The Consuelo W. Gosnell Memorial Scholarships are awarded to master’s degree candidates in social work who have demonstrated a commitment to working with, or who have a special affinity with, American Indian/Alaska Native and Hispanic/Latino populations. The 2026-2027 recipients are:
Maribel Aviles, UC Berkeley
Aviles is a first-generation, undocumented Latina pursuing a Master of Social Welfare at UC Berkeley. She immigrated with her family from Mexico to Oxnard, California at the age of two. Her parents' resilience and determination in building a life for their children inspired her commitment to higher education and to the communities she serves.
In 2023, Aviles earned her bachelor's degrees in Psychology and Sociology from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Following graduation, she worked as a Family Service Advocate for a Head Start program, supporting families experiencing barriers to healthcare, stable housing, and employment. Her firsthand understanding of the unique challenges faced by Spanish-speaking families and individuals without work authorization shaped her professional focus.
Through UC Berkeley's MSW program, Aviles aims to strengthen her clinical skills, deepen her knowledge of culturally informed and trauma-responsive care, and expand access to mental health services for Latine immigrant communities through compassionate, culturally affirming social work practice.
Liliana De La Garza, Washington University in St. Louis
De La Garza is a Mexican immigrant, first-generation college graduate, and incoming MSW student at Washington University in St. Louis, where she will concentrate in Mental Health. She holds a B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Sociology and a certification in Trauma from her undergraduate studies.
De La Garza currently serves as the Immigrant Student Advisor at The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis, where she applies a trauma-informed approach to help students feel confident and supported. Drawing on her own experience as a first-generation student and her deep community roots, she brings both personal understanding and professional skill to her work with students navigating higher education.
Her graduate studies are driven by a commitment to addressing mental health disparities in the Latino community. After completing her MSW, she hopes to work directly with college-age students, providing essential mental health support. De La Garza credits her growing family and her connection to her community as the motivation behind her pursuit of graduate education — a journey she hopes will equip her with the knowledge and skills to continue uplifting the students she serves.
Alexia Estrada, University of Chicago
Estrada is the daughter of Mexican immigrants and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in social work, social policy, and social administration at the University of Chicago. She brings a distinctive blend of nonprofit leadership, entrepreneurship, and community building to her graduate studies.
Most recently, Estrada served as Director of Operations at Semillero De Ideas, a nonprofit organization that centers farmworkers as leaders in innovation. She also co-founded Cafe Con Arte, a coffee shop and cultural arts gallery that grew from her passion for building community and creating space for cultural expression.
Drawing on her personal and professional experiences, Estrada is committed to expanding access to mental health resources and helping close longstanding gaps in care for the Latine community. Her graduate studies reflect her belief that strong communities require both cultural affirmation and equitable access to the services that support lasting wellbeing.
Meirilyn Filpo, Rutgers University
Filpo graduated summa cum laude from Fairleigh Dickinson University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a minor in Criminal Justice. As a first-generation Latina college graduate whose family immigrated from the Dominican Republic, she is deeply committed to advocating for Hispanic and Latino communities and increasing access to culturally responsive services.
Filpo currently works as a case manager for the NJ LEAD Program at Transition Professionals, where she supports justice-involved individuals as they reintegrate into their communities following incarceration by connecting them to housing, employment, healthcare, mental health services, and other essential resources. This experience has deepened her understanding of the challenges faced by underserved populations and strengthened her commitment to speaking up for those who often lack a voice in systems that affect their lives.
This fall, Filpo will pursue her Master of Social Work at Rutgers University with a concentration in clinical social work. She hopes to contribute to crime prevention by expanding access to mental health care and early intervention for at-risk individuals, and aspires to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who advocates for social justice and provides trauma-informed care.
Brenda Garcia, Grand Canyon University
Garcia is a Master of Social Work student at Grand Canyon University, expected to graduate in March 2027. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Human Development from California State University, Long Beach, and her Associate of Arts in Social Behavior from Golden West Community College.
Throughout her career, Garcia has worked with diverse populations as a residential counselor for at-risk youth, an emergency shelter caseworker, a children's social worker, and currently as an In-Home Supportive Services social worker serving older adults, people with disabilities, and people who are blind. She has also completed internships in school social work and child welfare, further grounding her commitment to vulnerable populations.
As a bilingual social worker and the first person in her family to pursue a master's degree, Garcia is passionate about providing culturally responsive, evidence-based services to underserved communities. After earning her MSW, she plans to obtain her Associate Clinical Social Worker registration and work toward becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, continuing her dedication to compassionate, community-centered practice.
Rosa L. Gregorio-Matias, Florida State University
Gregorio-Matias is a first-generation college graduate and Advanced Standing MSW student at the Florida State University College of Social Work. She earned her Bachelor of Social Work with honors from Florida Gulf Coast University in 2023 and has consistently demonstrated academic excellence, leadership, and commitment to community service throughout her educational journey.
Gregorio-Matias currently serves as a Service Coordinator with the Health Planning Council of Southwest Florida's Early Steps Program, coordinating early intervention services for infants and toddlers with developmental delays and advocating for families navigating complex systems. Her previous experience as a school social worker and domestic violence advocate strengthened her commitment to trauma-informed, culturally responsive practice. She also participated in a Florida State University study abroad program in Grenada, where she promoted mental health awareness among older adults, at-risk youth, and individuals receiving psychiatric care.
Gregorio-Matias will complete her clinical internship with the goal of becoming a medical social worker, dedicated to improving healthcare access for Latino communities through culturally and linguistically appropriate advocacy, education, and psychosocial support.
Lois Gutierrez, University of Minnesota
Gutierrez is a first-generation graduate student at the University of Minnesota's School of Social Work. She earned her bachelor's degree in Chicano/Latino Studies in 2025 at the same institution. The daughter of immigrants from El Salvador, Gutierrez grew up navigating challenges related to poverty, and domestic violence — experiences that shaped her understanding of the world and her commitment to serving vulnerable and under-resourced communities.
Prior to graduate school, she worked as a domestic violence advocate, leading support groups for teen moms and connecting women to essential resources. She also worked closely with attorneys providing legal representation to immigrants in the southeastern United States who experienced civil rights violations, including H-2A farmworkers, women facing workplace sexual harassment, and families separated at the border.
After more than a decade of advocacy work with Latine communities, Gutierrez recognized the need for more specialized clinical skills. She hopes to become an LICSW and provide psychotherapy services for Latine children and families who have experienced trauma.
Yael Atzin Hernandez, University of North Carolina, Charlotte
Hernandez is a master's student in social work and a first-generation college graduate whose commitment to migrant and marginalized communities is at the center of her professional calling. She earned her bachelor's degree from Winthrop University, where she interned at York County First Steps, gaining foundational experience in grant writing, direct service with children in marginalized communities, and nonprofit network building.
During her undergraduate studies, Hernandez served as Vice President of the Winthrop Department of Social Work Club and provided Spanish language tutoring to fellow students. She also organized campus-wide events to build an inclusive community — particularly for first-year students.
Growing up in a migrant household, Hernandez witnessed firsthand the challenges of adaptation and the systemic barriers facing immigrant families. This experience has shaped her focus on young children and mothers, populations she sees as especially in need of community and support. She looks forward to continuing to develop the tools and skills needed to uplift these communities through her graduate education.
Emma Lopez, University of Texas at Austin
Lopez is an incoming Master of Social Work student at The University of Texas at Austin. She earned her B.A. in Psychology from UT Austin and completed her honors thesis on coping and stress responses in Latinx youth with asthma.
As a research assistant in the Pediatric Coping and Language Lab, Lopez worked with Latinx families participating in pediatric asthma intervention research and studied the psychosocial factors that influence health outcomes among underserved populations. She also completed an internship at the VA Rocky Mountain Suicide Prevention Center, where she gained experience in evidence-based clinical interventions and suicide prevention research.
Lopez's professional interests include medical and forensic social work, with a focus on advocating for underserved populations across healthcare and legal systems. She hopes to build a career that combines clinical practice and advocacy, bringing a trauma-informed lens to the medical and legal systems that shape the lives of the communities she is committed to serving.
Maria Siquina, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Siquina was born and raised in North Carolina to Guatemalan immigrant parents and is a first-generation college student. She is currently pursuing her Master of Social Work at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's School of Social Work, with a concentration in Community Management and Policy Practice. She earned her Bachelor of Social Work from the University of North Carolina Wilmington.
During her undergraduate studies, Siquina interned with the UNCW Latino Alliance, providing Spanish-English translation for passport services and connecting Spanish-speaking families with community resources. She also interned with the YWCA of Lower Cape Fear, supporting grandparents raising grandchildren who had experienced early childhood trauma. She later transitioned into a professional role as a Multicultural Advocate and held leadership positions in student organizations advancing civic engagement and social work advocacy.
Growing up in a mixed-status household deepened Siquina's understanding of the barriers facing Latinx immigrant families. Through her graduate studies, she hopes to strengthen her skills in grant writing and research to help sustain and expand programs that center the voices and lived experiences of Latinx immigrants.