Student and Alumni Success

Chris Kim, a current CHAD major, participated in the inaugural CSUF Summer Undergraduate Research Academy (SUReA) in Summer 2021 and was selected to be a Student Assessment Scholar for the 2021-2022 academic year.

Hannah Hernandez, graduated in May 2021, and served as a research assistant in Dr. Espinoza’s lab for three semesters.                                               

She was awarded 1^st  place in the Poster Presentation category of the inaugural CSUF College of Health and Human Development Student Research Showcase in 2021. More recently she co-authored the paper titled “Adolescent Loneliness and Stress During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Protective Role of Friends” and published in  Infant and Child Development  with Dr. Espinoza.

In 2020, Melanie Ascencio co-authored a booklet focused on the success stories of teen mothers under the supervision of Dr. Claudia G. Pineda and full-time lecturer Diana Robles. The booklet was developed using the Search Institute Developmental Assets Framework and featured activities to help mothers do future planning.

Parker Kalmen participated in the production of a pilot podcast named “Child Chat” geared towards CAS students. He developed two episodes, one focused on classroom management where he discussed key literature on the topic and interviewed a teacher on her strategies in the classroom. For the second podcast, Parker interviewed CAS students on their experiences of being quarantined during Covid-19 and the challenges of pivoting instruction online. Parker worked on the podcast under the supervision of Dr. Claudia G. Pineda. (See  https://www.titanradio.org/child-chat/)

Fourteen students participated in the Fall 2012/Intersession 2013 CAS International Cohort: Thailand Program.  Participants had opportunities to interact with children in multiple school and community-based settings.  Highlights included interactions with children at Watthumpla Wittayakhom School, Suksasongkrraw Mae Chan School, and Dara Academy; visits to Karen, Akha, and Lahu Hill Tribe Villages; and opportunities to engage in discussions related to program themes with local experts.  Participants included Maria Barrientos De Pantaleon, Gretchen Bloom, Grace Ann Cadiz, Jasmine Cervantes, Cindy Feng, Diana Flores, Angelica Gonzalez, Jacquelyn Gonzalez, Kelsi Knutson, Jennifer Rendon, Amy Schultz, Vanessa Sandoval, Abigail Segura, and Naomi Sunshine.

CHAD major Jacquelyn Gonzalez is serving as a 2013 Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) Spring Congressional Intern in Washington, D. C. 

Seven CHAD majors discussed their experiences in Thailand at the “International Opportunities for CHAD Majors” event held on March 22, 2013.  Presenters included Grace Ann Cadiz, Jasmine Cervantes, Cindy Feng, Diana Flores, Jennifer Rendon, Abigail Segura, and Naomi Sunshine.

Five incredible and inspirational alumni returned to campus to share their experiences volunteering and teaching abroad with CHAD majors at the “International Opportunities for CHAD Majors” event held on March 22, 2013.  Presenters included Olenka Langen, Nghia Ho, Elizabeth Eusebio, Lan Le, and Britt Girdley.

CAS Family Lab members Mariann Howland and Harry Meussner were Co-Recipients of the First Annual Outstanding Student Award for Scholarly & Creative Activities for the College of Humanities & Social Sciences.

Wan-Hsuan (Minnie) Lin received the first annual Outstanding Student Scholarship and Creative Activities Award for an undergraduate student in the College of HHD. She collaborates with her mentor, Dr. Jenny Yen, on research examining cultural differences in young Taiwanese and US children's understanding of discrete emotions.