CSWAC Member Leisy Abrego 2026 Wins Gold Shield Faculty Prize

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CSWAC Executive Board Member Leisy Abrego has been named the 2026 recipient of the prestigious Gold Shield Faculty Prize, recognizing her outstanding contributions to teaching, mentorship and scholarship at University of California, Los Angeles.

A professor in the Department of Chicana/o and Central American Studies, Abrego is a leading scholar of immigration policy and Central American families whose work bridges academic research and real-world impact. Over the past five years, she has taught more than 800 students and mentored dozens of undergraduate and graduate students—many of them first-generation and immigrant-origin—who see their own experiences reflected in her work.

Abrego’s research in Central American Studies and Illegality Studies is widely cited across disciplines and has informed U.S. policy, while her teaching continues to inspire students toward civic engagement and social change.

“Abrego is one of UCLA’s most gifted and influential teachers, in addition to being an internationally recognized scholar,” said Charlene Villaseñor Black. “Her research has shaped national conversations, and her teaching transforms the lives of our students.”

Abrego will be honored at the Gold Shield Faculty Prize Lecture in February 2027, where members of the UCLA community will have the opportunity to hear directly from one of the university’s most impactful educators.