A new scholarship honoring Dr. Tatiana Melguizo has been established by the University of Southern California and the Pullias Center for Higher Education.

The ‘Tatiana Melguizo Memorial Scholarship Fund for Community College Transfer Students’ honors Dr. Melguizo’s commitment and research supporting community college students and ensuring their success. A highly-accomplished professor and a leader in the fields of education and economics, she passed away in January 2024.

Tatiana was a dedicated, passionate scholar who championed minoritized student populations and community colleges. Her quantitative research, most notably with the Los Angeles Community College District, paved new understandings of barriers to student access and success focused on assessments/testing, advising, introductory courses and other key barriers. She served for much of her career as a faculty member at the Rossier School of Education at USC, where she was a dedicated teacher and advisor.

More importantly though, she was a kind scholar who mentored students and early career scholars and gave generously of her time to help develop others. Tatiana worked together with the entire Pullias and Rossier family to advance equity in higher education.

The scholarship fund was established by the Pullias Center to honor Dr. Melguizo’s long-standing commitment to community college students, and will be used to support incoming USC undergraduates transferring from local community colleges. Tax-deductible donations to the scholarship fund are now being accepted.