Student Profiles

Hometown:
West Chester, Ohio 
 
Academic Background:
B.A. in French and Comparative Cultural Studies at Ohio State
 
Topics of interest/research:
Somatic therapy, hypnotherapy, therapeutic theories and interventions for clients from communal cultures
 
What brought you to this program? What is a highlight of this degree at OSU?
I love that it is a new, small program. This allows me to get to know my cohort and faculty and to get supported in pursuing my own interests.

Hometown:
Cincinnati, Ohio
 
Academic Background:
Bachelor's of Psychology, Miami University 2017
 
Topics of interest/research:
Sex therapy, theories of attachment, families with differently abled children

Selected Publications/Presentations/Awards/Achievements/Internship:

• Intern Therapist at Ketner Counseling Group, 2023-24 

What brought you to this program? What is a highlight of this degree at OSU?
I was drawn to this program because of the integration of client hours into the program, which is fairly unique in comparison to other CFT programs.

Hometown:
Chillicothe, Ohio
 
Academic Background:
Bachelor of Arts in Child and Family Studies with a minor in Business Administration from Berea College.
 
Topics of interest/research:
Depression, youth development (pertaining to children and adolescents), & minority and underserved families
 
Selected Publications/Presentations/Awards/Achievements/Internship:

• One-month study abroad course in Ghana, Africa, on "West African Spirituality and Afrofuturism."
• Awarded the Berea College Ann Grant Memorial Award- A $5,000 award given annually to an outstanding major in Child and Family Studies.
• Awarded the Berea College Tuition Promise Scholarship, valued at $176,000.
• Professional memberships: National Association of Student Personnel Administrators Certified Peer Educator and American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Student Member

What brought you to this program? What is a highlight of this degree at OSU?
The program's dedication to diversity and heavy emphasis on research is what lured me to the program. I aspire to work alongside Dr. Hicks and her unique clinical foci of adolescent development and the needs of Black and other marginalized populations.

Hometown:
Dublin, Ohio
 
Academic Background:
Graduated from The Ohio State University with a Bachelors of Science in Human Development and Family Science and a minor in Legal Foundations of Society 
 
Topics of interest/research:
My research interests largely focus on gun violence and violence prevention methods in Columbus, Ohio. I'm specifically interested in researching youth impacted by intergenerational poverty, violence, and trauma.
 
Selected Publications/Presentations/Awards/Achievements/Internship:
I presented a research poster with other members of Dr. Deanna Wilkinson's Violence Prevention Research Lab at the 2022 EHE Research Forum. Our research analyzed the geographical trends of homicide by gun use and other violent crimes in Columbus, Ohio. Our research calls for greater community collaboration, specifically community outreach and intervention programs, when trying to address the issue of violence in Columbus.

What brought you to this program? What is a highlight of this degree at OSU?
The faculty that I met and collaborated with during my undergraduate experience in the HDFS program at OSU inspired me go further in my educational career. Specifically, a special moment I was able to share with Dr. Deanna Wilkinson while being an undergraduate student in one of her courses led me to seek her guidance and mentorship. We shared a dedication to the issue of gun violence in Columbus, which opened up the opportunity for me to join her Violence Prevention Research Lab. Dr. Wilkinson has inspired me in many ways, but especially in her dedication to her students and fellow community members. Her mentorship has taken me further than I would have ever expected, and I now am able to serve as her mentee in the straight through program for the Masters and PhD programs in Human Development and Family Science, with a specialization in Couple and Family Therapy.

Hometown:
Columbus, Ohio  
 
Academic Background:
Bachelors degree in Human Development and Family Science from The Ohio State University.  
 
Topics of interest/research:
Athletes mental health. Athletes who have experienced a season or career ending injury and the impact on their social relationships.

Selected Publications/Presentations/Awards/Achievements/Internship:

• Currently interning at Nationwide Children’s Hospital with their Homebase and IFAST program. 
• Working on a thesis looking at Division one athletes in the Big Ten, that have experienced a season or career ending injury and the impact it had on their social relationships.

What brought you to this program? What is a highlight of this degree at OSU?
The highlight of this degree at OSU is the hands on experience you get while in the program.