
Andrea Silva is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas. She studies race and ethnic politics and Latino and immigration politics in the U.S. Dr. Silva’s research focuses on how institutions shape political participation among marginalized groups, particularly immigrants and people of color. Her work investigates the dynamics of state level immigration policy and their impact on immigrant and minority communities on topics such as licensing, education, and, most recently, food insecurity. Her forthcoming book investigates how direct democracy mechanisms influence state immigration policies, arguing for their significant role in shaping legislative outcomes and state-level political behaviors.
“Dr. Silva has provided mentorship to countless Latina graduate students in political science. Her openness to collaboration and her frank and honest mentorship during my graduate study helped bolster my connection to the field and ultimately my completion of the degree. I think it is a testament to the faith others have in her skills as a mentor that she has been chosen to take over leadership of the Women of Color Workshop that takes place before the APSA annual meeting. Only someone that understands the importance of mentorship could be entrusted to lead such an important space,” shares Gabriela Vitela, Director of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at Doña Ana Community College.
Vitela continues, “To this day, I still turn to Dr. Silva for mentorship in my role as a Director of DEI at DACC as I work to support and mentor students at our HSI. Her insight and thoughtfulness around creating a better experience for students than many of us had is invaluable in my work. Many of my colleagues in political science have also been able to experience Andrea’s mentorship and we agree she is a blessing to the Latino Caucus and political science as a whole.”
The APSA Committee on the Status of Latinos y Latinas in the Profession once again thanks Dr. Silva for her tireless dedication to graduate students and offers its thanks for her commitment to bettering the political science discipline.