Madeline Rose Mendoza (Laguna Pueblo, Ohkay Owingeh, Chicana), a doctoral candidate in Rhetoric and Writing at the University of New Mexico, has earned multiple prestigious awards in support of her dissertation, “Land, Writing, and Futurity: The Rhetorics of Indigenous Futurisms as Pedagogical Praxis.”
In May 2025, Mendoza was awarded the Russell J. and Dorothy S. Bilinski Fellowship, the Summer Writing Supplement Award, the Vicente Ximenes Scholarship in Public Rhetoric & Civic Literacy, and the Center for Regional Studies Graduate Student Fellowship. Together, these honors provide vital support as she completes her groundbreaking dissertation, which reimagines writing instruction through Indigenous Futurisms and land-based pedagogies rooted in Pueblo and broader Native epistemologies. Her research theorizes land as both a site of knowledge and a foundation for pedagogical practice, offering new tools for educators working within and alongside Native communities.
Mendoza’s work exemplifies the community-based research and forward-looking scholarship that UNM actively seeks to foster. The recognition she has received highlights not only her academic excellence but also her dedication to reshaping educational practices in ways that honor Indigenous knowledge and sovereignty.
In addition to her research, Mendoza has demonstrated outstanding scholarly leadership. She currently serves as the Book Review Editor for Wicazo Sa Review, one of the longest-running journals in Native American studies. She co-leads the journal’s writing workshops, assists with organizing the Elizabeth Cook-Lynn Symposium, and is co-editing a special issue on Indigenous Futurisms slated for release later this summer.
Mendoza’s editorial work, alongside her leadership in community-based research initiatives, distinguishes her as a rising scholar whose work is already shaping the future of rhetoric, Indigenous studies, and land-based pedagogy. These awards stand as a testament to her academic achievements as well as her deep commitment to Indigenous communities, pedagogies, and futures.
