https://mpeprogram.com/volunteer daily 0.75 2025-06-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/1557063447848-CMD5K7EKF3RAYAG9RDW1/image-asset.jpeg Volunteer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/1557063447848-CMD5K7EKF3RAYAG9RDW1/image-asset.jpeg Volunteer https://mpeprogram.com/directors daily 0.75 2025-02-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/852b2d5f-1a04-478a-b420-afa556f57198/Lopez+Santana+Small.jpg Director's Page https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/91f57ab1-bdd0-40b1-8917-9d7742abad36/Tormos-Aponte+small.jpg Director's Page https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/e40aa5cd-0c76-4fb8-af3b-cdbac198a0ee/Kim+Turner.jpg Director's Page - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/852b2d5f-1a04-478a-b420-afa556f57198/Lopez+Santana+Small.jpg Director's Page https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/91f57ab1-bdd0-40b1-8917-9d7742abad36/Tormos-Aponte+small.jpg Director's Page https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/e40aa5cd-0c76-4fb8-af3b-cdbac198a0ee/Kim+Turner.jpg Director's Page - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/c711f8c2-144d-48d4-9290-1e25e7ed7a90/foto+perfil+profile+picture+photo.jpeg Director's Page https://mpeprogram.com/summerprogram daily 0.75 2026-05-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/12f47c3b-4279-4258-aee9-b04827042d41/Research+Symposium+.jpg About MPE - Make it stand out Our 2023 inaugural cohort of MPE Summer Program Students (left to right): Michael Sarkis, Deborah Coffey, Shanyce Taylor, Haneen Abu Tawila, Adriana Rosario-Surillo, Evelyz Candelario Piñero, Hussein Fayad https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/12f47c3b-4279-4258-aee9-b04827042d41/Research+Symposium+.jpg About MPE - Make it stand out Our 2023 inaugural cohort of MPE Summer Program Students (left to right): Michael Sarkis, Deborah Coffey, Shanyce Taylor, Haneen Abu Tawila, Adriana Rosario-Surillo, Evelyz Candelario Piñero, Hussein Fayad https://mpeprogram.com/faculty-mentors daily 0.75 2025-12-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/dfe45343-c2c3-4111-a4ee-82868f78fb03/Blee+small.jpg Faculty Mentors - 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Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/6d19d498-bffa-4e77-881e-72906d816ddb/Ziegler+Rogers+small.jpg Faculty Mentors - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/e44d6c21-1fb8-4dd4-afd9-913c61fcc11b/Smith+small.jpg Faculty Mentors - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/1b009878-233b-40de-84a4-6e904436ea3a/Tormos-Aponte+small.jpg Faculty Mentors - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/eb22d543-09ca-4497-876e-104c292fff03/Velez+Serrano+small.png Faculty Mentors - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/083d83c4-00a8-403b-aadb-f2f5d6572c9c/Picture4.jpg Faculty Mentors - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://mpeprogram.com/contact daily 0.75 2023-03-01 https://mpeprogram.com/2023-alum daily 0.75 2026-05-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/1bcd76d2-5041-4d5a-8bc7-ec292f54696a/Deborah+Coffy.jpg 2023 Program Alumni - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/07ad469b-b843-4a75-9549-17e4411ae46b/Hussein+square.jpg 2023 Program Alumni - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/d8b4294d-aa3c-4f08-99a6-214604a53560/Evelyz+small.jpg 2023 Program Alumni - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/8bb37de4-3d52-46e1-932a-3ea31f030117/Adriana+square.jpg 2023 Program Alumni - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/94a34345-b0fa-4a47-b4e1-4f21adecf96e/Michael+square.jpg 2023 Program Alumni - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/6d532743-2c0d-45f4-ab7d-60043506d00a/Haneen+square.jpg 2023 Program Alumni - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/f24660eb-21c0-4ba4-870c-90d4de2cc545/Shanyce+square.jpg 2023 Program Alumni - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/1562961156474-TOWU4US10WLKMUM9KWMJ/Manuel+%286%29+final.jpg 2023 Program Alumni - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/1562961304780-6C7JM0VWC4SG1HS2WBYW/IMG-4899-01.jpeg 2023 Program Alumni - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/1562961882726-LW7W88I271M2KHSJT0K5/Picture2.png 2023 Program Alumni - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/1562961438543-3X122OXM8UICBFPR5FGQ/Picture1.png 2023 Program Alumni - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/1562961613074-VQ0H9C4H6TPKJUHDSGG1/image2.jpeg 2023 Program Alumni - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/1562961262285-XMZ9IZMOWPIRXSG4JDSI/Manuel+Mas+Profile+Pic.jpg 2023 Program Alumni - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/018049b7-8ec6-4b32-88cf-186bbd41ca1e/carol.jpg 2023 Program Alumni - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/1562961182698-57DIPRWS7LNOLEMYBIDN/20190706_173225.jpg 2023 Program Alumni - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/1562963835498-NY7I2TXNEO3UAHUUC07L/Sabrina+Rodriguez.jpg 2023 Program Alumni - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/1562963766175-WIGOZSDRQPYQYNHKOIDW/20190707_234851.jpg 2023 Program Alumni - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/1bcd76d2-5041-4d5a-8bc7-ec292f54696a/Deborah+Coffy.jpg 2023 Program Alumni Deborah Coffy Deborah Coffy (they/she) is a graduate of the University of Central Florida (UCF). They double majored in Clinical Psychology and Political Science and double minored in Journalism and Human Services. They completed their internship in the Aspire Health Partners and University Central Florida program for Recovery Support Specialists. Additionally, she was involved in research through the Undergraduate Honors Thesis Program, Counseling and Psychological Services, and the College of Community Innovation and Education. Their research interests relate to BIPOC and LGBTQ+ populations, society, and how it relates to overall mental health and mental health illnesses such as BPD, PTSD, Schizophrenia, Stress, Anxiety, Dissociative identity disorder, Autism, and ADHD. Over their academic career, they have been awarded President’s Honor Roll, the Dorothy Walker Ruggles Democracy Scholarship, the Legacy Award, the Alvin Y Wang Undergraduate Research Scholarship, and the Dively-Dupuis LGBTQ Scholarship. They will continue working for progressive organizations and prepare for the graduate school application cycle for Ph.D. programs in Clinical and Counseling Psychology. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/07ad469b-b843-4a75-9549-17e4411ae46b/Hussein+square.jpg 2023 Program Alumni Hussein Fayad Hussein Fayad is a rising senior at Siena College in Loudonville, New York. He is a double major in Political Science with a concentration in International Relations and Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in Global Development and Mass Political Behavior. Hussein is a recipient of the Presidential Scholarship, an Honors Fellow in the Standish Honors Program, and the club president for both the Siena College Model United Nations and the Promethean Student Newspaper. He is also a founding member of Siena College’s chapter of ECAR (Every Campus a Refuge). His specialty and emphasis in research is Middle Eastern politics, conducting two independent research studies, the first analyzing Lebanon’s economic crisis and the second researching Saudi-Iranian rivalry and its implications on the broader Middle East, with the latter being presented at the New York State Political Science Association’s 77th Annual Conference. Hussein has also consistently maintained his position on the President’s List. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/d8b4294d-aa3c-4f08-99a6-214604a53560/Evelyz+small.jpg 2023 Program Alumni Evelyz Candelario Piñero Evelyz is a fourth-year undergraduate student at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras campus completing a bachelor's degree in Political Science with an emphasis on comparative politics and political theory. Her areas of interest are political and cultural socialization, the Internet and social networks, colonialism, sub-state nations, political psychology, and political communication. Currently, she is developing her undergraduate thesis about political socialization through social networks through the Honors Studies Program. In addition, she worked as a data analyst in a student team under professors Mayra Vélez and Luis Cámara for the Puerto Rican Laboratory of Public Opinion. She is an active member of the Puerto Rican Association of Political Science Students (APECIPO) and was part of the Student Guidance Program (PdEO), where she helped new students and the general student community integrate into university life by offering information and peer counseling. Due to her personal experiences as a Puerto Rican and her generation's experiences, she hopes to complete postgraduate studies in Political Science to become a researcher and university professor. By bringing unique perspectives, she hopes to make academia more diverse, balanced, and relevant to the world we live in. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/8bb37de4-3d52-46e1-932a-3ea31f030117/Adriana+square.jpg 2023 Program Alumni Adriana Rosario-Surillo Adriana is a senior studying at the University of Puerto Rico - Río Piedras. She is a political science major with an emphasis on Comparative Politics. Her research interests include Latin America, democratization, and public opinion. She’s currently researching about the levels of institutionalization in Latin American party systems and its impact on democracy quality through public opinion. Adriana has been able to work with this honor thesis through the Programa de Estudios de Honor among with a committee of professors that engage with quantitative and qualitative methodology and the Latin American region as a case study. Due to her experience as a Puerto Rican woman, she is curious to learn about ways research can shed light into solutions to enhance governmental performance, accountability through political actors, and socio-political satisfaction. Adriana was also an international exchange student at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid and a recipient of the Fondo Dotal Scholarship during 2022. After graduation, Adriana plans on pursuing a master’s degree on Political Analysis and a PhD in Comparative Politics to become, both, a political science professor and researcher. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/94a34345-b0fa-4a47-b4e1-4f21adecf96e/Michael+square.jpg 2023 Program Alumni Michael Sarkis Michael is a rising junior at the Ohio State University, double majoring in Political Science and Philosophy with a minor in Arabic. At the Ohio State University, Michael is involved in the Collegiate Council on World Affairs and their sub-branch: Alger Magazine. Michael will be a managing editor at Alger Magazine in the coming school year. Michael has written two articles for Alger Magazine. One piece discussed the failed unification attempts between Syria and Iraq, and the most recent one discussed the debate surrounding the early histography of the Maronite Church. Michael has a variety of research interests that include but are not limited to, international relations, the overlap between religion and politics, the role of nationalism and ideology in politics, etc. After finishing his undergraduate degrees, Michael intends to pursue either law school or graduate school. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/6d532743-2c0d-45f4-ab7d-60043506d00a/Haneen+square.jpg 2023 Program Alumni Haneen Abu Tawila Haneen (She/Her), is a senior at California State University, Fresno majoring in Political Science and minoring in Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies. Haneen has been an active member of the Political Science Honors Association and has consistently maintained her status on the President's list. Haneen's areas of research have recently been Political Theory, Genocide research, and Violence against women in the Middle East. After graduation, Haneen is planning on attending law school and focusing on Human rights law and is interested in researching ethnic conflict, gender, and sexual inequalities as well as studying the ethnic cleansing and oppression of Palestinians. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/f24660eb-21c0-4ba4-870c-90d4de2cc545/Shanyce+square.jpg 2023 Program Alumni Shanyce Taylor I am Shanyce Crystal Taylor and my pronouns are she/they. I am currently a Junior pursuing my bachelor's degree in Political Science and Human Services & Community Justice at John Jay College. I am a Pinkerton fellow at my college and work with the non-profit organization Kings Against Violence Initiative (KAVI) located in central Brooklyn to provide youth with the resources needed to best assist with their success. I learned throughout this experience the best way to advocate for the youth is to give them the tools to advocate for themselves. I hope to take what I learned throughout my college career to continue youth advocacy work around the country and also am very hopeful this opportunity will guide me through this journey. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/1562961156474-TOWU4US10WLKMUM9KWMJ/Manuel+%286%29+final.jpg 2023 Program Alumni Manuel ARRieta Manuel is a 5th year Political Science major R the University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras Campus focusing on Political Theory and International Relations. His area of interest in regards to research is education. More specifically, the relation between a poor political science education in High School and the continued support of the traditional two-party system in Puerto Rico. Through this program, he plans to fully polish his research project and be able to use bigger population samples with hopes of getting published. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/1562961304780-6C7JM0VWC4SG1HS2WBYW/IMG-4899-01.jpeg 2023 Program Alumni Alexis Bonilla Alexis is from San Juan, Puerto Rico and has lived his whole life in the municipality of Luquillo. His time in school initially took place in two institutions in Fajardo until he entered the University High School in Río Piedras from which he graduated in 2016. In that same year, he was admitted to the Río Piedras campus of the University of Puerto Rico where today he studies Political Science with an emphasis on Political Theory and Comparative Politics. His research interests primarily concern the growing trend of "green politics" around the world and his goal is to study this and other subjects through a graduate program in the United States.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/1562961882726-LW7W88I271M2KHSJT0K5/Picture2.png 2023 Program Alumni Yeimarie Escalera Yeimarie has a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Science with a Major in Political Science, double emphasis in Governance and Public Policy and Gender and Politics, and a Minor in Women and Gender Studies from the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus. Her research interests are related to women’s issues, race and gender, LGBT+ studies and public policy. She aspires to earn her Ph.D. in Political Science shortly and publish a couple of academic papers. She’s ready! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/1562961438543-3X122OXM8UICBFPR5FGQ/Picture1.png 2023 Program Alumni Jean Paul López Jean Paul is 22 years old and was born in Columbus, Ohio, USA and is Puerto Rican. In August, he will start his final year of undergraduate studies in Political Science with an emphasis in Government, Law, Public Policy and International Relations and with a minor concentration in Human Rights at the University of Puerto Rico Río Piedras Campus. His research interest is related to issues of housing, specifically regarding the displacement of disadvantaged communities in Puerto Rico. His future plans are to publish his research and to pursue graduate studies in Political Science and/or Law. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/1562961613074-VQ0H9C4H6TPKJUHDSGG1/image2.jpeg 2023 Program Alumni Adrián Maldonado Adrián Maldonado Rodríguez is a student of Political Science and Women and Gender at the University of Puerto Rico Río Piedras Campus. His research interests include contemporary social movements, and he plans to pursue post-graduate studies in Public Policy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/1562961262285-XMZ9IZMOWPIRXSG4JDSI/Manuel+Mas+Profile+Pic.jpg 2023 Program Alumni Manuel Mas Manuel is currently an undergraduate Political Science major with concentrations in International Relations and Comparative Politics. His research interests encompass interstate security, comparative sub-state national movements, conceptions of multi-level and asymmetric citizenship, and quantitative methods. He wants to pursue a doctorate in Political Science to become a researcher to further develop these interests. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/018049b7-8ec6-4b32-88cf-186bbd41ca1e/carol.jpg 2023 Program Alumni Carol Ramos Carol E. Ramos Gerena is a Biologist and a graduate Environmental and Community Planning student from the Graduate School of Planning of the University of Puerto Rico. In the past decade, she has leaded community development through urban agroecology projects, as well as the environmental restoration of abandoned buildings and underused plots near public housings and schools in marginalized communities in Puerto Rico. One of her main interest is to develop the public policy necessary to attend food security and sovereignty in her country, focused on the agriculture education provided in the public K-12 schools. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/1562961182698-57DIPRWS7LNOLEMYBIDN/20190706_173225.jpg 2023 Program Alumni Steven Ramos Steven A. Ramos Ayala is a Political Science undergraduate aspiring to earn a doctorate in that area. His research emphasis is focused on the voting process, and what makes people select their leaders. He hopes his research helps people see with a different perspective what democracy entails and what can it become. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/1562963835498-NY7I2TXNEO3UAHUUC07L/Sabrina+Rodriguez.jpg 2023 Program Alumni Sabrina Rodríguez Sabrina Rodríguez recently graduated Summa Cum Laude in Political Science, with a concentration in International Relations, from the University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras Campus. She plans to investigate the stagnant growth of woman occupying positions in the Puerto Rican legislature and its effects on woman-based public policy. She aspires to enter a program by August 2020 to obtain a Master's in Public Policy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/1562963766175-WIGOZSDRQPYQYNHKOIDW/20190707_234851.jpg 2023 Program Alumni Steven Salgado My name is Steven G. Salgado and I am currently an Economics student at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras campus. The research topic/idea that I want to start working on is based on Puerto Rico's current economic status, and how our Island's former governmental leaders have contributed both positively and negatively with their policy and how we can learn from them in order to make the best decisions possible for our future. After I finish my bachelor's degree, I'm committed to pursuing graduate degrees both in Political Science and Law with the goal of becoming a lawyer and one day working for a government organization or agency. I want to make one of my life's goals of working for my Island's best interests a reality. https://mpeprogram.com/resources daily 0.75 2025-09-29 https://mpeprogram.com/research-affiliates daily 0.75 2026-05-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/0e788437-bbd7-4bf6-a78a-ae027aecf981/Chie+headshot+7-18-23.png MPE Research Affiliates - Chie Togami REU Program Coordinator, Graduate Research Assistant Chie is a Ph.D. candidate in Sociology at the University of Pittsburgh. Broadly speaking, her research spans environment, social movements, philanthropy, and gender. Her dissertation uses qualitative methods to examine the impact of foundation funding on the strategies and tactics of new climate change social movement organizations. In addition to her dissertation, she has researched and written about air quality, environmental justice, and epistemology in Western Pennsylvania. In 2021, she produced a limited series podcast about the social and environmental legacy of the U.S. Steel Corporation. More recently, she is a collaborator on a project examining the global environmental justice impacts of the Biden-Harris lead service line replacement initiative. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/af1b301c-a428-4db0-ac3d-11fd731cae4e/original-AA487E7F-4DCB-43E0-A85A-63655B174C15.jpg MPE Research Affiliates - Rachel Amanor Undergraduate Research Assistant Rachel Amanor is a Sophomore (rising Junior) at the University of Pittsburgh. She majors in Computational Social Science and minors in Linguistics. She currently supports the MPE program as a research assistant with Chie Togami and Dr. Fernando Tomas-Aponte. Recently, Rachel has worked with the Equity Impact Center to gain leadership skills, teamwork capabilities, and collaborative experiences. Her research interests include the social development of people and inequality. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/216d133d-483c-49af-8348-52ee79ec9d18/221116_GradStudentsofColorHeadshots_029_em+%282%29.JPG MPE Research Affiliates - Tania Lucia Ramírez Graduate Research Assistant Tania Lucia is a Ph.D. student in Sociology at the University of Pittsburgh. She is a current fellow of the Bicentennial Generation Scholarship, granted by the government of Peru. Her research centers on the political economy of development and environmental change, and social movements with a focus on the Latin American region. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/63639c3c-794f-4457-b9cc-06323087b1f4/yeneca-headshot.jpg MPE Research Affiliates - Yeneca Lee REU Program Coordinator, Graduate Research Assistant Yeneca is a PhD student in Sociology at the University of Pittsburgh. Her research broadly centers on social movements, movement organizations, and gender with a regional focus in East Asia. She is currently studying social movement organizations in South Korea and is especially interested in exploring the intersections of activism and work and how they shape movement trajectories and outcomes. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/23b76733-fc05-4e7b-9855-8cb6ee9976e0/221116_GradStudentsofColorHeadshots_029_em+%282%29.jpg MPE Research Affiliates - Tania Lucia Ramírez Graduate Research Assistant Tania Lucia is a Ph.D. student in Sociology at the University of Pittsburgh. She is a current fellow of the Bicentennial Generation Scholarship, granted by the government of Peru. Her research centers on the political economy of development and environmental change, and social movements with a focus on the Latin American region. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/0e788437-bbd7-4bf6-a78a-ae027aecf981/Chie+headshot+7-18-23.png MPE Research Affiliates - Dr. Chie Togami Program Advisor Chie is an Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF).Her dissertation uses qualitative methods to examine the impact of foundation funding on the strategies and tactics of new climate change social movement organizations. In addition to her dissertation, she has researched and written about air quality, environmental justice, and epistemology in Western Pennsylvania. In 2021, she produced a limited series podcast about the social and environmental legacy of the U.S. Steel Corporation. More recently, she is a collaborator on a project examining the global environmental justice impacts of the Biden-Harris lead service line replacement initiative. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/0195c920-f545-4083-a65d-a497788ec1a4/ValentinaGonzalezRostani_091724_0002.jpg MPE Research Affiliates - Dr. Valentina González-Rostani Program Advisor Valentina Gonzalez-Rostani is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Southern California. She earned her PhD in Political Science from the University of Pittsburgh in 2024. Valentina’s research explores the impact of technological change on political behavior and the evolution of party systems. She employs a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative analysis, text-as-data techniques, survey experiments, and formal modeling to examine the intersection of economic, cultural, and institutional factors. Her research interests also include international trade, inequality, and political methodology. She is currently developing machine learning tools to measure populism and using large language models (LLMs) to identify topics and stances in political discourse. Her work has been published in journals such as The Journal of Politics, Economics & Politics, and Legislative Studies Quarterly. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/6c3794a7-a2f3-404e-9b83-8813f312e96d/Unknown-4.jpg MPE Research Affiliates - Adriana Rosario-Surillo Graduate Teaching Assistant Adriana holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Puerto Rico and an MA in Political Communication from the Complutense University of Madrid. She is currently a PhD student in Political Science at the University of Pittsburgh, where her research focuses on comparative politics and political behavior in Latin America. She is particularly interested in how corruption, political parties, identity, and democratic backsliding impact public opinion in the region. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/f699056c-ae67-4b61-b2ca-43054184f326/Unknown-3.jpg MPE Research Affiliates - Mauricio Zavaleta Quantitative Graduate Teaching Assistant Mauricio Zavaleta is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Political Science at the University of Pittsburgh. His research focuses on the intersection of party-building and social mobilization. He holds a B.A. from the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú and has published work on indigenous politics, subnational governance, and party systems in the Andean region. Prior to graduate school, he served as a policy advisor in the Peruvian government on Indigenous rights and was deputy director of the Lugar de la Memoria (LUM), Peru’s national museum dedicated to memorializing the internal armed conflict between 1980 and 2000. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/d7b282b8-b0ae-441b-aa3c-eaabed8faa0e/Pitt+photo+ID+JAY+png.png MPE Research Affiliates - Jay Kapoor Undergraduate Research Assistant Jay Kapoor is a freshman at the University of Pittsburgh, majoring in Psychology on the Pre-Med track and minoring in Computer Science. He currently supports the MPE program as a research assistant, working closely with Yeneca Lee and Dr. Fernando Tomas-Aponte. Jay is also involved with Juno, an AI health platform, and contributes to a Computational Drug Discovery project focused on deep learning and structure-based approaches for drug development. His work aligns with his passion for addressing social inequality and leveraging technology to advance healthcare. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/25e40cc7-35b6-4f5b-8084-2976a995f9c6/Screenshot+2024-10-23+at+4.09.02+PM.png MPE Research Affiliates - Karim Safieddine Graduate Research Assistant Karim is a PhD student interested in understanding the ways in which social movements, for what they represent in terms of various aspects of intellectual and organizational leadership, challenge or reproduce prevailing power relations and ideological norms between late 20th and 21st century Lebanon. In this context, his research focuses on the historical and contemporary development of the "Lebanese Left", particularly in relation to other more dominant local political forces. While he heavily relies on Gramscian optics in his studies, he is open to various models and methods. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/2fbf2815-7a02-4113-b1fa-d4f0b8e3bf7f/photo.jpg MPE Research Affiliates - João Alípio-Correa Quantitative Graduate Teaching Assistant João is a Ph.D. student in Political Science at the University of Pittsburgh, specializing in political methodology and comparative politics. His interests center on causal inference and regime change processes https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/d9e170d9-2e32-4b09-bd19-92ec42fa63d3/Screenshot+2024-06-11+at+11.22.14%E2%80%AFAM.png MPE Research Affiliates - Erik Durneika Graduate Teaching Assistant Erik Durneika is a Ph.D. student specializing in comparative politics and international relations. He holds an MA in Political Science from the University of South Florida. His research interests include ethnic conflict, migration, diasporas, authoritarian regimes, and transnational repression, with a focus on China and Central Asia. He is currently working on an interview-based project that explores the heterogeneity among refugees and exiles. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/af1b301c-a428-4db0-ac3d-11fd731cae4e/original-AA487E7F-4DCB-43E0-A85A-63655B174C15.jpg MPE Research Affiliates - Rachel Amanor Undergraduate Research Assistant Rachel Amanor is a Sophomore (rising Junior) at the University of Pittsburgh. She majors in Computational Social Science and minors in Linguistics. She used to support the MPE program as a research assistant with Chie Togami and Dr. Fernando Tomas-Aponte. Rachel has worked with the Equity Impact Center to gain leadership skills, teamwork capabilities, and collaborative experiences. Her research interests include the social development of people and inequality. https://mpeprogram.com/info-session daily 0.75 2025-12-09 https://mpeprogram.com/2024-summer-fellows daily 0.75 2026-05-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/5bc6f8dd-78c3-42de-aa3f-d27a26763057/Untitled+design+%2811%29.png 2024 Program Alumni - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/3660806e-fc53-44da-87b9-ec42de2d64b9/IMG_3408+%281%29.jpg 2024 Program Alumni - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/d5155003-ded5-4313-a830-7ae0c54f0a70/Payton+Garcia.png 2024 Program Alumni - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/f5f8eca5-7f0c-4685-abfe-57256c2e2713/Daniela.jpeg 2024 Program Alumni - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/a8251bbc-0fb1-4a8c-aa93-43c690a805df/Lacerda+Headshot.jpeg 2024 Program Alumni - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/50feadce-f9db-412e-bece-86265fd530dd/sim+low.jpg 2024 Program Alumni - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/2376dd38-d214-4b9f-8592-42beae80f9be/Joana.jpeg 2024 Program Alumni - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/2b372b90-c520-4dda-a895-1e17a397a7c5/Kylah.JPG 2024 Program Alumni - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/6239c3c4-8b09-4c94-9fdc-f96781e465fe/Debanhi.jpeg 2024 Program Alumni - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/5bc6f8dd-78c3-42de-aa3f-d27a26763057/Untitled+design+%2811%29.png 2024 Program Alumni Shaniqua Easter Shaniqua (she/her) is a third-year psychology student at the University of Houston-Victoria, where she has maintained a 3.6 GPA and has been named to the Dean's List. Driven by a passion for helping disadvantaged children access essential mental health services, Shaniqua chose to major in Psychology with the goal of one day opening her own clinical practice. Beyond the classroom, Shaniqua is an active member of her campus community. She serves as the Vice President of the university's Rotaract Club and is also a member of the Association of Psychology and Psychobiology (APP). Shaniqua has volunteered extensively with local organizations such as Keep Victoria Beautiful, Pain & Purpose, and JP's Market, demonstrating her commitment to making a tangible difference in her community. After completing her bachelor's degree, Shaniqua plans to pursue a master's in clinical psychology, furthering her ambition to become a psychological practitioner dedicated to serving underserved youth. With her strong academic record, leadership experience, and social impact initiatives, Shaniqua is poised to be a powerful advocate for mental health equity and positive change. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/3660806e-fc53-44da-87b9-ec42de2d64b9/IMG_3408+%281%29.jpg 2024 Program Alumni Sumaya Fawaz Sumaya is a rising junior and Richmond Scholar at the University of Richmond in Virginia. She is majoring in Global Studies with a concentration in politics and governance and minoring in Sociology. In the past, Sumaya has completed a research project where she investigated inequities in the healthcare system based on race and socioeconomic status and how that impacts patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder or Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Additionally, in her sophomore year of college, she and her classmate examined how the ongoing genocide in the Gaza Strip is both a humanitarian crisis and a climate crisis, which perpetuates the oppression of Palestinians in the enclave. For the last two years, Sumaya has been an intern at the County Manager’s Office in Henrico County, Virginia. Throughout her internship, Sumaya examined changing demographics, the importance of diversity in education, and the disproportionality of school violence. She also got to play a role in developing projects for recreation centers and the renovation and rebuilding of county schools, specifically in marginalized communities, and she led a county-wide reforestation project. After graduation, Sumaya intends to pursue graduate school for education and public administration. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/d5155003-ded5-4313-a830-7ae0c54f0a70/Payton+Garcia.png 2024 Program Alumni Payton Garcia Payton is a rising sophomore from Chicago Illinois. His future academic plans include earning a Ph.D. in economics at Howard University. Payton is a Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow as well as a member of the Humanities and Social Sciences Scholars Program at his college. He is currently interested in researching urban planning and community development specifically in regard to black communities across the U.S. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/f5f8eca5-7f0c-4685-abfe-57256c2e2713/Daniela.jpeg 2024 Program Alumni Daniela Iturrino Daniela is a fourth-year undergraduate student at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez (UPRM), pursuing a major in Political Science with a Curricular Sequence in International Relations. Daniela possesses a keen interest in gender studies, international affairs, and comparative politics. Currently, she is engaged in independent research focusing on the state's response to gender-based violence. In addition to her academic pursuits, Daniela has gained valuable research experience through projects such as studying political behavior in Puerto Rico's western municipalities and contributing to a mixed-methods investigation for the Puerto Rico Seismic Network. Furthermore, she has complemented her studies by participating as an international exchange student at the "Universidad Complutense de Madrid" in Spain and actively participating in various student organizations and bodies at the University of Puerto Rico. She aspires to pursue further graduate studies in International Affairs and Gender Rights, and ultimately aims to earn a Juris Doctor degree. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/a8251bbc-0fb1-4a8c-aa93-43c690a805df/Lacerda+Headshot.jpeg 2024 Program Alumni Pedro Lacerda Pedro (he/they) is a rising junior at Hamilton College. Pedro majors in Anthropology and World Politics, emphasizing Latin America in his studies. On-campus, Pedro is involved with Hamilton's Black and Latine Student Union (BLSU), and Hamilton's chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP). Pedro hopes to continue his previous research on Latin American feminisms, as well as violence against women in Latin America. Pedro is interested in globalization, ethnography, Latin American politics, militarism, political anthropology, migration and asylum, decolonization, race and racism, queering, and women-of-color/decolonial feminisms. Pedro hopes to attain a PhD in Anthropology or Political Science. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/50feadce-f9db-412e-bece-86265fd530dd/sim+low.jpg 2024 Program Alumni Sim Low Sim (she/they) is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University. She majored in Public Health and minored in Black Studies. During her time at JHU, Sim was president of the Debate Council while coaching high school students at Georgetown Day School. She is passionate about educating high school students on critical theory and increasing competitive access to debate for minority students, so she founded the Asian Debate Collective. Sim started her research experience in high school at Portland State University's Criminal Justice Department where she studied the impact of social networks on DUIs. At JHU, she worked on several research projects, her latest being on the Culion Leper Colony during the American occupation of the Philippines. Sim's research has been accepted to numerous conferences, including the Association for Asian American Studies annual conference. She has also been awarded the Provost's Undergraduate Research Award from JHU. Though Sim has many research interests, some of her more recent curiosities are the relationship between public health and empire, abolition, transnational solidarity and liberation movements, liberation theology, and transnational Asian American Studies. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/2376dd38-d214-4b9f-8592-42beae80f9be/Joana.jpeg 2024 Program Alumni Joana Ortiz Joana (ella/she/her) is an undergraduate student at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. She is double majoring in Sociology and Political Science and is interested in researching colonization and self-determination processes, social and political identities, mobilization, epistemology and agnotology, and public opinion. She completed a summer internship at the Puerto Rico Fiscal Agency and Financial Advisory Agency (AAFAF), where she learned about the government’s organization and operation under the PROMESA Act, working at the Public Affairs and Communications Office and writing for the Intern AAFAF News newsletter. She has been a member of various student organizations, including the UPRCa’s Choir, where she served as the leader of the Soprano section, the UPRRP’s Abanderadas (color guard flag team), as well as the Puerto Rican Association of Political Science Students (APECIPO). Presently, she’s learning bomba, a Puerto Rican folkloric music and dance of African heritage of great cultural and political importance, through which she would like to promote inclusion, diversity and solidarity. She wants to pursue a master’s degree in Public Administration and a PhD. in Sociology, and aspires to be a researcher, focusing in public policy, its efficacy and its impact on society. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/2b372b90-c520-4dda-a895-1e17a397a7c5/Kylah.JPG 2024 Program Alumni Kylah Rainey Kylah is a graduating senior at Clemson University, where she is majoring in Sociology with an emphasis in Community Studies and a minor in Psychology. She graduated from high school in 2022 while also receiving her Associate's Degree in Theatre Arts. She is a member of the Alpha Kappa Delta International Sociology Honor Society and acts as Director of Public Relations for Clemson's Black Student Union. Rainey's areas of interest include social theory, social justice mobilization, gender studies, racial inequity, and outcomes of economic disparities. She has conducted research on social media mobilization from various SMOs and has investigated environmental crimes to analyze their proximity to disenfranchised communities. She has completed an internship acting as a Curriculum Development Strategist for Verbalizing Visions, LLC, an Educational Consulting firm. Her experiences as a Black woman in rural America have led her to strive for progressive change in the socio-political arena, especially in areas of education, politics, and cultural norms. Through her research, she hopes to develop evidence-based strategies for policy change and social advocacy mobilization. In the Fall of 2024, Rainey will attend Graduate School to broaden her horizons in the field of social research. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/6239c3c4-8b09-4c94-9fdc-f96781e465fe/Debanhi.jpeg 2024 Program Alumni Debanhi Rojas Debanhi (she/her) is a junior at the University of California, Riverside majoring in Political Science International Affairs and minoring in Spanish. At UCR, Debanhi has been actively engaged in research, as she has participated in the Minority Serving Institution Research Academy, granted by the National Science Foundation. MSIRA offers undergraduate students hands-on training in how to do research. Currently, she is a research assistant, working directly with political science Professor Kim Y Dionne in studies relating to African Politics. Debanhi’s research interests include political psychology, political leaders, and democratic legitimacy within Latin America. After graduation, she plans on pursuing a PhD in Political Science to become, both, a professor and researcher. https://mpeprogram.com/landing-bedford daily 1.0 2025-08-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52a74d9ae4b0253945d2aee9/1391287286405-92Z4A4R3T2ZSZAKNVS9V/image-asset.jpeg Home - Transient https://mpeprogram.com/2024-speakers daily 0.75 2024-10-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/6c71a2fa-7eea-4f11-8eba-288bcad2a517/1.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/4949c4ed-b9ee-4ad1-a876-042b98c53b1a/2.png https://mpeprogram.com/workshops daily 0.75 2025-10-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/e78bad8b-7da3-4758-9cff-673bf85253b4/2024+MPE+Methods+Workshops+%281%29.png https://mpeprogram.com/research-symposium-2024 daily 0.75 2025-12-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/0877042e-e5fc-4931-b9e7-cd86cc679fdc/Copy+of+Symposium+schedule.jpg https://mpeprogram.com/2025-events daily 0.75 2025-10-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/96a50b01-98da-45b8-9c5d-94dd49762c86/1.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/c111b2bf-c3c1-4104-9d77-3da12edacfc4/2.png https://mpeprogram.com/2025-alum daily 0.75 2026-05-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/bd0af015-542b-4653-a574-1dfa54f1275c/Canadine_photo.jpg 2025 Program Alumni - Isabelle Canadine Isabelle (Izzy) Canadine is currently an undergrad student at Lehigh University, majoring in Global Studies and minoring in International Relations and Religion Studies. She is a proud member of the Seldovia Village Tribe and was born in Alaska. She was adopted when she was young, and since then, she has had the opportunity to live and learn in diverse countries like Mozambique and Guatemala, which helped in an incredible way to develop her global perspective. She is a member of the first cohort as a Lehigh Soaring Together Scholar, and she continues to be dedicated to the success of women at Lehigh University and beyond. She plans to continue higher education after completing her undergraduate studies, and aspires to work with organizations like the United Nations. She hopes to be able to make a significant impact on Indigenous rights and the many other social rights issues that affect underrepresented communities in the U.S. and beyond. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/5220c6c5-f863-4b3a-9dbe-7724be2b2409/buchanan-profile.jpeg 2025 Program Alumni - India Buchanan India Buchanan is a rising junior at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (UHM). She is a double major in Political Science and American studies, with a prospective minor in Peace Studies. Her academic interests include, but are not limited to, studying the effects of American globalization, food politics & security, Native Hawaiian Politics, and the role of America within international relations. She has consistently been awarded placement on the Dean's List, and is the events planner for the Environmental Justice Club at UHM. India has been able to explore her interest in food politics through the Hawaiʻi Food+ Policy Internship, which allowed her the opportunity to study current legislation, develop testimony writing and critical research skills. India plans to diversify her understanding of politics while completing her undergraduate degree at UH Mānoa, and use the skills attained from the MPE Program to pursue a masters in Political Science. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/806692be-629f-4e0d-b779-78bf4101f8a6/cofie_profile.jpg 2025 Program Alumni - Troy Cofie Troy Cofie is rising senior at Adelphi University, Garden City Campus, majoring in economics with a minor in math and political science. His research interests include macroeconomic, economic policy, monetary theory, schools of economic thought, political economy, and state-coordinated development. Troy has completed an Independent Study on the theoretical propositions and policy implications of Modern Monetary Theory, which states that a monetary sovereign nation that issues its own currency doesn't have a financial constraint. Troy is part of the Leadership Fellowship program at Adelphi, which helps connect alumni who are in leadership positions with students in order to develop students' leadership skills. Troy was part of Adelphi University's Honors College World Affairs Fellowship and Adelphi's Jaggar Community Fellowship, obtaining an internship with the Amercian Cancer Society. Troy hopes to attend graduate school in order to obtain his master's in economics and, eventually, obtain a PhD in economics. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/31acc217-c318-4f8e-a86e-61834d411662/Quiroga_profile.jpeg 2025 Program Alumni - Daniela Quiroga My name is Daniela Quiroga, and I am a first-generation college student. I'm from Dallas, Texas, but I am a current Junior at Clark University in Worcester, MA. I am majoring in Sociology and Urban Studies with a minor in Political Science. Most of my research interests concern minority mobilization and empowerment, urban planning, religion and politics, socialization, and comparative politics. I have worked with the Latin American Student Association and the Revolutionary Student Association, as well as a Spanish tutor on campus and a peer mentor. After Clark, I plan to attend law school and hope to do work related to urban planning, immigration, and human rights. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/ef2a3642-475b-4ea4-903b-1fdea626aedf/Jordan+pic.jpg 2025 Program Alumni - Jordan Alvarado Jordan Alvarado (he/him) is a senior at the University of California, Davis majoring in History and Chicanx Studies. Working with students in the university as an academic community counselor and in juvenile detention facilities (JDF) as a volunteer educator, Jordan is interested in the impact of education on young peoples’ life outcomes. As an interdisciplinary scholar, his current and past research endeavors vary. In his Chicana/o/x Studies senior thesis, Jordan is exploring how volunteer educators in JDFs traverse the contradictory goals of education and carceral facilities. With the California History-Social Science Project, Jordan created an oral history to investigate how children in rural El Salvador navigated human rights struggles during the country’s 12-year civil war. With the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, he crafted policy recommendations to support immigrants seeking naturalization. Outside of research, he is a co-coordinator for the Reintegration Academy hosted at UC Davis and is a co-founder of the Prison Education Project Club at UC Davis. After graduating, Jordan plans to pursue graduate studies to uplift marginalized educational experiences and advocate for educational access, equity, and opportunities for all. In academia and beyond, Jordan is dedicated to missions of radical imagination and critical love. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/08c07e5d-2de0-4ea4-a038-7a129595f33a/Chai_profile.jpeg 2025 Program Alumni - Nona Chai Nona Chai received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California San Diego in sociology with a minor in psychology. Their passion for humanity and our relationship with Mother Earth led them to the environmental and economic justice movement, where they utilize social science training to counter harmful, extractive systems and industries in ways that center and serve those first and foremost harmed. Their research interests include international climate policy and the mobilization and political economy of a just transition to regional regenerative economies, all in the service of creating a more just and loving world. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/310e9ef9-08a4-4d32-989c-bd361a467050/IMG_7836.jpg 2025 Program Alumni - Alejandra Negrón Rodríguez Alejandra graduated from the University of Puerto Rico - Río Piedras. She is a political science major with emphasis on international relations and comparative politics and a minor in French. Her research interests include elections, voter dynamics and authoritarian regimes. Once completed her Masters degree in Latina/o, Caribbean, and Latin American Studies, she plans to pursue a PhD in comparative politics, become a professor and develop research. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/e7de6486-ed8a-4273-82a0-c863a05cf2b0/williams_headshot.jpg 2025 Program Alumni - Dominique Williams Dominique Williams is a first-year Environmental Studies major at Boston College with a concentration in Environmental Entrepreneurship and minors in Accounting for Consulting and Chinese. Her research interests include Environmental Economics, Latin American and Caribbean history, International Politics, and Public Policy. Her research interest focuses on the intersecting social, cultural and economic impacts of climatic shocks on developing nations and strategies for developing climate-resilient, sustainable economies. She works as a Student Assistant at Boston College’s Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society and serves on its Student Advisory Board. As a climate activist based in St. Kitts, Dominique seeks to integrate research with advocacy, using incorporating of climate justice and sustainable development to inform her work. https://mpeprogram.com/2025-research-symposium daily 0.75 2025-12-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ccb69bdec8aa60cd5025fb3/72e129b8-7ea8-452d-8195-c35a43fc2dd1/2025+Symposium+Schedule+%28Instagram+Post+%2845%29%29+%282%29.png