Dr. Jennifer Jenkins, 2024 CUES Distinguished Fellow

We are proud to announce that Dr. Jennifer Jenkins has been awarded a CUES Distinguished Fellowship for her innovative project, Querencia: Integrating Place-Based Learning in Southwest Studies Curricula. Dr. Jenkins’ project taps into UArizona’s strengths as a Hispanic-serving and Indigenous-serving institution, creating an interdisciplinary curriculum that immerses students in the Arizona-Sonora borderlands. By combining place-based learning with local archival research, this initiative will deepen connections to the region's diverse histories, geographies, and cultures.

The project will explore how firsthand experiences at significant sites in southern Arizona influence teaching, student learning, and regional affiliation. It also integrates Native Ways of Knowing, ensuring respect and reciprocity towards the communities involved. Dr. Jenkins’ work embodies UArizona’s core values of adaptation, exploration, and inclusivity, and we are eager to see the impact of Querencia on our students and faculty.