Stephanie Nguyen, 24, will be a scholar in the prestigious Sally Casanova Pre-Doctoral Fellowship until June 2017.
The award honors the late Dr. Sally Casanova, a member of the California State University (CSU) Office of the Chancellor’s staff during the 1960s. Dr. Casanova launched the fellowship program in 1989 and also was associate vice president for academic affairs and dean of graduate studies at CSU Dominguez Hills. She died in 1994. The Sally Casanova awards are designed to enable current students to explore and prepare to succeed in doctoral programs in their chosen field of study.
“I am incredibly thrilled and honored to be selected as a Sally Casanova Pre-Doctoral Scholar,” said Nguyen, a second year master student. “I’m also excited to be representing the Department of Child and Family Development!”
“I applied to the scholarship because it sounded like an amazing opportunity for students like myself who are interested in applying to doctoral programs,” added Nguyen.
Through the scholarship, Nguyen gets financial support to attend research conferences and cover application fees. The fellowship also supports her academic aspirations.
“I was especially interested in the fully-funded research internship, where scholars are able to participate in doctoral-level research at a university of their choice next summer,” said Nguyen, who is currently working on her master thesis on parent-child relationships and how they shape school attitudes in young adults.
Nguyen, who enjoys reading and writing and is a mentor for Big Brothers Big Sisters, is planning on applying to a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology or a Ph.D. in Education program. She would love to work in a hospital or school setting, possibly in an early childhood intervention program.
“I aim to further research children in the educational setting and how parents play a motivational role in their lives,” Nguyen said. “I am passionate about advocating the importance of mental health and socio-emotional development in children, as well as addressing issues children face when coming from different cultural backgrounds.”