Dr. Richard A. Rodriguez Division 44 Student Travel Award

The Dr. Richard A. Rodriguez Division 44 Student Travel Award is sponsored by the Committee on Racial and Ethnic Diversity (CoRED) of the Society for the Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity (Div. 44). The purpose of the Dr. Richard A. Rodriguez Div. 44 Student Travel Award is to encourage greater participation in Div. 44 annual convention activities by LGBTQ+ students of color. CoRED acknowledges that LGBTQ+ students of color frequently experience increased demands on time and resources as a result of managing multiple identities within professional organizations. The Dr. Richard A. Rodriguez Div. 44 Student Travel Award therefore seeks to support engagement with LGBTQ+ people of color issues in psychology by defraying travel costs to the American Psychological Association Annual Convention. Two student travel awards in the amount of $500 each will be awarded.

Graduate students who are eligible to apply:

• Self-identify as LGBTQ+ persons of color.
• Demonstrate a strong commitment to LGBTQ+ and ethnic minority issues.
• Plan to attend this year's American Psychological Association Annual Convention.
• Will still be enrolled as graduate students at the time of this year's APA Annual Convention.

LGBTQ+ students of color who are presenting research at the convention are especially encouraged to apply, though all applications will be considered. Two student travel awards in the amount of $500 each will be awarded.

Application Form

Please complete and submit the application form (PDF, 136KB).

Personal Statement

Please submit a personal statement (500-800 words) that addresses each of the following questions: (a) In what ways does your graduate program benefit from your self-identification and involvement as an LGBTQ+ person of color? How does APA benefit from your participation in professional activities as an LGBTQ+ person of color? (b) What unique challenges might LGBTQ+ graduate students of color face that may hinder participation in APA? (c) How would attending the APA Annual Convention further your career goals? (d) Are you presenting research at the APA Annual Convention? If so, how will it contribute to the body of knowledge regarding LGBTQ+ people of color issues?

Curriculum Vitae

Please submit a curriculum vitae electronically.

Letter of Recommendation

Please have a faculty member electronically submit a letter in support of you receiving the Dr. Richard A. Rodriguez Div. 44 Student Travel Award. Faculty members are asked to address the applicant’s commitment to LGBTQ+ people of color issues in academic and other domains.

Submission of Application Materials

A call for award applications occurs each spring/summer. Electronic submission of application materials to the Committee on Racial and Ethnic Diversity (CoRED) chairs is preferred.

Materials should be submitted electronically.

Questions?

Please contact CoRED Co-Chairs Cliff Yung-Chi Chen and Tangela Roberts.

2018

Andrew J. Choi, MA and Mirella J. Flores, MA

2017

David G. Zelaya, MEd and Randolph C. H. Chan, BSocSc

2016

Em Matsuno, MA, and Robert Abreu, MS, EdS

Em Matsuno is a fourth year PhD student in counseling psychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. They work with Dr. Tania Israel and project RISE (Research on Interventions for Sexual minority Empowerment) conducting research on LGBT mental health and well being. Their personal research focuses on creating inclusive and supportive environments for transgender people, transgender minority stress, intersecting identities, and intervention research. This year at APA, Em will present a poster that focuses on an online intervention aimed at reducing internalized transnegativity, give a talk about using psychological theories to inform community trainings on gender diversity, and lead a discussion on the connections between Divs. 44, 35, and 51.

Roberto L. Abreu is a fourth year doctoral candidate in counseling psychology at the University of Kentucky. Roberto's research interests include sexual minority and gender expansive youth, with an emphasis on Latina/o LGBTQ youth and parental, family, and community acceptance and support. At the 2016 APA Convention, Roberto is co-chairing one symposium and co-authoring two poster presentations. The symposium presentation, titled "LGBTQ youth and parental acceptance among people of color: A clos(er) look at intersectionality," provides an overview of the different cultural and historical factors that contribute to parents of color rejecting or accepting attitudes toward their LGBTQ child. The two poster presentations provide a review of the literature on the positive LGBTQ parent-child relationship and addresses the experiences of LGBTQ parents as they navigate the K-12 education system with their child.

2015

Adrian J. Villicana, MA and Skyler Jackson, MS

2014

Jacks Cheng and Deborah Dorton

2013

Anjali Alimchandani and Kevin Delucio

2012

Nicole Grey and Juno Park, MA

2011

Danielle “Danny” K. Phillip, MS, Loyola University Maryland Eddie Siu-Kwan Chong, BSSc, Chinese University of Hong Kong

2010

David Rivera and Brandon Velez

2009

Angela Marie Enno — Utah State University  
Angela Enno recently completed her first year of graduate school in the Combined Clinical/Counseling/School Psychology Doctoral Program at Utah State University, with a multicultural and rural emphasis. At the 2009 APA Annual Convention in Toronto, Canada, Angela delivered a presentation titled "The multiple dimensions of diversity: An ethnic minority trainee’s perspective" in a symposium titled, "Am I competent enough? Latina/o voices and diversity."

Angela was selected as a recipient of the Dr. Richard A. Rodriguez Division 44 Student Travel Award on the basis of her application; personal essay; curriculum vitae; letter of recommendation from Melanie M. Domenech Rodríguez, Ph.D., Associate Professor at Utah State University; and personal commitment to "community-based culturally responsive research" with clients of diverse backgrounds. In her essay, she added, "I can bring a level of complexity and nuanced understanding of diversity, power, and multiculturalism into many discussions."

Bryce Way McDavitt — Pacifica Graduate Institute  
Bryce McDavitt recently finished his first year of graduate school in the Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program at Pacifica Graduate Institute. Bryce presented a paper titled "Ethnic differences in stigma among HIV-positive gay and bisexual men" at the 2009 APA Annual Convention.

Bryce was selected as a recipient for this award on the basis of his application; personal essay; curriculum vitae; letter of recommendation from Matt G. Mutchler, PhD, community-based researcher at AIDS Project Los Angeles; and personal commitment to "contributing to the development of LGBT-affirmative psychotherapy and refining it for ethnic minority individuals." In his essay, he elaborated, "I hope that my work will aid clinicians in empowering clients to actively cope with stigmatization and heal the wounds it can create."

2008

Ja'Nina Walker — City University of New York  
Ja’Nina Walker is a doctoral student in Developmental Psychology at the Graduate School and University Center at the City University of New York. The 2008 APA Convention was Jaye’s first opportunity to become more involved with LGBT and ethnic minority psychology at a national level.

Ja’Nina Walker was selected for the Dr. Richard A. Rodriguez Division 44 Student Travel Award on the basis of the strength of her application, strong recommendation from her professor, Dr. Anna Stetsenko, and her commitment to expanding dialogue about intersections among LGBT, Black, and gender non-conforming identities. The Division wishes Ja’Nina Walker continued success in scholarly and other professional endeavors.

2007

Cliff Yung-Chi Chen, MA is a doctoral student in School Psychology at the APA-accredited Educational Psychology Program in the Graduate School and University Center at City University of New York. At the APA Convention 2007 in San Francisco, California, he presented a research poster titled “Dual-Minority Status and Gay Asian Americans’ Psychological Stress and Adaptation” at the Division 44 poster presentation session.

Cliff Yung-Chi Chen was selected for the Committee on Racial and Ethnic Diversity Student Travel Award on the basis of the strength of his application, favorable recommendation from advisor Dr. Georgiana Tryon, and his contribution to the body of literature regarding LGBT individuals of color. His quantitative study challenged conventional discourse about singular identity models, insisting instead upon an exploration of “dual-minority status” and examining how aspects of race and sexual orientation interact to contribute to psychological stress. The division wishes Cliff Yung-Chi Chen well in future scholarly and other professional endeavors.

2006

Damaliah Gibson, Thang Luu and Juan Contreras

2005

Alison Cerezo and Erlanger Turner

2004

Konjit V. Page — Boston College

2003

Annaliese Singh

2002

Marie Darcy

2001

Ming-Hui Daniel Hsu

2000

Debbiesiu Lee