Dena Shottenkirk, Department of Philosophy, received the Jerome Krase Award, and Yoon-Joo Lee, Department of Childhood, Bilingual, and Special Education, received the Sandi Cooper Award. Both awards are part of the Jerome Krase / Sandi Cooper Awards, presented annually by the CUNY Academy in recognition of exceptional scholarly contributions in the humanities and sciences, including social and life sciences.

聽honor聽associate professors from across CUNY who are selected from a large pool of nominees聽representing聽all campuses. Award recipients receive university-wide recognition for their research and are invited to present their work in a public research talk hosted by the CUNY Academy.

Shottenkirk was honored for her work in philosophy. She is widely recognized for her scholarship at the intersection of epistemology and aesthetics. She is among a select group of聽faculty聽across CUNY to receive the Jerome Krase Award this year, reflecting the strength of 可乐视频鈥檚 research community.

Lee received the Sandi Cooper Award for her contributions to the field of education. She has been recognized across CUNY for her leadership in inclusive education and disability studies. Her work emphasizes the importance of amplifying marginalized voices and supporting future educators through聽scholarship聽and mentorship.

Named in honor of Jerome Krase, a founding member of the CUNY Academy, and Sandi Cooper, a former University Faculty Senate president and longtime member of the academy鈥檚 board, the awards underscore CUNY鈥檚 commitment to advancing impactful research and public scholarship.

The recognition of Shottenkirk and Lee highlights 可乐视频鈥檚 continued leadership in faculty research and its contributions to scholarship that advances knowledge, equity, and public understanding across disciplines.

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Suresh A. Sethi, Director of AREAC at 可乐视频, along with an international team, recently published a study in examining the environmental and social impacts of Amazonian aquaculture. Their research looks at key issues such as threats to biodiversity, greenhouse gas emissions, land use, and the livelihoods of local communities.

The article outlines a roadmap for developing aquaculture in a way that supports food production, protects local ecosystems, and ensures fair social outcomes in one of the world鈥檚 richest freshwater biodiversity regions.

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Adding a dramatic outdoor flair on April 29 with help from dedicated faculty in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences and students, the spotlight turned to the dynamic period between late antiquity and the Middle Ages鈥攕panning the third to 15th centuries鈥攐ffering visitors an immersive glimpse into a pivotal era of human history.

Far from a dusty history lesson, the series of events and presentations offered an immersive celebration of the premodern period, when the world鈥檚 modern institutions鈥攍ike universities, the nation-state, and the Catholic Church鈥攚ere being invented in Europe, and when indigenous communities populated North America. Undergraduates and graduate students alike collaborated across disciplines to breathe life into the past, showcasing everything from medieval drama to ancient spells to indigenous roads.

One of the Expo’s most ambitious endeavors came courtesy of History Professor Lauren Mancia, who, alongside nine students, unveiled a piece of what will be a dramatic restaging of the York Mystery Cycle鈥攁 sweeping series of 14th-century plays depicting stories from sacred history. With support from numerous grants and awards, including the New York Medieval Society Teaching Award and a Medieval Academy of America Centennial Grant, this performance-as-research project is headed to , where the team will join 17 other groups from across North America in a scholarly conference that blends performance with academic inquiry.

Mancia鈥檚 students spent the semester diving deep into medieval performance practices, staging early renditions of their pageants in open-air settings before offering a sneak peek at the Expo. Their final performance will take place on campus on June 2 at 1:30 p.m. (rain date: June 3), alongside the performance group from Fordham.

Donning T-shirts to celebrate the day they spent commemorating and educating the campus about premodernism the energy on the East Quad was palpable as students performed plays and engaged with other Medieval-related historical projects.

Adelaide Snow, a passionate History major, has spent the past year diving deep into the Medieval period under the guidance of Professor Mancia. She believes that exploring the premodern world offers powerful insights into our present and origins. On Day 2 of the HSS Expo, Snow helped bring history to life on the East Quad, working behind the scenes as a script assistant to support student-actors during the dynamic historical play performances.

鈥淗istory is not predetermined; this applies to all aspects of our lives,鈥� Snow said. 鈥淎ctually, the university is a premodern invention, and it鈥檚 important to study the premodern period so we know where we are and how we got here.鈥�

Student-actor Julia Krzysztalowicz is studying Spanish Translation and also taking the Medieval Ages course with Mancia. She said the best part of performing the plays “Adam and Eve” and “The Temptation of Jesus” was the reactions from the audiences.

鈥淢edieval plays are different. There is no etiquette for how this theater should be, so you can just go around and talk to the audience, and they can even talk back and throw something at you,鈥� Krzysztalowicz said. 鈥淭hrough these performances, you is how we discover a lot of this history of the Medieval Ages.鈥�

Mancia said the Expo showcases what the humanities and social sciences do best: investigate the world and its history from multiple angles and through student-led, experiential learning; collaborate in seminar classrooms where professors learn alongside students and ultimately engage with the wider Brooklyn and New York City communities; and use our study of the human creative and investigative spirit to infuse our contemporary world with a renewed commitment to discovery, knowledge-seeking, and community-building.

(Left to right) Students Jonathan Rakhamimov, History M.A. ’26, as Adam; Katryna Alexis, MHC Education/Theater ’27, as God the Father; and Lina Mazioui, MHC History ’27, perform the play 鈥淎dam and Eve.鈥�

But the York plays were just the beginning. Building on the strong community of premodern scholars at 可乐视频 through the Late Antique-Medieval-Early Modern Faculty Working Group and others, the Expo also featured a rich lineup of interactive, hands-on experiences. Highlights included:

鈥� Monastic Scribes: Students joined Mancia in re-creating a medieval scriptorium, complete with manuscript illumination and Byzantine icon-painting using historical techniques.

鈥� Scent of the Past: History Professor Karen B. Stern Gabbay and her students crafted a 鈥減remodern sensorium,鈥� letting visitors quite literally smell their way through the history of late antiquity.

鈥� Mapping the Premodern Campus: Anthropology Assistant Professor Kelly Britt and students offered a glimpse of 鈥渋ndigenous 可乐视频,鈥� revealing what the land and culture may have looked like before settler colonialism.

鈥� Curses and Charms: Classics Associate Professor Brian P. Sowers and his Tow student mentee led a workshop on ancient curse tablets and magical rituals, proving the supernatural was alive and well in the premodern imagination.

Classics Associate Professor Brian P. Sowers (right) talks about ancient curse tablets and magical rituals.

鈥� Medieval Debate Club: English professors Karl T. Steel and Nicola Masciandaro and Professor of Philosophy Andrew W. Arlig staged a spirited debate using rhetorical techniques from the earliest European universities.

Sirandrew Purcell, Education MA ’27, gives a class on how to be a medieval knight.

鈥� Traveling Troubadour: CUNY Graduate Center Ph.D. candidate, Lehman College Adjunct Professor, and founder of Christopher Preston Thompson serenaded the campus with medieval songs and harp music.

Christopher Preston Thompson, from Lehman College/CUNY Graduate Center and Ph.D. candidate and director of Concordian Dawn.

And the medieval festivities aren鈥檛 over yet. On May 10, Mancia will take students to the Met Cloisters for a special event titled The afternoon includes student-led museum tours and performances of 14th-century plays and processions on the Cloisters lawn, followed by a student-led discussion about the theme of temptation and how engaging with medieval art and performance has shaped their understanding of the past.

In total, this year鈥檚 HSS Expo featured an impressive 67 student presentations and 34 research posters supported by 24 dedicated faculty mentors. The campus buzzed with activity over the two days as students shared their work, while nine distinguished alumni delivered thought-provoking guest lectures鈥攂oth in person and via Zoom. A panel of 15 judges, including faculty, graduate students, and alumni, evaluated the presentations, adding a professional and celebratory dimension to the events. (See the full HSS Expo schedule here.)

Whether through scent, song, storytelling, or sacred drama, the 2025 HSS Expo proved one thing: the premodern world is anything but outdated.

Don’t miss the 2025 HSS Expo Awards Ceremony on May 6 at 5 p.m. in the Leonard & Claire Tow Center for the Performing Arts.

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She has conducted research at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Rockefeller University, the American Museum of Natural History, and the University of Montreal. That work has included collecting dragonflies in New Zealand, studying the genetic components of aphids and wasps, investigating cardiac regeneration in zebra fish, and working on therapeutics for Down syndrome and ALS.

So, she was a natural selection for one of the most prestigious national scholarships for undergraduates in the STEM fields. Last week, she was named a Goldwater Scholar鈥攐ne of five CUNY students this year and only the fourth 可乐视频 student to earn the award that was established by Congress and aims to identify the nation鈥檚 next generation of elite scientific researchers. The scholarship gives awardees up to $7,500 per academic year to cover tuition, books, fees, and room and board.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a pretty cool recognition of the passion I鈥檝e put into my research,鈥� says Ramchand of the award, administered by the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation. 鈥淚t鈥檚 validating that the work I have been doing is meaningful. It feels like a coming of age for me.鈥�

Ramchand immigrated to Brooklyn from Guyana with her family when she was 11 years old. The former middle school valedictorian started down her scientific path in high school, when she began taking courses at the American Museum of Natural History. There, she did her first dissections and spent time with researchers who connected her to another program that paired her with a mentor.

鈥淭hat mentor really showed me what鈥檚 possible,鈥� she says, noting that she got to present a poster project on her work looking into genetic components to the selectivity of parasitoid wasps that feed on aphids. 鈥淚t was my first real chance to work on something long term and just jumping into a project in that way. It felt great.鈥�

A scientist was born.

鈥淔rom those earliest experiences with research, I was learning how exciting it was to explore uncharted territory and to work on something where everything you learn is a big deal with the potential to help the entire scientific community,鈥� she says.

By the time she applied to 可乐视频 as a Macaulay Honors student, she was determined to dive into serious research at an institution that would accommodate both her scientific drive and her need for financial assistance.

鈥淚t was the most amazing thing not to have to worry about how to afford college,鈥� she says of getting into the Macaulay Honors College, which gives students full tuition, access to mentors, and enhanced advisement. 鈥淚t solved so many concerns I had because I knew I would get a great quality education here.鈥�

After working her freshman year at the American Museum of Natural History and in a lab at Baruch College (CUNY), she signed on during her sophomore year to do epigenetic research with Associate Professor Marianna Torrente of the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department.

She also became a Tow Undergraduate/Graduate International Research Stipend recipient, which took her to New Zealand over a winter intersession, and a U-RISE scholar, which gave her funds to go to a conference. She spent a summer as a Fulbright Canada鈥揗itacs Globalink fellow at the University of Montreal. Earlier this academic year, she began an observership program at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where she shadowed doctors during their rounds.

She says that often she has seen herself in her mentors, most of them women who ran their own labs and had incredible relationships with their staff. She has paid that forward by sharing her own passion with the next generation as a mentor with the New York Academy of Sciences, where she worked with fifth graders.

鈥淓xposing them to things they might not see in class and helping them to be curious about the world, showing them what a path might look like, has been amazing,鈥� she says.

After graduation, she plans on taking a gap year to research and to travel before heading to an M.D.-Ph.D. program, and then on to a career where she hopes to bridge scientific discovery and clinical care.

鈥淚鈥檝e been really thinking about my place in the world,鈥� she says. 鈥淎ll of my experiences that have culminated in this award have helped me grow, become more confident, and own the path I鈥檓 on.鈥�

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This annual event has become a cornerstone for the Department of Sociology for more than a decade, offering students not only a platform to share their findings but also a chance to engage with leading scholars. 可乐视频 was especially proud to have the largest contingent attend, half of whom are members of Alpha Kappa Delta, the prestigious international honor society for sociology.

鈥淭he students enjoyed an enriching experience full of conversation, connected with each other and their fellow undergraduates, and presented research that spoke to their lived experience,鈥� said Associate Professor of Sociology Namita Manohar, who is also an ESS faculty adviser. 鈥淚t was a wonderful testament to their growth as sociologists, as they begin to dream of and chart professional lives beyond college. I am deeply grateful to have accompanied them in this endeavor this year.鈥�

Graduating senior Katherine Dempsey was one of the presenters at the Eastern Sociological Society conference in Boston on March 7,

Among the standout participants was Katherine Dempsey, a graduating senior who presented research from her senior thesis, 鈥溾�榃e鈥檙e Screaming and No One Can Hear Us鈥�: The Impact of Social Media Coverage of the Muslim World on Muslim Mental Health,鈥� as part of the Media & Social Media panel. Presenting alongside sociologists who explored media framing of the COVID-19 pandemic and right-wing news organizations as a 鈥渜uasi-religious phenomenon,鈥� Dempsey offered a timely and nuanced perspective on the real-life impacts of (social) media as a news source on young adults鈥� well-being.

The students鈥� participation reflects the Sociology Department鈥檚 commitment to fostering academic and research excellence and to facilitating our students鈥� professional development. The department acknowledges with thanks the travel funding provided by the dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences and the 可乐视频 Foundation Kitch Foundation, and the assistance from staff in the Sociology Department, and Nate Samuel, associate director of the Faculty Training & Development Lab, for printing student posters.

Participating students had many positive things to say about their experience at the conference:

鈥淚 had the incredible opportunity to present my work that provided further understanding of Muslim mental health in sociological research. As both a panelist and a poster presenter, I was able to expand my reach to advocate about this community and their struggles. It was an honor to present this research and fill in the gap in literature about this population. With the knowledge I gained from attending the conference, I can move forward in my sociology studies to further make an impact and help more communities to thrive.鈥濃�擪atherine Dempsey

鈥淪haring my research was an unforgettable experience. It marked a powerful step forward in my journey to attain a Ph.D. and reaffirmed why I鈥檓 committed to research that drives change for immigrant and undocumented students. I鈥檓 thankful for this opportunity and already excited to return next year!鈥濃�擲ergio Leon Hidalgo

鈥淧resenting my research was a valuable opportunity for my academic growth. I collaborated with my friends on our research projects, and we had the chance to share our work with students and faculty from other colleges, which made the experience even more enriching.鈥濃�擠emetrius Joseph

鈥淚 had done a similar presentation years ago, for middle school, and I had a partner. This time, it was a college-level presentation, and I only had myself to rely on for all of the speaking. Although I began the presentation very anxious, two students who were also presenting came up to ask me some questions and interacted with me and my poster, and my nerves began to simmer down. I鈥檓 happy I got opportunity to take part in this experience.鈥濃�擧irvania Rodriguez

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This new category acknowledges institutions that allocate at least $2.5 million annually to research, yet may not have historically received recognition for their research activities鈥攅specially those that do not confer doctoral degrees. 可乐视频鈥檚 inclusion, alongside other CUNY undergraduate colleges, demonstrates its pivotal role in producing ground-breaking research across its five schools.

鈥淭he recognition of 可乐视频 as a leading research institution is a testament to the dedication and innovation of our faculty and students,鈥� said President Michelle J. Anderson. 鈥淲e are proud to be part of this emerging category that reflects the valuable contributions of our research, which not only enriches our academic community but also addresses real-world challenges.鈥�

可乐视频鈥檚 research spans a wide range of fields, from the humanities and social sciences to natural sciences and technology. Faculty members are at the forefront of their disciplines, fostering an environment that encourages new discoveries, supports student involvement in research, and promotes collaboration both locally and globally.

In April 2025, ACE and the Carnegie Foundation will publish their 2025 Institutional Classification, which categorizes higher education institutions by various characteristics, including the types of degrees they offer, the fields of study they emphasize, and the size of the institution.

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Can you tell us a bit about your background?

I am a former dancer who earned my first bachelor’s degree in dance performance studying classical ballet and modern. Once that journey came to its conclusion, I asked what was next for me. I enrolled in 可乐视频, took some classes, and fell in love with the school. I started as a biology major because I thought I would be a medical doctor. I very quickly saw that it was not in the cards. I was in a chemistry class when we reached this chapter titled Quantum Chemistry, and in it was something called the Schr枚dinger equation. It describes how electrons behave, how atoms behave, and how they interact. It鈥檚 an equation that allows you to see what you can’t see with your eyes. And that just blew my mind. So I chose physics.

Some seeds were planted along the way earlier in my life, so it wasn’t that big a leap from the arts to science, but that landed me in physics.

What were those seeds?

The first seed is that my mom has always been interested in technology. She used to be in the military, and when she was there, she built circuits. I grew up watching her do everything from building ship models to building my computer when I went to college for the first time. Technology was just a regular thing in our household. Science was normalized. My grandmother was a nurse. My mom later became an occupational therapy assistant. I had always been fascinated with how things work, how different puzzle pieces fit together, why they work the way they do.

Why did you choose 可乐视频 for your second bachelor鈥檚 degree?

The college has an excellent reputation in terms of the schools and the professors and how they support their students. I also chose it because it鈥檚 affordable. It was close to where I live in Brooklyn. It ticked a lot of boxes. And because I was interested in becoming a doctor then, it also has great programs. Another reason why I chose 可乐视频 was its reputation for having an incredibly diverse community, even in physics. For my last two semesters in school, I was one of three physics majors of color instead of one. To give you a sense of how big that is, approximately one hundred Black women have Ph.D.鈥檚 in physics in the United States.

Having that sort of safe space to learn, mess up, try harder, and do all of those things made it much easier to go into more predominantly white spaces and show up as my whole self. Going to the American Physical Society Conference this past March showed me the importance of having a baseline community. I received that when I attended the conference for the National Society of Black Physicists. There are just certain things that are understood among us. Now you could talk physics, and after, you could talk about the latest Kendrick Lamar album. Support from 可乐视频 and the society of Black physicists allowed me to thrive in predominantly white spaces.

Being in a diverse environment was a big part of your undergraduate experience. Can you tell us more. Did you have a mentor who stands out to you?

One of the best-kept secret about CUNY is all of the resources that it has. And it’s a matter of going out and finding those resources, talking to professors and administrators. My first mentor was Prof. Jeffrey McLean. He was my biology lab professor, and he also had a non-traditional background going into the sciences. He started off as a tow truck driver and realized after about a year or so of working and talking to older folks in the field that it was not for him. He鈥檇 always been interested in biology and tried it out. Fast forward, he became a virologist and worked at the CDC. Seeing someone else who had a similar non-traditional background as I resonated. It helped me to feel connected to the science community at 可乐视频. Before switching to physics, I reached out to the department and the undergraduate adviser, Professor [Ken] Miyano. He was my number one supporter. It took a long time to get my degree.

Did it?

Oh yes. Because I had to work. It was a combination of needing to support myself and the fact that because I already had my first bachelor’s degree, there was a lot of student aid that I could not access. I had already accessed it with my first degree. I had to get super creative with funding my education and living here. So Professor Miyano was pivotal in advising me on the right courses and when to take them and providing the space and the educational resources I needed to even transition into physics.

There were a lot of mental shifts I had to do to feel like I could succeed to let go of some of the narratives that I had been told growing up because the talent was actually there, but because of society and people in my life saying, 鈥淥h, well, you’re better in English.鈥� Meanwhile, I look back at my transcripts from middle school and high school; I’m getting As in my math classes. It takes a lot more than math to do physics. And that was the part that I needed to connect. It was rough getting there, but it clicked eventually. When I was younger, I thought, this [math] is so hard. I don’t like this, whatever. And then I realized as I got older that I was good at math and I liked math, that math is just another language to help you tell the story of the thing you’re studying.

And now we’ve got movies like Hidden Figures.

I cried the entire time. I was in tears. We Black women could always do this, and we’ve been doing it.

You were a top student presenter at the American Physics Society annual conference. Can you tell us about that experience?

I was there because of research聽I had been doing for about two years at an internship at the Simons Foundation. The short story is that it is a foundation started by Jim and Marilyn Simons. Jim Simons, in particular, was a mathematician. He was the department chair at Stony Brook University, and he had ultimately decided that he wanted to try something else. He started a hedge fund company that used the same mathematical models he had already used as a professor in school. The hedge fund was a success, so he started the foundation. It touches on scientific outreach support for math teachers, but there’s an arm called the Flatiron Institute, which I was a part of as an intern and then as an employee. The Flatiron Institute houses all of the basic research, including biology, neuroscience, astrophysics,聽math, and quantum physics, all doing what we call computational research. So research on computers, large scale computers. My work, in collaboration with Dr. Tim Berkelbach, now co-director of the Flatiron Institutes Initiative for Computational Catalysis and Associate Professor at Columbia University, was studying atoms and molecules and electrons at their very core: how they interact with one another using these computing systems. That eventually led up to presenting my research at the American Physical Society.

That must’ve been such a high for you.

The culmination of a lot of hard work and other synergistic things helped me get to that point because it wasn’t just about the research. Before working at the Simons Foundation some of my jobs involved science outreach and learning how to communicate science to different populations across New York City. So I took that skillset and married it with the research; the results speak for themselves.

Did you receive any assistance from 可乐视频 or any grants or scholarships?

I received two scholarships: the Lila Lustig Science Scholarship and a Harold M. and Carolyn R. Krouse Scholarship. They helped me to finish my degree because, like I shared before, I had to pay out of pocket. So having those additional resources and institutional support are what continued to help push me.

Switching from student to teacher and physics to environmental science鈥攜ou鈥檝e worked as a citizen science educator at the Stem Research Academy at 可乐视频. Is there any crossover between the two disciplines for you?

The great thing about physics, and the thing that makes physics hard, is that physics is everywhere. One of the things that was incredibly helpful with having gone through my physics degree while working as an environmental educator was that I could take those problem-solving skills to the classroom for students. It was an opportunity to show that to my high school urban ecology class, all those concepts that you learn, volume gases, the chemicals that arise when you mix certain pollutants, and that’s what you’re smelling when you’re walking out in the street, that all stems from physics. But the fact that it’s also intermingled with chemistry and biology鈥攖hat’s what makes it exciting for students, and it helps to rope them in. The goal is to rope them in and get them excited about the environment. Yes, you can take care of this concrete jungle of New York City. Yes, we have trees. Yes, we have forests. Yes, we have wetlands. They all play an important role in keeping our air clean, getting our waterways cleaner, and using science, and physics, in particular, as vehicles.

Today you work as a software engineer in high-performance computing research facilitator. Can you explain that in lay terms?

What I do as an HPC research facilitator is help scientific researchers take the programs or the code that they have written to study everything from molecules to other biological systems, and figure out how to take this small program that can be run on a personal computer and have it run on a much larger set of computers? For instance, I am running a program that studies how much energy a single molecule has. But now I want to multiply the number of molecules I’m studying because I have the prototype. How do I do that on a larger computer system? The goal is to run their system exponentially faster than they could on their own computer. It can take a long time to calculate how much energy something like a super atomic atom鈥攁 cluster of multiple atoms that behave like one, with its own chemical properties鈥攃ontains. So if I were to run that calculation on my laptop, it could take a couple of days, versus if I were to send that same calculation and run it on the larger computer system, that would take maybe 15 to 20 minutes. The sooner you get those calculations, the sooner you can move on to the next step and the next step of the next step, which may eventually have real-world applications.

You’re a masters athlete in Olympic weightlifting.

Once I decided to switch to science and my dance career ended, I needed a physical outlet. Part of what brought me over to Olympic weightlifting was CrossFit. CrossFit is a lot of things, but it has been the biggest driver for women going into strength training. And that’s what brought me over because I did CrossFit and realized my favorite part of the class was the weightlifting section, particularly Olympic weightlifting. So I tried it, and I was hooked. It鈥檚 also very technique-driven, just like ballet and modern dance. I was able to compete in three local competitions in my weight class. And yeah, it was great. I loved it.

Do you have any advice for students who are interested in your field?

Students should not be afraid to chart their own paths. I think one of the things that, in my opinion, contributes to the lack of diversity in my field, in particular in physics, is that there’s this very narrow path that you’re supposed to take to get to, let鈥檚 say, a Ph.D. program. A path that students who don鈥檛 come from a background of academic support in their family can鈥檛 always take. So don’t be afraid to take things out of order. Ask your academic adviser and figure out what works best for you. I realized I had to do what worked for me鈥擨 couldn鈥檛 take off for three months in the summer to participate in a research program for undergraduates in Kentucky, Texas, or California. I didn鈥檛 have that amount of PTO from my job, but what I could do was find jobs that had some science background to gain that knowledge and the research experience that I might need for grad school. Don’t be afraid to go off that path if it still gets you where you need to go.

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鈥淚t was the first time in my life where I felt like I didn’t really belong somewhere,鈥� she says.

That sense of otherness led her to social justice spaces, first through the arts in middle school, and then through a climate science lens at the STEM-focused specialized high school she attended.

There, the 鈥淧ark Slope kids who had been socialized to rule the world鈥� sucked all the oxygen out of the air, she says. 鈥淓ven the faculty favored them.鈥�

That changed when she got to 可乐视频, where she landed because many of her mentors told the top student that if she wanted a career in social justice, she should look to a CUNY college, rather than an elite private university.

鈥淚nitially, I thought I might transfer but I ended up finding my voice here,鈥� says the American Studies major who is finishing her classes this semester. 鈥淚 had professors who believed in me before anyone else did. I learned to believe in myself.鈥�

An Active Academic Journey

With encouragement and mentorship from faculty members, Leung worked on research, found internships, and participated in programs that allowed her to nurture a whirlwind of interests. She鈥檚 a member of the advisory board of the newly-formed 可乐视频 AANAPISI Project. She鈥檚 also currently interning at the Vera Institute, a leading criminal justice reform organization located in Sunset Park.

With Aleah Ranjitsingh, an assistant professor in the Department of Africana Studies, Leung embarked on research as part of about Eurocentric beauty standards, which helped her gain a previous internship at WE ACT for Environmental Justice, where she worked on a project on 鈥渂eauty justice.鈥�

In Professor Joseph Entin鈥檚 American studies class, she interviewed a sex worker for The 可乐视频 Listening Project, an assignment that facilitated another internship at Red Canary Song, a coalition that works for the rights of Asian massage parlor workers. The organization is planning to turn her interview into an audio essay for their social media channels.

鈥淭heir stories are so important,鈥� says Leung.

The experience made such an impression on her that it influenced Leung to consider law school for her future, so she can be a public defender for sex workers.

But that鈥檚 only the part of the plan.

Breaking a Leg

Leung, an experienced actress and model with representation who has been honing her craft since middle school, is ready for her big break. Her credits include a demo for Google, a stint as a model in an Amazon Prime show called “Modern Love,” and an appearance in Vogue magazine for a fashion show she organized.

Last academic year, she earned a Rosen Fellowship, which in part helped her attend a two-week program at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts this summer. There, she put on a show at the storied Orange Tree Theater.

As a second part of the fellowship, she is penning a one-woman show that she describes as a series of short monologues that will span her personal journey through issues of justice and safety.

鈥淚t will be an East Asian perspective on everything from intergenerational trauma to ideas around corporal punishment, which is a big issue in immigrant families,鈥� she explains.

More Dreams and Degrees

After graduating in December, Leung is hoping to score a prominent fellowship (which she doesn鈥檛 want to name for fear of jinxing it) to attend a master鈥檚 program in criminology in the United Kingdom. Then, she鈥檚 thinking of a master鈥檚 in social work.

鈥淚 just want to gain different insights and maybe be an expert in something before I go to law school,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 know my resume is a little all over the place. Ultimately, the thread for all of the work I plan to do will be justice. Restorative justice, climate justice, ending cycles of violence.鈥�

In the meanwhile, she鈥檚 fostering all of her dreams.

鈥淚’m going to be famous in the next year,鈥� she says, and then again, trying to speak it into fruition. 鈥淚’m going to be famous. I鈥檓 going to be in a big movie or TV show. It鈥檚 going to be my big break. I鈥檓 putting it out into the universe.鈥�

Pausing to consider everything she plans to juggle, she doubles down.

鈥淚 can do everything that I want to do,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 believe in myself.鈥�

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Xie is a Tow mentee who has been researching alongside Assistant Professor Yana Kuchirko about how White parents socialize their children to understand race. Though the research is still evolving, he is laying the foundation for uncovering how racial biases get passed down from parent to child.

We sat down with Xie to get to know him better.

What drew you to research?

I like hearing people鈥檚 stories. My dad used to tell me about how when he first immigrated here from China, he helped run a Chinese restaurant with my grandpa and two aunts. One day they got held up at gunpoint and robbed. It鈥檚 a crazy story to me. I鈥檝e never seen a gun in my life. It鈥檚 what made me curious about what else he and my family did before I was born. I used to be shy until I started working at a sushi restaurant in high school, which made me realize that I love getting to know people. That鈥檚 a big part of qualitative research. I think that hearing people鈥檚 stories is a catalyst for change.

Why did you want to be part of this research team?

I鈥檝e always wanted to work with kids. I used to be a summer camp counselor at the YMCA. I learned that kids are really smart, which people don鈥檛 give them credit for. I just think they鈥檙e fascinating creatures, and also very emotional, which is something I鈥檓 drawn to. The research focuses on how parents socialize their children to understand race. We鈥檝e been observing parents and kids and studying their emotions, which has been exciting.

What are you most proud of?

It鈥檚 sort of a spiritual thing. I鈥檝e been trying to live life day by day and appreciate the small things. When my grandma had a stroke and had to learn how to walk again, I鈥檇 come home after school and sit with her and talk to her. I鈥檓 most proud of developing that mindset and learning to appreciate the little things.

How would you describe your college experience?

I love 可乐视频. You get off the bus and you see the trees and everything is so nice. The mix of people is very interesting. It鈥檚 one of the only places where you can sit down and the person next to you is a 62-year-old barber and then someone in your class is a bus driver who just got off his shift.

I鈥檓 a Macaulay Honors College student and I鈥檝e gotten a lot out of that and my Tow mentorship. Before the Tow Mentorship Program, I didn鈥檛 know what to do. Professor Tammy Lewis is the director of the program. She encouraged me to take some cool classes and think about studying abroad and graduate school.

What鈥檚 most important to you?
Family is really important to me. We all live together and have always been very close. Family is a huge system, and it goes both ways. In the dynamic interactions between parent and child, wisdom doesn’t just go from the parent to the kid鈥攖he child also gives important insights that inevitably help them both learn.

Where do you imagine yourself in the future?

I鈥檓 still figuring it out, but I鈥檝e been looking into school psychology master鈥檚 degrees鈥攊ncluding 可乐视频鈥檚 program鈥攂ecause I want to help kids develop emotional skills and give them mental health resources at school. I鈥檓 also considering someday doing a developmental psychology Ph.D. program. Besides school, I want to stay close to my family but also work to live independently soon. I鈥檓 taking it one step at a time.

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In 2023, Chancellor finished an independent study and research assistantship with her mentor, Associate Professor Jennifer Drake. Soon after, she presented her findings on the effects of music and art on emotional regulation at the Tow Mentorship Initiative Research Conference. The research process deepened her understanding of human behavior, mindfulness, and art therapy. Paired with her psychology classes, being a mentee has made her feel confident as she takes her first steps into the mental health counseling world.

We sat down to talk with Chancellor to hear more about her plans to create a more compassionate future.

Why did you choose to become a psychology major?

I came to 可乐视频 because of the small class sizes. At first, I was a 产颈辞濒辞驳测听major, but after I took classes in introductory psychology and abnormal psychology, I realized that it was what I wanted to study. It鈥檚 exciting, and I already had a passion for mental health advocacy and bringing awareness to stigmas in the Black and Caribbean communities surrounding mental health issues and therapy. I also minor in Women鈥檚 and Gender Studies. I want to use what I鈥檝e learned in my time here and my experience as a woman from a minority background to be a good mental health counselor.

What inspired you to want to be a mental health counselor?

We need more Black women in the mental health field. I also know about the stigmas of going to therapy and discussing mental health issues in the Black and Caribbean communities, so I want to work toward helping people deal with that so they can heal. I see that awareness has been increasing in the Caribbean and Caribbean-American communities. By the time I become a professional after I go to graduate school, I hope that even more people in my community are open to going to therapy.

Do you consider yourself a mental health activist?

Yeah, I do. I like to educate people whenever I can, like about the effects of mental health stigmas and other issues in the world. I鈥檓 also involved in progressive leftist politics, so I go to rallies or post on social media about systematic racism, misogyny, climate change, and other things I鈥檓 passionate about bringing awareness to.

How was the Tow Mentorship Initiative research experience?聽

I got to study something I鈥檓 interested in with Professor Drake, who has experience in art therapy research. I learned a lot from her, and she was very flexible with when and how I did my work. I鈥檝e drawn since middle school and I鈥檝e played guitar since high school, so I believe that art and music can help people cope with stress. I like the people side of research because I want to learn about their experiences. It also helped me with my public speaking skills because I got to present my initial findings.

You鈥檙e a few months from graduating! How would you describe your time at 可乐视频?

I learned a lot and had great support. I was part of CSTEP, a career readiness program on campus, which was very helpful. My adviser told me that I should go into research. I didn鈥檛 think it would be a fit at first, but he turned out to be right. I learned a lot and got to expand my skills and passions at the same time. I feel excited about graduate school.

Besides music, activism, and art, how do you spend your free time?

I like to play Zelda on my Nintendo Switch. I go to the gym because I鈥檓 very into fitness. I鈥檝e also spent a lot of time lately applying to mental health counseling graduate programs!

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