ABOUT THE PRIZE
The Jessie Alpaugh Senior Prize in Disability Studies, awarded annually, was established to recognize graduating seniors who are enrolled in the UCLA Disability Studies major or minor, and have developed an outstanding capstone project that contributes to emerging scholarship in the field and also captures their intellectual passion.
ABOUT JESSIE CHARLOTTE BLACKMAR ALPAUGH
The prize is named in honor of Jessie Charlotte Blackmar Alpaugh, an art history major at UC Berkeley who, during the last summer before her sudden death in 2002, worked at UCLA on an independent studies project that contributed to the foundation of UCLA’s Disability Studies minor.
At the age of 16, Jessie had suffered a catastrophic series of neurological illnesses that left her a quadriplegic with severe speech, hearing, and visual impairments. Despite these challenges, Jessie thrived intellectually and was admitted to UC Berkeley in 1999 as a Chancellor’s Scholar. There she found a vibrant group of scholars who were engaged in developing the interdisciplinary field of disability studies. The disability world was never a “club” that Jessie wished to join – the illness that had threatened her life and left her severely disabled deeply saddened her. However, through disability studies she discovered an amazing academic community that simultaneously challenged her mind, respected her experience, and sparked in her a sustaining passion and purpose.
Jessie would be extraordinarily proud of the UCLA Disability Studies program and would be humbled to learn about the senior prize awarded in her name.
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
Please review the 2026 Jessie Alpaugh Senior Prize Announcement to ensure eligibility BEFORE starting your application.
The prize totals $6,225 split into one or two awards.
In a single pdf document, include the following three items:
- Cover page with the following information:
- Full Name
- Student ID Number
- Enrolled in DIS STD 191, DIS STD 199B or DIS STD 198B
- Please list your 191 instructor or Faculty Mentor for 199B or 198B
- Internship Site
- 500 words, 2 pages double-spaced max Capstone project abstract which must include the following points:
- Working title
- Research Question or Central Focus:
- Should address the project’s concrete objective(s) and/or specific aim(s).
- Background and Rationale:
- Should address the context for your project’s question/focus, the current state of research or work in this area, and the gap your project seeks to address.
- Methodology or Approach:
- Should address what methods (qualitative and/or quantitative) you used to address your project’s research question/central focus and assess the outcomes and/or impact of your project.
- Preliminary Findings or Anticipated Outcomes:
- Should address the project’s outcomes, whether preliminary and/or anticipated.
- Impact/Contribution:
- Should address the significance of your work and how it advances progress in the field of disability studies.
- A 1-page double spaced response to the following prompt:
- Disability Studies scholars understand ‘disability’ as a social construction and a dominant lens through which we can understand difference in the world. How has disability studies shaped your perspective of difference? How is your capstone project related to your aspirations and how does it contribute to viable action to advance a just society?
Save the PDF in the following format:
- LastName_FirstName_Application.pdf
- Ex: Frenk_Julio_Application.pdf
Obtain a copy of your unofficial transcript and save it in the following format:
- LastName_FirstName_Transcript.pdf
- Ex: Frenk_Julio_Transcript.pdf
Email both files to the Jessie Alpaugh Senior Prize Committee*
Confirmation email:
- You will receive a confirmation email when your application has been received**
Applications are due Monday, May 4, 2026 at 11:59 PM
*Your application materials should be sent directly to the committee via the following email address: 2026.95xnpff9b2gfshnn@u.box.com
**If you do not receive a confirmation email or if you are having issues uploading your application materials, please contact Nicole Chavez.
If you have questions about the application requirements, please contact Nicole Chavez.
Jessica, a young woman with long, curled brown hair stands in front of Kerckhoff Hall. She is wearing a satin white dress with a blue and gold “Class of 2026” graduation stole.
JESSICA LE
Major: Psychology
Minor: Disability Studies
Project Title: NICHE-UCLA: An Inclusive, Intersectional Curriculum to Advance Disability Health Education in Medical Training
Jessica Le recently graduated Summa Cum Laude from UCLA in 2026 with a degree in Psychology and a minor in Disability Studies. In her three years at UCLA, Jessica has been passionate about researching ways to uplift neurodiversity, inspired by the intimate conversations and experiences she has had with those around her. Her passion led her to joining the University of California Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (UC-LEND) Fellowship as an undergraduate trainee in her second year, before she was promoted to becoming Senior Research Assistant for UC-LEND in her third and final year. For UC-LEND, Jessica’s main project is in partnership with the community-based organization 5-Eleven Hoops, where she is working to evaluate and develop improvements for the active play initiative designed for youth with autism and other intellectual and physical disabilities and their families. Her other research involvements at UCLA include the Wilson Motor Lab and thinkSMART, both of which she has been part of since her first year. Outside of research, Jessica is involved with uplifting the Asian American community on campus through the performing arts. She served as Producer for LCC Theatre Company and Publicity Coordinator for Vietnamese Culture Night this past year.
Jessica worked closely with UC-LEND and an interdisciplinary team of individuals with lived experiences for her Disability Studies honors capstone. Her project focused on the creation of an LGBTQIA+ and Disability Health module for the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine Basecamp orientation for first-year medical students. The module worked to assess and increase positive attitudes of medical students towards patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She presented her findings at the 2026 American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry’s One Voice Conference in Dallas, Texas.
Jessica’s experience in the disability studies minor has shaped her perspective of difference by showing her how difference is understood differently by everyone and negatively by many, but that public awareness and education are more powerful than we think in reshaping thought and action towards inclusivity. After UCLA, Jessica aspires to become a research professor in the effort towards making this goal possible.
Isabel, a young woman with medium-length brown hair, stands in front of a decorative railing with foliage behind. She is wearing a blue dress with ruffles and a blue and gold “Class of 2026” graduation stole.
ISABEL RUBIN-SAIKA
Major: Architectural Studies
Minors: Disability Studies, Geography, and Urban and Regional Studies
Project Title: Care in Place at Fowler
Isabel Rubin-Saika graduated from UCLA in Spring 2026 with a Bachelor’s degree in Architectural Studies with minors in Disability Studies, Geography, and Urban and Regional Studies. During her time at UCLA, she was committed to accessible design, inclusive living, and spatial equity through innovative design solutions. Through the Disability Studies minor, she had the opportunity to tailor her educational experience, bringing together architecture and disability justice. Isabel interned for an organization called Premiere Living Services, a temp agency for adults with intellectual disabilities that provides inclusive staffing solutions that empower individuals with disabilities to thrive in the workplace. She helped raise awareness for disability diversity in the workplace and did outreach to potential employment partners. Alongside this internship, Isabel researched the relationship between the experiences of blind and low-vision individuals and practices of accessible design in art museums.
This research led to Isabel’s senior year capstone project, Care in Place: Reimagining Access in a University Museum. Working under Professor Dana Cuff and with the support and guidance of Dr. Yang Yang and Alexa Vaughn, Isabel has been able to work on this collaborative project and develop it into a space-based design experiment that centers collaboration, feedback, and lived experience to root design practices in accessibility for all. Currently, the Fowler is underused and unknown to many students, faculty, and the public. It’s unclear how to access the museum, what is allowed, and who is allowed. Navigation and accessibility are difficult. This project investigates how the Fowler Museum at UCLA can be reimagined as a third space where people can gather to socialize, co-work, study, and rest. In collaboration with cityLAB UCLA, Isabel developed an accessibility survey to assess the current use, needs, and barriers at the Fowler. Data analysis from these surveys helped to inform strategies for wayfinding and spatial interventions. The second phase included a series of pop-up events and workshops to test and explore new strategies for engagement and accessibility. Isabel is hopeful that her capstone project will inform future design decisions at the Fowler and can be a precedent for future space activation projects that center accessible design.
Isabel will be continuing her education at the University of California, Berkeley to pursue a Master of Architecture. She is eager to bring her experience in accessible design to her master’s program, hopeful that spaces beyond museums can be reimagined through spatial activation to support equitable and inclusive environments.
| Lani Jacobson – 2025 Major: Communication and Disability Studies Project Title: Disability in Musical Theater: An Exploration of d/Deafness in Musicals |
| Aryan Pandey – 2025 Major: Neuroscience Project Title: Advancing Autonomy: Evaluating and Implementing Supported Decision-Making (SDM) in California’s Disability Landscape |
| Adam Kipust – 2024 Major: Psychobiology Project Title: Developing Disability Studies 19 – Sexual and Reproductive Health Care for People with Disabilities |
| Faith Lee – 2024 Major: Human Biology & Society Project Title: Blurring the Line |
| Rowan O’Bryan – 2023 Major: Art Project Title: The Familiar Pinch – Cystic Fibrosis Chronicles |
| Quinn O’Connor – 2022 Major: Theater Project Title: Disability Access and Representation Present in Los Angeles Theaters |
| Kathleen De Nicola – 2021 Major: Dance Project Title: Dancing Beyond the Eye – Using Audio Descriptions to Make Dance Accessible to the Blind and Visually Impaired Community |
| Kristal Orta Martinez – 2021 Major: History Project Title: Investigating the Experiences of Autistic Women of Color: Does the Spectrum Include Women of Color? |
| Veeksha Balasa – 2020 Major: Psychobiology Project Title: More Than a “Public Charge”: An Investigation of the Targeting of Migrants with Disabilities by the U.S. Immigration Regime |
| Amy Bugwadia – 2020 Major: Political Science Project Title: Integration of Disability Studies Frameworks into the Master of Science in Genetic Counseling Program at UCLA |
| Isita Tripathi – 2020 Major: Neuroscience Project Title: Embracing Neurodiversity: Impacts of an Early Social Skills Intervention on Acceptance and Advocacy among Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Other Social Challenges |
| Avery Horne – 2019 Major: Psychology Project Title: Legalized Ableism: A Look Into the Criminality of Conservatorship Hearings in the U.S. |
| Bethanie Atinuke Sonola – 2019 Major: Psychology Project Title: Mind the Gap: The Role of Special Education in Higher Education Outcomes |
| Juliana Kotz – 2018 Major: Cognitive Science Project Title: Human Rights, Dignity, and Disability Studies: An Investigation of Jail Conditions for People with Psychiatric Disabilities |
| Justin Kawakami – 2017 Major: English Project Title: “Merely more than de minimis”: Establishing Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) in the United States under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) |
| Miso Kwak – 2017 Major: Psychology Project Title: Relationship Between Accessibility of Music Education and Self-Esteem of Blind/Visually Impaired Students in Grades 6-12 |
| Jaemmie Cañas – 2016 Major: Anthropology Project Title:What Futures Await Foster Youth and Psychiatric Disabilities? |
| Rebecca Snyder – 2016 Major: Psychology Project Title: Examination of Voting Restrictions for Individuals with Mental Disabilities |
| Dianna Padilla – 2015 Major: Anthropology Project Title: Latino Border Town Communities and Autism: An Analysis on Access to Resources for Children with Autism in Nogales, Arizona |
| Nikki Reyes – 2015 Major: English Literature Project Title: SISE – Sensory Integration Strategies for Early Educators (A proposal for Public Early Educators) |
| Brittany Steiminger – 2014 Major: Psychology Project Title: Democratic Schooling: A viable alternative for autistic students? |
| Shayna Svihovec – 2014 Major: Human Biology and Society Project Title: Straddling the Line Between the Deaf and Hearing Communities in a Hearing Dominated World |
| Hannah Warren – 2013 Major: Psychology Project Title: Insurance and Intervention: An Evaluation of the Relationship between Service Access and Socioeconomic Status of Families with Children with Autism |
| Jessica Kianmahd – 2013 Major: Psychology Project Title: Proposing a New Perspective of Disability: Approaching the Persian Jewish Community from a Jewish Lens |
| Paulina Ong – 2012 Major: Physical Science Project Title: Saying Something About Autism: An Evaluation of the Personhood Consciousness Model of Music Therapy |
| Sarah Baron – 2012 Major: Political Science Project Title: Impact of Affordable Care Act for people with disabilities |
| Eunice Im – 2011 Major: English Project Title: What Happened to the Clubhouse? An Investigative Study on a Program for Children with Autism in the UCLA Medical Center |
| Rhiannon Maycumber – 2011 Major: Psychology Project Title: A Qualitative Comparison of Transition Practices for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in California and the United Kingdom |
| Shareen Nizami – 2010 Major: Political Science Project Title: Working with the FMLA: Expanding Rights of the Workforce |
| Michelle Tang – 2010 Major: English Project Title: Center Stage: How a Passion for the Performing Arts Help Deaf/hard of Hearing Individuals Find a Social Outlet and Overcome Their Disability |
| Steven Tjandra – 2026 |
| Ashley Johnson – 2025 |
| Aaron Nguyen – 2025 |
| Arezo Ahmadi – 2024 |
| Samantha Chang – 2022 |
| Nanami Murata – 2022 |
| Priyanka Bhakta – 2021 |
| Natalie Hynes – 2021 |
| Haley Gamboa – 2019 |
| Samantha Mallari – 2019 |
| Claudine Ignacio – 2018 |
| Elaine Lu – 2018 |
| Amanda Mekhail – 2017 |
| Hayley McAvoy – 2017 |
| Lindsey Hoffman – 2016 |
| Vanessa Magula – 2016 |
| Ana Zepeda – 2016 |
| Cindy Sayani – 2015 |
| Kristen Lee – 2015 |
| Brianna Mitchell- 2013 |
| James Choi – 2012 |
| Jenna Rodman – 2012 |
| Laura Merchant – 2010 |
| Lillian Kong – 2010 |