boston college
lynch school of
education
2012
Counseling,
Developmental and
Educational Psychology
Ph.D Cohort 2012
Program: Counseling Psychology
Academic Advisor: Dr. Janet Helms
Assistantship Assignment: Dr. AJ Franklin and Dr. Janet Helms
Program: Applied Developmental & Educational Psychology
Academic Advisors: Dr. Lisa Goodman & Dr. Usha Tummala-Narra
Assistantship Assignment: Dr. Lisa Goodman and
Dr. Usha Tummala-Narra, Diversity Fellowship
Describe your academic background and professional experiences. I received my undergraduate degree from Columbia University where I double majored in psychology and
comparative ethnic studies. Early in my college career, I learned that I am fascinated by social identities
and how they relate to power and privilege. I identified psychology as my tool in social justice. I worked
with Dr. Geraldine Downey and Dr. Lauren Aguilar, investigating gender influences on speech mimicry
patterns in negotiations between same-gender and mixed gender dyads. In collaboration with Dr. Steven
Stroessner, I acted as head researcher in a study on multiple social identities, investigating whether stigmatization towards a discrete identity causes one to identify more strongly with or to disassociate from that
identity. I presented a paper on this research at the University of California, Berkeley Psychology Undergraduate Research Conference. Since May 2011, I have worked as a case manager for Community Access,
a New York City based mental health agency that provides housing and services to people with psychiatric
disabilities.
Why did you select Boston College for your doctoral studies?
I was attracted to Boston College’s all encompassing focus on social justice. Not only is it emphasized
in the research of each of its professors but it also materializes in the community work that its students
engage in. Particularly, the work of Professors Helms and Franklin aligned well with my interest in racial
identity. Furthermore, I found the program to provide a welcoming yet challenging environment. I can
think of no better program to help me become the culturally competent psychologist that I aspire to be.
Describe your research interests.
I am interested racial identity and it’s influence on mental health and understanding of self.
What are your interests outside of academia?
I am a visual artist and I’m in constant search of live music, street markets, and thrift stores where I can
buy my favorite ethnic print articles of clothing. I also like going places I’ve never gone and trying new
things.
Counseling, Developmental and Educational Psychology • Ph.D Cohort 2012
Sriya Bhattacharyya
Counseling, Developmental and Educational Psychology • Ph.D Cohort 2012
Kimberly Marie Ashby
Describe your academic background and professional experiences.
Most recently I served as a Fellow for the Orbis Institute in Bhubaneswar, India. There I researched ally
development and how to reduce marginalization between castes. I also work as the co-founder of a microcredit loan program in Rwanda, where we help families sustainably alleviate poverty through starting small
businesses and providing educational opportunities for their children. As an undergraduate, I attended the
University of Florida majoring in psychology and minoring in leadership and communications. While I was
a university student, researched ally development related to LGBTQ issues for my senior thesis, was as a
teaching assistant for a Multiculturalism and Social Justice course, and worked in a creativity and cognition
research lab. I volunteered as a 1-800-SUICIDE counselor and as an in-community crisis responder and
also with Arts in Medicine doing bedside art projects with hospital patients and health education through
the arts in Rwanda and the DRC. Currently, I have two manuscripts under review for publication. I have
also worked for the National Asian American Pacific Islanders Mental Health Association in Denver, Colorado facilitating a national Asian American student mental health awareness campaign.
Why did you select Boston College for your doctoral studies?
I have a strong drive for social justice and Boston College offered the most comprehensive and reputable
program dedicated to social justice in counseling psychology in the United States. I also am excited about
the engaging with the diverse faculty and the learning opportunities ahead of me, I believe there is something meaningful to learn from every faculty member and person in the program. I appreciate the systemic
approach to social justice Boston College emphasizes and the vast array of unique experiences the program
and Boston geographically has to offer.
Describe your research interests.
I am interested in researching reducing marginalization both internationally and domestically through systemic and sustainable means. I am also interested in at risk youth, creativity and existentialism in counseling, poverty, and refugee and immigrant issues.
What are your interests outside of academia?
Outside of academia I am a travel, thrift-store, and grub junkie. I spend any spare moment I get exploring
new horizons & cultures, this past summer I spent trekking the base camp of Mt. Everest, doing an exchange program in Turkey, working in Rwanda, and summiting Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania! I also love
being outdoors, kayaking, and hiking. I like to treasure-hunt at thrift stores and am always excited when I
can find a great bargain. On a daily basis I enjoy cooking, experimenting in the kitchen, and having dinner
potlucks. Watch out – I might bring in goodies for everyone!
Program: Counseling Psychology
Academic Advisor: Dr.Usha Tummala-Narra
Assistantship Assignment: Dr.Usha Tummala-Narra
Program: Applied Developmental & Educational Psychology
Academic Advisor: Dr. Marina Vasilyeva
Assistantship Assignment: Dr. M. Brinton Lykes
Describe your academic background and professional experiences. As an undergraduate at Bates College I had every intention of being a Biology major and completing the
premedical requirements. However, over those 4 years, I enrolled in various psychology courses and ended
up changing my major to psychology and altering the direction of my professional career.
After graduating from Bates, I worked for two years as a research interviewer within the Pediatric Psychopharmacology department at Massachusetts General Hospital. While this experience provided me with
valuable research experiences, I found that the content of the research we conducted was not something
that could sustain my interest, long term. Instead, I found myself increasingly drawn to the personal stories
parents would share about their children’s intensive psychiatric history. I felt moved by these family’s
struggles and yet I also found myself feeling helpless over my inability to offer these people any sort of
mental health service. It eventually became clear to me that my next step should be pursuing graduate level
training so that I could acquire the necessary counseling skills.
In 2009, I enrolled in the Psychological Counseling Masters program at Teachers College, Columbia
University. While attending Teachers College, I was exposed to research with a multicultural focus for the
first time in my career. Although the topics and methods of my research experiences at TC ended up varying quite significantly, they all seem to unite under the common social justice theme of illuminating the
often-invisible experiences of marginalized communities. And now I find this same sentiment and theme
continues to be reflected in my own research interests and goals.
Why did you select Boston College for your doctoral studies?
I chose Boston College because of the Counseling Psychology program’s strong emphasis on multicultural
psychology with an overarching focus on social justice issues. I believe the curriculum and faculty at Boston College will provide me with an unparalleled opportunity to achieve my professional goal of becoming a
multiculturally competent and socially responsible clinician, researcher and educator.
Describe your research interests.
My research interests include investigating bicultural/ethnic identity development within the South Asian
population and how factors such as immigration status, acculturation and discrimination affect this process. I am also interested in examining how individuals’ different cultural identities can impact the psychotherapeutic process.
What are your interests outside of academia?
I love doing anything with family and friends. I enjoy walking everywhere and exploring new places, attempting to recreate recipes from the Food Network, reading the latest popular book series, playing my
ukulele and practicing Hindi.
Counseling, Developmental and Educational Psychology • Ph.D Cohort 2012
Shaun Monique Glaze
Counseling, Developmental and Educational Psychology • Ph.D Cohort 2012
Anita Deshpande
Describe your academic background and professional experiences. At The University of Texas at Austin, I developed from a pre-med Linguistics major into a future developmental psychologist thanks to Dr. Rebecca Bigler’s course on child development. Loved it! Next I finished
my master’s for Family Therapy at University of Massachusetts Boston to get systems training and increase
my cultural competency. During that time, I continued doing research with children and their families in
the Clinical Psychology program with Dr. Abbey Eisenhower. Throughout my pre-doctoral experiences,
I participated in several research projects. I worked as the Research Assistant for The Policy Group on
Tradeswomen’s Issues, a participatory action research project that not only produced publications, but also
local and federal policy changes and jobs for women in construction. I also worked in many capacities on
the School Transitions Study, which focused on the early school transition for families with low incomes
and immigration experiences. My special interests: literacy development, academic development, gender
and racial awareness in preschoolers.
Why did you select Boston College for your doctoral studies?
I immediately loved two things about BC. One was the incredible research professors were doing. I could
see myself working with any one of them and being incredibly fulfilled. The second thing I loved was the
commitment to social justice. In fact, hearing from each professor about what the commitment meant to
them both personally and professionally was the primary reason I chose BC.
Describe your research interests.
I have interests connected to children’s socio-cognitive development. Using participatory research practices,
I am primarily interested in studying both how society supports children’s development, as well as how
children affect society.
What are your interests outside of academia?
I enjoy playing video games with loved ones, having conversations about race, gender, class, power, and
privilege, cooking and eating delicious food, and studying non-English languages. I also enjoy run-on sentences, hosting couch surfers, watching my niece grow up, dismantling oppression, and technology.
Stacy Morris
Describe your academic background and professional experiences.
As an undergraduate and The University of Massachusetts Amherst, I studied Sociology and Education.
Post-bachelor’s I began to shift my focus from being a formal classroom educator to working individually
with adolescents and young adults on their personal development and psychological well-being. I pursued
a Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling at Boston College and began work as a psychology intern
working with middle school students within a Greater Boston school, a research assistant, and a Graduate
Assistant at Learning Resources for Student-Athletes.
Why did you select Boston College for your doctoral studies?
As a master’s student in the Boston College Mental Health Counseling program I was impressed by the
high caliber of education, instruction, and personal attention I received. The Counseling Psychology program infuses social justice throughout all its course work and clinical field work which aligns with my personal and professional values. Additionally, while in the program, I worked on Dr. Julie MacEvoy’s research
team and developed a strong mentorship from Dr. MacEvoy in which she fostered my growth and development as a young researcher. As a result of these experiences, I could not have imagined another program,
or faculty advisor, I would rather pursue doctoral studies under.
Describe your research interests.
I am interested in peer relationships and romantic relationships and their effect on identity development
and mental health in children, adolescents, and young adults.
What are your interests outside of academia?
Is this a trick question? Outside of academia I enjoy spending my time with my family and friends,
attempting to stay physically active through the practice of yoga and running, and working to expand my
personal memoir collection which currently consists of 16 volumes of journals which I started at age 5.
Counseling, Developmental and Educational Psychology • Ph.D Cohort 2012
Program: Counseling Psychology
Academic Advisor: Dr. Julie MacEvoy
Assistantship Assignment: Dr. Julie MacEvoy
Counseling, Developmental and Educational Psychology • Ph.D Cohort 2012
Shea Kelly
Program: Applied Developmental & Educational Psychology
Academic Advisor: Dr. M. Brinton Lykes
Assistantship Assignment: Dr. Jacqueline Lerner & Dr. Eric Dearing
Describe your academic background and professional experiences.
I attended Santa Clara University and earned a Bachelors degree, majoring in both Psychology and Theater
Arts. During my four years as an undergrad, I held a research assistant position with an educational psychology professor. We looked at the interplay of academic motivation, cultural identity, and acculturation. I
had the opportunity to present our research at a multitude of conferences and also contributed to publications. During my semester of studying abroad, I worked with a social psychologist in a study dealing with
the interaction of emotion and attention to detail among various cultures. Currently, I am working as a
teacher for a clinic that serves as either a supplement to mainstream school education or as a primary form
of education for some children with mental or learning disabilities.
Why did you select Boston College for your doctoral studies?
I was immediately impressed with the variety of opportunities the ADEP program affords its students. I
like the concept of a multi-mentor model; I think this program will offer me the independence to explore
my interests, allowing me to grow into a versatile researcher. Meeting with the professors of the ADEP
program solidified my decision. I am interested in many of the research projects and see areas in which I
would love to collaborate. Additionally, I am very excited to be granted the chance to teach classes. I see a
huge possibility to grow and collaborate with faculty and other students.
Describe your research interests.
I am interested in academic motivation and the pursuit of increasing this motivation in students through
peer groups and other contexts.
What are your interests outside of academia?
I love to play tennis, run, hike, and do anything active or outdoors. I also like playing guitar, reading, and
going to concerts or plays. When I have enough time, I enjoy travelling with my family and best friends.
Since I’m coming from California, I’m looking forward to exploring Boston!
Counseling, Developmental and Educational Psychology • Ph.D Cohort 2012
Stephanie Paulk
Program: Applied Developmental & Educational Psychology
Academic Advisor: Dr. Jacqueline Lerner
Assistantship Assignment: Dr. Eric Dearing and Dr. M. Brinton Lykes, Diversity Fellowship
Program: Counseling Psychology
Academic Advisor: Dr. Mary Walsh
Assistantship Assignment: Dr. Mary Walsh
Describe your academic background and professional experiences. I earned my B.A. in two concentrations--sociology and cognitive sciences--from the University of California,
Irvine (UCI) in June of 2012. Throughout my undergraduate career, I was involved in multiple research
projects and internships that shaped my interests in developmental psychology. These experiences exposed
me to working with many different age groups and challenges that face racial ethnic minority populations.
Why did you select Boston College for your doctoral studies?
I selected Boston College because the research interests of many of the faculty in the department matched
so well with my own interests. I felt that I would be able to learn and grow best in an environment where
so many individuals shared my passion for social justice and advocating for communities who are underprivileged.
Describe your research interests.
I am interested in children’s cognitive development within the context of their social environment--schools,
families, and communities. I am particularly interested in issues that affect immigrant and refugee communities.
What are your interests outside of academia?
Outside of academia, I enjoy listening to music, reading, attempting to cook and tasting new cuisines.
Describe your academic background and professional experiences. While I have felt driven to become a psychologist from an early age, I’ve experienced a circuitous journey arriving at Counseling Psychology. My undergraduate years at the University of Vermont were split
between classes, practice as a diver and gymnast, and molecular genetic research investigating West Nile
Disease and Malaria through insect population variation. After graduating with a BS in psychology, I was
employed as Head Coach and Program Director for a gymnastics club in Tucson, AZ. While working with
Dr. Jean Williams at the University of Arizona preparing teaching materials, I was inspired to pursue my
masters in sort psychology. Throughout my graduate work in sport psychology, my interest in social justice
and Counseling Psychology became increasingly clear. I began the masters at Boston College in Mental
Health Counseling with a strong commitment to professionally and personally learn more about social
justice. My experience at BC has been rich with learning opportunities; including working as a research
assistant for City Connects, an advocate with the ISPRC, a member of Dr. Blustein’s research team, and a
clinical intern leading individual and group therapy as well as getting involved in community outreach.
Why did you select Boston College for your doctoral studies?
Boston College has been an ideal environment to learn about social justice and means to contribute to the
process of changing oppressive systems from a counseling psychology perspective. I am excited to continue to take advantage of the variety of academic, research and clinical opportunities available for graduate
students at BC. Additionally, I selected BC because of the overwhelming level of support I received from
faculty, peers, and current doctoral students.
Describe your research interests.
I am interested in understanding the impact of poverty on mental health, physical wellness, academic
engagement, and career identity. I am also interested in exploring the processes and outcomes of strengthbased approaches in intervention and prevention.
What are your interests outside of academia?
I am very happy spending time upside down at yoga or in the ocean trying to catch a wave. I love cooking
and baking but not cleaning up after. I miss living in California where I was able to do a lot of hiking with
little driving. I also really enjoy free samples at Whole Foods.
Counseling, Developmental and Educational Psychology • Ph.D Cohort 2012
Hoa Nha Nguyen
Counseling, Developmental and Educational Psychology • Ph.D Cohort 2012
Jillian Ryan Scheer
Program: Counseling Psychology
Academic Advisor: Dr. Paul Poteat
Assistantship Assignment: Dr. Paul Poteat and Dr. Belle Liang
Describe your academic background and professional experiences.
In the pursuit of a double B.A. in psychology and sociology at Rutgers University, I found myself invariably
pondering the ambiguity of social deviance. With hopes to expand my conception of mental health beyond
the textbook depiction of diagnoses, I worked at Carrier Clinic, a psychiatric inpatient hospital in New
Jersey. This clinical experience left me questioning the relationship between social norms and pathological
labels and was one I wanted to further explore through research and clinical training at Boston College.
As a Masters student at BC, I was able to explore my research interests on victimization and sexual
minority identity development through my participation in Dr. Paul Poteat’s research lab. I have also been
able to work with Dr. Belle Liang on the 21st Century Athenas project that examines the correlation between achievement and well-being among female adolescents. I was given the opportunity to work with Dr.
Amanda Zelechoski in bringing trauma awareness to incarcerated men and correctional officers. In addition, I was fortunate to have trained at the Trauma Center as a clinical interviewer of traumatized children
and adolescents for the Developmental Trauma Disorder study. My second year supervised internship took
place at the Academy of Physical and Social Development, where I worked with adolescents struggling with
emotional and behavioral issues. This experience strengthened my desire to specialize in counseling children and adolescents.
Why did you select Boston College for your doctoral studies?
Training for my Masters at a school with a focus on social justice has enriched my perception of the pressing need for multicultural competence in counseling. What I most valued about the counseling program
at BC, was the depth in which my internalization of social justice was embraced by passionate faculty who
shared in those same worldviews. I genuinely look forward in being part of the application of postmodern
ideologies and social movements through the continuation of the theoretical, scientific, and clinical training
I will receive as a doctoral student here at BC.
Describe your research interests.
I am interested in exploring the effects that school-based interventions, which promote diversity within curricula, have on victimization, peer relations, and mental health trajectories of sexual minority adolescents. I
am also interested in studying developmental psychopathology and the concomitance of internalized social
norms.
What are your interests outside of academia?
I enjoy spending time with family and friends, playing soccer in various leagues across the greater Boston
area, crossing things off my ostensibly unconquerable bucket list, perfecting my cooking skills, playing the
piano, and reading anything that catches my eye.