Esha Talwar (Spring 2021)

Esha is a Human Development major at CSULB and will be graduating in Spring 2021. After graduation, Esha plans to complete pre-med courses and prepare to apply to Physician’s Assistant (PA) programs. She has a passion for working with children and is looking forward to the day when she will be working in pediatrics as a PA. Esha is from Downey, CA, and in her free time she enjoys watching Netflix, listening to music, hanging out with friends, and trying new restaurants.

Ariel Velez (Spring 2021)

Ariel is a Human Development major at CSULB and will be graduating in Spring 2021. Ariel plans to pursue a master’s degree related to human development. His hobbies include playing video games, watching basketball, and investing in the stock market.

Monica Orozco (Academic Years 2018-2019, 2019-2020)

Monica graduated from CSULB in Fall 2020 with a B.A. in Sociology. Monica was part of both the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) and the NIH-funded Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD) program while at CSULB. Monica plans to pursue a PhD in Health Psychology. She is particularly interested in examining health disparities among Latinx communities. Monica grew up in Long Beach, and she loves to spend time with people she cares about, exploring new places, and eating pizza. Monica hopes to travel the world one day and win the lottery.

David Guirgus (Academic Year 2019-2020)

David is currently a fourth year psychology major and plans to graduate in Spring 2021. At CSULB, David has participated in both the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) and the NIH-funded Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD) program. David is planning to receive Master’s in Psychological Research and eventually a PhD in Clinical Psychology. David enjoys playing basketball, meeting new people, and writing.

Gabriella Motlagh (Spring and Summer 2019; Academic Year 2019-2020)

Gabriella graduated from CSULB in Fall 2019 with a B.A. in Human Development and a minor in Comparative World Literature. She recently enrolled in California State University Fullerton’s master’s program in psychological research, and later plans to earn her Ph.D. in social psychological research. She is interested in researching the role of social context on psychosocial health. Gabriella’s enjoys traveling and trying new foods.

Deon Auzenne (Fall 2018)

Deon graduated from CSULB in Fall 2019 with a B.A. in Psychology. Deon is from the San Francisco Bay Area (Vallejo, CA), and hopes to return one day  to institute social change and promote health equity among under-represented populations. Recently, Deon participated in the Summer Training Academy for Research Success (STARS) at the UC San Diego School of Medicine. Deon has a strong passion for patient care; he has been a licensed Psychiatric Technician working in the clinical setting since 2015, he currently works full-time as the Nursing Coordinator at a 100-patient Senior Living Facility in Santa Monica. His ultimate goal is to employ his clinical experience as a mental health care professional by pursuing a research career in Clinical Psychology and Community Psychology, with specific attention to the unique challenges faced by the African American community. His hobbies include swimming, travel to oceanfront locations, collecting and curating of cultural art and jewelry, and various forms of men’s cultural attire/popular fashion.

Loretta Lyken (Summer 2018; Fall 2018)

Loretta graduated from CSULB in Fall 2019 with B.A. in Psychology. Loretta grew up in the Inland Empire, and her hobbies include engaging in anything artistic. She enjoys painting, singing, practicing piano, and visiting gardens and traveling. Loretta has been part of the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) at CSULB where she gained research experience in the School of Nursing. She joined the NIH-funded Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD) program as a Scholar in June 2018, which is further preparing her for a Ph.D. career in health research. Loretta is interested in examining psychosocial health-risks among lower SES ethnic minorities, health disparities, and general public health issues. Her ultimate career goal is to have a health related career focused on children and youth.

David Pham (Fall 2018)

David graduates in Fall 2018 with a B.A. in Human Development. He grew up in Westminster, California, and his hobbies include working out, exploring different cities, and trying new food. David is currently gaining experience in order to pursue a Master’s in Information Technology.

Patricia Pittman (Academic Years 2015-2016, 2016-2017, 2017-2018)

Tricia graduated from CSULB in Spring 2018 with a degree in Psychology. Tricia is currently enrolled in a Ph.D. program in Human Development at The Ohio State University. At CSULB, Tricia was a part of the NIH-funded Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD) program, which enabled her to receive academic and research experience geared towards preparing for a Ph.D. career in health research. Her research interests lie in examining the biological vulnerabilities and social risk factors (emotion dysregulation and low socioeconomic status, for example) that contribute to psychopathology in families, especially externalizing disorders dealing with aggression. Her ultimate career goal is to develop prevention programs that reduce the likelihood of violence against a partner or family member.

Marineidy Palma (Spring 2018) 

Marineidy graduated from CSULB in Spring 2018 with a degree in Human Development and Psychology. Marineidy grew up in East Los Angeles, and her favorite hobbies include reading, exploring new places, and spending time with family. She currently volunteers at a local high school’s special education program where she supports young adults with developmental disabilities. She plans to attend a master’s in clinical psychology program in the near future.

Jennifer Batshoun (Academic Years 2015-2016, 2016-2017)

Jenn graduated from CSULB Spring 2016 with a degree in Human Development and a double minor in Psychology and Comparative World Literature.  Jenn grew up in Westminster, CA.  Her favorite hobbies include writing, singing, and design.  Jenn is currently providing special education services to children in elementary schools. She plans to pursue a career working with children with developmental delays.

Jenie Pham (Fall 2016)

Jenie majored in Human Development and graduated from CSULB Fall 2016. She grew up both in California and Indiana. Her favorite hobbies include cooking, baking macarons, and hanging out with her dog, Tessa. Jenie is currently in a neurodiagnostic certification program at Orange Coast College, where she is also a supplemental instructor for anatomy and physiology.

Celine Castellano (Academic Year 2015-2016)

Celine majored in both Human Development and Psychology. She graduated from CSULB in Fall 2015. Celine grew up in Lakewood, CA. Her favorite hobbies include exploring the city, traveling, and trying new foods. After graduation, Celine gained experience working with community organizations, specifically those focused on older adults. She is currently pursuing a Master’s in Public Administration at CSULB.

Jaleeza Perez (Academic Year 2015-2016)

Jaleeza majored in Human Development with a minor in Health Sciences. She graduated from CSULB in Spring 2016. Jaleeza grew up in Norwalk, CA. Her favorite hobbies include playing tennis, hiking, and going to the beach. Jaleeza is currently taking prerequisite courses and completing internship hours to begin a Master’s in Occupational Therapy.

Nadine Ruiz (Academic Year 2015-2016)

Nadine majored in Human Development with a minor in Psychology. She graduated from CSULB in Spring 2016. She grew up in Laguna Beach, CA. Her favorite hobbies include hiking in her free time. Nadine is currently working in social services and is preparing her application to begin a Master’s in Social Work.

Heather Teeter (Spring and Summer 2016)

Heather majored in Human Development with a minor in Psychology. She graduated from CSULB in Spring 2016. Heather grew up in Los Alamitos, CA. Her hobbies include reading, trying new restaurants, and going to museums. Heather is currently working in a hospital setting and getting experience with healthcare administration while preparing her application for a Master’s in Health Care Administration.

Krystal Del Carmen (Spring 2015)

Krystal majored in Human Development with minors in Psychology and Sociology. She graduated from CSULB in Spring 2015. Krystal lives in Downey, CA. Her favorite hobbies include watching hours of Netflix and taking pictures with friends while exploring new places. Krystal completed a Master’s in Social Work at CSU Los Angeles.