EWU logo

    • Apply
    • Academics
    • Athletics
    • Calendar
    • Community
    • About
    • InsideEWU
    • Canvas
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content

TRIO Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program

Eastern Washington University

  • Home
  • About McNair
    • About TRiO and Ronald E. McNcnair
    • Meet Our Scholars
    • Meet Our Staff
    • Map
  • Annual Overview
    • Annual Overview 2021
    • Annual Overview 2020
  • McNair Research
  • Faculty Mentors
    • Our McNair Research Faculty Mentors
    • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
    • Professors: Help Students Prepare For Life After Graduation
  • Prospective Students
    • Applying to EWU McNair
    • EWU McNair Scholars: Student Resources
    • McNair Graduate Assistantships
    • 2021 Social Justice in Research Panel
  • Spring Gathering

Sami Sanchez-Garcia

Dr. Jillene Seiver: A Positive Mentor Dedicated to Preparing the Next Generation of Psychology Researchers

11/03/2021 by Jaeger, Corinne Leave a Comment

EWU McNair Faculty Mentor Dr. Jillene Seiver, "I've learned as much from my scholars as they've learned from me." Mentees include: Samantha Sanchez-Garcia, Darlynne Khayesi, and Ian Campuzano; Logo: Trio McNair Scholar's Program at EWU

EWU McNair Faculty Mentor Spotlight: Dr. Jillene Seiver

 

by Cori Jaeger, EWU McNair Program Academic Advisor

 

Senior Lecturer Dr. Jillene Seiver first became involved with McNair in 2020. After teaching Psychology 100 to College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) students, one of those students  EWU McNair alumna Samantha Sanchez-Garcia – approached Dr. Seiver to be her faculty mentor. Dr. Seiver accepted the role with enthusiasm. The EWU McNair faculty mentor's goal is to support scholars in conducting their EWU McNair Summer Research Internship and moving towards their goal of becoming graduate students. Dr. Seiver guided Samantha through the Institutional Review Board (IRB) process, which approves, monitors, and reviews research involving human subjects, so that Samantha could conduct a survey and use the findings to better understand trauma and its impact on the mental health of college students.

Samantha presented her research at the Baylor McNair Research Conference and at the Western Psychological Association conference. She also applied to over ten graduate programs. After being accepted by three programs, Samantha decided to attend the Industrial and Organizational Psychology PhD Program at Depaul University where she was selected as one of just three students out of 80 applicants! Not only do McNair faculty mentors provide invaluable support and graduate school preparation through research, they are such meaningful connections for scholar that they often forge life-long collegiate relationships. When I interviewed Dr. Seiver in early October, Samantha had already been in touch with her to check-in regarding the experience so far at DePaul.

 

Dr. Seiver had heard about the McNair program previously from Dr. Kayleen Islam-Zwart, the Chair of the School of Psychology, who mentored EWU McNair alumna Rachel Silverthorn in 2019-2020 and Acea Sands in 2017. In fact, EWU McNair has had over ten mentors from the Psychology department in the last twenty years! Dr. Seiver noted that in the absence of graduate students, in addition to the joy of mentoring, it’s been really helpful to have engaged students to support her research:

McNair students are similar to grad students in their desire and ability to get the work done.”

She sees mentoring as a part of her work as faculty and as a way to give back to the community – to prepare the next generation of psychology researchers. When I asked why she would recommend mentoring to other faculty she said:

McNair may well introduce you to students who you haven’t really connected with prior. Whether they were busy working or were a bit more shy in approaching faculty, you didn’t see them and yet they have all of this potential. I got as much out of the experience as I think my scholars did. I learned a lot.”

She sees McNair as an opportunity to help talented young people by providing the support and lift they need to be successful in graduate school.

Darlynne Khayesi McNair Scholar Announcements 2021
Sami Sanchez Garcia Res 2020
Ian Campuzano McNair Scholar Announcements 2021

EWU McNair faculty mentors do so much for their scholars even beyond the research experience—such as having meaningful conversations, sharing insight into academia, offering feedback on applications and research writing, and writing letters of recommendation—and yet Dr. Seiver found the workload was not overwhelming. In fact, for the 2021 Summer Research Internship, Dr. Seiver took on two mentees: Darlynne Khayesi and Ian Campuzano. She met with students weekly, directing them towards articles, discussing research, and outlining the steps they needed to take. She pointed out, “It’s not your project; your job is to facilitate the student generating and carrying through their own project.” This aligns with what EWU McNair alumnus Dr. Frank King said in his interview for our Social Justice in Research panel at the EWU CSTEM and McNair Symposium June 2021:

Dr. Frank King Social Justice Panel 2021 WSU

Remember that it is the student's project. We have to find a way to help the student find their voice. We can challenge them. But we have to let them find their way." - EWU McNair Alumnus Dr. Frank C. King Jr. 

I met with all of our McNair Scholars regularly during the summer and both Ian and Darlynne noted Dr. Seiver provided a clear process they could follow to research their specific interests and that she was always there for them when they had a question or a difficulty. All in all, Dr. Seiver spent an hour or two a week to support each student throughout summer quarter, with an exception of a bit more time when helping students analyze data through methods they have not been introduced to yet as undergrads. Both students' projects have continued into the fall as they finished collecting surveys and finalizing their research papers. Dr. Seiver continues to be available to her students so they have whatever support is needed to finish their projects. While mentors do often review and support mentees in developing their research papers, Dr. Seiver said the McNair program also helps students know what to do and how to do it, so it is not all on the mentor. We also connect students with the Writer’s Center for additional support. Once their research papers are finished, students can submit them as an example of academic writing with their graduate school applications, most often alongside a strong letter of recommendation from their mentor. Both of these elements are a large part of what makes McNair Scholars competitive, in particular if they go directly from undergraduate school to a PhD program.

 

It is clear through her generous support of McNair Scholars that Dr. Seiver is committed to serving Eastern students. McNair is deeply appreciative of Dr. Seiver and all of our EWU McNair faculty mentors. Without them, this work would not be possible. Mentor support and encouragement is crucial to McNair Scholars’ belief that they belong in academia as well as their acceptance into graduate school and ultimate success in achieving their PhD’s. To date, over 41 EWU McNair Scholars have earned their PhD’s since its inception in 1995. We are grateful to Dr. Seiver for continuing the tradition of great faculty support of McNair Scholars and hope to continue to work with her and many other faculty in the years to come.

 

Filed Under: 2019-2020 Cohort, 2020 Summer McNair Research Internships, 2020-21 Grad School Acceptances, 2020-21 Presentations, Psychology, Sami Sanchez-Garcia Tagged With: College of Professional Programs, Darlynne Khayesi, Dr. Jillene Seiver, EWU McNair Faculty Mentor, EWU McNair Program, Ian Campuzano, Mentor, Psychology, Samantha Sanchez Garcia

What the Gilman Scholarship for Studying Abroad Can do for You

04/20/2021 by Jaeger, Corinne Leave a Comment

2019's McNair Flyer about the Oaxaca Study Abroad Opportunity
2019's McNair Flyer about the Oaxaca Study Abroad Opportunity

Written by EWU McNair Scholar Samantha Sanchez-Garcia

 

When I knew I wanted to pursue a Ph.D., I decided to take on many research projects. I joined the McNair program and sought study abroad opportunities. The four-week immigration and language-focused international program in Oaxaca Mexico led by Dr. Nydia Martinez and Dr. Gina Mikel Petrie was an ideal program for majors in Spanish, Teaching English as a Second Language, and History. At first, I was hesitant because my major is psychology. But, after consulting with my psychology professor Dr. Seiver, we decided that it would be beneficial to add a psychology-directed study credit, along with the 6 EWU credits I would earn. For the psychology-directed study, I wanted to research the differences in experience between battered women in the U.S and Mexico. I was particularly interested in Latina women because domestic violence is not often addressed in Latinx communities. Before my trip, I arranged to meet with an organization called Mujeres in Action (M.I.A) that focused on Latina domestic abuse survivors in Spokane. I was hoping to administer anonymous surveys to their clients so I could better understand their situations. For my study abroad, I planned to work with an organization in Oaxaca that also supported domestic violence survivors and administer the same survey there. I hoped to analyze data from both groups to try to determine difference in needs and best strategies for support.

Although I was set on international research, I needed help with funding. Fortunately, the Gilman Scholarship, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, provides funding to undergraduate U.S. citizens of limited financial means to enable them to study abroad. I was hesitant to reapply, as on a prior application I had not been accepted, but I decided to reapply and got accepted. Ultimately, my dedication and passion to study abroad and conduct international research helped finance my program.

Capital G with lines covering the left half of the G next to, blue text on white background: Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship

After completion of my study abroad experience, I planned to promote the Gilman Scholarship to future cohorts in the McNair program. McNair provides academic and professional development opportunities for first-generation, low-income, and/or underrepresented students committed to attaining a Ph.D. I choose this population to share my study abroad experience because all these scholars meet the eligibility criteria (e.g., 3.0 GPA). In addition, I thought it would be a great opportunity for scholars to acquire cultural perspective before entering graduate school, since it can be difficult to do so.

large blue letters "isa" with a green line in a circle off to the right and going behind the a; below the text INTERNATIONAL STUDIES ABROAD

Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, my study abroad program was canceled. Despite this, the Gilman Scholarship offered options to use our award for virtual learning opportunities. I decided to look for programs through International Studies Abroad (ISA), which had many virtual learning choices. I was excited to find a program that aligned with my major in San Jose, Costa Rica that focused on health psychology.

Through virtual learning, I engaged with a diverse team from different nations including my Costa Rican professor which broadened my general understanding of health psychology, social context, influence, health, and illness from a cultural perspective. For instance, I presented a case study about the issues of child labor in the U.S and Costa Rica. I discovered that child labor was outlawed in both countries at different times; the U.S in 1938 and Costa Rica not until 2020.The main reasons for the time gap were poverty, lack of education, and lack of healthcare in Costa Rica. Fortunately, there is now a program to coordinate efforts from several government agencies to eliminate child labor. Although, child labor is not a predominate issue in the U.S and Costa Rica, it remains to be a global issue. I found that the psychological effects of child labor included bullying, sexual exploitation, and working unfavorable hours include mental health trauma and disorders. This can change if all countries band together to campaign against child labor, refuse to buy from companies that profit from child labor, and donate to charities that reduce the incidence of child labor.

Digital image San Jose Costa Rica, several tall sky scrapers and a stadium, on a blue day with a white streak of clouds
San Jose, Capital of Costa Rica

Ultimately, what I valued most about this experience was learning the differences in cultures between two countries. As a future psychologist, it is important to recognize the differences in cultures since it plays in important roles in influencing human behavior. I believe that studying abroad is crucial for education because it allows you to gain a cultural perspective that you can apply to your professional journey, no matter your field. I especially appreciate that the Gilman Scholarship, despite COVID-19, managed to fund our experience through virtual learning because they recognize the importance of studying abroad, even though a computer screen. Although, I would prefer to study in Costa Rica in person, it was certainly a cultural exchange and a great opportunity to meet individual from different nations who are interested in the same issues I am.

Samantha Sanchez-Garcia is an EWU McNair Scholar majoring in Psychology. She works as a research assistant in Dr. Jillene Seiver’s clinical psychology lab and completed her 2020 EWU McNair Summer Research Internship under the mentorship of Dr. Seiver where she studied traumatic experiences and mental health among college students. Samantha has been accepted by 3 graduate schools and will attend the Industrial and Organizational Psychology PhD Program at DePaul University, with full funding, where she was selected as one of three out of 80 applications! Click here to read more about Samantha and her research.

Filed Under: 2019-2020 Cohort, 2020-21 Presentations, Acceptances/Awards, Psychology, Sami Sanchez-Garcia Tagged With: Dr. Jillene Seiver, EWU McNair Program, EWU McNair Scholar, Gilman Scholarship, Psychology, Study Abroad

EWU McNair Scholar Samantha Sanchez-Garcia Accepted by Third Graduate Program

03/31/2021 by Jaeger, Corinne Leave a Comment

Samantha Sanchez Graduate School Acceptances 2021 CSU

Congratulations to EWU McNair Scholar Samantha Sanchez-Garcia! Samantha has been accepted by the Industrial-Organizational Psychology Masters Program at California State University in San Bernardino. This is in addition to her acceptance by the Industrial-Organizational Behavior Management Masters Program at Western Michigan University and by the Industrial and Organizational Psychology PhD Program at DePaul University with full funding. Samantha is majoring in Psychology at Eastern Washington University, with an emphasis in communication, sociology, and industrial/organizational psychology. She is also working on her Inclusion and Diversity certificate. Samantha is a research assistant in Dr. Jillene Seiver’s clinical psychology lab looking into how the mere presence of a cell phone may be distracting. Additionally, she completed her 2020 EWU McNair Summer Research Internship under the mentorship of Dr. Seiver where she studied traumatic experiences and mental health among college students. She presented this research at the Baylor McNair Research Conference.

 

The EWU McNair staff are so excited for Samantha and we know she'll do amazing things at whichever graduate program she decides to attend! Click here to read more about Samantha or her research.

Filed Under: 2019-2020 Cohort, 2020-21 Grad School Acceptances, Acceptances/Awards, Psychology, Sami Sanchez-Garcia Tagged With: Acceptances, Dr. Jillene Seiver, EWU McNair Program, EWU McNair Scholar, Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Psychology

EWU McNair Scholar Samantha Sanchez-Garcia Accepted to IOBM Masters Program at Western Michigan University

03/02/2021 by Jaeger, Corinne Leave a Comment

Samantha Sanchez Graduate School Acceptances 2021 WMU

Congratulations to EWU McNair Scholar Samantha Sanchez-Garcia! Samantha has been accepted by the Industrial-Organizational Behavior Management Masters Program at Western Michigan University. This is in addition to her acceptance to the Industrial and Organizational Psychology PhD Program at DePaul University. Samantha is majoring in Psychology at Eastern Washington University, with an emphasis in communication, sociology, and industrial/organizational psychology. She is also working on her Inclusion and Diversity certificate. Samantha is a research assistant in Dr. Jillene Seiver’s clinical psychology lab looking into how the mere presence of a cell phone may be distracting. Additionally, she completed her 2020 EWU McNair Summer Research Internship under the mentorship of Dr. Seiver where she studied traumatic experiences and mental health among college students. She presented this research at the Baylor McNair Research Conference.

 

The EWU McNair staff are so excited for Samantha and we know she'll do amazing things at whichever graduate program she decides to attend! Click here to read more about Samantha or her research.

Filed Under: 2019-2020 Cohort, 2020-21 Grad School Acceptances, Psychology, Sami Sanchez-Garcia Tagged With: Acceptances, Dr. Jillene Seiver, EWU McNair Program, EWU McNair Scholar, Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Psychology, Western Michigan University

EWU McNair Scholar Samantha Sanchez-Garcia Accepted to PhD Program at DePaul University

02/24/2021 by Jaeger, Corinne Leave a Comment

Samantha Sanchez Graduate School Acceptances 2021 DPL

Congratulations to EWU McNair Scholar Samantha Sanchez-Garcia. Samantha has been accepted by the Industrial-Organizational Psychology PhD Program at DePaul University with full funding. Samantha is majoring in Psychology at Eastern, with an emphasis in communication, sociology, and industrial/organizational psychology. She is also working on her Inclusion and Diversity certificate. Samantha is a research assistant in Dr. Jillene Seiver’s clinical psychology lab looking into how the mere presence of a cell phone may be distracting. Additionally, she completed her 2020 EWU McNair Summer Research Internship under the mentorship of Dr. Seiver where she studied traumatic experiences and mental health among college students.

 

The EWU McNair staff are so excited for Samantha and we know she'll do amazing things at whichever graduate program she decides to attend! Click here to read more about Samantha or her research.

Filed Under: 2019-2020 Cohort, 2020-21 Grad School Acceptances, Psychology, Sami Sanchez-Garcia Tagged With: Acceptances, Dr. Jillene Seiver, EWU McNair Program, EWU McNair Scholar, Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Psychology

Nine EWU McNair Scholars Present at Baylor McNair Research Conference

10/09/2020 by Jaeger, Corinne Leave a Comment

Nine EWU McNair Scholars Present at Baylor McNair Research Conference

From looking at community perceptions of reentry barriers to formerly incarcerated people to the impact of chemical weathering from Mount St. Helen’s on streams, EWU McNair Scholars have been hard at work researching all summer under the guidance of their mentors. On October 1st and 2nd. Nine of these scholars presented at the 2020 Virtual Baylor McNair Research Conference! This conference brought together over 350 students, staff, and faculty from McNair programs across the country. Presenting at the conference gives student practice for the future, as well as the opportunity to network with graduate programs across the country. Congratulations to our amazing student presenters and huge thanks to their mentors for ongoing support! Click on the student’s name below to learn more about them and their research.

 

Malachi Chukwu – Poster Presentation

Mentor: Dr. Majid Sharifi, International Affairs and Political Science

Assessing Developmental Approaches Since the Mid-20th Century and its Outcomes for the Underdeveloped Countries

 

Ashley  Destin – Poster Presentation

Mentor: Dr. Judd A. Case, Biology

Size Scaling in the Skull of North American Felids as Adaptations for Prey Acquisition

 

Darlene Gilroy – Oral Presentation

Mentor: Dr. Carmen Nezat, Geology

Chemical Weathering of Deposits from the 1980 Mount St. Helens Eruption and its Effect on Stream Water Chemistry

 

Theresa Lee – Poster Presentation

Mentor: Dr. Lindsey Upton, Criminology

Prisoner Reentry: College Perceptions of Reentry Barriers in a Northwest Community

 

Wendolyn Martinez – Poster Presentation

Mentor: Dr. Dorothy Zeisler Vralsted, International Affairs

Propaganda: USSR and US Comparing Propaganda from the US and USSR Produced for the Advancement of Public Approval for Hydro-projects in the 1930s

 

Aulane Mpouli – Oral Presentation

Mentor: Dr. Yao Houndonougbo, Chemistry

Molecular Docking Study of ITPA Protein Substrate Complex

 

Rachael Pentico – Poster Presentation

Mentor: Dr. Rebecca Brown, Biology

Differences in Plant Soil Feedbacks with Respect to Slope Aspect

 

Samantha Sanchez-Garcia – Poster Presentation

Mentor: Dr. Jillene Seiver, Psychology

PsychologyTraumatic Experiences and Mental Health Among College Students

 

Hope Sands – Poster Presentation

Mentor: Dr. Brian Buchanan, Archaeology/GIS

Understanding the Historical Past of Fort Spokane through Landscape Archaeology

 

Filed Under: 2018-2019 Cohort, 2019-2020 Cohort, 2020-21 Presentations, Ashley Destin, Aulane Mpouli, Darlene Gilroy, Hope Sands, Malachi Chukwu, McNair Mentors, Mentor, Rachael Pentico, Research, Sami Sanchez-Garcia, Scholars, Theresa Lee, Wendolyn Martinez Tagged With: Conferences, Dr. Brian Buchanan, Dr. Carmen Nezat, Dr. Dorothy Zeisler-Vralsted, Dr. Jillene Seiver, Dr. Judd A. Case, Dr. Lindsey Upton, Dr. Majid Sharifi, Dr. Rebecca Brown, Dr. Yao Houndonougbo, EWU McNair Program, EWU McNair Scholar

  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to Next Page »
  • McNair
  • Apply
  • Mentors
Eastern Washington University
509.359.6200 • Contact Information
EWU expands opportunities for personal transformation through excellence in learning.
  • About EWU
  • Accessibility
  • Campus Map
  • Visit EWU
  • Diversity
  • InsideEWU
  • EWU Libraries
  • Jobs
  • Campus Locations
  • Canvas
  • Leadership
  • EWU Foundation
  • Privacy Policy
  • Rules Docket

© 2022 Eastern Washington University