Associate Dean Carlos Grijalva was chosen as one of two awardees to receive the 2011-12 UCLA Academic Senate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award. This annual award, established in 1997, recognizes two members of the campus community who promote a diverse, impartial, and inclusive academic environment at UCLA. The award honors Dr. Grijalva's extraordinary efforts in increasing the enrollment of underrepresented minority students in both undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as ensuring these students' success at UCLA and beyond.

During the 1994 Chicano Studies hunger strike, as a member of the César Chavez Center implementation committee, and later as the Interim Chair of the César Chavez Center for Interdisciplinary Instruction, Dr. Grijalva played a central role in the establishment and evolution of the UCLA Department of Chicana and Chicano Studies. His service was acknowledged through the 1994 UCLA Latino Alumni Association Special Recognition Award for the Establishment of the César Chavez Center for Interdisciplinary Instruction.

Working with both undergraduate and graduate students, Dr. Grijalva serves as a mentor and resource for underrepresented minority students, particularly those pursuing an education in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Dr. Grijalva's efforts are also demonstrated in his involvement in programs such as the UC Diversity Initiative for Graduate Study in the Social Sciences, the University of California's Leadership Excellence through Advanced Degrees, a program that prepares undergraduate students for advanced education in the STEM fields, and the UCLA Council on Diversity and Inclusion, where he serves as a member and advocates for graduate and postdoctoral scholars. Additionally, he currently serves on the UCLA Minority Access to Research Careers advisory board, an NIH-sponsored program that offers research training for minority undergraduate students planning to pursue a Ph.D. in the biomedical sciences.

In addition to working with current UCLA students, Dr. Grijalva actively promotes outreach and recruitment efforts for UCLA's undergraduate and graduate programs. Dr. Grijalva regularly travels the country on behalf of the Graduate Division to recruit underrepresented minority students, while providing leadership to the Graduate Division Outreach and Diversity staff to foster a supportive environment for current and prospective underrepresented minority students. By building relationships with feeder colleges, such as the California State University campuses, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and other Minority Serving Institutions, Dr. Grijalva increased interaction with UCLA, inviting students for campus visits and faculty collaborations.