Jasmine Beecham completed her undergraduate psychology degree at the University of Northern Iowa. In 2017, she began her graduate career as a PhD candidate studying Applied Social and Organizational Psychology at IUPUI. Jasmine was awarded the Presidential Diversity Fellowship and is currently a third-year graduate student researching discrimination and bias in the workforce. She also does work looking at effective role models for minority women in STEM. Outside of studies, Jasmine works to promote inclusion and student engagement as the president of the Undergraduate Professional and Graduate Student Organization (UPnGO).

Maribel Hernandez received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas. After graduation, she joined AmeriCorps and worked as a college access coach helping first generation and/or low-income high school students get into a university. Maribel joined Indiana University-Purdue University in 2017 as a Post Bachelorette Fellow (IPREP) working in the Addictions Neuroscience department under the mentorship of Dr. Stephen Boehm and Dr. Nicholas Grahame. Currently she is a graduate student in the IUPUI Addictions Neuroscience department where she is interested in investigating the behavioral genetics of alcoholism as well as how early-life chronic low-level lead exposure produces altered responses to drugs of abuse in adulthood. Maribel was also awarded the Presidential Diversity Fellowship to help with her research training.

Kevin Hillman is a PhD student in Urban Education Studies at IUPUI. He completed his undergraduate degree from Purdue University, majoring in Communication: Public Relations & Rhetorical Advocacy and a minor in Organizational Leadership and Supervision. After spending a few years working professionally, Kevin went on to pursue his Master of Arts in Training and Development at Roosevelt University. Upon completing his masters, Kevin continued his educational pursuits and began his journey here at IUPUI in the Urban Education Studies PhD program.

Kevin’s interest is in Career and Technical Education (CTE), workforce development, community engagement, secondary and post-secondary education. Utilizing a critical and social justice lens, he examines and re-envisions the impact of CTE courses in urban education. More specifically, focusing on black high school students and the impact of CTE course on community and society beyond workforce alignment, to self-determine the vitality of their communities. Through this work, he hopes to challenge and transform CTE & workforce development programming and policy within and outside of educational spaces and institutions.

Daenique Jengelley obtained her undergraduate degree in Biology from Tuskegee University. She joined the Indiana University School of Medicine Biomedical Gateway Program in 2017 and was awarded the Adam W. Herbert Fellowship. She is a Ph.D. candidate in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology with a minor in Cancer Biology and a trainee of the IU Simon Cancer Center's Cancer Biology Training Program. Her research studies focus on the inflammatory mediators in pancreatic cancer associated cachexia. Daenique is a Southern Regional Educational Board Doctoral Scholar and on campus, she serves on the executive board for the Underrepresented Professional and Graduate Student Organization. Daenique is committed to strengthening the community of underrepresented professional and graduate students on campus. She aspires to become a research faculty member and mentor students interested in careers in the biomedical sciences. 

Milan Nyugen completed her undergraduate degree at Indiana University-Bloomington.  After college she traveled to Port Elizabeth, South Africa where she worked in conservation. She lived on a sanctuary where she cared for large cats. When she returned to the United States, she decided to pursue her graduate degree at the Indiana University School of Social Work.  Her focus is clinical mental health, and she intends on pursuing a Ph.D. where she will do research on mental health disorders. 

After completing her high school in Kenya, Nidhi Pathak pursued her Bachelor in Physiotherapy from Ahmedabad Institute of Medical Science (AIMS) in India. After her undergraduate education, she began her graduate studies in Kinesiology and Exercise in 2018 at IUPUI. Her research work under Dr. Kelly Naugle aims to determine the effects of Kinesio taping on Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). Along with her course work and research she is working towards achieving her Physical Therapy licensing. She is currently a graduate assistant at the IUPUI graduate office. Being a graduate assistant entails planning and hosting various events for students, which includes the Preparing Future Faculty and Professionals (PFFP) and Getting You into IUPUI programs (GU2IUPUI). She is also the Vice President for the Underrepresented Professional and Graduate Student organization (UPnGO) where they create an open community of diversity and equity through academic support, collaborations, events, and networks.

Angelica Ronke choose to pursue her MSW degree at IUPUI School of Social Work. She has hands-on experience in working with multicultural and diverse groups for social justice. As a student member of The National Association of Black Social Workers, Angelica has learned the importance of serving her people and community through advocacy. Currently, she works with a grass-roots community organization to provide female hygiene and menstruation kits to women and girls locally, nationally, and internationally. Angelica’s dream is to advocate for women, families and children who have experienced trauma from a culturally intelligent and an ethically sound perspective. Angelica is a student who demonstrates strong academic excellence, high potential for success, and a commitment to the graduate study in the sciences. Angelica has high aspirations after the completion of her MSW degree of researching the effects of the MAFA (trans- Atlantic slave trade) on diasporic Africans across the globe.

Alan Tyson is a PHD student in Music Technology at IUPUI. He obtained a dual degree bachelors from Morehouse College and Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. He majored in General Science (Morehouse) and Music Technology (IUPUI) as a part of Morehouse College’s Dual Degree Engineering Program. In 2016, Alan completed his Masters of Science at IUPUI in Music Technology. During that time, also was able to develop a prototype application that integrates music and mathematics principles. After completing his masters, Alan went ton to pursue a PHD in Music Technology at IUPUI. Upon entering the PHD program he was awarded the President’s Diversity Fellowship.

Alan’s primary interest is exploring the relationship between math anxiety and math performance. More specifically, can music be used to reduce math anxiety and increase math performance? Traditionally, music has been used in the field of Music Therapy and other fields as a means of intervention. As a part of his research as a PHD student, Alan plans to research how music can be used in an academic setting to facilitate math learning by reducing math anxiety.