unDERGRADUATE aLUMNI
GABRIELLA DISLA-FORDE
Gabriella is a student at Prairie View A&M University, expected to graduate in May, 2023. Her major is Psychology, and her minor is in entrepreneurship. She is expected to attend grad school where she will then earn her PhD in Clinical Psychology. Her goal is to start her own practice and become a therapist for traumatized individuals. Her primary interests include trauma, minority populations, and psychopathology.
MAHEEN RIZVI
Maheen Rizvi graduated from University of Toronto in the spring of 2022 with a major in psychology and a specialist in neuroscience. She will be joining the Masters of Arts in Clinical Psychology at Sam Houston State University in the fall of 2023. Her main research interests include the presentation of trauma and mental health disorders in minority populations, as well as neurological differences that may be present in minority populations with mental health disorders.
AUTUMN SIVADD
Autumn is an undergraduate student at Prairie View A&M, on a full-ride academic scholarship. Her major is psychology and she is scheduled to graduate May of 2023. With her BS in Psychology she plans to go to graduate school and pursue a career as a Clinical Psychologist. Her concentration as a psychologist will be centered around African American youth who have experienced childhood trauma, to some degree. Her passion for this field stems from her personal childhood trauma experiences and her journey of overcoming these internal obstacles.
GIACOMO TIZNADO
Giacomo Tiznado is an undergraduate student at Sam Houston State University, graduating in May 2023. He previously received his Associates of Arts in Music at Lone Star College, and is currently pursuing a Bachelor's of Science in Psychology with a minor in Music. After receiving his Bachelor's degree he plans on pursuing a Masters degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology. His career goals include working as a consultant serving micro/small businesses by optimizing organizational framework and customer relations, and assisting high school and college graduates with finding academic programs and/or careers which suit their interests and financial goals. Giacomo's research interests include: studying awareness of human trafficking, the psychological effects of minority and socioeconomic status, disparity in access to physical/mental healthcare, how different immigrant generations respond to stress and trauma, and how all these factors affect outcomes.
BROOKLYN STEWART
Brooklyn Stewart is a recent Prairie View A&M University graduate with the intent to advance her knowledge with a master's in psychology. Her research interests include biological and environmental factors and their effect on mental illness among minority populations.
KOZE ROWEL
Koze Rowel is a Senior at Prairie View A&M University where he is majoring in Psychology. His research interests are personality disorders among minority adolescents.
MARISSA RODGERS
Marissa Rodgers is a senior undergraduate psychology major at Prairie View A&M University and is expected to graduate with her Bachelor of Science in psychology in spring 2023. She has graduated with an Associates degree in Social and Behavioral Sciences from San Jacinto Community College in 2020. She plans to further her education by obtaining a Masters of Arts in Psychology post-graduation. Her interests include mental health in adolescents, social cognition and developmental psychology.
TY PATTERSON
Ty Patterson is a senior undergraduate at Prairie View A&M University. He graduated from Austin Community College in 2020 with an associate degree in general studies and is expected to graduate in May 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from PVAMU. Ty has attended the WeThrive lab from Summer 2022 to present day. He is currently applying to counseling psychology graduate programs, with a goal of becoming a counseling psychologist in the future. His research interest is on the health disparities as it relates to medical and mental health complications and access to care, pertaining to the BIPOC and LGBT communities.
LAURYN M. TAYLOR
Lauryn is a senior psychology major at Prairie View A&M University, and is expected to graduate in fall 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. Lauryn has been working and attending the WeThrive lab since Spring of 2021, to present day. She currently has goals of going to graduate school to obtain her PHD in Community Psychology in the near future, and is currently applying to programs. Her research interests are LGBTQ+ youth, the effects of poverty on minority communities, and intimate partner violence.
DAVIDA ARAUJO
Davida Araujo is currently a psychology graduate student, expected to graduate in fall 0f 2025 with her master's in psychology. She has attended the WeThrive lab since august of 2022. Her goal Is to study counseling psychology, because of her passions for helping others cope, heal and learn new healthy ways to navigate through their lives.
WILLIAM DAJE STEWARD
William Steward is a junior psychology major at Prairie View A&M University. Expected to graduate with his B.S. in psychology in May 2024, he plans to further his education to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. His current research interests are mental health concerns such as depression, trauma, and anxiety, how they relate to the overall quality of life for the individual, and what fosters psychological resilience
AREON AKIA BRADFORD
Areon is a senior psychology undergraduate student at Prairie View A&M University, expected to graduate in fall of 2022. She has future plans of going off into a masters program before applying to medical school. Her research interests currently consists of exploring various types of psychotherapy methods, neuropsychology, and trauma research. While attending the lab, she is also simultaneously working on a joint manuscript with the PROSPER lab at the Waco VA.
MICHAELA ALLEN
Michaela R. Allen is a second-year undergraduate student at Sam Houston State University majoring in Biomedical Science. Her research interests include personality disorders, psychobiology, human trafficking, and health disparities among minority populations.
MALYSSA CADRIEL
Malyssa Cadriel is a senior at Sam Houston State university, she is majoring in Psychology and is minoring in Human Services. Some of her research interests include personality disorders, mental health disorders, human trafficking, and memory processing.
CHUKWUNAZAEKPELE EJIKEME
Chukwunazaekpele Ejikeme is a third-year undergraduate student at Sam Houston State University majoring in Psychology and minoring in Biology. Her research interests include mental health issues such as anxiety disorders, stress, and depression among minority communities.
VALERIA GARZA
Valeria Garza is a third-year undergraduate student at Sam Houston State University majoring in Criminal Justice and minoring in Psychology and Human Services. Her research interests include trauma in relation to mental health disorders and criminality.
JAROD GRANT
Jarod Grant is a junior at Sam Houston State University majoring in Psychology and minoring in Philosophy. His research interests encompass the replication of historical studies to research the psychological discrepancies between heterosexual, cis-gendered individuals and members of the LGBT+ community. Additionally, Jarod's research interests include trauma, stress, depression, and how these factors affect marginalized communities.
MILLICENT HENDRIX
Millicent Hendrix is a senior at Sam Houston State University double majoring in Psychology and Criminal Justice. Her research interests include trauma and resilience in regards to individual pathological and psychological well-being over one's lifetime. Her main focus with her work is to be an advocate for mental health patients and bring awareness to the stigma that hinders those in need of assistance.
JAVIEN JEFFERSON
Javien Jefferson is a senior at Sam Houston State University majoring in Psychology. Javien's research interests include cognition and neuroscience. Specifically, the effects of daily life on the general population and how this changes brain chemistry and physiology, along with analyzing the resulting effects on one's cognition.
NAHEE LEE
Nahee Lee is a junior at Sam Houston State University majoring in Psychology and minoring in Dance. Her research interests include PTSD, depressive disorders, anxiety, eating disorders, and body dysmorphia. She currently works with children at a dance studio to incorporate dance movement therapy into their lives.
MATTHIAS LITZMANN
Matthias Litzmann is a junior at Sam Houston State University majoring in Psychology and minoring in Human Services. His research focus is on adolescents with social, emotional, or dependency issues, and how early intervention may assist in altering negative growth for positive results.
ADRIANA LOPEZ
Adriana Lopez is a third-year undergraduate student at Sam Houston State University majoring in Psychology. Her research interests focus on cognitive processes – specifically, learning, perception, and mental disorders as a result of cognitive impairment.
ISABELLE MUNIZ
Isabelle Muniz is a recent graduate of Sam Houston State University with a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Philosophy. Her research interests include close relationships, effects of emotional and psychological trauma, human trafficking, culture, and diversity. She hopes to go on to get her MA in Social Work and continue cultivating spaces for education and empathy.
ODETH OCAMPO
Odeth Ocampo attended the WeThrive lab from Spring 2021 - Fall 2021. She graduated from Sam Houston State University with a Bachelors of Science in Psychology and Minor in Criminal Justice. Odeth is currently pursuing her Masters in Clinical Psychology at Sam Houston State University as a first year grad student. Her research interests include mental health issues such as trauma and anxiety in minorities, as well as the legal system.
MARISSA PEQUENO
Marissa Pequeno is a senior at Sam Houston State University majoring in Psychology and minoring in Human Services. Her research interests include mental health issues such as depression and anxiety in minorities, personality disorders, and health psychology.
SAMANTHA RODRIGUEZ
Samantha Rodriguez is a senior at Sam Houston State University double majoring in Psychology and Criminal Justice. Her research interests include stress resilience and stress vulnerability in regards to anxiety and depression, as well as behavioral psychopharmacology.
GWENDOLYN SQUIRES
Gwendolyn Squires attended the WeThrive Lab from 2020-2022. She graduated highest honors from Sam Houston State University with a Bachelors in Psychology and minor in Criminal Justice. Gwendolyn is now expected to graduate in May 2023 with a Masters in Psychology with a concentration in homeland security and Neuroscience from Sam Houston State University. She also works for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in a paid internship. She is passionate about emotional disorders, neurological differences and how the body (hormones, neural functioning, and biology) relates to behavior, especially when it results in suicidality, anxiety, depression, altered mental states, and illness. Her research interests include autism, brain and neurological functioning, trauma, human trafficking, neuropsychiatric disorders, brain imaging, emotional and personality disorders, and neurodegenerative diseases. Her goal is to earn a PhD in Behavioral Neuroscience.
JAMIE WASHINGTON
Jamie Washington attended the lab from January 2019 to December 2020. She graduated from Sam Houston State University with a bachelors in Psychology and double minor in Criminal Justice and Sociology. She is currently a qualified mental health professional at a nonprofit outpatient mental clinic, while also simultaneously being in school to earn her masters in social work. Her research interests include mental health, personality disorders, and the legal system.
aSIAH bYERS
Asiah Byers is recently graduated from Sam Houston State University with her Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a minor in Criminal Justice. She is in her final year of her Masters program for Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the University of Texas at Tyler. She has plans to return to Houston and work as an LPC-A in a clinical setting. Her research interests include incarcerated individuals and how to decrease recidivism rates, as well as the effects of anxiety, depression, and suicide on minority groups and law enforcement officers.
roNNI CANTRELL
Ronni Cantrell is a fourth-year undergraduate student at Sam Houston State University majoring in Criminal Justice and minoring in Human Services. Her primary research interests include human trafficking, multicultural issues, and juveniles within the criminal justice system.
mARIA VANESS DEL VALLE
Maria Vanessa del Valle is a fourth-year undergraduate student at Sam Houston State University majoring in Mathematics and minoring in Psychology. Her primary research interest is in mathematical analysis in neuropsychological development of cancer and cancer treatments.
Taylor Gallow
Taylor Gallow is a second-year undergraduate student at Sam Houston State University. She attends an early college high school in her home city of Houston, Texas. She is majoring in Political Science and minoring in both English and Public Administration. Upon graduating, Taylor plans to attend law school to become a human rights lawyer.
Aysiah garza
Aysiah Garza graduated from Sam Houston State University in the spring of 2020 with degrees in in Psychology and Criminal Justice. Her primary research interests include personality disorders in incarcerated groups, as well as examining depression, anxiety, and PTSD rates among individuals in these groups.
mariah hardy
Mariah Hardy graduated from Sam Houston State University in the spring of 2020 with a degree in Sociology and minors in Legal Studies & Management. She is passionate about the child welfare system and family structures and her research interests include the foster care system, race/maternal mortality, and father absence. Her biggest goal throughout life is to shape policy and change lives one family at a time.
Tessa huber
Tessa Huber graduated from SHSU in the spring of 2019 with a Psychology degree and a minor in Human Services.
MAtthew rosa
Matthew Rosa is a fourth-year undergraduate student majoring in Psychology and minoring in Biology. His research focus includes racial disparities and implicit bias on how it affects our understanding and decisions. His research interests also include racial disparities and the effects it may have on neurological health.
Taylor Robinson
Taylor Robinson was both a member of the lab and received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology at SHSU in Fall 2018. Starting spring 2019, Taylor is a graduate student within Stephen F. Austin State University's School Psychology master's program. Her primary research interests include trauma in minorities among occupation and political stress.
Mercy mccarty
Mercy McCarty attended the WeThrive lab from August 2019-July 2020. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and minor in Human Services at Sam Houston State University. Mercy is now working as a Degree Evaluator at SHSU as she discovers which degree she will pursue next. Her research interests include PTSD, depressive disorders, and how nutritional intake impacts mood and motivation. She has experience in leadership development, administration, and communication. Her hope is to apply these skills with psychological concepts researched and studied in everyday life.
mya walker
Mya Walker graduated from SHSU in the spring of 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and minors in Dance and Mass Communication. Her research interests include health disparities in young adults, behaviors related to social media dependency or use, and broadly, health and wellness psychology.