Back left to right: Giselle Rivera, Farhia Osman, Raven Moore, Jazsmine Towner, Dr. Banks, Tamia Hughes, Randi Goodwin, Lourdes Concepción Cabán
Front left to right: Lisette Munoz, Rochelle Goins, Bianca Sierra, Berenice Contreras,
Not pictured: Arielle Flint, Kierra Peterson, Makayla Smith
Interested in participating in lab-based research that examines the effects of microaggression in K-12 schools and higher education settings? Want to make a contribution to science and best practice by working to research and implement just school practices? Contact Dr. Banks to learn more about our Researchers Addressing Microaggressions in Schools Lab and to discuss joining the research team!
2023-2024 Featured Student Profiles
Brittany Bradley, B.S. is a pre-doctoral intern in school psychology. She is passionate about issues related to social justice and mental health. Her research interests include how underlying biases affect the self-perceptions and mental health of black students, specifically black boys. She advocates for fair and equal treatment of all students, regardless of the marginalized identities they hold. Her goal is to work in a school or clinic setting part time and establish a private practice to work in part time. She also plans to start a non-profit organization for homeless and LGBTQ+ youth in inner cities. In her free time, Brittany likes to cook, spend time with family and film videos for her YouTube channel.
Defended Dissertation: The Influence of Students’ Perceptions of School Climate and Teacher Characteristics on Their Self-Reporting of Conduct Problems and Self-Esteem
Lourdes D. Concepción Cabán is a third-year Ph.D. student candidate in school psychology. She is currently finishing her apprenticeship project surrounding the effects of anti-racist workshops on undergraduate students. Her research interests generally include an exploration of gender and sexuality identities. She is also interested in gender and ableist microaggressions that occur within Latinx communities. In her free time, Lourdes enjoys catching up on sleep, watching crime documentaries, and listening music.
Arielle Flint, B.S. is a Ph.D. candidate in school psychology at Illinois State University. Her research interests include the experiences of financially minoritized students. Specifically, she is interested in exploring the impact of income-driven microaggressions perpetrated by peers and teachers on students educational experiences. In her free time, Arielle enjoys completing word-search puzzles, watching Criminal Minds and serial killer documentaries, and listening to podcasts.
Proposed Dissertation: No Money, Mo’ Problems: The Impact of Race- and Income-Driven Microaggressions among Adolescents’: Perceptions of School Connectedness and Self-Esteem
Randi Goodwin, B.S. is a first-year Ph.D. student in school psychology. She has Bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Criminal Justice Sciences. Randi is a registered behavior technician and a youth advisor for the Illinois Juvenile Justice Committee. As a first-year student she is exploring her research interests.
Tyra Jackson, B.S. is a pre-doctoral intern in school psychology. She is passionate about research that focuses on the experiences of Black students. She particularly plans to focus her study on the schooling experiences of black girls who are often ignored.
Proposed Dissertation: The Impact of Microaggressions and Racial Identity on Adolescents’ Cognitive Functioning
Raven Moore, B.S. is a first-year Specialist student in school psychology. She is committed to research and practice that serves Black students and Communities of Color.
Caroline Signa, B.S. is a pre-doctoral intern in school psychology. They are passionate about mental health and social justice, particularly surrounding the use of power and privilege in advocacy. Their research interests include microaggressions and implicit biases towards LGBT+ youth from school staff and how to intervene to address these incidents. They hope to work in the school or clinic setting part time and to establish a private practice with colleagues who are also committed to culturally responsive service provision. In their free time, they enjoy reading, painting, and her sticker business.
Proposed Dissertation: Getting Straight to the Point: A Bystander Training for Pre-Service Students to Address Sexuality- and Gender-Specific Microaggressions in the School Setting
Nitza M. Torres González, B.A. is a pre-doctoral intern in school psychology. Her research interests focus on exploring the impact of biases and ableist microaggressions among adolescents with visible and non-visible disabilities, parental involvement effect of mental health, and mental health among autistic individuals. Her goal is to work part time in a school setting and establish a private practice with various colleagues to provide culturally responsive services. In her free time, Nitza likes to work on craft projects, complete paint by numbers landscapes, and relax at the beach.
Proposed Dissertation: Ableist Microaggressions among High School Students with a Dis/ability
Jazsmine Towner, B.S. is a Ph.D. candidate in school psychology. Her research interests include social justice and microaggressions. She is explicitly interested in exploring the experiences of Black girls in schools. She wants to pursue school- or clinic-based service provision that is culturally responsive after graduate school. In her free time she enjoys reading, and she particularly looks forward to exploring works of Black authors.
Proposed Dissertation: What’s age got to do with it? The cognitive effects of racial and gendered microaggressions among Black women and the role of age, colorblindness, and racial centrality
STUDENT AWARDS
3 Minute Thesis Winner
Grad Bird Scholar
ISU Dissertation Completion Grant Recipients
Arielle Flint (2023): No Money, Mo’ Problems: The Impact of Race- and Income-Driven Microaggressions among Adolescents’: Perceptions of School Connectedness and Self-Esteem
Jazsmine Towner (2023): What’s age got to do with it? The cognitive effects of racial and gendered microaggressions among Black women and the role of age, colorblindness, and racial centrality
Nitza Torres González (2023): Impact of Ableist Microaggressions on Dis/abled High School Students: Perceptions of School climate and Academic Motivation
Tyra Jackson (2022): The Impact of Microaggressions and Racial Identity on Adolescents’ Cognitive Functioning
Caroline Signa (2022): Getting Straight to The Point: A Bystander Training for Pre-Service Students to Address Sexuality-based Microaggressions in the School Setting
Stephanie AuBuchon, PhD (2020): LGBTQ+ Adolescents’ Reflections on Identity, Experiences, and Recommendations to Improve School Climate
Kirstin Johnson, PhD (2020): The Impact of Inclusive Curriculum on Attitudes Toward Sexual Minority Populations
ISU Psychology Department Award Recipients
2023
Tyra Jackson – Diversity Advocate Award
Caroline Signa – Diversity Advocate Award
Nitza Torres González – Marzolf/French Award for Excellence in Doctoral Studies in School Psychology
Brittany Bradley – Marzolf/French Award for Excellence in Doctoral Studies in School Psychology
2022
Nitza Torres González – 2022 Diversity Advocate Award
Keeley Hynes – Marzolf/French Award for Excellence in Doctoral Studies in School Psychology
Megan Donnelly – Marzolf/French Award for Excellence in Doctoral Studies in School Psychology
2021
Brittany Bradley – Diversity Advocate Award
Other Awards
Kierra Peterson – Illinois Board of Higher Education, Diversifying Higher Education Fellowship
STUDENT RESEARCH
Peer Reviewed Manuscripts
Banks, B. M., Hynes, K., Horton, A. V., & Verma, K. (2023). The influence of microaggressions on Black boys’ pursuit of STEM. In A. G. Robbins, L. Knibbs, T. N. Ingram, M. N. Weaver, & A. A. Hilton (Eds.). Unveiling the cloak of invisibility: Why black males are absent in stem disciplines, (pp. 33-48). Information Age Publishing.
Banks, B. M., Torres González, N., Hynes, K., & Donnelly, M. (2022). Factors predicting satisfaction with a microaggression training for school professionals. School Psychology Review. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/2372966X.2022.2109059
Hynes, K., Donnelly, M. E., Banks, B. M., & Horton, A.V. (2022). Post or protest?: Factors influencing white women’s engagement in activism. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/10911359.2022.2096739
Banks, B. M. & Callahan, M. (2022). Exposure to microaggressions and satisfaction among practicing school psychologists and students. Contemporary School Psychology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40688-022-00415-7
Banks, B. M. & Horton, A.V. (2022). Perceptions of microaggressions and color-blind racial attitudes among college students. Journal of Underrepresented Minority Progress, 6 (1), 1-21 https://www.ojed.org/index.php/jump/article/view/4180/1807
Banks, B. M., Adams, D. F., AuBuchon, S., Hynes, K., & Torres González, N. (2022). Factors Influencing Satisfaction with a Microaggression Bystander Intervention. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, Advance online publication, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1080/10911359.2022.2027316
Banks, B. M., Cicciarelli, K. S., & Pavon, J. M. (2020). It offends us too! An exploratory analysis of high school-based microaggressions. Contemporary School Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40688-020-00300-1
Banks, B. M. & Cicciarelli, K. (2019). Microaggressive classroom language and diminished cognitive functioning. Journal for Multicultural Education, 13, 276-287. https://doi.org/10.1108/JME-05-2019-0039
Parris, L., Banks, B. M., Christie, M., Lucas-Nihei, J. N., Lacey, H., & Swerdlik, M. E. (2019). School context. In S. Hupp & J. Jewell (Eds.), The Encyclopedia of Child and Adolescent Development. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119171492.wecad419
Dissertation Projects
Bradley, B. C. (2023) When they see us: How teacher relationships influence students’ perceptions of self-esteem and conduct behavior. Brea M. Banks, Ph.D. Chair, Illinois State University.
Hynes, K. (2022) Bystander or ally? Predictors of adolescent behavior in response to microaggressions on social media. Brea M. Banks, Ph.D. Chair, Illinois State University.
Cicciarelli, K. (2022) Parent shaming: The impact of race and ability status on perception of parenting. Brea M. Banks, Ph.D. & Karla Doepke, Ph.D. Co-chairs, Illinois State University.
Aubuchon, S. (2021) LGBTQ+ adolescents’ reflections on identity, experiences, and recommendations to improve school climate. Brea M. Banks, Ph.D. Chair, Illinois State University.
Johnson, K. (2021). The impact of inclusive curriculum on attitudes toward sexual minority populations. Brea M. Banks, Ph.D., Chair, Illinois State University.
Thesis Projects
Wise, A. (2021). Karen is not a slur: The effects of white privilege awareness of microaggression perception. Brea M. Banks, Ph.D. Chair, Illinois State University. Three Minute Thesis competition winner!
Verma, K. (2020). The impact of color-blind attitudes and implicit bias in evaluations of student behavior. Brea M. Banks, Ph.D. Chair, Illinois State University.
Whitaker, C. (2019). Prominence of slut shaming connected with sexual objectification: Boys will be boys and girls will be sluts. Brea M. Banks, Ph.D. & Matthew Hesson-McInnis, Ph.D., Co-chairs, Illinois State University.
Poster Presentations
Featured RAMS Lab Graduates
Megan Donnelly (2023) – Villa Park School District 145 (School Psychologist)
Keeley Hynes (2023) – University of Northern Colorado (Assistant Professor)
Tiondra Little (2022) – University of Indiana (School Psychology PhD Program)
Kirstin Johnson (2021) – Livingston County Special Services Unit (School Psychologist)