Graduate Emerging Scholars Program

One of the objectives of the National African American Child & Family Research Center (NAACFRC) is to build research capacity, develop research infrastructure, and conduct research with communities.

The Emerging Scholars program is a mentored research internship designed to increase the knowledge and skills of students interested in research on economic mobility and early care and education for children and families.

SCHOLARS RECEIVE:

Personalized, cross-disciplinary training to strengthen their capacity to design and implement research that impacts children and families
Mentoring from experienced researchers who will create an Individual Development Plan (IDP) for success
Opportunity to contribute to the field through peer-reviewed manuscripts and scientific presentations
Financial support for professional development and travel to present research findings

Emerging Scholars Cohorts

2025-2026 Emerging Scholars Cohort

Vandeka Rodgers Eze, M.S.W., is a Ph.D. candidate in education and social policy at the University of Delaware. Vandeka’s research is dedicated to supporting communities through poverty alleviation and community development. She earned an M.S.W. in management and policy from Rutgers University and a B.A. in criminal justice and sociology from Rider University. In addition to her academic work, she has gained practical experience through her roles with the Juvenile Justice Commission, AmeriCorps, and as a Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program Scholar.

Devon Slaughter, M.Ed., is a third year Ph.D. candidate in school psychology at Georgia State University. Devon’s research explores psychoeducation, mentorship, community outreach, and spirituality as pathways to bridge schools and communities and promote healing. He earned his B.A. in psychology in 2019 and Ed. in school psychology in 2025 at Georgia State University. He is on track to complete his Ed.S. in 2026, with the doctoral degree serving as his terminal degree.

Dionna Tillery, M.A., M.S., is a third year Ph.D. candidate at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies. Dionna’s research centers on the roles of risk and resilience in the lives of families, specifically at the intersections of parenting and early childhood education. She earned a B.A. in elementary education, an M.A. in community leadership, and an M.S. in Human Development and Family Studies. She has served children and families for over 10 years in various roles, including as a teacher, nonprofit executive, and community birth and postpartum doula.

Jullanar Zakiyyah Williams, M.A., is a fourth year Ph.D. candidate in sociology at the University of California, Merced. Jullanar’s research focuses on the emotional and mental health of social institutions, including families, kinship networks, and communities, particularly as they confront a rise in suicide among youth. Her work also explores the reported impacts of youth suicide on familial and communal life, mapping the emotional, spiritual, and psychological toll such tragedies take on caregivers, siblings, elders, and chosen kin. Jullanar brings over a decade of experience as a paralegal in criminal, constitutional, and civil rights law to her academic pursuits.

2024-2025 Emerging Scholars Cohort

Kelley Holley is a second-year doctoral student at Arizona State University. Kelley’s research interests center on the family, particularly fathers and autism. She earned her undergraduate degree in social work with a concentration in physical and mental health and a master’s degree in social work from Baylor University. She has lived in Sheffield, England, where she worked in child protection and earned a postgraduate diploma in child welfare and safeguarding from the University of Huddersfield. Kelley has more than 15 years of direct practice in social work, including child protection, clinical practice, international adoption, foster care, nonprofit management, and higher education.

Mentor: Dr. Rodney Washington

Heather A. Jones is a third-year doctoral student at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Her research uses a transgenerational perspective to gain an in-depth understanding of how complex forms of trauma impact the mental well-being of families.

Mentor: Dr. Cassandra Bolar

Sylvia Annan is in a social work doctoral program with a focus in policy, planning, and administration at Clark Atlanta University. She is developing her research, policy, and advocacy skills to advance the cause of social work and alleviate suffering. She has over a decade of experience practicing social work and social work administration in many settings.

Mentor: Brian McGregor, Ph.D., M.A.

Doreek Charles, M.S.W., is a Ph.D. student at the University of Connecticut School of Social Work. Her research interests include residential conditions and economic frameworks. She earned a B.A. in psychology from Rowan University and M.S.W. from Virginia Commonwealth University.

2023-2024 Emerging Scholars Cohort

Amber B. Sansbury, M.Ed., is a Ph.D. candidate studying early care and education policy at George Mason University. Her research explores policy making, community-based participatory approaches, and action to improve early care and education.

Anthony Lizarraga, M.S., is a Ph.D. student studying educational policy at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His research explores teachers’ perceptions in academic achievement and discipline. Anthony earned a B.S. in political science from the University of California-Irvine. He earned a M.S. in educational studies and a M.S. in public policy from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.

Aremu M. Smith, M.S., is a Ph.D. student at the University of Illinois-Chicago studying educational psychology. His research explores how socialization emerges in community-centered spaces. He earned a B.S. in psychology from Howard University and a M.S. in applied psychology from Sacred Heart University.

Shedrick Garrett II, M.A., is a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, completing a Ph.D. in developmental psychology. His research examines the role of social and digital domains in youth socialization experiences, psychological functioning, and development. Shedrick earned a B.S. from West Virginia University, double majoring in psychology and neuroscience.

2022-2023 Emerging Scholars Cohort

Breanna Chachere, MPH, is a public health professional and medical student at the University of Houston Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine. Her research interests include maternal and child health, qualitative and narrative medicine, and reproductive health. She earned an M.P.H. and certificates in community health, maternal and child health, and chronic and non-communicable diseases from Boston University School of Public Health. She earned a B.A. in psychology from Rice University.

Final Project: Assessing Associations among Mental Health and Parent-Child Interactions in Households During the Pandemic

Aaron Neal, M.S., is a Ford Fellow and Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Psychology at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. He uses community-based participatory research methods as well as survey methodologies to better understand youth psychological and physiological health. He earned a B.S. in biology with minors in chemistry and psychology from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. He earned an M.S. in neuroscience and education from Teachers College at Columbia University.

Final Project: An Exploration of Barriers to TANF Access, Mental and Economic Mobility for Americans

Adrienne Jones, M.P.P., is a Ph.D. candidate in the joint public policy and sociology program at Duke University. Her research examines employment experiences, including job loss and change. Prior to her graduate studies, Jones worked in policy research at Duke University and Mathematica Policy Research. She holds an M.P.P. from the Sanford School at Duke University and a B.A. in political science from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

Final Project: Fee to Drive: How Poverty, Punishment, and Policy Shape the Lives of Suspended Motorists

Terrance Lewis is a Presidential Research Fellow at Auburn University, completing a Ph.D. in social science education. Previously, he taught middle school and high school social studies in the Columbus, Georgia, school system. His research aims to improve the educational experiences of teachers, students, and families.

Final Project: The Pedagogy of Carter G. Woodson as a Framework for More Humanizing Educational Experiences

Graduate Emerging Scholars Program

SCHOLARS RECEIVE:

Emerging Scholars Cohorts

2025-2026 Emerging Scholars Cohort

2024-2025 Emerging Scholars Cohort

Mentor: Dr. Rodney Washington

Mentor: Dr. Cassandra Bolar

Mentor: Brian McGregor, Ph.D., M.A.

2023-2024 Emerging Scholars Cohort

Amber B. Sansbury, M.Ed., is a Ph.D. candidate studying early care and education policy at George Mason University. Her research explores policy making, community-based participatory approaches, and action to improve early care and education.

2022-2023 Emerging Scholars Cohort

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