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Ten Students Join the 2024 UMass Boston Transdisciplinary Dissertation Proposal Development Program Summer Institute

The Office of Graduate Studies, McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies, the College of Liberal Arts, the College of Education and Human Development, and the College of Science and Mathematics are pleased to announce the 2024 cohort of the UMass Boston Transdisciplinary Dissertation Proposal Development (TDPD) program Summer Institute.

The TDPD program is designed for students who plan to defend their dissertation proposals during the next academic year. These 10 exceptional students have been selected among a large and highly competitive pool of candidates from across the University. In addition, this year, we selected students whose projects help to address one or more of UMass Boston’s Grand Scholarly Challenges.

Using inter- and transdisciplinary approaches, the TDPD Summer Institute helps students develop competitive proposals for external funding, increases their support networks, and provides career development guidance. Over the summer, students will conduct preliminary research to support their proposal development. Following the Summer Institute, students will receive $3,000 in summer research funds to support their dissertation proposal development.

The 10 Summer Institute fellows for 2024 represent eight graduate programs across the University. These fellows are:

Mahesh Admankar (Public Policy, McCormack School)

Topic: how business advocacy organizations in Massachusetts address social justice issues

Leigh Bennett (Higher Education, College of Education and Human Development)

Topic: how craft-based pedagogies and makerspaces contribute to a "pluriversal" framework for writing  

Jacqueline Campo (Applied Linguistics, College of Liberal Arts)

Topic: the experiences, identities, language practices, and educational trajectories of Quechua people

Carminia Lisette Castillo (Urban Education, Leadership, and Policy Studies, College of Education and Human Development)

Topic: multifaceted experiences of Dominican students in educational settings, particularly in classrooms led by white, female, and monolingual teachers

Wonguk Cho (Applied Linguistics, College of Liberal Arts)

Topic: relationship between language policies and language practices nationally and within families related to a recent growth in immigration of temporary workers to South Korea

Carl Cowan (Global Governance and Human Security, McCormack School)

Topic: the role of human rights in health care response to disasters

Shauna Murray (Global Inclusion and Social Development, College of Education and Human Development)

Topic: how early childhood development programs can contribute to shifting gender norms within the home and community in Rwanda

Adebobola Omowon (Global Governance and Human Security, McCormack School)

Topic: e-wars, or the ways that tensions and conflicts related to past civil war in Nigeria play out online

Melba Sosa (Integrated Biosciences: Bioinformatics, College of Science and Mathematics)

Topic: identifying and developing microbe-based interventions that enhance the resilience and function of coastal ecosystems facing urbanization impacts

Ievgeniia (Eve) Zasoba (Sociology, College of Liberal Arts)

Topic: Ukrainian war-induced migration and how refugees navigate different state systems

Professor Rosalyn Negrón (Anthropology) and Professor Elizabeth Sweet (Anthropology) will be this year’s faculty facilitators. The Office of Graduate Studies and the College of Liberal Arts support the TDPD program. Congratulations to the 2024 fellows!

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International Women’s Day is March 8

March 8 is International Women’s Day. On International Women’s Day, we celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women globally. International Women’s Day reminds us to address gender inequalities and advocate for women’s rights.

This year, we highlight the important work of three students from the UMass Boston School for Global Inclusion and Social Development who are working to promote a more inclusive and equitable world for women and people of all genders around the world.

The following blog posts were written by Shymaa Bedaiwy Allam, Odgerel Dashzeveg, Shahrzad Sajadi, and Joy Chrysyl L. Solon.

“A Women, Helping Women Help Women”: Women’s Financial Inclusion in Egypt

By: Shymaa Bedaiwy Allam

Shymaa speaking at a financial empowerment for women and youth session at the Arab Savings and Financial Literacy Conference in Cairo, October 2023.

I focus my research on the impact of financial inclusion and microfinance on women’s empowerment. Microfinance came into the spotlight worldwide as one of the most debated development tools right after Muhammed Yunus was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006. Most of the debate around microfinance focuses on the impact of extending these financial services to people who experience poverty and whether microfinance services have helped people out of poverty.

My research highlights the uniqueness of microfinance staffing and the critical role microfinance staff play in extending microfinance services to those who experience poverty. I seek to answer questions like, what is the impact of loan officers on microfinance's mission? With microfinance being first introduced to women, it is meaningful to focus on the role of women loan officers on helping their women clients. Women loan officers also must navigate the assumption that women are better lenders than men. I also address the impact of microfinance regulations on empowering women in Egypt. I aim to map the challenges and opportunities for women within the microfinance market to prevent over-indebtedness and other potential harm to women entrepreneurs.

I was the first woman microfinance regulator in Egypt. I have previously worked as the financial inclusion programme manager with UN Women, and as a policy development specialist at a US Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded activity on Micro-Enterprise Finance (EMF). I have also coordinated many of Sanabel’s regional projects (the Microfinance Network for Arab countries). I am now pursuing Doctorate studies at the University of Massachusetts Boston in the field of Global Inclusion and Social Development.

I hope to continue working as an expert in poverty alleviation issues for women. I want to continue analyzing the impact of economic policies on the welfare of women. I wish to do this as a university staff member, so that I also have the opportunity to teach the next generation. In my words, I am “a woman, helping women help women.”

Contact Shymaa by email for more information about her work: Shymaa.Allam001@umb.edu

Celebration of International Women’s Day in Mongolia

By: Oge Dashzeveg

Traditional Naadam festival celebrated July 11–13, 2022 in Mongolia, Photo Credit: Odgerel Dashzeveg

Mongolia is one of the many countries that celebrate International Women's Day on March 8 as an official public holiday. This tradition dates back to the socialist era when women's suffrage as working mothers was celebrated and rewarded. Socialism promoted working mothers through education, work, and care. In return, women were committed to contributing to the communist production of the economy equally to men and the reproduction of the workforce within their full ability as mothers. This holiday is celebrated as Mother's Day in both public and private spheres.

In post-socialist Mongolia, this public holiday still holds the legacy of Mother's Day but is celebrated more as a Women's Day. Since transitioning from a planned economy communist system to a democratized market capitalism, the contact between the state and women has changed. The state still provides limited care for women, but education and work shifted to the invisible hands of market regulation. The state continues to celebrate women's motherhood by holding mass public events and awarding women who have given birth to four or more children.

On the flip side, women are fighting for their de-facto rights, urging the state to understand the reality women have been dealing with since the transition. The unintended consequences of failing economies have trapped many women in extended unemployment, underemployment, and poverty. This exacerbates their socioeconomic vulnerability, making them more susceptible to social and domestic abuse and discrimination.

Today, the younger generation of women is becoming the voice for all, advocating for generational gender equality in politics, inclusive access to economic opportunities, reducing the motherhood penalty, and promoting welfare mothers' transition to decent and flexible work.

Contact Oge by email for more information about her work: Odgerel.Dashzeveg@umb.edu

Memoir Writing Workshops with Syrian Refugee Women and Girls

By: Shahrzad Sajadi

Laundry on lines outside the informal settlement camps in the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon, Photo credit: Naoki Tokyo.

After conducting a series of workshops with Syrian refugee youth and needs assessment studies with other experts in the field around the rise in the rates of child marriages in the region, my colleague Dr. Valerie Karr and I ran a series of empathy-focused memoir writing workshops with seven Syrian refugee women and girls in the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon. The stories that emerged from these workshops tell the tale of loss and pain as well as empowerment and tremendous strength. These workshops were facilitated by our local partner, Nahida Nusair who met with the women on a weekly basis and kept in contact with them even after the workshops were over.

Here is an excerpt from one of the stories of the young women:

I am one of the women who decided their fate with their own hands. I decided to be one of the married young girls. I thought marriage was a white dress, pretty jewelry, a big party, dancing, and singing. And I thought that every day would be better than the one before. And I used to think that my husband would love me so much and would take care of me and give me everything I asked for, whatever I wanted would be ready in front of me and that he would take me every day to a place, and we would be very happy. Do you think this is what marriage is? I did."

Contact Shahrzad by email for more information about her work:

shahrzad.sajadi001@umb.edu

The Impact of Typhoon Yolanda and Climate Change on Women in Philippines

By: Joy Chrysyl Llido Solon

Joy Solon with a view of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico in the background.

The changing climate has caused an increase in extreme natural disasters. Typhoon Yolanda, one of the most destructive typhoons ever, made landfall through central and southern Philippines on November 8, 2013. Over 150,000 families were evacuated, and 6,300 lives were lost[1]. As a PhD student in the School of Global Inclusion and Social Development, my primary research project centers on the climate justice movement for the loss of life and damages caused by Typhoon Yolanda.

Climate change has a disproportionate impact on vulnerable communities of the global majority. In the aftermath of natural disasters, women and young girls living in poverty become vulnerable and are placed in harmful situations, including early marriage, human trafficking, and sexual exploitation[2]. Women are harshly affected by climate change and natural disasters because of the inequities brought forth by gendered social roles, cultural norms, social marginalization, discrimination, and poverty[3],[4]. Additionally, the masculinity of climate change discourse results in masculinist ideologies, policies, and solutions. This leaves the vulnerabilities of women behind and out of the decision-making process3,[5]. Therefore, the climate justice social movement must establish a women’s rights framework and include a focus on gender inequalities.

I hope to include women-led grassroots networks, climate justice activists, and members and leaders of the community affected by the typhoon as participants in my research. I intend to offer a feminist critique of climate justice that will promote authentic advocacy of women and girls.

Contact Joy by email for more information about her work: Joy.Solon@umb.edu

Joy Solon’s Citations:

[1] Del Rosario, E. D. National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. (2015). Final Report: Effects of Typhoon “Yolanda” (Haiyan).

[2] Elago, S. (2021, March 17). Let’s talk about the state of Filipino women amid a climate emergency. ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights. https://aseanmp.org/2021/03/17/lets-talk-about-the-state-of-filipino-women-amid-a-climate-emergency/

[3] Gaard, G. (2015). Ecofeminism and climate change. Women’s Studies International Forum, 49, 20-33. DOI: 10.1016/j.wsif.2015.02.004

[4] Seck, S. L. (2017). Revisiting transnational corporations and extractive industries: climate justice, feminism, and state sovereignty. Transnational Law and Contemporary Problems, 26(2), 383-414.

[5] Feng, J. L. (2022). Toward queer climate justice (Publication No. 29254739) [Doctoral dissertation, University of California Santa Barbara]. ProQuest Dissertation or Thesis.

Additional Resources to Explore:

Publications by Shymaa Bedaiwy Allam

"An evaluation of Egyptian Microfinance Laws and Regulations preventing client overindebtedness of women”, The Journal of International Development.

“Regulating Microfinance for Socioeconomic Security”, Book Chapter: Regulating Human Rights, Social Security, and Socio-Economic Structures in a Global Perspective. IGI Global

“Proceed with caution — Protecting the economic well-being of women using Microfinance”, Book Chapter: “Transforming Economies Through Microfinance in Developing Nations”. IGI Global

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SGISD’s Racheal (Rae) Inegbedion Launches new Documentary Short Focused on Disability Employment in Nigeria and Malawi

Congratulations to School for Global Inclusion and Social Development (SGISD) PhD candidate Racheal Inegbedion! Racheal recently launched her second short documentary film titled Breaking Boundaries: Empowering Abilities into the Nigeria & Malawi Workforce with support from the US Department of State.

The goal of her film is to “shatter the boundaries hindering job opportunities for youth with disabilities” in two regions: Lagos State, Nigeria, and Dzaleka Refugee Camp, Malawi. In this short documentary, 10 people with disabilities narrate their diverse experiences breaking down barriers to employment.

The film premiered at the American Corners in Nigeria and Malawi during a virtual workshop for hiring managers to deepen their understanding of inclusive employment and equitability.

Racheal is the founding Executive Director of the Special Needs Initiative For Growth. She co-produced this film with Toussaint Farini, founder of Salama Africa. Both Racheal and Toussaint recently received the 2023 Leveraging Innovations in New Communities (LINC) Award of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, a US Department of State Program for Young African Leaders.

Watch 10 disabled advocates tell their stories of breaking down barriers to employment in this 15-minute documentary short film.

Read the newspaper report from the Guardian on the documentary’s launch.

Watch the commemoration by the US Mission in Nigeria.

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We’re Hiring! Two New Positions Open at SGISD

Join a great workplace that supports and advances UMass Boston's values of diversity and equity! The School for Global Inclusion and Social Development (SGISD) at the UMass Boston College of Education and Human Development is hiring a full-time Assistant Professor and full-time Lecturer.

We’ve included the job descriptions in this message with links to the applications and more information.

Assistant Professor

We are hiring a tenure-track Assistant Professor with expertise in critical race and ethnic studies/decolonial studies. A successful candidate has research and practice experience applying a global and intersectional lens to their work focused on race, ethnic, or decolonial studies and social and economic development for marginalized groups. The Assistant Professor will teach courses in the Global Inclusion curriculum and supervise Master's capstone and PhD dissertation projects.

This position is based on Boston, MA and begins September 1, 2024.

We will review applications beginning on October 14, 2023. Learn more and apply!

Lecturer (Rehabilitation/School Counseling)

We are hiring a full-time Lecturer of Rehabilitation/School Counseling in the Department of Counseling and School Psychology! This position requires a doctoral degree from a CACREP-accredited program as well as graduate-level clinical and teaching experience in counselor education.

A successful candidate will:

teach courses in the Rehabilitation and School Counseling masters’ programs

teach 4 graduate courses in the Fall and Spring semesters (8 courses per year)

advise graduate students within the Rehabilitation Counseling and School Counseling programs

provide service to the Rehabilitation Counseling and School Counseling programs

This position can be remote, but we will give preference to persons who are willing to teach and engage in service activities in person. We will review applications beginning on October 15, 2023. Learn more and apply!

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SGISD Welcomes new Associate Dean for Research, Innovation, and Community Partnership & Director of SGISD, Dr. S. Tiffany Donaldson

The School for Global Inclusion and Social Development (SGISD) is deeply honored and excited to announce that Dr. S. Tiffany Donaldson will begin her new role in the College of Education and Human Development as Associate Dean for Research, Innovation, and Community Partnerships and Director of the School for SGISD this fall! Dr. Donaldson joins us from UMass Boston, where she served as Professor of Psychology in the Psychology Department and Honors College for the past 26 years.

In 1993, Dr. Donaldson received her PhD with Distinction in Psychology from Northeastern University with concentrations in Neuroscience and Psychopharmacology. In her two-and-a-half-decade tenure at UMass Boston, Dr. Donaldson has led initiatives focused on anti-racist practices and developed expertise in three main areas:

1. Securing funding to support Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) research trainees. Dr. Donaldson has led many National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded initiatives that have trained BIPOC and Deaf and hard of hearing scholars who are traditionally underrepresented in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. She secured funding from the Department of Education and from various foundations to operate a multi-summer, hands-on Science Literacy Camp at low- to no-cost for BIPOC students in Boston Public Schools. She was awarded the Chancellor’s Award for Distinguished Service for this outreach.

2. Training faculty on anti-racist mentorship practices. Dr. Donaldson has trained over 250 undergraduates and has trained/co-mentored more than 10 graduate students. She received training from the NIH-funded National Research Mentoring Network as a Mentor Trainer in 2016. Since that time, she has hosted mentor training sessions across UMass Boston, the Commonwealth, and for multiple nationwide public and private institutions promoting evidence-based mentoring practices for the social and behavioral and biomedical sciences, emphasizing anti-racist and reflective diversity and equity practices. She was also recently awarded the Chancellor’s Award for Distinguished Teaching for her commitment and dedication to mentoring students and faculty.

3. Conducting community-engaged participatory research on evidence-based interventions in BIPOC communities. Dr. Donaldson has encouraged a broader view of health career trajectory for BIPOC students at UMass Boston, including public health and community based participatory research in their communities. As the co-director of the Outreach Core of the U54 UMass Boston Dana Farber/Harvard Cancer Center Partnership, Dr. Donaldson has worked in Lawrence, MA and around greater Boston with community- and faith-based organizations to adapt evidenced-based interventions to address inequities in cancer burden. In these settings, she has trained UMass Boston undergraduates in using community-based participatory research principles. She also helped to develop a Science Café format to share science outside of the academy to foster relationships and connections in the community.

As SGISD’s new Director, Dr. Donaldson aspires to learn more through conversations and shared spaces to support the existing work and to encourage further inclusion of marginalized BIPOC communities in this ongoing work. Dr. Donaldson has collaborated with graduate students, faculty, and staff from SGISD on NIH and National Cancer Institute-funded participatory action research in BIPOC communities. Through these partnerships and collaborations, she has learned about research and the global and inclusive work of SGISD programs, the Asian American Studies Program, the Institute for New England Native American Studies, and the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI).

Dr. Donaldson is impressed with the anti-racist work the SGISD community has begun and the commitment to diversity and inclusion. She is excited to highlight the research, community partnerships, and innovation of SGISD, and partner to extend the work.

Welcome, Dr. S. Tiffany Donaldson!

Learn more about Dr. Donaldson and her work in UMass Boston’s Behavioral Psychopharmacology Neuroscience Lab.

Read Dr. Donaldson’s research publications.

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SGISD PhD Student Caitlin Ferrarini Publishes Article in Metropolitan Universities 

Caitlin Ferrarini, PhD candidate at UMass Boston School of Global Inclusion and Social Development (SGISD), recently published an article about her research on cross-border community-based learning in the Metropolitan Universities Journal.  

Her article, “Cross-border Community-based Learning as a Strategy in Diversity and Multicultural Teacher Preparation”, summarizes research findings from a comparative case study of two sections of a diversity and multicultural education course for undergraduate education students. In the undergraduate course, one section of students participated in community-based learning at an Indigenous school in Guatemala and the other section of students participated in traditional-classroom learning.  

Findings from Caitlin’s research suggest that by centering Indigenous Knowledge and assets in community-based learning, education students may be motivated to challenge colonial education systems when they become teachers. Her article also includes five recommendations to inform teacher education and community-based learning curricula, including important differences in learning between students of color and white students in the teacher education field.  

Caitlin wrote this article as part of both the Transdisciplinary Research to Practice and the Academic Writing courses in SGISD. Read the full article in the Metropolitan Universities. 

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SGISD PhD Candidate Ashley E. Lazarre Publishes Interview in Woy Magazine 

Congratulations to SGISD PhD student Ashley Lazarre! Ashley interviewed Haitian singer Jean Belony (BélO) Murat about his perspective on the 15,000 asylum seekers who walked from Chile to the Del Rio, TX border. The interview was centered on migration and the need for healing in the midst of natural and man-made disaster in Haiti. Using BélO’s socially conscious music, they discussed building community in times of crisis and upholding Haitian culture and traditions. 

The interview was published last month in Woy Magazine, a bilingual (English and Kreyòl) Haitian lifestyle publication featuring news and other contributions from writers and scholars focusing on Haiti. 

Read the full article and interview, Chèche lavi lòt bò dlo: An Interview with Haitian Singer Jean Belony “BélO” Murat on Migration and Healing. 

Ashley’s research at SGISD focuses on the self-transformation of Haitian women healing their mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional trauma. One of her goals after graduation is to empower vulnerable groups to overcome their collective trauma through storytelling. 

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Join Us for UMass Boston's Global Inclusion, Rehabilitation Counseling, and Transition Leadership Information Sessions

Now is the time to apply for 2023–2024! Join our information session to ask questions about our programs, including our accelerated master’s degree programs. Learn more at our information sessions:

MA and PhD in Global Inclusion & Social Development (GISD)

Tuesday, October 10, 12pm–1pm

Wednesday, October 18, 5:30pm–6:30pm (in-person)

Tuesday, November 14, 12pm–1pm

(Also learn about the accelerated master’s in GISD for UMass Boston students)

Apply for a MA or PhD degree in Global Inclusion and Social Development to become a leader in helping create a more inclusive society. Learn social justice and development skills for practice and policy. Find out more and learn how to apply for the Spring 2024 (MA) and Fall 2024 (PhD) semester.

If you are a motivated UMass Boston undergraduate, find out how to save time and money by applying for our accelerated master’s program.

Register here for our Global Inclusion and Social Development info session.

MS in Rehabilitation Counseling

Tuesday, October 10, 5pm–6pm ET

Consider applying to our Rehabilitation Counseling MS program, which is ranked #1 in New England by U.S. News & World Report! This is a great choice for anyone who is interested in helping individuals with disabilities find rewarding careers. Scholarships are available!

We offer two options for rehabilitation counseling students: 1) a clinical rehabilitation counseling track; and 2) a vocational rehabilitation counseling track. Students can complete either track of the rehabilitation counseling MS online or in person. Rehabilitation Counseling also offers an exciting new accelerated master’s program for UMass Boston undergraduates. We also offer a certificate in Rehabilitation Counseling.

Register here for our Rehabilitation Counseling info session.

Transition Leadership Certificate Program (with Maria Paiewonsky)

Wednesday, October 18, 12pm–1pm ET

Wednesday, October 25, 4pm–5pm ET

Tuesday, November 7, 3pm–4pm ET

Wednesday, December 6, 4pm–5pm ET

The University of Massachusetts Boston Transition Leadership Certificateprogram is now accepting applications for its next cohort of scholars. This 18-month program that begins in September 2024 and January 2025 is a fully online program that includes six courses. Scholars who complete the program will be eligible to pursue advanced study certification, such as a Massachusetts state transition specialist endorsement or the Council for Exceptional Children’s Division on Career Development and Transition’s transition specialist national certification. Find more information about the program and the application process on the Transition Leadership program webpage. Contact Program Director Maria Paiewonsky with questions: Maria.Paiewonsky@umb.edu.

Join our Transition Leadership information session.

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Congratulations to Sheila Fesko, ICI Senior Research Fellow and SGISD Associate Dean and Director!

Congratulations to Sheila Fesko! Dr. Fesko has served in many roles at the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI), and most recently, as Associate Dean and Director of the School of Global Inclusion and Social Development (SGISD). This June, Sheila has retired from her position at SGISD and as Senior Research Fellow at the ICI.

Sheila has been an outstanding researcher, advocate, and leader. She began working at ICI in the 1980s in the Development Evaluation Clinic (DEC) at Boston Children’s Hospital and supporting the DEC’s Work Experience and Supported Work programs. She has since led several momentous projects, including the National Service to Employment Program and the National Center on Workforce and Disability. Most recently, Sheila directed the ICI’s online curriculum for employment services professionals, the Direct Course College of Employment Services. She also led the development of the online Personal and Home Care Aide State Training with the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs.

As SGISD’s Assistant and then Associate Dean and Director, Sheila played a central role in creating and expanding the School for Global Inclusion and Social Development, supporting the academic programs, the ICI, and the Institute for New England Native American Studies.

ICI Director Cindy Thomas noted Sheila’s many accomplishments and the passion and commitment Sheila has brought to her work, while centering the school’s mission and values.

"For me personally and professionally, it has been a privilege to travel this journey with Sheila.  From our early days working together in the Developmental Evaluation Clinic, to our time together as she moved into her role as Associate Dean, Sheila is someone who has been focused on mission and values.  Her commitment to equity and inclusion was at the core of her work.  Sheila has been an impactful leader, a trusted advisor and equally important, a kind and caring friend.  As she makes this transition, she leaves behind a strong legacy and an organization well positioned for the future.  She will be missed."

Dr. Fesko has also conducted impressive research over the years in areas including employment outcomes for individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities, disclosure of HIV status in the workplace, the aging workforce, and universal strategies to support inclusion of all employees in the workplace. She has also traveled internationally, presenting on issues related to disability.

Dr. Fesko’s passion and commitment to her work is admirable. Her long-time ICI colleague and friend David Hoff shared:

“Sheila has an amazing gift for mentoring others…I feel I speak for many when I say I owe a significant amount of my professional success to Sheila’s guidance and support. She has a wonderful, calm, ‘can do’ practical approach to addressing issues and challenges, and doing so in a clear and organized way that is sensitive and responsive to the needs of others. Key to her success has been her wonderful sense of fun, and ability to find humor in almost any situation. As a result, she is not only great company as a colleague and friend, but this has helped in making the work environment one that is enjoyable and collegial. I appreciate all she has done not only for ICI and SGISD, but most importantly, in helping to create a world that is more equitable and inclusive for all.”

In addition to Sheila’s extensive career with ICI, her leadership was instrumental to the launch and development of the School for Global Inclusion and Social Development. Kaitlyn Siner-Cappas has worked closely with Sheila for the past decade in SGISD:

“It has truly been an exciting and rewarding journey working with Sheila to grow the school over the past decade. As Sheila often said, we were building the plane while flying it, but without Sheila’s guidance, expertise, and remarkable sense of calm and humor, there would have been many more bumps. Her dedication and leadership was remarkable, whether it was around student support, critical resources, a willingness to listen and learn from others, or her creative problem-solving skills, which is why Sheila became known for the tagline, ‘We will figure it out’. I also personally owe much of my professional development to Sheila’s mentorship, care, and support, and while she will be very missed, I am grateful to have had such an extensive opportunity to work with her.”

Sheila has dedicated a lifetime to the field of disability. Her work has had a significant impact on the lives of people with disabilities, students, faculty, colleagues, and partners in Massachusetts and beyond. Join us in celebrating her exceptional career at the ICI and SGISD!

Current and past ICI, SGISD, and Boston Children’s Hospital employees and their families joined Sheila Fesko (second row, fourth from the right) at her retirement party.

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SGISD PhD Student Explores LGBTQ+ Student Inclusion and Support in Two Recent Publications

LGBTQ+ students, particularly LGBTQ+ students who are Black, Indigenous, and people of color, often face unique challenges at school, including hostility, bullying, and safety concerns. Innovative school and campus support structures are critical for LGBTQ+ students’ safety and educational engagement.

SGISD PhD candidate Matthew McClellan recently published two works exploring LGBTQ+ student experiences with inclusion and support in K–12 and college education settings.

Matthew’s book chapter, Reimagining LGBTQ Student Inclusion and Support in Schools, examines collaborative support structures for K–12 LGBTQ+ students in schools. His chapter discusses how integrated support programs in schools can help empower and educate teachers and staff to provide more adequate and culturally competent support and resources to students, address school inequalities, and help establish more inclusive and supportive education environments.

Matthew also conducted a qualitative study with 14 LGBTQ+ college students to learn about their experiences attending college at a conservative university. His article, LGBTQ College Students’ Lived Experiences and Perceptions of Support on a Conservative Campus proposes strategies for increasing LGBTQ+ representation, facilitating campus education, and creating inclusive policies at the university level.

Matthew’s research interests include queer studies, immigrant and refugee rights, nonprofit leadership, social and cultural issues, equity, and inclusion. In 2020, Matthew also published a book review in the International Journal of Community Well-Being, which reviews the book “Development and Connection in the Time of COVID-19” by Cornelia C. Walther. Read the full review.

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Two SGISD PhD Students Present to City on Hate Data in Boston

The state of Massachusetts and city of Boston have seen an increase in hate crimes and hate-fueled violence in recent years, much like the rest of the nation. Yet we don’t have a clear picture of this data because multiple agencies collect data, and reporting is fragmented.

Lilo Altali, SGISD PhD Student

Thalia Viveos-Uehara, SGISD PhD Student

SGISD PhD students Lilo Altali and Thalia Viveos-Uehara presented to the City of Boston and the Boston Human Right Commission (BHRC) about hate data in Boston. This presentation was the first of a 2-part project about hate crime reporting and hate crime prevention. Their presentation addressed the following questions:

What is the first step to understanding and assessing acts of hate in Boston?

What is the BHRC’s role in addressing these acts of hate?

Lilo and Thaila discussed data collection and reporting limitations as well as how other US cities coordinate data collection across relevant agencies. For example, in Massachusetts and nationwide, reporting hate crimes to the FBI is a voluntary act. To be considered a hate crime, law enforcement must receive a report and respond to an offense that is committed because of a bias. Many victims of hate incidents do not feel safe reporting to law enforcement. Further, law enforcement agencies do not consistently report hate crimes to the FBI. Lilo shared:

“There’s an increased sense of hate crimes in the City of Boston, and we wanted to see how this manifested in crime reporting data. We also wanted to capture all the agencies in the city that collected data because it’s currently very fragmented. Boston has no agency with a holistic view of hate-fueled violence, which is a major gap in our city.”

Thalia and Lilo are working at SGISD to understand how this data is being collected and reported in Boston, so the city can more quickly and efficiently address and prevent these devastating hate incidents.

Thalia interviewed human rights commissions in Los Angeles and Philadelphia to learn how they overcame hate incident data reporting biases and limitations. Thalia shared:

“We explored how other human rights commissions in US cities have overcome such data limitations in the reporting of hate crime and bias incidents. We found that they coordinate reporting efforts across relevant agencies and nonprofits to set a comprehensive database. They also create and disseminate hate crime annual reports widely; have staff with expertise in database management and analysis and human rights; and build and nurture long-term relationships across agencies, police departments, nonprofits, and community partners…overall, we concluded that the BHRC could consider addressing the rising hate-fueled violence in the city by implementing this modest set of best practices already at work in other Human Rights Cities in the US.”

Lilo and Thalia offer seven recommendations to the City’s Human Rights Commissioners about how to collect hate data holistically. Watch the full presentation at the BHRC Public Meeting to learn about their insights and recommendations.

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Congratulations to Dr. Shirley Tang, Endowed Distinguished Professor for Asian American Studies

Congratulations to Professor Shirley Tang, who was recognized as the first Endowed Distinguished Professor for Asian American Studies at UMass Boston.

Professor Tang joined UMass Boston in 2001 and received the Chancellor’s Award for Distinguished Teaching in 2016. She holds a deep commitment to teaching, particularly students who are first-generation, working-class, from immigrant or refugee families, and from local communities of color. Professor Tang has also led the development of an archive holding over 400 student and community narratives addressing mental health, intergenerational learning, language justice, and other critical community-building and advocacy issues. She has more than two dozen publications in print, many of which document histories and stories from community-based research, particularly with local Khmer, Vietnamese, and Chinese diasporic communities.

UMass created this new professorship with funding from a $6 million anonymous gift that acknowledges and honors UMass Boston’s role as a leader among Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISI). This professorship is particularly timely, given the recent anti-Asian racism that has sparked violence across the US.

Professor Tang shared, “The layered, textured, purposeful storytelling work we do and share through our platform weaves together historical and cultural contexts, interdisciplinary research, and personal narrative. I believe history, social science, literature, policy, and narrative all work together. The story data knowledge we co-produce, especially with our students and their real-life family and community contexts, represent unique and valuable alternatives to the stereotypes and mis/disinformation we so often need to deal with.”

Dr. Shirley Tang has demonstrated clear, sustained leadership in Asian American Studies. She is uniquely qualified to be the inaugural holder of the Distinguished Professorship for Asian American Studies at UMass Boston. Congratulations, Dr. Tang!

Learn more about Dr. Tang’s work and achievements.

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UMB News: Violent Crimes in Quincy Raise Bias Concerns Among Some Activists, Academics

Dr. Peter Kiang, director of Asian American Studies at the School for Global Inclusion and Social Development, and doctoral student Kim Soun Ty were quoted in a newspaper article about recent violent attacks against Asian Americans. Dr. Kiang and 24 others from the Asian American Studies program in December attended the sentencing of Brian Kenney, who assaulted two Asian American victims, in remembrance of the 1983 stabbing of Vietnamese refugee Anh Mai in Dorchester.

Dr. Kiang said he is concerned with justice and compensation for the victims’ families and looking for long-term solutions to anti-Asian hate that has sparked crimes across the country. “As an Asian American Studies academic unit of the public university, we will take great responsibility and care to continue teaching in our courses about the causes and consequences of anti-Asian violence, nationally and locally,” he said.

Read the full article in Sampan.

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Earn Your Transition Leadership Certificate Online

Did you know UMass Boston offers a transition leadership certificate that focuses on the transition from high school to adult life for young people with a wide range of disabilities?

The Transition Leadership Program (TLP) prepares current and prospective special educators, guidance counselors, school social workers, rehabilitation counselors, and other professionals to help students with disabilities focus on employment, college preparation, and independent living skills during the critical transition from high school to adult life.

The TLP promotes evidence-based practices for transition planning, including youth leadership, self-determination, family engagement, college career readiness, and interagency collaboration as youth advance to employment and postsecondary education after high school.

What do Transition Specialists learn in the TLP?

Transition specialists provide practical and personalized guidance to students with disabilities. They are well-versed in state and federal transition regulations. Transition Specialists who graduate from the UMass Boston Transition Leadership Program learn how to:

direct student-centered Individualized Education Planning (IEP) teams

focus on measurable postsecondary goals and meet transition compliance

coordinate and prepare transition assessments framed around students’ postsecondary goals

provide in-house, transition-related professional development to colleagues

serve as their school district’s liaison with transition expertise

streamline transition services that capitalize on existing school resources

strengthen school-parent partnerships

engage families in transition planning

conduct district and school-based transition services assessments

establish community partnerships with local employers and colleges

The TLP is designed so that graduates can apply what they are learning in the courses immediately back at their own schools.

What makes ICI’s Transition Leadership Program special?

UMass Boston is among the first and only transition specialist training programs in the US with university accreditation by the Council for Exceptional Children’s Division on Career Development and Transition (DCDT). The online, 18-month, accredited transition specialist training includes five evidence-based, online courses, and an immersive practicum experience at the participant’s own school or another location.

The TLP is an approved course of study for those who want to obtain the DCDT’s national certification as a transition specialist. Professionals who complete the program are also eligible for a state-specific transition specialist endorsement.

Interested? You’re in luck! The program is now accepting applications for the 2023 cohort. Attend an upcoming info session to learn more or contact Nancy Hurley at Nancy.Hurley@umb.edu. You can find FAQ and tips on applying, including scheduling an interview, on the Think College TLP webpage.

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Congratulations to SGISD Student Meghan Chapman

SGISD student Meghan Chapman was selected as the winner of the National Association of State Head Injury Administrators (NASIHA) Poster Sessions held during their annual event this fall!

Meghan's poster discussed the invisible head injury epidemic. There is an emerging cultural awareness of a population experiencing a disability that is still underidentified, underdiagnosed, and undertreated: women who have experienced partner-inflicted (PI) head injury (HI), including traumatic brain injury caused by an impact to the head or neck or shoving/shaking, and anoxic-hypoxic brain injury caused by strangulation. Data suggests that 1.6 million or more women are affected each year, but neither the survivors nor the people who want to help them are aware that intimate partner violence (IPV) can frequently result in traumatic brain injury from strangulation or impact injuries to the head or neck. In addition to identifying barriers to care for these women, Meghan's research uncovered five specific opportunities that Head Injury Administrators might take to make the invisible population visible. Take time to view the research poster and learn more by watching Meghan's presentation video.

Meghan’s research poster.

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New Publication by SGISD Professors, Students, and Alumni in the Journal of Human Rights Practice

Congratulations to former SGSID professors Dr. Sindiso Mnisi Weeks, Dr. Gillian MacNaughton, and alumna Dr. Esther Kamau, SGISD PhD candidates Shahrzad Sajadi and Prisca Tarimo, and SGISD alumnus Matthew Annunziato! Their article, “Learning by Doing: Lessons from the Graduate Students in the Boston Human Rights City Pilot Project,” was published in the Journal of Human Rights Practice.

The article describes the experiences and lessons learned by then-graduate students (Matthew Annunziato, Esther Kamau, Shahrzad Sajadi, and Prisca Tarimo) and supervising faculty (professors Dr. Sindiso Mnisi Weeks and Dr. Gillian MacNaughton) in piloting an action-research project. Their project was aimed at realizing positive economic and social change by advancing the vision of Boston as a Human Rights City, the goal articulated in a 2011 Boston City Council resolution.

In this article, the graduate student leaders share their reflections on and analysis of their experiences of “learning by doing.” They share the challenges they confronted and key lessons they learned. The article concludes with a summary of insights about transdisciplinary human rights pedagogy in higher education and the development of social movements, particularly in the advancement of the Human Rights Cities movement.

Read the full article to learn more about the Boston Human Rights City Initiative and transdisciplinary experiential learning as human rights education praxis.

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Congratulations to SGISD PhD Candidate, Deborah Chat Dauda!

Ms. Dauda has received four prestigious awards and fellowships for her research projects addressing the psychosocial needs of survivors of sexual and gender-based violence in Northern Nigeria. Her project in Southern Kaduna in Northern Nigeria investigates the self-care strategies and healing practices of Bajju women with experiences of domestic violence.

"I plan to deepen my understanding about the intersecting forms of subordination that shape the lives of women this community...Documenting and analyzing women's self-care and healing strategies is particularly important in a country like Nigeria, where social support and health services for survivors and victims of violence are limited…Daily self-care practices are important to our overall health and wellbeing, and for Black women with lived or vicarious experience with violence, practicing self-care is an important criterion for survival and flourishing."

Deborah began studying at SGISD in 2019. She currently holds a master's degree in African studies and public health as well as a bachelor's degree in international development studies from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). Ms. Dauda's research interests include the radical self-care practices of Black women, Africa and Diaspora policy making, gender security, education in emergencies, peacemaking, youth civic participation, health care delivery in post-conflict settings.

Last year, with the support of her advisors, mentors, and dissertation committee, Deborah applied and was awarded the Fulbright Research Award to Nigeria, Harvard HBNU Fogarty Global Health Training Fellowship from the National Institute of Health (NIH), Lewis and Clark Exploration Fieldwork Grant from the American Philosophical Society, and Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship (FLAS) from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill to assist with the various phases of her dissertation research. The FLAS award will support the intensive language training she needs to jumpstart her fieldwork with the support of research assistants. The Lewis and Clark grant will support aspects of the qualitative data collection stage.

The Harvard HBNU Fogarty training fellowship supports Deborah's dissertation project through a mentored research process. Her mentors include Dr. Christy Denckla in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Harvard University, and Dr. Haruna Karick in the Department of General and Applied Psychology at the University of Jos, Nigeria.

For her dissertation, Deborah uses a Transformative-Relational Sequential Exploratory Mixed-Methods design approach to explore the nuances and complexities involved in the ways Bajju women living in the Zangon-Kataf and Jema'a Local Government Area (LGA) in Southern Kaduna (in northern Nigeria) seek care for themselves after experiencing domestic violence.

For her Fulbright project titled "Addressing the Psychosocial Needs of Sexual Harassment Victims at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU)", Deborah will collaborate with the Institute for Development Research and Training at ABU and a community partner, the Basileia Vulnerable Persons Rights Initiative (BVPRI) in Zaria, Kaduna. Together, they will assess strategies for bridging the provider gap in mental health services for Nigerian university women who have experienced sexual harassment. They will also co-create culturally relevant and responsive activities that promote psychosocial wellness. These two projects will form chapters of Deborah's dissertation and her professional development in this field.

Congratulations to Deborah on these outstanding achievements!