Congratulations to Dissertation Fellowship Awardees
Each year, the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences is proud to offer Dean’s Dissertation Fellowships to students pursuing completion of their doctoral work. Awardees, nominated by faculty in their departments from a highly-competitive pool of applicants, are chosen to receive a year of financial support.
The 2019-2020 Dean’s Dissertation Fellowship awardees are: Thania Galvan (Department of Psychology), Taisha McMickens, Caleb Green and Craig Weathers (Department of Communication Studies), and Rowland Saifi and Dennis Sweeney (Department of English & Literary Arts).
“This fellowship allows me to not only complete my dissertation in time, but also allows me unique training opportunities that would not have been possible otherwise,” explains Thania Galvan.
Galvan’s work explores how parenting-related factors influence maternal mental health and potentially reduce health disparities among Latinx families.
“The fellowship also allows me to publish my dissertation work in a timely manner so that I can continue to expand my research. In short, this fellowship allows me opportunities that put me closer to achieving my career goals.”
Taisha McMickens, whose work examines “stud” misogyny depicted on black lesbian web series, says “the fellowship is a wonderful opportunity and a huge blessing that gives me the flexibility to dig deeper into my research.”
McMickens’ dissertation unpacks historical racial-sexual subjugation impacting black women, which has led to “studs” enacting, and being victimized by, misogyny. She thanks faculty and colleagues who “have positively helped me develop the critical lens I employ in my work.”
“I am grateful for the opportunity to learn from such thoughtful scholars who have pushed me to think bigger and trust myself,” McMickens adds.
Rowland Saifi plans to use the financial support of CAHSS to travel to Arkansas and New Mexico, the two primary settings explored in his creative dissertation.
He is writing a novel “comprised of a narrative told in seven parts, each examining variations on several primary thematic inquiries of rebirth and extinction, memory and place, inherited atrocity and Capitalocene.”
Saifi thanks his dissertation committee for their kindness and guidance, and his department for their support.
The Dean’s office recognizes the extraordinary commitment and creativity from these doctoral candidates. Congratulations to the awardees!
Pictured above from left to right: Thania Galvan, Taisha McMickens, Rowland Saifi
