It takes a village to raise an academic scholar.
I see mentoring as a unique opportunity to give an edge to otherwise disadvantaged students and to share what I know about graduate school with people who might not otherwise have access to it. Much of my service is about widening that door, in my department, at Laney Graduate School, and in the field.
Mentorship
Mentee highlight
Addison Gaddy
Founder, The LIBERTY Project
As a high school student, Addison developed the Living in Bias: Education on Racial Trauma for Youth (LIBERTY) Project, a free online program for adolescents wishing to learn about and address racial trauma, for her Girl Scout Gold Award. She is now an undergraduate at Harvard studying Government and Romance Languages and Literature, and serves as Director General of Harvard's Model United Nations team.
From mentees
In every interaction, Chaela demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to helping her mentees succeed. Her passion for mentoring, dedication to student growth, and ability to provide constructive yet compassionate feedback make her an outstanding mentor.
Chaela left a lasting impression on me and became my mentor in more ways than one. Her demeanor and passion for helping and guiding others is undeniable. Her kind spirit and profound knowledge is admirable. And her dedication and commitment to research and promoting diversity in literature is awe-inspiring.
Growing up, I always knew I wanted to become a psychologist, but my experiences in the BUILD Lab, made all the more meaningful because of Chaela's mentorship, solidified my passion for academia and scientific inquiry. Her patience, intelligence, and dedication to mentorship have set a standard I hope to emulate as I move forward in my academic career.