Iara Gonzalez-Ascencio (’24 International Studies)

Iara Gonzalez-Ascencio (’24 International Studies) has been awarded the highest honor for graduate students at Chapman University, The James L. Doti Outstanding Graduate Student Award.

The James L. Doti Outstanding Graduate Student Award is conferred annually to the outstanding graduating master’s and doctoral students with distinguished records of academic accomplishment, scholarship, and/or service. The names of the award recipients are permanently inscribed on the campus Doti Award trophy, which incorporates artist Nick Hernandez’s sculpture Emergence, and is on display outside Argyros Forum (pictured above). Each recipient receives a desk-size copy of the trophy, an award of $1,000, and is recognized at their school’s commencement ceremony.

“I thank the Graduate Academic Council for granting me this award. I am deeply grateful to the Office of Graduate Education and the Dean’s Office of Wilkinson College for their continuous support throughout my research journey. The encouragement and resources I have received have been instrumental in my successful completion of the program. I especially appreciate your patience and generous backing, which also extended to my fieldwork and multiple conference presentations,” said Gonzalez-Ascencio.

Gonzalez-Ascencio is an exceptionally resilient and accomplished scholar whose academic and research achievements are all the more remarkable given her immense challenges during her MA program at Chapman University. Despite these obstacles, she graduated with academic distinction and significantly contributed to international studies. Her thesis on digital feminism and women’s social movements in Mexico, “Mobilizing Online, Marching Offline,” expands the literature on digital feminism from the case study of the Mexican women’s social movement to find missing persons and demonstrates methodological rigor and deep ethical engagement, earning recognition at the upcoming International Political Science Association Conference. Gonzalez-Ascencio has co-authored a peer-reviewed article in the International Feminist Journal of Politics, presented at five academic conferences, and is preparing another manuscript on environmental activism in Mexico. Her work is rooted in lived experience and demonstrates a strong commitment to marginalized communities, particularly migrant women under violence. In addition to her scholarly output, Gonzalez-Ascencio has shown inspiring dedication, leadership, and perseverance, making her a powerful example of academic excellence and social impact.

Dr. Minju Kwon, her advisor, expressed her genuine appreciation of Gonzalez-Ascencio, who unwaveringly deserves the honorable Doti Award at the master’s level. Dr. Kwon said Gonzalez-Ascencio exemplifies Chapman’s synergetic relationship with promising graduate students through her outstanding scholarly activities and in-depth commitment to serving communities. Dr. Kwon emphasizes that the Doti Award is the glorious acknowledgment of Gonzalez-Ascencio academic accomplishments and, more deeply, our university’s collective achievements. Dr. Kwon wholeheartedly respects Gonzalez-Ascencio as a graduate advisee, a collaborative researcher, and a fellow woman, and looks forward to the future accomplishments Iara will bring to our communities.

Gonzalez-Ascencio’s award continues a proud tradition of exemplary graduate students who have been nominated and won across Wilkinson College’s graduate programs, including Thomas Cottam in 2014, Julia Walton in 2016, Liz Harmer in 2019, Tryphena Yeboah in 2021, Makena Metz in 2023, and Audrey Fong in 2024.