Student Achievements

Brionna Colson-Fearson M.A. (2025) Blog Post- Black Women’s Studies Association: The Burden of Strength: Exploring the Impact of the Strong Black Woman Schema on Aging Black Women’s Health

2026

Christoph Rosa is a second-year PhD student at the Human Development and Social Justice Lab, mentored by Dr. Celia B. Fisher. He holds an MA in Sociology and Political Science from the Free University of Berlin, and researches how young adults make political and health-related decisions. He is also interested in how digital platforms and algorithms shape public policy and public health. His research has been published in Computers in Human Behavior and Mobile Media & Communication, and he has served as a peer-reviewer for the Journal of Affective Disorders. His master's thesis on the role of masculinity in young men's voting behavior in the 2024 presidential election placed 2nd in Fordham's 3-Minute-Thesis competition.
Congratulations Chris!!!

2025

Jasmine Johnson is a fifth-year PhD candidate in Applied Developmental Psychology at Fordham University under the mentorship of Dr. Lindsay Hoyt. Her scholarship is centered on the civic and racial identity development of marginalized communities, with a particular emphasis on the experiences of Black women and girls. She examines how they navigate intersecting systems of oppression while cultivating identity, well-being, and civic agency, and how everyday processes shed light on broader questions of equity, resistance, and community transformation. Currently, her dissertation, “Beyond the Margins: Routine Resistance as Civic Engagement” explores how Black adolescent girls engage in everyday acts of resistance and how these practices foster identity development and civic engagement.

Accomplishments: Recently, Jasmine was awarded the Mary Louise Farrell Scholarship, which supports Psychology students who embody Fordham’s commitment to diversity and academic excellence. She also received the GSAS Student Support Grant to advance her dissertation research and was honored with the Outstanding Service Award from Fordham’s STEP/CSTEP Program for her leadership, mentorship, and dedication to equity in education. Congratulations Jazz!!!!!!!!

 

Alison De Leon Escobar is a second-year PhD student under the mentorship of Dr. Selin Gülgöz. She earned her BA from New York University and has a broad interest in children's understanding of social power hierarchies and social category representations. Currently, she is investigating children's status-based reasoning about bilingual speakers across different languages and accents. Accomplishments: Alison has previously been recognized as an Eileen Guggenheim Research Scholar and has served as a panelist in NYU's "Actually, It's Doctor!" series. This year, she was one of four recipients of the Neimark Travel Award to present her Master's thesis work at the 2025 Society for Research in Child Development Biennial Conference. Recently, she was awarded an Honorable Mention in the 2025 U.S. National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program competition. Congratulations, Alison!

Brionna Colson-Fearon is a third-year Ph.D. student in the Critical Health + Social Ecology Lab, mentored by Dr. H. Shellae Versey. Her research examines the impact of social, economic, and environmental factors on the health and well-being of Black communities, specifically Black women and girls. Her work has been featured in Psychology of Women Quarterly and the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Brionna has been invited to speak about her research on the UCS Emancipatory Sciences Lab EDGES Podcast and the Fordham University Sigma Xi Honor Society Induction. Most recently, Brionna earned the Best Women/Gender Research Award from the Greater New York Conference on Behavioral Research for her Master's Thesis titled "Aging, discrimination, and Place: The Roles of Geography, Age, and Perceived Everyday Discrimination among Black Women." Congratulations, Brionna!

2024

Angelica C. Vega is a second-year Ph.D. student in the 3D Lab, mentored by Dr. Lindsay Till Hoyt. Her research examines the risk and protective factors shaping the college experiences of emerging adults and nontraditional students from diverse backgrounds experiencing varied challenges. She aims to create programming, promote equity, and drive policy change to support students' success. Recently, Angelica co-authored a paper with ADP alum and co-mentor Dr. Emalinda McSpadden, titled, 'Building and Patching a Pipeline: Establishing Viable Pathways from 2-Year Institutions to Graduate School for Aspiring Mental Health Professionals.' She also presented her research towards her master's thesis at the 2024 American Psychological Society's Global Summit. Angelica is also a member of the Fordham University DEI: Inclusion & Accessibility Task Force, advocating for greater inclusion in higher education. Congratulations, Angelica!

Alireza Zareian is a third-year ADP Ph.D. student, mentored by Dr. Joshua Brown. He holds a B.A. and M.A. in Clinical Psychology from Shiraz University, Iran. His research passionately explores social and emotional competencies in teachers and students, focusing on emotion regulation, mindfulness, and self-compassion, particularly among immigrant populations. Ali's outstanding work has earned him numerous accolades, including the Outstanding Graduate Student Research Paper from the Greater New York Conference on Behavioral Research, Psi Chi Graduate Scholarship, Phi Kappa Phi Love of Learning Award, APA Division 56 International Student Travel Award, IAAP Scholarship, APAGS/Psi Chi Junior Scientist Fellowship, APA PS-in-3 People's Choice Award, and the 3MT People's Choice Award from NAGS. Congratulations, Ali!