I am a first-generation college student and graduate student in the General/Experimental Psychology Master's Program at California State University, Fresno. I obtained my associate's degree in Business Administration and Psychology at Reedley Community College and my bachelor's in Psychology at California State University, Fresno. My past research focused on acculturation, bilingualism, risk-taking, memory/lexical retrieval, and anxiety. I aim to contribute to the growing research on Latinx populations. Additionally, I plan to continue my education in a PhD Clinical Psychology program and conduct research in a clinic and in an academic setting. In the future, I would like to expand my research on other minority groups and develop measures for different cultural and language groups. I also work on campus as a student ambassador for Outreach and Special Programs. I encourage K-8 students to pursue higher education after high school. In my free time, I love to spend time with my family and cleaning/organizing.

Hello! My name is Analisa Padilla, and I am a proud Mexican-American psychology graduate student. I transferred from Fresno City College with an associate's degree in psychology in 2021 and completed my bachelor's degree in the same field in May 2023 at Fresno State. I am pursuing my master's in the General/Experimental psychology program, and then I plan on applying to a Ph.D. program in Human Development and Family Science! 

My undergraduate research focused on perceptions of traditional gender roles, self-esteem, bicultural self-efficacy, and well-being amongst Latinx college students. My current research interests are substance use and risky behaviors, family communication, and problem behaviors among adolescents in the Latinx community. 

I am deeply passionate about research psychology, particularly when it comes to historically marginalized groups. I am thrilled to be able to further hone my skills and develop my identity in the research community, with the goal of working within research academia in the CSU system.

I am a first-generation graduate student at California State University of Fresno, working on a master's in general/experimental psychology. Currently, I hold a bachelor's degree in Liberal Studies that I earned in May of 2023. My experience working for school districts with predominantly Latino students has motivated me to pursue research with Dr. Toro. I am passionate about ethnic identity among adolescents and will be exploring this topic throughout my graduate experience.

I am the son of Mexican immigrant parents. With their never-ending support, I am currently a

first-generation, undocumented graduate student majoring in Psychology at Fresno State. I

currently serve as a teacher assistant (TA) for the psychology department, mentee of Dr.

Constance Jones, and research assistant for Dr. Rosa Toro in the IFACES Lab. My research

interests investigate developmental and environmental contributors of student achievement and

academic persistence. While at Fresno State, I intend to make most of my classes and other

learning opportunities to advance my professional skills in research and data analysis by the time

I earn my master’s degree. After attaining my master’s degree, I plan to work for an academic

agency or organization and contribute towards collaborative data-based decision-making in

education.

Hi everyone! My name is Summer Herrera and I am a Mexican-American post-baccalaureate student. I obtained my bachelor’s degree from California State University, Fresno in 2023 and I am currently working towards applying to graduate programs.  At California State University of Fresno, I am the vice president of the Society for Advancement of Chicano/Latinos and Native Americans in STEM (SACNAS). I’m a former member of the NIH Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement (NIH RISE) Program which is a Ph.D. preparatory program. While I was an NIH RISE scholar, I was able to do numerous projects exploring achievement guilt, well-being, cultural congruity, and academic self-efficacy among first-generation Latinx college students with the influence of familism on these relationships. I also have a passion for neuroscience and neuropsychology. I currently do research within those fields in hopes of becoming a future pediatric psychologist to aid underrepresented minorities seeking care within the Central Valley.  

Hello, I am Monica Aviles-Mercado. I am a first-generation undergraduate, queer, Mexican-American majoring in psychology and minoring in women, gender, & sexuality studies. I earned my Associate's degree in psychology at College of the Sequoias in May 2023. I'm currently working toward my B.A. to graduate in Spring 2025. I will be applying to Master's programs in general/experimental psychology in Fall 2024. I'm currently participating in the Ronald E. McNair Scholar's Program and in the Psi Chi Honors Society. My overall goal is to earn a Ph.D. in educational psychology to help underrepresented students reach/realize their full potential and to work toward a more inclusive educational system.

Hello everyone, my name is Trinity Drake. I'm a first-generation undergraduate student of Latina and Asian descent, currently in my fourth year, and set to earn my B.A. in Psychology in Spring 2024. I will be applying to the master’s program in General/Experimental Psychology for Fall 2024. My passion lies in exploring the impact of culture on the development of Latinx families and youth.