Meet Shanelle Watkins

Tell us a bit about yourself

I am from southeast San Diego, and I attended Point Loma High School, California State University where I earned my BA in sociology, the University of San Diego where I earned my MA in higher education leadership, and I have worked in education for over 15 years in various realms including k-12, community college and four year universities. I chose to attend graduate school because while I was in undergrad, I had a professor who would always speak of her graduate school experiences, and encouraged us to further our education. As I navigated through graduate school, I noticed that I had very few colleagues who looked like me, or if I did, they did not have the same life experiences as me. When I decided to pursue a doctoral degree, I decided to take this journey not only for myself, but for the community that I grew up in.

What are you studying/researching?

My research focuses on the experiences of Black women undergraduate student leaders at Hispanic Serving Institutions. My chair is Dr Sherice Clarke.

Tell us about your campus involvement at UC San Diego

Within the UC San Diego community, I do utilize a variety of services including writing retreats, various EDS programs, and I am a member of the Black JDP program. As a native San Diegan, I really enjoy going to lake Miramar on early Saturday mornings, I enjoy visiting seaport village, and trying new restaurants in places like little italy and north park.

Why UC San Diego?

I chose UCSD because it holds a very special place in my heart. My father served as facilities management at UCSD for 30 years, and I remember as a child, always visiting the campus. It was my very first introduction to college as a first gen student. I knew that I wanted to earn a degree here and make my father proud and create a beautiful full circle moment.

Have you received any awards or fellowships?

I was awarded the Chrispeels Fellowship in 2022, and the BSP Clarke Kaplan Fellowship for fall of 2024.