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. Dr. Betina Cutaia Wilkinson was awarded for exemplary mentoring of undergraduate students. Dr. Angie Torres-Beltran was awarded for exemplary mentoring of graduate students.
Betina Cutaia Wilkinson is an Associate Professor and Associate Chair of the Politics and International Affairs department at Wake Forest University. Her book project Partners or Rivals? Power and Latino, Black and White Relations in the 21st Century (University of Virginia Press, 2015) won the American Political Science Association REP Section’s Best Book Award on Inter-Race Relations in the United States. In 2015, Wilkinson was awarded an Early Career Award by the Midwest Political Science Association’s Latina/o Caucus. She has served as the President of the Midwest Political Science Association’s Latina/o Caucus, editorial board member of the PS: Political Science & Politics journal, executive council member of the Midwest Political Science Association, and as an advisory board member of the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Center for Innovative Faculty Development.
“She has made it her mission to guide undergraduate students, especially Latino students. Her passion for professorship goes beyond conducting research; she is committed to helping students learn, recognize their potential, and become their best selves. Dr. Wilkinson’s mentorship has been instrumental in helping me discover how I want to use my education, and the opportunities she has provided have prepared me to pursue my career goals with confidence,” writes Natalia Adams, a recent student at Wake Forest University.
Adams continues, “She recognized strengths in me that I hadn’t yet discovered and provided me with many opportunities to develop them. Because of her, I discovered a love for research, participated in RBSI, presented at major conferences, and became a coauthor on meaningful research. Nearly every line on my resume stems from an opportunity she opened for me, and each of these experiences has provided me with the skills to continue pursuing my career goals. I can say without hesitation that Dr. Wilkinson has shaped the course of my future, and I can’t thank her enough for her mentorship”.
In addition to founding the Race, Inequality and Policy Initiative (RIPI), Wilkinson currently serves as co-editor of the PS: Political Science & Politics journal. Wilkison’s research has been published in several political science and multidisciplinary journals including Political Research Quarterly, Social Science Quarterly, American Politics Research, PS: Political Science and Politics, Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, and Race and Social Problems. Wilkinson’s research has been highlighted by numerous media sources including NPR, Al-Jazeera, Los Angeles Times, NBC News Latino, San Francisco Weekly, Houston Chronicle, The New Orleans Advocate, Winston-Salem Chronicle, Enlace Latino NC, WPTF/North Carolina News Network, Spectrum News Triad, and “This Morning” show in Seoul, South Korea.
Ping Xu, a faculty member at the University of Rhode Island, also shares “Dr. Wilkinson’s mentorship model is rooted in inclusive research partnerships. Each year, she works closely with students, often first-generation or underrepresented, through independent studies, competitive summer fellowships, and departmental assistantships. Her mentees do not simply just assist on projects; they create and implement their own ideas and together with Dr. Wilkinson, they co-create knowledge. Many have co-authored papers with her and presented at national conferences, and several have published in peer-reviewed journals. These experiences not only hone students’ research and writing skills but also build their confidence and visibility in the discipline.”
Xu continues, “The outcomes of her mentorship are clear: her former students have gone on to pursue graduate and professional degrees at institutions such as UNC-Chapel Hill, University of Pennsylvania, Duke, Georgetown, and Indiana University. Many cite her influence as pivotal in shaping their aspirations and trajectories. Her work exemplifies the spirit and legacy of Adaljiza Sosa-Riddell.”
The APSA Committee on the Status of Latinos y Latinas in the Profession once again thanks Dr. Wilkinson for her tireless dedication to undergraduate students and offers its thanks for her commitment to bettering the political science discipline.