Community
Message from the Director
The Community Research and Action (CRA) doctoral program continues to thrive, driven by the outstanding contributions of our doctoral students. We recruit individuals from diverse research backgrounds who ask critical questions, challenge assumptions, and pursue innovative solutions. Their work, ranging from interdisciplinary collaborations to focused research, demonstrates both rigor and creativity. Our recent graduates exemplify these qualities. In 2025-26, four CRA doctoral students successfully defended their dissertations, and we anticipate two additional defenses this summer.
Another major accomplishment this year was completing a program review. The selfstudy shed light on the many strengths of the doctoral program and reflected on challenges and opportunities for the future. Two external reviewers visited and offered additional ideas and suggestions. We are excited to announce that some of these changes will be implemented by fall 2027!
Looking ahead, the CRA Doctoral program remains committed to an interdisciplinary curriculum that fosters a commitment to social justice and rigorous social research. We will have 10 new doctoral students begin in Fall 2026, bringing diverse experiences and expertise.
Loretta Mason-Williams Associate Professor and Program Director
The newest cohort includes social workers, urban planners, higher education professionals, and public health experts. We look forward to welcoming them to the program in August!
Quick facts about CRA students:
In 2025, there were 43 doctoral students at various stages of completion.
Twelve countries and five continents are represented by current and former students of the CRA Program.
Three doctoral students were supported by the Clifford D. Clark Fellowship, a prestigious program offering funding to graduate students who have demonstrated strong academic achievement and overcome significant disadvantages.
One doctoral student received a Fulbright Fellowship.
Several doctoral students published manuscripts in research journals, presented at international conferences, and attended meetings at the United Nations.
cra.phd@binghamton.edu 607-777-9219 binghamton.edu/community-research-action/
Supporting scholars: Fellowships
Frank Okyere Osei, PhD ’25, arrived at Binghamton in 2019 to present at the Institute of Genocide and Mass Atrocity Prevention (I-GMAP) annual Frontiers of Prevention Convention. In 2022, he returned to I-GMAP as a Charles E. Scheidt resident practitioner and was so impressed by the work being done on campus that he decided to pursue a CRA doctorate. Osei is currently a Genocide and Atrocity Prevention Research Fellow in the Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
“The doctorate program has a democratizing effect; you don’t get the sense that you are being boxed into a specific corner. There is room to decide which direction to take for your research and career. That enables you to think outside the box and to connect with different concepts, different ideas, different networks, and different approaches.”
—Okyere Osei, PhD ’25
Emmanuel Addo grew up in Ghana, where he completed his undergraduate degree in medical laboratory sciences and a master’s degree in speech and language pathology before arriving at Binghamton University. Now, a doctoral student in the multidisciplinary CRA program, he studies under Rodney Gabel, professor and founding director of the Division of Speech and Language Pathology (SLP) at Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences, conducting research and
working to gather support from speech-language pathologists to help people who stutter in Ghana and the U.S.
Addo was recently awarded the International Graduate Student Scholarship from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation, which provides financial support as he prepares to defend his dissertation.
“Winning this award really motivates me. It recognizes my hard work and means that I can do more for my field — for people who stutter.”
—Emmanuel Addo
Kiana Tanghatar discovered the impact of speech while attending rehabilitation centers and therapy sessions with her family during her childhood in Iran. As an international student and speech-language pathologist, she chose Binghamton to study with Professor Rodney Gabel, her mentor in the SLP department.
Tanghatar received the Digital Scholarship and Communication Fellowship, a new award from the Graduate School, University Libraries, and Harpur College of Arts and Sciences, to support the development of her research on clinical decision-making into an interactive game.
“Speech-language pathology isn’t only about what happens in the therapy room but also about the systems, cultures, and communities that surround each client.”
—Kiana Tanghatar
Frank Okyere Osei, PhD ’25
Emmanuel Addo
Kiana Tanghatar
Bringing research to life
The Mixed Methods Research course is intended to enhance students’ abilities to be both consumers and producers of mixed-methods research. This course is designed to familiarize students with the concepts, purposes, and methods fundamental to conducting mixed-methods research, to explore different mixed-methods designs, and to examine techniques for conducting mixed-methods analysis. As an advanced-level research course, students have the opportunity to prepare a written mixed-methods research
proposal that demonstrates an understanding of the complementary nature of qualitative and quantitative methodologies in mixedmethods studies.
This year, students studied how the Southern Tier Teacher Academy encourages local high school students to pursue school-based professions, including teaching, speechlanguage pathology, and guidance counseling. Supported by the Center for Civic Engagement, the students designed and conducted the research project and provided feedback to teachers and administrators.
Empowering student success: Jerah Reeves’ PhD journey
Jerah Reeves is the assistant dean at Binghamton University’s School of Management, adjunct lecturer, and PhD candidate focused on leadership development, student success, and career readiness in higher education. Reeves helps
students build AI fluency and judgment to navigate college and work. His research explores how longitudinal leadership education supports first-generation college students’ identity development, academic success, and professional growth.
“I chose to pursue a PhD because I wanted to better understand the systems that shape student success, especially for students who are navigating college without inherited social capital or clear professional roadmaps. My work has always been about helping students see what is possible for themselves. The PhD provides the foundation to study this work more deeply and design programs that create real developmental and career outcomes for students.”
Earn a PhD right where you are
Many current CRA Doctoral students and alumni enjoy a variety of successful careers at Binghamton. Hear how the program helped them expand their opportunities and advance professionally.
Linda Reynolds, Associate Dean of Curriculum and Business Operations, School of Management
“Be open-minded. Embrace the ambiguity and give yourself permission to tackle one small piece of the puzzle. The beauty of the program is that everyone is very socially minded, very kind, and generous. One thing I really enjoyed was the relationships formed and support networks; it is an amazing community to be around.”
Catherine Faughnan, Assistant Director, University Union
“The program is a really welcoming environment. The director and faculty members are really there for you. They are invested in you and really want to see you do well. The cohort genuinely helps one another.”
Francesca Bove, Research Development Associate, Office of Strategic Research Initiatives
“Get to know the faculty and their research early on. In the end, you may get some opportunities and acquire skills, like writing manuscripts with them, which get published, and that will be a huge achievement as a PhD student to have some work published ahead of time. Meet people and let them know you are interested in knowing what they do. Relationships are everything.”
Mack Ottens, Career and Outcomes Data Analyst, Fleishman Center for Career and Professional Development
“The program prepares you to be a well-rounded researcher. Being in an interdisciplinary program provides you with a great opportunity to conduct or assist with research in areas you may not have considered, and to learn skills that are transferable across roles and projects in different ways. I don’t feel locked into a specific line of work. The program also taught me how to set a plan and stick to the plan in a very organized manner.”
2025 Dissertations
Spring 2025
Mack Ottens
“Exploring Crip Time: A Quantitative Analysis of Time Spent Commuting and Preparing for Class for Disabled College Students”
Jessica Reinartz
“Access to Early Intervention Services: An Exploratory Case Study of Stakeholders’ Perceptions.”
Sundeep Venkatesan
“Nurses’ Perspectives on Services for Individuals with Dysphagia and Cognitive Communication Disorder.”
Fall 2025
Jonelle Dickson-Prokop
“School-based Speech-language Pathologists’ (SLPS) Experiences with Stuttering: A Qualitative Study.”
Tia Spagnuolo
“Experiences of Transgender and Gender Diverse Individuals in Pursuit of Genderaffirming Voice and Communication Services: A Phenomenological Mixed Methods Study.”
