Jennifer Acosta, psychology major; literature – global cultural studies major (graduated with highest distinction); magna cum laude; Phi Beta Kappa; The Jerome S. Brunner Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research; Winfred Quinton Holton Prize for Innovative Work in the Field of Education; Jacqueline A. Morris Fellow; teaching assistant Intro to Psychology; research assistant Center for Child and Family Policy
Independent Study: Examining Sixth Graders’ Developmental Understanding of their Ethnic and Racial Identity
Mentor: Kamilah Legette, postdoctoral fellow, Research on the Education and Development of Youth
Future Plans: Bilingual research assistant in the Family Involvement Lab (working with Dr. Natasha Cabrera), College of Education, University of Maryland-College Park, then graduate school in a program that combines education and psychology
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Meredith Davin, public policy major (graduated with distinction); cum laude; Jacqueline A. Morris Fellow
Independent Study: School Gardens as a Tool to Teach Elementary School Curricula
Mentor: Shane Goodridge, assistant dean of Trinity College
Future Plans: has tentatively taken a job with the FBI in their Resource Planning Office as a management and program analyst
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Sarah Hakani, neuroscience major; education minor
Independent Study: The effect of feedback accessibility and format on academic performance
Mentor: Nick Carnes, assistant professor, Sanford School of Public Policy
Future Plans: graduate school, Mind, Brain, and Education program at Harvard University
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Arielle Kahn, psychology major (graduated with distinction); education minor; magna cum laude; Jacqueline A. Morris Fellow; Alice M. Baldwin Scholar; Winfred Quinton Holton Prize for Innovative Work in the Field of Education
Independent Study: Reducing the achievement gap: Why are self-affirmation interventions effective?
Mentor: Amy Anderson, instructor, Program in Education, and Christina Grimes, assistant professor of the practice, Psychology & Neuroscience
Future Plans: applying for positions on The Hill for post-graduation then eventually plans to move to advocacy/non-profit organizations
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Samantha Kisare, biology major (graduated with distinction); chemistry minor; James B. Rast Memorial Award in Comparative Organismal Biology
Independent Study: Investigating the effects of different interventions for children who have experienced trauma
Mentor: Katie Rosanbalm, research scholar, Center for Child and Family Policy
Future Plans: clinical research this year and then plans to apply to medical school. In the next 3-5 years she plans to attend medical school to pursue pediatric medicine.