MW
Maya Wandsberg
  • Global Studies
  • Class of 2013
  • Riverside, CA

Maya Wandsberg conducts summer research

2013 Aug 2

Maya Wandsberg of Riverside is spending the summer conducting research at California Lutheran University.

Wandsberg, a global studies major, received a Pearson Scholars Summer Program fellowship for her project titled "The Reconstruction of Ethnic Identity and the Development of a Racial Pan-African Identity Among African Immigrants in Southern California." She is studying the ethnic identities of African immigrants to the U.S. and how that relates to their adaptation to society.

Based on written proposals and academic performance, a faculty committee awarded 27 fellowships to undergraduate students with funding from more than $150,000 in grants from the university and the California Wellness Foundation. With guidance from faculty mentors, the students are conducting full-time research throughout the summer. Their projects range from researching lifestyle factors associated with toddler activity levels, to exploring trends among Ethiopian immigrants in Southern California, to testing pesticide exposure on Ventura County farms. The students will publish their results and present them at conferences.

CLU is a selective university based in Thousand Oaks, Calif. With an enrollment of 4,200 students, CLU offers undergraduate and graduate programs within the College of Arts and Sciences, School of Management and Graduate School of Education. Members of the CLU student body come from across the nation and around the world and represent a diversity of faiths and cultures. For more information, visit callutheran.edu.