AAHHE Outstanding Dissertation Awards (ODA)
The American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education (AAHHE) is proud to sponsor their annual Outstanding Dissertation Awards (ODA). AAHHE recognizes the significant need to increase the number of Hispanics receiving doctoral degrees, entering higher education on the tenure track, and eventually serving in faculty leadership and administrative roles.
Although the Hispanic population is the fastest growing population in the country, Hispanics are underrepresented in higher education in all areas: undergraduate, graduate, faculty and administration. Gains are being seen every year in the number of doctoral degrees conferred to Hispanics and in the number in full-time faculty positions, but the percentages are not climbing commensurate with the population's growth.
By sponsoring the ODA, AAHHE spotlights top doctoral students and, at the same time, are showcase excellence in Hispanic student performance at the doctoral level. The ODA aims to a) encourage greater numbers of Hispanic students to enter and successfully complete doctoral programs and b) enhance the quality of the dissertations they write.
2026 AAHHE Outstanding Dissertation Awards
The awards are open to any Latinx who has completed a dissertation as part of a doctoral degree program in the social sciences and education, broadly defined, and/or anyone whose dissertation research conducted as part of a doctoral degree program in the social sciences focuses on the Latinx community. Additionally, the dissertation needs to have been completed between December 2023 and August 1, 2025.
All applicants are strongly encouraged to be AAHHE members to apply. The call for applications for the 2026 AAHHE Outstanding Dissertation Awards opens on April 7, 2025. The deadline for submission of a Dissertation Summary via the AAHHE submission portal is August 1, 2025.
How to Apply?
Refer to the 2026 AAHHE Outstanding Dissertation Awards Guidelines prior to applying. The guidelines will provide you with information on eligibility, dates and deadlines, preparation of dissertation summary, evaluation criteria and procedure, awards and recognition.
Past Recipients
Review the 2025 Outstanding Dissertation Awards Recipients and a history of previous 2024 - 2008 ODA winners.
Additional Information
Winners are required to present their dissertation at the annual AAHHE Conference and give a dissertation presentation via webinar for the AAHHE membership following the conference in the months of April, May, or June.
If you have any questions about the awards, please contact: AAHHE ODA Chair Dr. Maria Oropeza Fujimoto at [email protected] or [email protected].
Download a copy of the 2026 AAHHE Outstanding Dissertation Awards Brochure (PDF)
Download a copy of the 2026 AAHHE Outstanding Dissertation Awards Guidelines (PDF)
Download a copy of the 2026 AAHHE Outstanding Dissertation Awards Title Page (PDF)
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