Loey Allen | Psychology Major, Global Health Minor
- Project: “A Breath of Fresh Air”: How Trauma-Informed Schools Impact Discipline Rates & Disparities
- Honors and Awards: Jacqueline A. Morris Fellowship, Deans List with Distinction
Cassie Ameen | Public Policy Major
- Project: Examining Factors that Influence Parent Engagement in Local Family-Serving Nonprofits
- Honors and Awards: Jacqueline A. Morris Fellowship
- Quote: “The CPR Certificate program has been my most meaningful experience at Duke by far. The amazing faculty, incredible course offerings, and endless opportunities have made me into the student and person I am now."
Gabriella Carter | Sociology Major, English Major
- Project: Books and Bullets: The Relationship Between School Gun Violence and Academic Performance in Southern Communities
- Honors and Awards: Questbridge Scholar, Dean's List with Distinction
- Quote: “I have always known that I wanted to work with children as a teacher, advocate, counsellor, or researcher, but I never knew where to start or how to prepare myself for any of these careers. Through the CPR program, I have developed the skills needed to be successful in any of these positions, while also learning about myself and my own goals, specifically that protecting children's rights and serving their legal needs is where my true passion lies."
Whitney Clevenger | Public Policy Major, History Minor
- Project: Intensive Family Preservation Services: An Evaluation of the Homebuilders Model
- Quote: “The CPR Certificate program has been a pivotal and transformative part of my time at Duke. It has given me a supportive community of peers and mentors who have helped cultivate my policy and research interests."
Ryan Copeland | Psychology Major, Asian & Middle Eastern Studies Minor
- Project: Rural Students in Elite Postsecondary Institutions
- Honors and Awards: Dean's List with Distinction, Francis Pemberton Creative Writing Scholarship, Migrant Human Rights Award
- Quote: “As a first-generation student, the Child Policy Research Certificate program was my introduction to policy research. Through learning how to use policy and advocacy to improve the lives of children and families, I was inspired by the CCFP's incredibly supportive faculty and my brilliant peers to pursue a future I would have never considered before."
Chloe Decker | Public Policy Major, History Minor
- Project: Opioid Settlement Spending Across North Carolina: Which families are better served?
- Honors and Awards: Hart Leadership Program Patman Fellowship, NC Representative at Henry Clay College Congress, Julie Anne Levey Leadership Award, B.N. Duke Memorial Scholarship, 2025 ALL IN Student Voting Honor Roll
- Quote: “The Child Policy Research certificate has improved my ability to ask tough questions, and as a developing researcher, know how to seek out reliable answers. The certificate's faculty are incredible in supporting you as you explore your curiosities through self-guided research."
Olivia Del Carmen Peña |Psychology Major, Chemistry Minor
- Project:Familia First: Patterns in Parent-Child Relationships in Hispanic Families from Birth to Adolescence
- Honors and Awards: Reyes Family Scholarship, Hispanic Scholarship Foundation Scholarship, Dean’s List with Distinction
- Quote: “Before earning my CPR Certificate, I had never taken a public policy class, but this program taught me so much and truly tied together all my experiences. I've loved learning from the incredible, caring teachers who have shared their knowledge and passion, making this journey unforgettable."
Phoebe Ducote | Public Policy Major, Education Minor
- Project: Exploring the Limitations of Current Multilingual Learner Programs in North Carolina
- Quote: “The Child Policy Research certificate allowed me to go beyond what I was learning in my major and minor. It provided an outlet for creativity through research that was both meaningful to me, as well as impactful to others."
Miranda Green | Psychology Major, Global Health Minor
- Project: The Age of “Sharenting”: Privacy, safety, and fair compensation for children of online parents
- Quote: “My experience in the CPR Certificate has been so rewarding. I have learned so much and plan to continue my research in the future!"
Minjee Kim | Public Policy Major, Global Health Minor
- Project: Towards Trauma-informed Care: Perspectives from Refugee Service Providers
- Quote: “The certificate program was one of the highlights of my four years at Duke, and I greatly enjoyed the opportunity to explore my interest in youth wellbeing alongside the incredible students, faculty, and staff at the Center."
Hanna Lavi | Psychology Major, Asian and Middle Eastern Studies Minor
- Project: Gaps in the Legal System Affecting Children in North Carolina
- Awards: William J. Griffith University Service Award nominee
- Quote: “No class environment and content has inspired me, and spurred me into action, like the child policy certificate courses that I have taken. This certificate program has lit the path to my future ablaze with the passion to always advocate for children in both professional and personal settings."
Monica Lindsey | Neuroscience Major, Psychology Minor
- Project: From Courtroom to Classroom: The Role of Adultification Bias in the School-to-Prison Pipeline
- Awards: B.N. Duke Scholarship, Cardea Fellow
- Quote: “Participating in the CPR Certificate Program has deepened my understanding of the complex challenges facing children and families today. While I’m not pursuing a degree in public policy, the insights, skills, and awareness I’ve gained will continue to shape my professional path in healthcare and stay with me in other areas of my life as well."
Bess Pierre | Public Policy Major, German Minor
- Project: An Evaluation of the Every Student Succeeds Act’s Educational Stability Provision for Foster Youth in Massachusetts
- Awards: Jacqueline A. Morris Fellowship, Public Policy Thesis with Highest Distinction
- Quote: “The CPR Certificate program is an incredible opportunity to work closely with research and scholars at Duke who are committed to tackling policy problems that affect children and families. The Certificate attracts a community of innovative, thoughtful individuals who are an absolute pleasure to collaborate with."
Reagan Razon | Computer Science Major
- Project: Broadening Participation in Computer Science: The Impact of Early Exposure and Mentorship on Elementary/Middle School Students
- Awards: Robertson Scholarship, E Pluribus. Unum Fellowship, John M. Belk Impact Fellowship, Jacqueline A. Morris Fellowship, Computing Research Association (CRA) Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher Award (Honorable Mention), Distinguished Leadership Award: Community Responsibility, Science For All Mini-Grant, URS Conference Grant, Stanford TreeHacks 2nd Place 2023 “Best use of Intersystems IntegratedML,” Stanford TreeHacks 2nd Place 2025 “Best Use of GenAI using InterSystems IRIS Vector Search”
- Quote: “The Child Policy Research Certificate program is the perfect program because it is so interdisciplinary and the faculty and staff are incredibly supportive!"
Daniela Salazar-Santos | Psychology Major, Education Minor
- Project: Modes of Bilingual Education and their Impacts on Integrating English Language-Learners in the US School System
- Awards: HSF (Hispanic Scholarship Fund)
- Quote: “I have learned so much about child policy through my experience in the CPR Certificate Program. I have been able to learn about one of my main courses of study, education, through a unique lens."
Lindsay Schwartzman | Psychology Major, Sociology Minor
- Project: The Influence of Teller and Audience Identity on Children's Expectations of Information Sharing
- Awards: Jacqueline A. Morris Fellowship, Dean's List with Distinction
- Quote: "The Child Policy Research Certificate program deepened my passions for psychology and research. I am grateful for this opportunity, which furthered my knowledge of the many challenges children and families face and strengthened my ability to effectively communicate research to audiences."
Samantha Seewald | Biology Major, Psychology Minor
- Project: Oral Health Care for Children with Disabilities
- Awards: Psi Chi, the International Honor Society in Psychology
- Quote: "Through the CPR Certificate program, I had the opportunity to engage in conversations, projects, and mentorship that align with my passion for supporting children and underserved populations. This experience has been instrumental in shaping my path toward a career in dentistry centered on equity, compassion, and advocacy."
Sabreen Syed | Neuroscience Major, Chemistry Minor
- Project: Children's Ability to Reason About Belief Change in Others
- Awards: Jacqueline A. Morris Fellowship, Dean's List with Distinction
- Quote: "The CCFP brought me a community of individuals that, as a neuroscience major, I never would have been able to find otherwise. I'm grateful for everyone that I've learned from here!"
Shelby Tisdale | Statistical Science Major, Education Minor
- Project: A Bayesian Hierarchical Approach to Predicting Fulfillment of TANF Goals
- Awards: Jacqueline A. Morris Fellowship, TeachNC GEER Student Teacher Funding Award, Duke Statistical Science Undergraduate TA of the Year
- Quote: "I have been profoundly impacted by the supportive, interdisciplinary community of faculty and students at CCFP, who have consistently challenged me to think about complex issues from different perspectives. The Child Policy Research Certificate Program has been a highlight of my academic experience at Duke, motivating my decision to continue my studies through a PhD."
Dylan Tuchman | History Major, Inequality Studies Minor
- Project: More Than the Child: The 1909 White House Conference on the Care of Dependent Children and the Children’s Bureau as Mirrors of Progressive Ideology
- Awards: Phi Beta Kappa, Dean's List with Distinction, History Summer Thesis Research Award, Phi Alpha Theta History Honors Society
- Quote: "The Child Policy Research Certificate program helped me connect my history major to contemporary child policy, allowing me to trace how current systems were shaped by historical ideas about family, morality, and social responsibility. It gave me the tools to critically examine how child welfare has evolved and what legacies still remain."
Sarah Williams | Psychology Major
- Project: The effects of collaborating and making promises on three- and five-year-olds’ sense of commitment
- Awards: Costanzo Teaching Fellow, Vertical Integration Fellow, Morris Fellow, Trinity Ambassador, Faculty Scholars Award Nominee
- Quote: "The Child Policy Research Certificate has allowed me to explore the real-world implications of developmental psychology and translate research findings into meaningful recommendations for parents and teachers. Ultimately, my experiences in this program have helped set me on a path towards earning my PhD."
Kellie Young | Public Policy Major
- Project: Expanding Medicaid: Pathways to Reducing US disparities in Infant Mortality
- Quote: "Through the certificate program, I have been able to engage with professors and students who share my passion for shaping better policy for children and families. I look forward to applying the skills gained through this program in my future career."