2020-2021 AP Student Award Winners

2020-2021 STUDENT AWARD WINNERS

DEPT. FALL SCHOLARSHIPS WINNERS The Dept. Of Applied Psychology awards scholarships to graduate-level students each year to recognize need and merit in academic excellence, clinical work, research, and advocacy.

Felix Warburg Memorial Award This scholarship is given to students who have demonstrated academic excellence and commitment to the Dept.

Annie Aitken (DEV): As a 4th year, doctoral student Annie aims to understand how early life environments shape neurocognitive development. Broadly, her research investigates the mediators of socioeconomic disadvantage to better understand how systemic and structural inequalities affect child development. During her time at Steinhardt (3.5 years), she has published six manuscripts (2 as the first author), with another three publications under review. She has been invited to present as part of symposiums within major domestic and international conferences (10 talks or posters). Annie’s commitment to interdisciplinary approaches to developmental psychology and the promotion of child development findings within science communication and policy initiatives continually amazes those surrounded by her.

Andrew Nalani (PSI): Andrew Nalani is a fourth-year Ph.D. student and an emerging leader in positive youth development that integrates adult learning in adult-youth partnerships. He has been central in the past years in 2 major initiatives to transform youth development using applied psychological and critical perspectives - the Listening Project and the SAFE Spaces project. Both initiatives maximize the Department’s capacity to address the current crises of racism, anti-immigrant policy, and other crises afflicting our society that divide rather than unite diverse groups of youth and adults With the range of contributions he is making to the Department’s impact on youth development and policy, as well as his academic and research excellence, Andrew Nalani is thus an ideal candidate for the Warburg award.

Amrita Ramakrishnan (CNPS): As a fifth-year doctoral student, Amrita is engaged in a variety of courses, activities, and leadership roles to excel in her degree and assist program development in the Applied Psychology department. Amrita’s academic performance, research experience, and potential for success in her career path make her an outstanding candidate for the Warburg. Her pursuit of academic excellence at Steinhardt is demonstrated through diverse and challenging courses, novel research, teaching, and mentoring. Importantly, Amrita has a strong interest in and has done considerable work toward framing her research and clinical work with minority, and underserved populations. Her clinical work has increasingly been focused on getting the best care possible to children and their families who have significant barriers to access. Her future work aims to continue to understand and address the issues of behavioral health in these communities.

Sarah Rosenbach (PSI): Sarah is an emerging national leader in the movement for justice and evidence-based interventions for LGBTQIA+ youth. Her role as board member for NY State GLSEN (the leading national organization for education of sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth) and her collaborations with multiple researchers and organizations in our GSA (gender and sexuality alliances) Research Consortium regarding impact on issues of intersectionality and SGM applied issues are impressive. She consults weekly with the national GLSEN office on their national studies of school climate and well-being and academic outcomes of SGM youth. Her first author article on discussions about immigration in GSAs is a good example of how she is making substantial contributions to studies of intersectionality among SGM youth. Her research work reflects mixed methods and qualitative expertise and supervises a team of 4 Applied Psychology undergraduates and additional doctoral students in AASH.

The Phillip J. Zlatchin Memorial Award This award, established in honor of Professor Zlatchin, a member of the faculty from 1947 to 1959, will be awarded to graduate students for their contributions to improving the life conditions of vulnerable individuals or communities.

Jaimee Johnson (CNGU): Jaimee is a well-rounded professional, as well as an all-around amazing person and leader in her field. As a student, Jaimee has a strong work ethic and is extremely conscientious. Her work is always above and beyond class expectations, and she set the bar very high. She is currently in her 6th year of teaching multiple sections of AP Government and Psychology/Sociology course. Outside of the classroom, Jaimee runs an after-school program for middle school students to discuss current events and tutors elementary school students. As an educator, Jaimee has a specific passion for bridging the culture gap of marginalized communities. As a future School Counselor, Jaimee will continue to make an impact on so many. Jaimee is a huge asset to NYU’s School Counseling program, and she will be a huge asset to any Counseling position, whether K-12, college, or mental health.

Adrian Levy Scholarship This scholarship is given to help support Master’s Counseling students who have committed to working with individuals with disabilities (e.g., physical, developmental, cognitive).

Katie Acompora (CMHW): Katie’s academic expertise is second to her extraordinary compassion and empathy for others, especially those with both visible and invisible disabilities. When covering topics surrounding disabilities, Katie was responsible for meaningfully advancing discussions of disability in each intersectional identity discussed throughout the semester (e.g., race, gender, religion, etc.) It is evident that she is well versed on the topic and had many experiential anecdotes to support her learning as well as the learning of her peers. Throughout the years, Katie has volunteered for various organizations that have the primary aim of addressing the needs of those with various kinds of disabilities. Here experiences and commitments speak to her passion,commitment, and personality. Upon graduation, Katie intends to focus her career efforts on counseling and advocating for youth with disabilities.

Fatima Naqvi (CMHW): Fatima is a thoughtful, independent learner dedicated to social justice and equity. She is articulate, and her reflections are consistently among the best in the class, weaving together profound insights and critiques of the reading with personal experience.

She does not shy away from asking questions about gender and religion, and injustices she has seen in her own life. As an international student from Pakistan, her interests are in decolonizing psychology. She supplements these interests with her knowledge of studying colonization and decoloniality during her undergraduate degree in History, which has equipped her to understand collective traumas as issues of structural and systemic violence and situate them within a historical framework. Her questions of culturally translating specific theories in ways where she could work with someone from Pakistan are especially intriguing.

Carla Maddalena (CMHW): Carla is very dedicated to working with children on the autism spectrum. In class, she generously, sensitively, and with emerging expertise, shared her experiences working with children on the spectrum. Her practical experience working with children has been a highlight of Carla’s preparation. Her comments facilitated discussion within the class, offering supportive thoughts about the ideas of others where she could join with her classmates, and providing a unique perspective where her ideas or experience led her to different views. Carla is completing her clinical internship at The Kahane Center, a center that focuses on the mental well-being of children, adolescents, and their families. Carla brings her substantial intellectual skills to her work as a researcher. She recognizes the importance of linking research with clinical practice. Her dedication to both her clinical work and her research stems from her personal commitment to excellence.

Adrian Levy Scholarship (cont.)

This scholarship is given to help support Master’s Counseling students who have committed to working with individuals with disabilities (e.g., physical, developmental, cognitive).

Glad Uko-Ima (CMHW): Glad is a dedicated and hard-working student who has expressed a consistent interest in working with individuals with disabilities. After witnessing the impact of the counselor’s intervention to heal, Glad felt obligated to reciprocate the same help to other individuals and families faced with challenging mental health conditions. Glad also volunteers as a Mental Health Support Worker in a community Mental Health facility. She provides emotional, mental, and physical support for people with mental illness and related problems to gain independent living skills and integration into community life and career. As someone from a culturally diverse community, Glad is culturally informed and through her work and interaction with people, she has learned to accommodate cultural pluralism and diversity. Glad hopes to promote mental health and social justice by continually addressing cultural and social problems as they evolve in our diverse and increasingly challenging society. This makes her an excellent candidate for this scholarship.

Bernard R. Ackerman Scholarship This scholarship is given to students who display exceptional ability and promise in the areas of research, advocacy, and activism.

Elysia Choi (DEV): Elysia is a 3rd-year doctoral student in Dr. Sirin’s lab, working on several research projects examining challenges facing marginalized children and families. As a Research Assistant, Elysia has been working on the Meta-Analysis of Immigrant Paradox (MAP) project, a large-scale review of the literature to test whether first-generation immigrants outperform second-generation counterparts on a set of key developmental outcomes. Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, Elysia is exploring the notion of racial and ethnic teasing among immigrant adolescents of color using data from the NYCASES (New York City Academic and Social Engagement Study). This is a three-wave longitudinal study of 517 urban youth in the city. On a personal level, Elysia is the kind of young scholar we need in this era of heightened discrimination directed at the youth of color. In short, Elysia is precisely the right candidate to receive this scholarship, given her commitment and dedication to bring together research advocacy and activism.

Sarah Vogel (DEV): Sarah is a phenomenal researcher, science communicator. Within the ISLAND lab, Sarah has been working on an innovative study examining associations between the infant gut microbiome and developing cognitive skills. Sarah has also been working on the Stress, Home Environment, Language, and Learning (SHELL) study within the ISLAND lab, overseeing the microbiome collection at 12-months of age. In addition to her scholarly work, she was a QUEST mentor this past summer. Sarah is also a volunteer within Social Creatures, a non-profit dedicated to bridging science, education, advocacy, and innovation in order to ensure social connections between individuals, and conducted an interview with a South Bronx teacher on how NYC schools were being impacted by COVID-19. Her interdisciplinary expertise, science communication, and advocacy, as well as her desire to make significant contributions to clinical applications, makes her the ideal candidate for this award.

Raymond Weiss Endowment Scholarship This scholarship is given to one masters student who demonstrate a commitment to innovation through supporting research, education, and intervention projects to solve social problems.

Sneha Rawlani (CMHW): Sneha is currently interning with Queens College’s Percy E. Sutton SEEK program. The SEEK program is an educational opportunity program that was created due to the influence of social activists who wanted to encourage and support low-income students to apply and be successful in college. Sneha has a special interest in advocacy through providing psychoeducation, resources, and support with navigating societal institutions and systems. It is clear that she is someone who is committed to solving social problems through education and intervention. Her constant self-reflection, desire to learn, and openness to feedback - in particular in the areas of power, privilege, and marginalization - are critical in order for her to serve as an agent of change for others. Sneha is an amazing student who is also a humble and inspiring leader clearly committed to promoting equity, access, and well-being of culturally diverse groups.

Steinhardt Endowed Scholarship This scholarship is given to students in Applied Psychology whose work uses interdisciplinary approaches to solving applied problems.

Sam Freel (PSI): Sam has engaged in meaningful and exciting scholarship that focuses on collective action, historical narratives, and social change. Specifically, Sam is interested in structural violence against the African-American community in the United States and mobilizes communities to take non-violent action to reduce inequality and structural violence. In his dissertation, Sam examines how historical narratives about violence and oppression and past non-violent social movements influence Black and White Americans’ orientations toward engaging in non-violent collective action to achieve a more just society. Sam plans to test hypotheses regarding how U.S. historical narratives of progress or stasis regarding to racial injustice influence Black and White Americans’ collective action participation. Importantly, in Fall 2019, Sam started an internship with Vox media. In this role, Sam is translating psychological knowledge to the public.

Sam’s work fits perfectly with this award, as he uses interdisciplinary perspectives in his research which focuses on societal injustice.

Cristen Heavens (CNGU): Cristen has demonstrated her ability to build meaningful counseling relationships, use interdisciplinary approaches, provide culturally sensitive counseling to diverse groups, and use data to evaluate her effectiveness and to identify areas of need. Cristen’s background in public policy and her thesis research on school climate means she can identify opportunities for school policy improvements and contribute to policy-related discussions and endeavors. Overtime in the School Counseling program, she has diversified her counseling approaches, integrated her policy knowledge and background, and has proven her ability to be a strong school counselor. As Cristen envisions her future, her detail-oriented, analytical mind is sure to excel beyond the rest. She will go all in, pushing the limits of what exists, questioning the status quo, and expanding upon the connections that already exist in any field.

Ra Ra Rollins (CMHW): Ra Ra is only a first-year student in the Mental Health and Awareness program but has already impacted social change in impressive ways. Given Ra Ra’s earlier life experiences in fashion and interdisciplinary undergraduate studies in race, gender, and sexuality, his ability to discern how systems create and reinforce inequities. In a few short months, his discussions have already improved the program and Department. With his input, as the only Black man in the incoming class of 100 students, residential marketing has shifted to target men of color in future cohorts. Ra Ra has now become Co-Chair of a Student of Color group called Power in Presence. He continues to impact change in the ways in which he strategizes with students to improve student experiences in the program. In addition, he is a student volunteer for the yearly conference the Masters in Counseling Program has with Silver’s School of Social Work. His work and commitment are a testament to why he has been selected as a recipient of the Steinhardt Endowed Scholarship.

Michelle Vardanian (CNPS): Throughout her time at NYU, Michelle has been working on crafting expertise in clinical service provision and intervention and prevention programs for youth. This can be evidenced in the work she has done working specifically with vulnerable children at the Mount Sinai Division of ADHD, Learning Disabilities, & Related Disorders; The NYC Children’s Center; The Child Study Center at NYU; and the Family and Children Facing Success Lab. In her first year of doctoral studies, Michelle voluntarily joined the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee as she was passionate about addressing issues students of color and other marginalized individuals were experiencing in the program. To date, the group has developed a mission and vision for the committee, suggested needed improvements for the program handbook, contributed to the revision of the Comprehensive Exam process, administered surveys to past and present students, and conducted focus groups with the aim of improving the program for students who are traditionally marginalized in higher educational spaces. She is an exceptional student leader and academic and deserving of this award recognition.

Gilbert M. Trachtman Fellowship Fund This scholarship is given to students for their contributions to serving children, parents, and teachers and being agents of change.

Danielle Frierson (CNGU): Danielle represents the values that Dr. Trachtman aimed to instill in his students at NYU and in the communities he served. Danielle has stood out above and beyond most as a student with a level of maturity, thoughtfulness, and commitment to helping children and families vulnerable to the injustices faced in society, communities, and their schools.

Danielle always submits high-quality work in class, is present and engaged in-class sessions, and passionate about the work she is doing in schools and communities with children and their families. In Program Development and Evaluation, Danielle designed and implemented a program for young girls of color facing notable hardships affiliated with school engagement during the pandemic. Danielle will continue in her potential to use her opportunities to serve children, families, and communities most impacted by the unjust systems in our society.

Zobella Vinik (CNGU): Zobella’s foundational core values coincide perfectly with the call to social justice in the counseling profession. She understands the systemic concepts of privilege, power, and oppression, can apply them to her various identities, identify cases, even nuanced, of inequity, and takes action toward “good trouble,” shedding light on identified injustice. She is also keenly aware of her own “blind spots,” and works actively to continue to grow and understand the lived experiences of her students. Currently, she is also serving on the planning committee for the fourth iteration of a mentoring program for Undocumented youth. Recently, she coordinated sending over $60,000 to immigrant families, not eligible for federal aid. Working with resilient youth and collaborating with dedicated educators is what, ultimately, led her on the path to becoming a school counselor. Indeed, Zobella walks the walk and is a deserving candidate for the Gilbert Trachtman award.

Linda & Arthur Carter Family Scholarship This scholarship is given to graduate students who are conducting empirical research related to child development.

Christina Lee (CNPS): Christina is involved with multiple research projects supervised by Dr. Okazaki, Dr. Sirin and Dr. Tsai. In a project under Dr. Okazaki’s supervision and in collaboration with a colleague at the University of Chicago, she is examining changes in depressive and suicidal symptoms in adolescent children of immigrants using three-wave longitudinal data from the Midwest Longitudinal Study on Asian American Families. On this project, Christina is analyzing the data to test for patterns of change in depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation, as well as the role of family variables in this link, among over 700 Korean American and Filipino American adolescents. Christina has also taken the lead on analyzing the interviews we collected from Latinx, Black Caribbean, and Asian American college students with immigrant parents. To sum, Christina has shown herself to be a highly motivated, productive, and independent scholar in training who is engaged in multiple empirical research studies related to child and adolescent development, focusing on risk and resilience factors among ethnic minority families.

Ashley Greaves (DEV): Ashley is a phenomenal child development researcher and cares deeply about the translation of empirical research to the broader public. She has been an integral part of the ISLAND (Infant Studies of Language and Neurocognitive Development) in terms of coming up with research questions, assisting with study design, collecting and coding data, and mentoring numerous MA and APUG students. Her current and future research will continue to explore neural synchrony between parent-infant dyads during a scaffolding/learning task. This work is incredibly innovative and will contribute to the field’s understanding of learning processes during childhood. Ashley expresses a deep level of compassionate commitment to questions of child development in the contexts of poverty and prevention science. Ashley also demonstrates exemplary professionalism and judging by her leadership and mentorship skills, she will continue to make an impact on the field not only through her science, but also through her interactions with colleagues, collaborators, and students.

Monroe Stein Memorial Fellowship This award is given to a graduate student who can demonstrate a need as well as a commitment to his/her career to bettering the lives of children.

Michelle Duverge (CNGU): Michelle works at The Children’s Museum of Manhattan as the Lead Facilitator for Early Childhood. In this position, she leads a program, PlayWorks, that was inclusive of children with disabilities. Michelle’s primary responsibilities include creating and teaching culturally appropriate art lessons to children and their families for the general public and community outreach programs. In addition, Michelle contributes her lesson plans to the museums’ website and social media platform to make the content accessible to everyone. During Summer 2020, Michelle participated in the Mindful Education Lab at NYU under the direction of Dr. Aronson. She did a pilot study on remote learning, mindset, and creativity and created a survey for international educators measuring mindset and creativity. Michelle possesses the background, motivation, and diligence to excel as a school counselor and is dedicated to addressing the trauma history of children through expressive arts therapy in school and community settings.

Trenel Francis (PSI): Trenel is a promising young scholar with innovative ideas that meaningfully expand scholarly knowledge about academic socialization and parent-school involvement for Black families, immigrant families, and families of color. She has already pushed the envelope on the idea of parental educational expectations, reconceptualizing them as cultural practices that exist in the home environment and familial communication patterns and recasting them as academic socialization. Her research, which raises the voices, strengths, and diverse experiences of Black families, immigrant families, and families of color, is sorely needed in developmental and educational psychology. Trenel recently contributed a first-authored a published, rich qualitative analysis on this topic that examines the concept of academic socialization for high-achieving Black boys and delineates how the parents of these boys structured their home environment and family routines in ways that provided clear and consistent support for their sons’ educational goals.

Han Zhang and Jinlan Liu Foundation Dissertation Research Award This award is given to doctoral students to support their dissertation research.

Esther Burson (PSI): “The Effects of Critical Consciousness of Interminority Solidarity: A Mixed Methods Dissertation” - This dissertation explores how young adults think about inequality and take action to fight it. Esther uses both qualitative and quantitative methods to understand these processes among sexual and gender minority (SGM) and non-SGM Black and Latinx young adults and White SGM young adults. In particular, she examines the roles of structural and historical thinking about inequality in motivating young people to oppose oppression and in generating

Jill Gandhi (DEV): “The Influence of Families’ Resources, Preferences, and Constraints on their Children’s Early Care and Education Experiences” - This dissertation examines the influence of family, neighborhood, and early care & education (ECE) program factors on parents’ decisions to enroll into a specific type of ECE setting (e.g., family care homes, pre-K centers) and the extent to which these factors are also related to the number of days of educational programming the child receives.

Using data from the Head Start Impact Study, Jill will analyze how these features of ECE dosage moderate children’s cognitive development.

Amrita Ramakrishnan (CNPS): “Growth Mindsets in the Classroom: Empirical Investigations in India ” - This dissertation examines the link between teachers’ intelligence mindsets, their teaching practices, their students’ intelligence mindsets, and their academic performance in 5th and 6th grade classrooms in Pune, India. Within this, Amrita is exploring heterogeneity in regards to student sex and socioeconomicstatus.

SPRING DEPT. AWARD WINNERS The Applied Psychology Department Spring Awards are given to undergraduate, masters, and doctoral students who demonstrate a high level of service, outstanding research and academic record.

Bernard Katz Award This award is given to students for their helpfulness, congeniality, and dedication to their program and peers.

Olivia Pagliaro (APUG): Olivia has shown her dedication to service through her role as an Inside Scoop! mentor, fostering an engaging community through programming while directly supporting a cohort of first-year and transfer students throughout their first year in the APUG Program. As an Editor-in-Chief for the Online Publication of Undergraduate Studies, Olivia worked with NYU faculty and student editors to review submissions in the application process. This role allowed her to mentor and support the contributing writers throughout the editing, revision, and publication process. Olivia is also a fierce advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community through research and her own activism and speaks about these issues with her peers. Olivia received the majority of peer endorsements for this award, with students noting she is “one of the kindest, most selfless people I know” and “she always strives to make the world a better place”. Her profoundly positive impact on the APUG community makes Olivia a stellar candidate for this award.

Olga Pagán (PSI): Olga is an outstanding exemplar of the characteristics honored by this award.

She has been committed to improving educational settings for students of color and other marginalized groups. Due to her intellect, strong organizational and time management skills, and unflappable disposition, she has sailed through program milestones, excelling in her courses.

She has been the first author on six symposium presentations at conferences and a junior author on more. She was invited to submit a first-authored paper for an AERA-open special issue on Racism and Oppression. She has served as a Cultural Competence and Instructional coach for teaching fellows in school settings. She recently took on a senior role at the Center for Racial Justice in Education in New York City, where she is working to develop strategies and training and evaluation protocols for anti-racism and inclusiveness training in schools. Olga is also highly engaged in leadership. Currently, she has taken on a leadership role with two of her peers in interrogating program-wide dynamics around anti-racism and inclusiveness.

Distinguished Service Award This award is given to a graduating undergraduate student for dedication and service to the Department of Applied Psychology.

Sarah Gouriche (APUG): Sarah has demonstrated exceptional service to her peers in the APUG Program since her first year at NYU. As Director of Outreach for APUG Club since her sophomore year, Sarah represents the club during department welcome & orientation events, leads & supports programming each semester to connect with the APUG community, and develops intentional programming that amplifies Black people and people of color, as well as LGBTQIA identities, within the program. Sarah introduced APUG Club’s Cultural Movie Night series, facilitated a panel on navigating professional spaces as a woman/woman of color, and co-led workshops on food access & housing insecurity with a service component to donate untouched dining hall food to the Bowery Mission. She is intentional about the events she develops, ensuring she’s able to provide food for students experiencing food insecurity and using the budgets she manages to cover cost of attendance for events to reduce financial barriers to social activities at NYU. It is through her commitment to service, leadership, and community engagement that makes Sarah a fabulous candidate for this award.

Excellence in Fieldwork This award is given to a graduating undergraduate student in recognition of their outstanding commitment, engagement, and growth at their fieldwork site.

Abby Rusnak (APUG): Abby is an exceptionally hard-working student who has demonstrated an impressive dedication and work ethic at her field site, Child Mind Institute. Abby approaches her volunteer work with compassion, professionalism, drive, and a maturity that impresses all those she works with. Her role at Child Mind includes participating in weekly virtual didactics learning about evidence-based children’s services, and assisting in teletherapy for Selective Mutism and ADHD. She co-leads weekly group therapy treatments as a counselor and provides one-on-one services for children and supporting program development tasks at the institute.

Abby is particularly talented when working with children with various clinical presentations as she applies both her clinical skills and her warmth, genuineness, and authenticity in sessions as a counselor. She shows consistent flexibility and has gone above and beyond with her efforts at Child Mind, especially in these unprecedented times, and could not be more deserving of this award.

Social Justice Award This award is for students for their contribution to improving the life conditions of vulnerable individuals or communities.

Imran Rabbani (APUG): Imran is committed to advocacy work for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals and is very open to sharing his experiences within the justice system. He has served as an ambassador and active member in the Essex County Juvenile Detention Center ECCC, New Jersey Reentry Corporation (NJRC), New Jersey Business and Industry Association’s Workgroup (NJBIA), and the Islamic Circle of North America NJ Relief Workgroup (ICNA).

Through mentoring and providing insight into the challenges he faced upon release, Imran’s work with reentry programs helps foster stronger community partnerships for formerly incarcerated individuals. He advocates for greater access to financial, housing, and food assistance resources to address the barriers in employment and reentry for all individuals returning from incarceration His fierce commitment to supporting folks navigating the justice system was highlighted in the LA Times this past January, a testament to the extent of his positive impact on this community.

His active service in support of individuals navigating the justice system and reentry programs makes Imran an exceptional candidate for this award.

Kei Slaughter (CMHW): Kei Slaughter is among the most promising master’s students at NYU’s counseling program. Kei is driven, kind, and devoted to improving the lives of those from marginalized communities. Kei not only thrives in our very rigorous program, they somehow simultaneously manage to find time to practice full-time as a clinical music therapist working with incarcerated youth. Kei’s clinical work also focuses on wellness for LGBT adults, many of whom are People of Color (POC). Their dedication to LGBT people and POC is further evident in Kei’s many years of advocacy both in and out of the clinical space. Furthermore, Kei also makes time to engage in community-based music therapy and wellness work with those who have experienced sexual assault and domestic violence. Kei is a natural-born leader who will positively impact throughout their career as a thoughtful, reflective, and empathetic therapist.

Distinguished Teaching Award This award is given to a Ph.D. student who demonstrates excellence in the area of teaching.

Jill Gandhi (DEV): Jill is an excellent teacher and skilled communicator who has received rave reviews from professors and students alike. Jill fosters a great learning environment and ensures her students are active with her excellent teaching style. She is particularly adept at tailoring her teaching to meet the student’s understanding and scaffold upwards from there. She makes sure each student feels seen and heard. She is incredibly invested in their learning and development, always making the time to meet with her students (even when time zones make this difficult).

Extraordinarily encouraging and supportive, Jill has her students’ highest recommendation for this award.

Distinguished Teaching Award (cont.)

This award is given to a Ph.D. student who demonstrates excellence in the area of teaching.

Samuel Freel (PSI): From Fall 2019 through Fall 2020, Sam served as a Course Assistant for the Research Methods II. Although Research Methods II can be a challenging course for undergraduates, Sam proved to be an excellent liaison between each instructor he worked with and the students, and was very successful in creating a supportive environment for the students. Sam’s professionalism and his ability to impart knowledge in a clear, direct manner led him to teach the MA-level Research class to a combination of graduate students and undergraduates on the BS/ MA track. He simultaneously led a required 1-credit recitation section for the BS/MA students in the class. He is highly dedicated to the learning process, as is evident in his interactions with the students in and out of the classroom. Sam views teaching research methods as a way to provide students with analytical and systematic ways of thinking that would be applicable in any field in which they would be employed in the future.

Chein-Lehmann Dissertation Proposal Award

The Chein-Lehmann Dissertation Proposal award is given to one PSI doctoral student whose dissertation proposal represents Isidor Chein and Stanley Lehmann’s scholarship and passions in the areas of intergroup relations, social support, minority group identity, and mental health in an ecological context.

Sophia Hwang (PSI): ““The Power and Potential of Supportive Relationships in Early Adolescence: Predictors and Outcomes in a National Sample”” - Sophia’s dissertation investigates the support early adolescents receive from adults and peers across the multiple settings where they live, learn, and socialize. Using a nationally representative dataset and a person-centered analytic approach, I systematically capture the forms and levels of relational support received by adolescents and explore individual-, family-, and school-level predictors of that support. Additionally, Sophia examine the importance of relational support toward advancing multi-dimensional psychosocial and academic outcomes. By providing an accurate and rigorous understanding of relational support, researchers and clinicians can then develop, individualize, and target interventions to cultivate school success and well-being during adolescence.

Outstanding Research Contribution This award is given to students whose research demonstrates excellence and originality.

Maya Metser (APUG): Maya has demonstrated commitment to various aspects of research throughout her time at NYU. Her honors thesis investigates the relation between physiological heart rate synchrony and infant sustained attention. Throughout the honors process, Maya has stood out for her analytical and conceptual skills, resourcefulness, and ability to communicate effectively. Maya is an active and dedicated member of Dr. Brito’s research team, who writes, “As the Data Science team lead, Maya values everyone’s perspectives and insights and ensures that everyone feels included.” To make psychology career pathways more accessible, Maya created Psych Mic as an academic community resource to navigate the often confusing psychology career pathways.

Psych Mic has grown exponentially within months, connecting students from across multiple institutions interested in psychology-related fields and careers. Maya’s dedication to the field of psychology, commitment to scientific research, and devotion to her fellow APUG peers and ISLAND lab research team make her most deserving of this award.

Sarah Rosenbach (PSI): Sarah’s focus has been on school-based research and intervention for sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth. She has played a central role in the GSA (gender and sexuality alliance) Research Consortium. Her proposed dissertation will be virtually the first to examine complete school-based social networks as they may be experienced by SGM vs non-SGM youth.

Among the social network literature in youth development, very little has focused on this population. Sarah’s dissertation leverages a longitudinal data set with over 3,000 students, followed over two time points, with complete network data and information on SGM status, as well. She has co-authored 13 peer-reviewed journal publications in top journals, 8 from the GSA Consortium, and 2 as first author thus far. She has the capacity and productivity of a future top scholar in schoolbased work for SGM youth.

Outstanding School Counseling Service This award is given in recognition of outstanding work in support of the goals of school counselors: the promotion of academic, career, personal/social development, equity and success for all students.

Danielle Frierson (CNGU): Danielle has demonstrated advanced skills as a school counselor-in-training through her response to and intervention development for at risk students in her school internship placement. As students began to exhibit adjustment-related challenges in the face of remote learning in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Danielle developed and implemented a school-based program targeting enhanced engagement and support for at-risk middle school students. This endeavor is indicative of Danielle’s broader skillset as a counselor and researcher who is able to maximize her role to impact her school community. In addition, Danielle is a valued community member at NYU. She is an excellent student and responsive member of her classrooms. This combination of academic and professional skills, along with her social and emotional maturity and attunement to community needs position her for immense success as she enters the field of school counseling.

Outstanding Clinical Service This award is given to students who demonstrate outstanding skills in the area of clinical practice.

Tokunbo Jose (CMHW): Tokunbo has a positive work ethic, and the openness and willingness to learn and grow as a counselor in training. He is committed to working in the community with a diverse population of clients. His site supervisor stated, “He continues to show promise of becoming an excellent therapist in this field. He actively participates in his supervision seeking clarification when needed. One resource of private practice is word of mouth referrals. TK has actually received 3 referrals by word of mouth by other clients he treats. In class, Tokunbo gives his peers critical feedback on their cases, responds well to feedback from the professor and his peers on his cases, and used this feedback to challenge himself as a counselor in training and to push his clients further along in their treatment. He is a joy to have in class and watch develop as a counselor especially due to his humility, diligence, and candor. Tokunbo is well-deserving of the Outstanding Clinical Service Award!

Megan Granski (CNPS): Megan has been providing outstanding clinical service to the most vulnerable populations, with a focus on people experiencing chronic trauma and children facing incarceration. This past year, Megan has been on the frontlines providing direct services to children and families experiencing acute trauma during the COVID-19 pandemic while on internship at Mt. Sinai Hospital. Megan has worked to carefully craft evidence-based dialectical behavior therapy groups for hospitalized adolescents and children. In fact, every year during doctoral study, Megan has completed a competitive clinical externship at world renowned training sites (e.g., Bellevue, Montefiore); and each year, Megan has gone above and beyond often creating new programs and protocols. In every case, Megan’s clinical work centers racial and gender justice, and is attuned to the structural barriers facing her Black, brown, and immigrant-origin clients. Megan works to ensure that her clients’ behaviors and experiences are understood in relation to the structural barriers and institutional betrayals they have faced.

NYU/STEINHARDT HONORS & AWARDS The Ida Bodman Service Award Is presented to those graduating undergraduates in recognition of their superlative and extraordinary service, exhibiting the highest standard of leadership in School activities. The Bodman Award honors Ida Bodman’s commitment and service to her alma mater. A recipient of a Master of Letters in Education in 1904, she went on to develop a Women’s Advisory Committee in the School of Pedagogy in 1911 continuJanean Cuffee (APUG) ing her philanthropic work and assistance to NYU.

John W. Withers Award The John W. Withers Memorial Award is presented to one undergraduate and one graduate student in recognition of their outstanding scholastic attainment, and for upholding the highest ideals of service, loyalty, and devotion to the School and their graduating class.

Chris Hung (APUG)

NYU Student-Athlete Academic Achievement Award This annual award recognizes graduating student-athletes in their senior year who have earned academic distinction (a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.50) and have competed on a varsity team for at least two seasons, including their graduation year

Macarena Kruger (APUG)

Janean Cuffee (APUG)

Mitchell Leaska Dissertation Research Award Supports the financial needs of doctoral student’s research as they near completion of their dissertation.

Sophia Hwang (PSI)

Patricia M. Carey Changemaker Award This award is given to students in the NYU Steinhardt community who has acted to further the legacy of former Dean Patricia M. Carey, one of care, leadership, bravery,

Lulu Prat (APUG)

NYU/STEINHARDT HONORS & AWARDS Samuel Eshborn Service Award This award is presented to graduating graduate students in recognition of superlative and extraordinary service, exhibiting the value of strong leadership in school activities in NYU Steinhardt.

Taymy Caso (CNPS)

The Steinhardt Outstanding Dissertation Award Granted by the Steinhardt Office of Student Affairs, the Outstanding Dissertation Awards are based on the recommendation of the Doctoral Affairs Committee.

Megan Granski (CNPS)

Steinhardt Annual Research and Scholarship Showcase Poster Award One undergraduate winner selected for best poster presentation/research.

Abi Shankar (APUG)

Steinhardt GSO Student Org/Group of the Year PiP is a Student of Color initiative formed to support, promote, and normalize their images, voices, and needs for success within the Steinhardt learning environment.

Power in Presence

USG Departmental Award Departmental awards are for those students within the Steinhardt community who have demonstrated outstanding commitment, achievement, and/or service to make Steinhardt the unique and inclusive school that it is.

Sarah Gouriche (APUG)