welcome from the president
On behalf of the Georgia State University community, it is my pleasure to welcome you to Georgia State’s spring 2026 Ph.D. Commencement and Hooding. What a special occasion for our graduates, their families and friends, and the entire Georgia State community.
To the doctoral candidates, congratulations on a job well done. Earning a doctorate takes dedication, focused study, research and, most of all, a passion for learning. Your years of hard work have paid off.
Whatever the future holds for you, remember you will always be a member of the Georgia State family. Please keep us informed of your achievements as you enter the next chapter of your life.
In addition, I encourage you to become active in the Georgia State Alumni Association. The association will keep you informed about the accomplishments of your university and will provide you with opportunities to network socially and professionally with Georgia State graduates in Georgia, across the nation and around the world.
To the faculty, staff, family and friends who have supported these students, thank you for the important roles you have played. Your graduate’s achievement is a reflection of the support and encouragement you have provided over the years. Their success is your success.
To everyone, thank you for investing in quality higher education, which I believe is the foundation of a bright future for our country and our world.
Sincerely,
M. Brian Blake President
PROCESSIONAL
THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER
WELCOME
The Ph.D. Candidates and Faculty Escorts “Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1,” Sir Edward Elgar The Platform Party “Triumphal March” from Aida, Giuseppe Verdi Members of Georgia State University Symphonic Wind Ensemble
T. Devin Reid, Conductor
Lindsey Hansen-Bravo, soprano, Master of Music, Vocal Performance ’27 Members of Georgia State University School of Music
M. Brian Blake, President
INTRODUCTION OF M. Brian Blake, President COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER
COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS Collins O. Airhihenbuwa, Professor of Health Management and Policy, Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health
PRESENTATION OF Nicolle Parsons-Pollard, Executive Vice President for CANDIDATES FOR DEGREES Academic Affairs and Provost
CONFERRAL OF DEGREES
HOODING AND RECOGNITION
M. Brian Blake, President
Lisa Armistead, Dean, The Graduate School, and Faculty Escorts OF CANDIDATES Accompanied by the Commencement Chamber Ensemble
CLOSING REMARKS
ALMA MATER
RECESSIONAL
M. Brian Blake, President
Shaun Gibbons, tenor, Master of Music, Choral Conducting ’26 Members of Georgia State University School of Music
The Platform Party
The Ph.D. Candidates and Faculty Escorts “Triumphal March” from Aida, Giuseppe Verdi Members of Georgia State University Symphonic Wind Ensemble
T. Devin Reid, Conductor
PM. Brian Blake, President
nicolle Parsons-Pollard, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost
collins o a irhihenBuwa, Professor of Health Management and Policy, Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health
d onald haMelBerg, Vice President for Research and Economic Development
Michael l sanseviro, Vice President for Student Engagement
ThoMas J. vicino, Dean, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies
huanBiao Mo, Dean, Byrdine F. Lewis College of Nursing and Health Professions
Todd n. rosensTiel, Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
Paul a. a lBerTo, Dean and Regents’ Professor in Intellectual Disabilities, College of Education and Human Development
courTney anderson, Dean, College of Law
wade weasT, Interim Dean, College of the Arts
Jian-d ong l i, Director, Institute for Biomedical Sciences
l isa a rMisTead, Dean, The Graduate School
sarah cook, Dean, Honors College
r ichard d. PhilliPs, Dean, J. Mack Robinson College of Business
Bar Bara J. Johnson, Dean, Perimeter College
rodney lyn, Dean, School of Public Health
Jeff sTeely, Dean, University Libraries
PaTrick k freer, Chair, Senate Executive Committee, and Mace Bearer
yves Mck enzie, Nomenclator
shaun giBBons, Soloist
l indsey hansen-Bravo, Soloist
COLLINS O. AIRHIHENBUWA
Professor of Health Management and Policy Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences School of Public Health
Collins O. Airhihenbuwa is a global expert on health behavior and a pioneer in addressing antiracism and decolonization in global public health by centralizing culture and identity in the scholarship of social and behavior change.
He leads the Global Research Against Non-Communicable Diseases (GRAND) initiative at Georgia State University and is the author of the PEN-3 cultural model used to examine and promote positive, acknowledge unique and transform negative aspects of cultures. He has led research collaborations, institutional partnerships and mentoring of faculty and students at various institutions globally.
Airhihenbuwa is a consultant to several United Nations agencies, including the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
He has authored over 180 articles and book chapters and nine books, including “Health and Culture: Beyond the Western Paradigm” (1995), “Healing Our Differences: The Crisis of Global Health and the Politics of Identity” (2007), “Culture and Place: From the Tree to the Forest” (2022), and “Health and Culture: Then and Now” (2026).
He is a former president and Distinguished Fellow of the Society for Public Health Education, a fellow of the American Academy of Health Behavior and a fellow of the Academy of Behavioral Medicine Research. Previously, he was head of the Department of Biobehavioral Health at Penn State University and dean of the College of Public Health and Social Justice at Saint Louis University.
THE PRESIDENT’S MEDALLION
The President’s Medallion is one of the grand traditions of higher education, symbolizing the eminence, authority and responsibilities of the university’s highest office. The medallion, bearing the college seal, is passed from president to president upon inauguration and is an integral part of ceremonial regalia. The Georgia State University Medallion, made with sterling silver and 14-karat gold, was designed in 1990 by Julia Woodman (M.F.A. ’95).
THE MACE
The Mace, inspired by a medieval weapon, is a traditional symbol of sovereignty that dates back to antiquity. It is carried in front of the processional for convocations, presidential inaugurations, commencement and other significant university events. The Georgia State University Mace, featuring a variety of symbols unique to the institution, was created in 1990 for the university’s first presidential inauguration ceremony.
A
The history of academic regalia dates back almost 800 years to medieval times, when the robes that people wore in the fashion of the day were often distinguished with certain styles and colors to denote a particular status, profession or religious order. This tradition persisted among clerics (the original scholars, who wore hoods, caps and gowns to stay warm in big, unheated buildings) and was later continued at universities such as Oxford and Cambridge. Over time, the robes and caps became distinctive for associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctor’s degrees, with every detail prescribed and controlled by the institution.
Academic regalia were first used in the United States in 1883 at Williams College in Massachusetts. As more U.S. colleges began to adopt the tradition, it became apparent that standards were necessary, and in 1895 the Intercollegiate Commission defined guidelines and specifications (changed somewhat since then) for cut, style, material and color based on degree and academic discipline. Even so, the variety of styles and colors displayed in faculty processions reflects each university’s latitude in designing unique and distinctive regalia for its master’s and doctoral robes.
The most elaborate academic costume is the doctoral gown, with velvet panels down the front and three bars of the same material across the sleeves. The velvet is usually black, but it may be a color designating degree subject. The hood bears a larger symbolic burden, with the width of its velvet trimmings designating the level of the degree and its color indicating the major field of learning. The lining of the hood identifies the degree-granting institution. Georgia State University is symbolized by a lining of royal blue with a crimson chevron.
Hoods are trimmed in colors that represent the disciplines as follows:
White arts and letters, including journalism
Scarlet theology
Purple law
Green medicine
Dark Blue philosophy
Yellow science
Brown architecture and the fine arts
Lilac dentistry
Apricot nursing
Pink music
Orange engineering
Olive pharmacy
Light Brown business
Lemon Yellow library science
Light Blue education
Peacock Blue public administration
Citron Yellow social work
Teal physical therapy
Salmon Pink public health
RobeRt L. LLoyd
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
URBAN STUDIES
B.A., 2004, University at Albany
M.A., 2016, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Water City for the People - Equitable Urban Transformation Through Infrastructural Change
Chair: Dr. David Iwaniec
VaLeR iia Lymishchenko
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND CRIMINOLOGY
L.L.B., 2018, Higher School of Economics, Russia
L.L.M., 2022, University of Bologna, Italy
Dissertation: Encrypted Economies: Exploring Fraud and Illicit Trade in Telegram and Darknet Cybercrime Networks
Chair: Dr. David Maimon
Za eng mawi
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
ECONOMICS
B.B.A., 2017, Georgia Gwinnett College
M.A., 2020, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Essays in Education and Immigration
Chair: Dr. Jonathan Smith
X imena P iZa RRo-b oR e
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
PUBLIC POLICY (JOINT WITH GEORGIA TECH)
B.S.I.E., 2014, Universidad de Chile, Chile
M.P.P., 2014, Universidad de Chile, Chile
Dissertation: From System Pressures to Managerial Practice: A Multi-Level Analysis of Telework Implementation in the Chilean State
Chair: Dr. Gregory B. Lewis
Andrew Young School of Policy Studies
DEAN THOMAS J. VICINO
RoRy P hiLiP R enZy
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
PUBLIC POLICY
B.A., 2021, New College of Florida
Dissertation: Three Essays on Homeowners Associations in the United States
Chair: Dr. Cathy Yang Liu
chR istian matthew saenZ
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
ECONOMICS
B.S., 2018, The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
M.A., 2020, Middle Tennessee State University
Dissertation: Essays on Health Economics
Chair: Dr. Michael Pesko
ViRginia ca RR schneideR
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
PUBLIC POLICY
B.A., 2018, Rhodes College
Dissertation: Neither a Hand Up Nor a Hand Out: How Administrative Burdens in TANF Serve Market Interests
Chair: Dr. K. Jurée Capers
bethany bLeVins
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
NURSING
B.S., 2010, Shorter University
Byrdine F. Lewis College of Nursing and Health Professions
B.S.N., 2013, Kennesaw State University
M.S.N., 2019, Chamberlain University
Dissertation: Exploring the Living Experiences and Vulnerabilities of Travel Nurses
Chair: Dr. Dawn M. Aycock
oLajide oPaLeye
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
NURSING
B.S.N., 1996, University of South Carolina
M.S.I.T., 2001, American Intercontinental University
M.S.N., 2021, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Examining African American Church Teachers’ Perspectives on Children With ADHD
Chair: Dr. Dawn M. Aycock
a LeXa d. thomPson DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
NURSING
B.S.N., 1999, Emory University
M.S.N., 2003, Georgia State University
Dissertation: HPV Vaccine Knowledge, Motivation, and Behavioral Skills in Pediatric Nurse Practitioners Providing Adolescent Care
Chair: Dr. Regena Spratling
ma Rci bennafieLd DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
HEALTH SCIENCES
A.A., 1987, Florida State University
B.S., 1989, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
M.P.H., 1993, Emory University
Dissertation: Barriers and Facilitators to mHealth Adoption in African American Emerging Adults With Asthma
Chair: Dr. Lynda T. Goodfellow
DEAN HUANBIAO MO
andR e R egan
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
COMMUNICATION
B.A., 1994, Hunter College
M.S.T., 2001, Iona College
Dissertation: Bedroom Culture 2.0: TikTok’s Reconfiguration of Adolescent Fandom Through Algorithmic Visibility
Chair: Dr. Ethan Tussey
sa R ah a ke
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
CHEMISTRY
B.S., 2018, Kennesaw State University
M.S., 2024, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Investigation of Charge Transport Dynamics in Surface-Charge Influenced Nanoscale Platforms
Chair: Dr. Gangli Wang
musR i a L shahR ani
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
ENGLISH
B.A., 2014, King Khalid University, Saudi Arabia
M.A., 2018, Eastern Kentucky University
Dissertation: Trauma, Perception, and Voices From the Iraq War: A Comparative Analysis of American and Iraqi Literary Works
Chair: Dr. Christopher Kocela
k ayLand a RR ington
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
SOCIOLOGY
B.S., 2017, Kennesaw State University
M.P.H., 2019, Boston University
Dissertation: Between Black Mecca and Buford Highway: Multiethnoracial Latino Lives in Atlanta
Chair: Dr. Veronica A. Newton
shubham bansaL
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
CHEMISTRY
B.S., 2016, Punjabi University, India
M.S., 2018, Punjabi University, India
M.S., 2021, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) Research: From Fundamental Insights to Practical Applicable Tools
Chair: Dr. Binghe Wang
kyRsten buote
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
PSYCHOLOGY
B.S., 2018, Georgia State University
M.A., 2023, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Parents’ Emotion Socialization, Dyadic Mutuality, and Children’s Emotion Communication During Emotional Conversations
Chair: Dr. Erin C. Tully
College of the Arts
INTERIM DEAN WADE WEAST
seth wiLdeR
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
COMMUNICATION
B.A., 2004, San Francisco State University
J.D., 2007, Hastings College of the Law
M.A., 2017, San Francisco State University
Dissertation: Against the Grain: Cinematic Late Style in Contemporary Moving Image Art
Chair: Dr. Jennifer Barker
College of Arts and Sciences
DEAN TODD N. ROSENSTIEL
gabR ieLL chamPion
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
PSYCHOLOGY
B.S., 2018, Wofford College
M.A., 2024, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Midlife Vascular Burden and Domain-Specific
Cognitive Aging: The Role of Structural Brain Markers and Educational Attainment
Chair: Dr. Vince Calhoun
a aja chR istie
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
COMPUTER SCIENCE
B.S., 2021, Georgia State University
M.S., 2025, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Advancing Equitable and Effective CS
Education: Access Assessment and Automated Insights
Chair: Dr. Anu Bourgeois
neLLie coX
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
ENGLISH
B.A., 1998, West Virginia University
M.A., 2000, West Virginia University
Dissertation: Cult Baby
Chair: Dr. Beth Gylys
jessica danh
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
CHEMISTRY
B.S., 2009, The Pennsylvania State University
M.S., 2020, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Impact of a Mixed-Berry Diet on Intestinal Barrier Dysfunction and Associated Development of Hypertension
Chair: Dr. Rafaela G. Feresin
a PR iL s. daVenPoRt
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
ENGLISH
B.A., 2002, University of Notre Dame
M.A., 2004, University of Notre Dame
Dissertation: The Expectations and Efficacy of the Black Intellectual in Evolving America
Chairs: Dr. Renee Schatteman and Dr. Elizabeth West
ma RLaina dR eheR
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
SOCIOLOGY
B.A., 2006, Georgia State University
M.A., 2013, Georgia Southern University
Dissertation: Redefining Health in Virtual Spaces: Pro-Ana and Fat Positive Communities
Chair: Dr. Wendy Simonds
juLian faLcone
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
ASTRONOMY
B.S., 2020, Case Western Reserve University
M.S., 2022, Georgia State University
Dissertation: A Spatially-Resolved, Multiphase Analysis of AGN-Driven Feedback and Outflows in NGC 3227
Chair: Dr. D. Michael Crenshaw
ma Rga R et fancheR
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
ENGLISH
B.A., 2013, Hollins University
M.F.A., 2019, Oregon State University
Dissertation: Judith III
Chair: Dr. Josh Russell
oLuwafoyinsoLa faniyi
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
CHEMISTRY
B.Sc., 2016, University of Lagos, Nigeria
M.S., 2022, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Structure Guided Approach to Antiviral and Anticancer Drug Discovery
Chair: Dr. Ming Luo
Ryan gautR eauX
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
COMMUNICATION
B.S., 2009, University of Louisiana at Lafayette
M.S., 2016, University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Dissertation: Aligning Distances: Frame Congruence in the Correction of Political Belief Echoes
Chair: Dr. Dror Walter
moRgan gomeZ
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
NEUROSCIENCE
B.S., 2019, University of Georgia
M.S., 2022, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Early Life Pain Induces Long-Term Alterations to the Immune Response
Chair: Dr. Anne Z. Murphy
sachaL jacob
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
POLITICAL SCIENCE
B.A., 2016, St. John’s University
M.A., 2019, University of Minnesota
Dissertation: Why States Cooperate in Cybersecurity: Issue Alignment and the Formation of International Cyber Agreements
Chair: Dr. Louis-Alexandre Berg
kyLe jensen
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
PSYCHOLOGY
B.S., 2017, Brigham Young University-Idaho
M.A., 2021, New Mexico State University
Dissertation: Data-Driven Whole-Brain Approaches for Identifying Reliable Functional Imaging Markers of Schizophrenia
Chairs: Dr. Armin Iraji and Dr. Vince Calhoun
sihan jia
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS
B.S., 2020, University of Minnesota
B.A., 2020, University of Minnesota
Dissertation: Statistical Inferences for the Partial Youden Index and Partial AUC With Verification Bias
Chair: Dr. Gengsheng “Jeff” Qin
jacob juLian
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
PSYCHOLOGY
B.A., 2012, The State University of New York at New Paltz
Dissertation: Racial Trauma and Resilience: A MixedMethods Study of Black Women’s Health and Coping
Chair: Dr. Sierra Carter
manik k auR
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
COMPUTER SCIENCE
M.S., 2018, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Understanding the Illicit Financial Ecosystem on Surface-Accessible Platforms: An Evidence-Based Case Study on Telegram
Chair: Dr. Anu Bourgeois
youngmeen k im
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
APPLIED LINGUISTICS
B.A., 2018, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, South Korea
M.A., 2021, University of Hawai‘i at Mãnoa
Dissertation: Language as a Reflection of Human Minds: Machine Learning-Based Corpus Analyses of Linguistic Patterns in Online Mental Health Communities
Chair: Dr. Ute Römer-Barron
sPenceR k insey
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
NEUROSCIENCE
B.A., 2015, Georgia State University
M.A., 2022, Georgia State University
M.S., 2025, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Estimation and Applications of Nonlinear fMRI Connectivity
Chairs: Dr. Vince Calhoun and Dr. Armin Iraji
faLLon PatR ice konow
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
ASTRONOMY
B.A., 2020, Wesleyan University
M.S., 2022, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Global Automatic Telescopes Exploring the Sun (GATES): Building a New Network for Synoptic Space Weather Observations
Chair: Dr. Petrus C. Martens
LauR en Lane
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
COMMUNICATION
B.S., 2014, University of North Carolina at Greensboro
M.S., 2019, North Carolina State University
Dissertation: Glad I Got My Girls: An Examination of Black Women Friendships in Television Across Time
Chair: Dr. Jaye Atkinson
thao Le
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
CHEMISTRY
B.S., 2020, Georgia State University
M.S., 2025, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Analysis of Potential G-Quadruplex Forming Sequences in Orthoflaviviruses as Therapeutic Targets
Chair: Dr. Markus Germann
susan Lee
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
NEUROSCIENCE
B.S., 2014, Emory University
M.S., 2016, Rutgers University
Dissertation: Lateral Septum Drives Differences in Aggression in Males Versus Females
Chair: Dr. H. Elliott Albers
R afia maLLick
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY SOCIOLOGY
B.A., 2007, University of the Punjab, Pakistan
M.A., 2011, Hofstra University
M.A., 2021, The University of Oklahoma
Dissertation: Tangled Threads of Belonging: Racial Discrimination and Segmented Assimilation Among Asian Indian Immigrants in the United States
Chair: Dr. Deirdre Oakley
hoPe ma RtineZ
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
POLITICAL SCIENCE
B.A., 2018, University of South Florida
M.S., 2021, University of Central Florida
M.A., 2024, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Among the Bodies of Our Children: An Analysis of State-Tribal Relations and the Continued Efforts of U.S.
Colonialism on Indigenous Peoples
Chair: Dr. Amy Steigerwalt
shi Va m iRZaeian
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS
B.S., 2013, Shahrekord University, Iran
M.S., 2015, Shahrekord University, Iran
Dissertation: Beyond Traditional Independent Component Analysis: Multiscale, High-Order, and Biotype-Informed Modeling on Intrinsic Connectivity Networks
Chair: Dr. Vince Calhoun
tiR a muRR ay DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
COMMUNICATION
B.A., 2015, Bethune-Cookman University
M.A., 2016, Elon University
Dissertation: “Get Ready With Me”: Queer Asian Male Beauty Influencers Shaping Gender and Make-Up on TikTok
Chair: Dr. Carrie P. Freeman
yoon namkung
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
APPLIED LINGUISTICS
B.A., 2013, Ewha Womans University, South Korea
M.A., 2015, Ewha Womans University, South Korea
Dissertation: Effects of Modality and Procedural Repetition in Out-of-Class Technology-Mediated TBLT: Comparing Videoconferencing and Virtual 3D Settings on Task Engagement and L2 Learning
Chair: Dr. YouJin Kim
daVid o’bR ien
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
PHYSICS
B.A., 1984, Pomona College
B.S., 1990, Georgia Institute of Technology
Ph.D., 2000, Georgia Institute of Technology
B.S., 2014, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Optical Properties of and High Harmonic Generation in Topological Crystalline Insulator SnTe
Chair: Dr. Vadym Apalkov
coR bett oueLLette
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
BIOLOGY
B.S., 2011, Middle Tennessee State University
M.S., 2018, Middle Tennessee State University
Dissertation: Investigating the Streptococcal Heme
Acquisition Cascade Through Spectrofluorometry: High Sensitivities and Novel Discoveries
Chair: Dr. Zehava Eichenbaum
anna P eddLe
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
PSYCHOLOGY
B.A., 2018, Furman University
Dissertation: Sexual Decision Making After Sexual Assault: Personal Safety Appraisals, Sexual Abdication, and Implications for Sexual Health and Safety
Chair: Dr. Cynthia Stappenbeck
sa R ah Powanda
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
ENGLISH
B.A., 2018, Kennesaw State University
B.S., 2018, Kennesaw State University
M.A., 2021, King’s College of London, United Kingdom
Dissertation: Good-for-Her Gothic: Feminist Literature From Shirley Jackson to Rachel Yoder
Chair: Dr. Mark Noble
anna R adeR g RoVes
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY NEUROSCIENCE
B.S., 2020, William & Mary
M.S., 2022, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Adolescent Development of Context Processing in Mouse Visual Cortex
Chair: Dr. Nancy Forger
VeRonica saLcedo
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY SOCIOLOGY
B.A., 2002, William & Mary
M.A., 2018, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Sexually Nonconforming Pinx/ays’
Counternarratives: (Re)claiming and Creating Space for Themselves, Family, and Community
Chair: Dr. Wendy Simonds
ma RLena saLteRs
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY PSYCHOLOGY
B.A., 1996, Fisk University
M.A., 1998, Fisk University
B.C.L., 2004, Louisiana State University
J.D., 2004, Louisiana State University
Dissertation: Transgenerational Trauma: Developing a Mixed Methods Measure
Chair: Dr. Lisa Armistead
andR ew schneideR
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
APPLIED LINGUISTICS
B.F.A., 2003, Southern Methodist University
M.A., 2016, University of Massachusetts Boston
Dissertation: Aviation English in Flight Training: Utterance, Perception, and Cognition of Accuracy and Fluency in Standard Phraseology Between First and Second Language English Speakers
Chair: Dr. YouJin Kim
james scuLLy
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY NEUROSCIENCE
B.S., 2017, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Adaptability of the Dendronotus Iris Swim Central Pattern Generator
Chair: Dr. Andrey L. Shilnikov
ca R ine seudieu seudieu
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
CHEMISTRY
B.S., 2020, Georgia College & State University
M.S., 2022, Georgia State University
Dissertation: The Development of Near-Infrared Indolium Carbocyanine Dyes as Antimicrobial Agents in Photodynamic Therapy
Chair: Dr. Kathryn B. Grant
m ichaeL siRR ine
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
BIOLOGY
B.S., 2020, Brigham Young University
Dissertation: Identification and Characterization of Novel Henipavirus Inhibitors Through High-Throughput Screening
Chair: Dr. Richard Plemper
tiffany smith
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
ENGLISH
B.G.S., 2003, The University of Kansas
M.A., 2004, Webster University
M.A., 2007, Webster University
Dissertation: Naming Persistent Tensions Between Rhetorical Agency and Modality Use: A Dual Pedagogy for First-Year Composition
Chairs: Dr. Elizabeth Lopez and Dr. Michael Harker
hannah stuRgeon
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
NEUROSCIENCE
B.S., 2019, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
M.S., 2022, Georgia State University
Dissertation: The Role of the Microbiota in Early-life
Intestinal, Immune, and Brain Development
Chair: Dr. Nancy Forger
k aitLyn tobin
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
PSYCHOLOGY
B.S., 2016, Johns Hopkins University
M.A., 2023, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Executive Functions and Parenting in Middle Childhood, Preadolescence, and Adolescence
Chair: Dr. Erin C. Tully
meghan Vogt
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
NEUROSCIENCE
B.S., 2019, Bowling Green State University
M.S., 2023, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Hippocampal Development and Cognition in a Rat Model of Perigestational Opioid Exposure
Chair: Dr. Anne Z. Murphy
LiPing yang
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
ENGLISH
B.A., 2011, Northwest Normal University, China
M.A., 2015, Renmin University of China, China
Dissertation: Cyborg Rhetorics of Human-Machine
Composition: Meaning-(un)making in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
Chairs: Dr. Michael Harker and Dr. Baotong Gu
shah Zaman
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
SOCIOLOGY
M.A., 2023, Georgia State University
Dissertation: The Socio-Spatial Production of Child Work and Child Labor in Global Perspective: A 50 Country Study of Underdevelopment and Lost Childhood
Chair: Dr. Daniel S. Pasciuti
College of Education and Human Development
DEAN PAUL A. ALBERTO
RobeRt bennett
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
TEACHING AND LEARNING
B.S., 2006, University of Georgia
M.Ed., 2008, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Searching for Understanding: How Do Nature of Science Understandings and Science Identity Intersect for High School Biology Students?
Chair: Dr. Renée S. Schwartz
steRLine Vincent caLdweLL
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
TEACHING AND LEARNING
B.S., 2011, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
B.S., 2011, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
M.S., 2014, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
Dissertation: Heritage Knowledge, Moorish Algebra, and the Rehumanization of Mathematics Education
Chair: Dr. Christopher C. Jett
ca RoLine sutton chubb
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
EDUCATIONAL POLICY STUDIES
B.A., 2015, University of Central Forida
M.A., 2021, University of Colorado-Colorado Springs
Dissertation: Bridging Guidelines and Practice: An Implementation Science Perspective on Statistical Rigor N Meta-Analysis
Chair: Dr. Terri Pigott
bR andy gaiL eLRod
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY
B.S., 2000, Auburn University
M.Ed., 2005, University of Georgia
Ed.S., 2009, Piedmont College
M.Ed., 2017, Georgia State University
Ed.S., 2018, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Field-Based Supervision of Preservice School Psychologists
Chairs: Dr. Joel Meyers and Dr. Chavez Phelps
coR ey eVont eVans
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
EARLY CHILDHOOD AND ELEMENTARY EDUCATION
B.A., 1995, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
M.A., 1997, South Carolina State University
Dissertation: An Exploration of Current Early Literacy
Research of African American Children in Early Childhood
Education (Birth Through Age Five)
Chair: Dr. Chenyi Zhang
k R istin denise h emingway
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY
B.S., 2019, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
M.S., 2021, Georgia State University
Dissertation: “Tell Me, Are You Ready?” Understanding the Impact of Virtual Communities of Practice on the Confidence of Early Career Teachers to Enact Culturally Sustaining Pedagogical Practices
Chair: Dr. Jennifer Darling-Aduana
tyRone moR and jackson
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
TEACHING AND LEARNING
B.A., 2007, The University of New Orleans
M.Mu., 2013, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Extending Agency to Improvisation Students by Utilizing Corpus Tools for the Acquisition of Jazz Language
Chair: Dr. Patrick K. Freer
a LeXandR ia ma R ie johnson
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
EDUCATIONAL POLICY STUDIES
B.A., 2014, University of Cincinnati
M.A., 2019, University of Cincinnati
Dissertation: Semester on Edge: Intersectional Counternarratives of Minoritized Undergraduates Studying Abroad at Sea
Chair: Dr. Chara Bohan
yeon-joo k ang
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
KINESIOLOGY
M.S., 2018, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Effect of One Session of Balance Board on Postural Control and Gait Pattern in Adults and Children
Chair: Dr. Jianhua Wu
Romonda L. m iddLebRooks-jeffeRson
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
TEACHING AND LEARNING
B.S., 1991, University of Georgia
M.S., 1993, University of Georgia
Ed.S., 2002, Georgia State University
Dissertation: The Legacy and Lineage of Pedagogical Excellence: A Critical Self-Inquiry and a Collective Narrative Exploration
Chair: Dr. Nadia Behizadeh
iLLiana RosaL naVa RR a- guZak
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
COUNSELING AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES
B.A., 2019, Wayne State University
M.A., 2022, Bowling Green State University
Dissertation: An Intersectional Multivariate Examination of Multicultural Personality, Identity Configurations, and Perceived Discrimination
Chair: Dr. Franco Dispenza
ca RoLine b. R abaLais
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
TEACHING AND LEARNING
B.S., 2017, University of Georgia
M.Ed., 2018, University of Georgia
Dissertation: Critical Literacies in a Surveillance State: Examining Power and Control in the English Language Arts Classroom
Chair: Dr. Nadia Behizadeh
hannah sca R bRough
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
EDUCATIONAL POLICY STUDIES
B.S.Ed., 2018, University of Georgia
M.Ed., 2020, University of Georgia
Dissertation: From Meta-Analysis to Practice: Understanding How Education Research is Interpreted and Applied
Chair: Dr. Terri Pigott
jessica c. showeLL
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
TEACHING AND LEARNING
B.S., 2011, Towson University
M.S., 2019, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Braided Brilliance: A Mini Ethnographic Case Study of Black Girl Mathematical Practices in a Cultural Braiding Camp
Chair: Dr. Nickolaus A. Ortiz
h eidi tuRcotte
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
TEACHING AND LEARNING
B.A., 1996, Edinboro University
M.A., 2013, Miami University
Dissertation: Uncovering the Scientist Within: The Impact of Authentic Experiences on Mathematics Pre-Service
Teachers’ Scientific Literacy
Chair: Dr. Renée S. Schwartz
k eiwana gLoVeR
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
TRANSLATIONAL BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES
B.S., 2013, Spelman College
M.S., 2016, Morehouse School of Medicine
Dissertation: Iron Availability Impacts Antimicrobial Susceptibility and Biofilm Stability in Neisseria gonorrhoeae
Chair: Dr. Cynthia Nau Cornelissen
sanji V shR estha
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
TRANSLATIONAL BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES
B.S., 2016, Kathmandu College of Science and Technology, Nepal
M.S., 2019, Tribhuvan University, Nepal
Dissertation: Role of Novel Therapeutics in Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm and Dissection (TAAD)
Chair: Dr. Ping Song
chR istian VaLdeZ
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
EARLY CHILDHOOD AND ELEMENTARY EDUCATION
B.S., 2013, Georgia State University
M.Ed., 2017, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Echándole Más Agua a Los Frijoles: How Racialized Bilingual Families and Community Members
Sustain, Access, and Enact Community Cultural Wealth in a Community-Based Educational Space
Chair: Dr. Ana Solano-Campos
b oshi wang
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
EDUCATIONAL POLICY STUDIES
B.S., 2015, Northern Arizona University
M.Ed., 2017, Northern Arizona University
Dissertation: Investigating the Impacts of Longitudinal Measurement Non-Invariance in Latent Transition Analysis
Chair: Dr. Terri Pigott
benjamin wiLLiams
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
EDUCATIONAL POLICY STUDIES
B.A., 2013, Georgia State University
M.S., 2015, Miami University
Dissertation: Navigating Space, Place, and Belonging: An Exploration of the Impact of Campus Ecology on LGBTQ+ Collegians’ Sense of Belonging
Chair: Dr. David Johnson
eLeanoR fang yan
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY
M.Ed., 2017, Boston University
Dissertation: Direct and Indirect Effects of Inferencing on Reading Comprehension in Adult Literacy Learners: A Path Analysis of Group Differences in Native and Non-Native English Speakers
Chairs: Dr. Kathryn McCarthy and Dr. Lee Branum-Martin
Institute for Biomedical Sciences
DIRECTOR JIAN-DONG LI
thR esa weLL s
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
TRANSLATIONAL BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES
B.A., 2012, Spelman College
M.S., 2015, Barry University
Dissertation: The Inscrutable TdfF: Interrogating Neisseria gonorrhoeae’s Life Line in the Intracellular Environment
Chair: Dr. Cynthia Nau Cornelissen
feRnando enR ique tRocheZ L oPeZ
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
B.B.A., 2014, Georgia Southern University
MBA, 2019, University of Georgia
Dissertation: The Emotional Sensitivity Edge: Unpacking the Role of Affect in Building Global Competencies Through Virtual Teams and In Situ Experiences
Chair: Dr. Leigh Anne Liu
soyun nam
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
FINANCE
B.S.B., 2011, Indiana University Bloomington
B.A.B., 2014, Sungkyunkwan University, South Korea
M.A.S., 2017, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Does Momentum in ICAPM State Variable Risk
Premia Drive Characteristic Portfolio Momentum?
Chair: Dr. Scott Murray
jamani ba R keR ga RneR
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
PUBLIC HEALTH
B.S., 2019, Augusta University
M.S., 2022, Augusta University
Dissertation: Child Maltreatment Victimization and EarlyLife Homelessness: Investigating Pathways to Behavioral and Mental Health Outcomes
Chair: Dr. Shannon Self-Brown
a Rshya guR bani
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
PUBLIC HEALTH
B.A., 2014, University of Southern California
M.A., 2018, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Dissertation: Non-Individual Level Predictors of Diabetes: Legal Mapping and Geographic Weighted Analysis to Consider the Environment in Which Diabetes Occur
Chair: Dr. Daniel Whitaker
J. Mack Robinson College of Business
DEAN RICHARD D. PHILLIPS
danieLa feRnanda R i VeR a P iedR a DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
B.S., 2021, Iowa State University
Dissertation: Intercultural Trust Dynamics in Immigrant
Employment Integration
Chair: Dr. Leigh Anne Liu
qianyin X ia
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
MARKETING
B.E., 2017, Nanjing Agricultural University, China
M.S., 2019, Georgia Institute of Technology
M.A., 2022, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing in Teams: A Graph-Based Deep Learning Approach
Chairs: Dr. Yi Zhao and Dr. Naveen Donthu
School of Public Health
DEAN RODNEY LYN
yu-jung Lin
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
PUBLIC HEALTH
B.S., 2019, China Medical University, China
M.S., 2020, China Medical University, China
Dissertation: Air Pollution Exposure Across Microenvironments and Associated Metabolic Pathways in Children Aged 3-4 Years
Chair: Dr. Roby Greenwald
k austubh wagh
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
PUBLIC HEALTH
B.H.M.S., 2009, Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, India
MBA, 2011, Institute of Health Management Research, India
M.P.H., 2019, Emory University
Dissertation: Spatiotemporal Dynamic of Diabetes Burden Along the USA-Mexico Border: An Integrative Analysis of Past Trends and Future Projections
Chair: Dr. Gerardo Chowell
connected
Dear Graduates,
Welcome to the Georgia State University Panther alumni family!
Congratulations on becoming the newest of more than 306,000 Georgia State alumni worldwide. Graduation is a significant accomplishment that deserves celebration!
Chair
Denise Kennedy, B.A. ’06, M.A. ’14
Vice Chair
Bryant Springer, B.B.A. ’96
Treasurer
Suman Gera, B.B.A. ’82
Directors
Charleata Battle, MBA ’12, Ph.D. ’22
Samone Boss, MBA ’22
LaTonya Brown, A.S. ’92, B.S.E. ’95, M.Ed. ’98
LaToya Morgan Byrd, B.S. ’11 M.Ed. ’14, Ed.D. ’20
W. Imara Canady, B.A. ’08
Odie A. Donald II, B.A. ’03, MBA ’12
Steve Echard, B.S. ’94
Byron Fitch, B.B.A. ’06
Alisha Hill, B.A. ’00, M.Ed. ’02
Andy Kearney, B.S. ’94
Randall Kent, B.B.A. ’08
Kiara Maddox, Dr.P.H. ’23
Robin Moore, M.I.S. ’18, Ph.D. ’20
Marcia Oglesby, B.A. ’93
Tony Price, B.S. ’12, M.S. ’14, Ph.D. ’24
Frederico Rowe, M.Ed. ’05
Joel Thibodeaux, M.P.P. ’12
Grace Victor, B.I.S. ’08
Tiffany Willis, B.A. ’08, J.D. ’13
Here are four ways to immediately engage with the Georgia State alumni community:
1. Stay connected! Engage with the Alumni Association by attending Alumni After Hours networking events and athletic events, joining the STATE to State: Regional Series held in Charlotte, Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C., and participating in other beneficial professional development opportunities.
2. Commit time and resources to help the university and its students. Serve as a volunteer, donate to a scholarship or mentor a student. Large impacts often start with small efforts.
3. Chart the course for the alumni experience. Set aside five minutes to visit alumni.gsu.edu/newgrad and share your ideas on what the Alumni Association can do for you and how you prefer to keep in touch.
4. Show Panther Pride in your community, workplace or wherever your journey takes you by sharing your experience and with others.
We look forward to seeing you at an upcoming event. Go Panthers!
Georgia State University
Alumni Association Board of Directors
Stay engaged!
Alma Mater, we are loyal to the name of Georgia State. Love and honor we accord thee, and devotion from our hearts. In respect and veneration we shall always hold thy name. Nurturer of light and knowledge, we shall ever tell thy fame.
Happy are thy sons and daughters spread abroad throughout the land. Knowing that we are forever part of thine own faithful band. Where the paths of life are crowded, we have known thy pleasant bond. And the love of Alma Mater we shall never pass beyond.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
UNIVERSITY SENATE COMMENCEMENT COMMITTEE
M. Brian Blake, Chair
Mesha Brown
Bobby Burns
Rubena Cela
Sabrina Champion-Wilson
Brandi Childress
COMMENCEMENT COUNCIL
Chandler Apple
Marshawn Battle
Christopher Bernard
Mesha Brown
Kevin Chappell
Wayne Clanton
Joseph Corrigan
William Davis
Tomeka Davis
Michael Eriksen
Ola Gardner
David Houchins
Tarrah Mirus
Christopher Robertson
Yolande Duncan
William Gaston III
Fred Hammett
Brandon Hortman
Bruce Johnson
Paul Kany
Justen Keeney-Ritchie
Damon Lynch
CONTRIBUTING DEPARTMENTS AND ORGANIZATIONS
The 1913 Society
Alumni Association
Athletics Department
Facilities Management Services
Instructional Innovation and Technology
Office of the Registrar
Parking and Transportation
Public Relations and
Marketing Communications
Rialto Center for the Arts
School of Music
Student Center
University Bookstore
The commencement program is printed prior to the submission of final grades for some applicable academic terms. Therefore, the program lists students who are candidates for degree conferral. A listing does not constitute conferral of the degree.
Glenwood Ross
Torian Salary
Michael L. Sanseviro
Shamieca Shine
Cynthia Stappenbeck
James Wilson
Michael Mays
Kristina Martinez
Robert Paltz
T. Devin Reid
Christopher Robertson
Anthony Russell
Amy Seals
University Events Management
University faculty
University Police Department
University Senate
University staff and volunteers