Faculty Mentors
Faculty Mentors are the heart of scholar research and graduate school activities in
the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program. Each year, we work with
individual McNair Scholars to identify faculty that will serve as research and academic
mentor for the duration of the scholars time in the program.
Dr. Kathryn Anderson, PhD
Professor of Psychology
College of Professional Studies
Faculty Profile
Dr. Anderson's research focuses on personality and situational causes of impulsive and thoughtful aggression and on the development of violent beliefs, as well as violence prevention. She has also published on personality characteristics associated with interpersonal aggression, acculturation effects and how gender interacts with social factors in influencing behavior. She is the Past-President of the Society for the Psychology of Women (Division 35 of the American Psychological Association), which is an intersectional feminist psychology organization. Dr. Anderson has greatly enjoyed working with McNair scholars at 海角社区 over the past 28 years. |
Valerie Martinez, PhD
Assistant Professor of History
History Program Head
Dr. Valerie A. Mart铆nez specializes in 20th Century Mexican American history, U.S. Military and
Labor History, and Women鈥檚 and Gender Studies. Her current National Endowment for
the Humanities-funded project, Embajadoras: Latina Servicewomen and Hemispheric Politics during World War II, reconceptualizes traditional notions of diplomacy and international actors by investigating
how the recruitment and service of Latina women in the Benito Ju谩rez Squadron during
World War II embodied the Pan-American ideal of an imagined hemispheric system of
unity and reciprocity in the Americas. Her transnational research in both Mexico and
the U.S. has been funded by several entities. She is also the co-recipient of an NEH
grant to create an oral history project dedicated to women veterans. Dr. Mart铆nez
is currently an Assistant Professor of History and History Program Head at Our Lady
of the Lake University in San Antonio, Texas.
Marlo Mitchell-Gonzalez, MA, LSSP
School Psychology Instructor
College of Professional Studies
Faculty Profile
As a school psychologist in public education for the last twenty years, I have been privileged to witness first-hand the crucial role that schools play in the lives of students. I have also seen the various challenges, including inequalities in education. I am passionate about empowering families and communities as well as promoting non-discriminatory practices as a school psychologist. My research interests include Promoting Social Justice and Advocacy in School Psychology through Graduate Preparation, Self-Regulation and Reading Fluency of Students in Special Education, Effective Response to Intervention/Multi-Tiered System of Supports prior to referral, recruitment and retention of LSSPs in Texas, ELL (Spanish) Students and Special Education Evaluations, Anxiety and Counseling in Schools, and Parent Training and Collaboration.
Emily Sauers, PhD
Assistant Professor
Kinesiology
College of Arts and Sciences
Faculty Profile
Dr. Sauers research interests involve eating behaviors and appetite following exercise.
Her research in the past has focused on steady state compared to high intensity interval
aerobic exercise. Through her research, she has questioned the role of the menstrual
cycle in eating responses and appetite to exercise. Thus far, her research projects
have focused on acute (single bout) exercise, but she would like to expand to exercise
training, including resistance (strength) training, and populations beyond a healthy,
college-aged individual.
Dr. Manpreet K. Semwal (she/her)
Assistant Professor of Biology
Dept of Math & Science
Faculty Profile
With a background in immunology and previous research on diabetes and obesity in aging, I aim to expand my work by studying the effects of natural compounds on cellular senescence. Senescence, a state in which cells lose their ability to divide and function properly, increases with age and plays a crucial role in aging and age-related diseases. Many regional foods and traditional dietary practices are believed to help slow down senescence. One of my research objectives is to explore and understand whether natural compounds and some specific food/food groups can influence the cellular and immunological senescence markers. |
Melissa Shiplett-Jupe, Ph.D., LPC, NCC,
PMH-C
Program Leadership, Assistant Professor of Counseling
College of Professional Studies
Faculty Profile
Dr. Shiplett-Jupe has a deep passion for clinical mental health. From clinical practice to education of counselors-in-training, Dr. SJ focuses on decolonizing mental health, creating space for clients as experts of their lived experiences, and providing safety through learning and exploring. These foundations are also evident in her research interests and practices. She seeks to expand current understandings and knowledge of the intersection of reproductive health and sexual wellness on mental health, overall LGBTQ+ mental health, family forming, and perinatal through postpartum mental health of all birthing people. Additionally, Dr. SJ is invested in researching ethical clinical training practices focusing on theories of learning, creativity in curriculum, and ethical incorporation of new technologies. |
Samantha Galvan, PhD
Assistant Professor of Marketing/Business Analytics
Department of Business
Faculty Profile
Dr. Galvan's research focuses on public policy and marketing with a particular emphasis on social matters and public health questions. Within these domains, she leverages an applied empirical approach to address research questions and provide practical and actionable insights for managers and policymakers. Overall, Dr. Galvan is motivated to investigate issues that have large real-world implications with immediate applicability. Her research is approachable and timely to both scholars and practitioners alike. Dr. Galvan's key project looks at the simultaneous impact of Uber on sales of alcohol and instances of drunk driving. The project is currently being reviewed at the Journal of Public Policy and Marketing. |
Jazmine L. Garcia, PhD
Visiting Professor of Criminology & Criminal Justice
Department of Applied Social and Cultural Science
Faculty Profile
My research focuses on policing practices, use-of-force policies, and juvenile justice, with a particular interest in missing persons and runaway youth. I am currently involved in several research projects, including a systematic review of police monitor qualifications, an exploratory analysis of police intake data for first-time and repeat runaway youth, and a comparative analysis of use-of-force policies across Texas police departments. My dissertation, Exploring Attitudes within Legal Precedents Related to Police Use of Force, examines how legal interpretations of law enforcement practices have evolved over time. With my experience as a Missing Person Supervisor for the San Antonio Police Department, I strive to bridge academic research with real-world policing challenges. I collaborate with scholars and students to analyze contemporary issues in law enforcement, policy reform, and crime analysis, aiming to contribute to evidence-based policing strategies and improved public safety policies. |
Christopher Carmona, PhD
Director, Center for Mexican American Studies and Research
Associate Professor of English and Mexican American Studies
Faculty Profile
Dr. Christopher Carmona is the Director of the Center for Mexican American Studies and Research and an Associate Professor at Our Lady of the Lake University of Mexican American Studies and English. He is an award-winning poet and writer. Carmona is a member of the national award-winning organization, Refusing to Forget, which researches and promotes the history of violence against Mexican Americans and Latinos in the early 20th Century and beyond. His latest anthology is Jovita: An Anthology of Life and Influence of Jovita Idar. Currently, he is working on finishing this series of YA novels. Book Three is out now. He served as the Chair of the NACCS Tejas Foco Committee on Implementing MAS in PreK-12 Education in Texas. He was a leader in getting the TEKS based Mexican American Studies High School Course approved by the Texas State Board of Education. He served on Responsible Ethnic Studies Textbook committee that was awarded the "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee" award for excellence in educational leadership from the Mexican American School Board Association (MASBA). He is also an inductee to the Texas Literature of Letters. |
Jessie Andr茅, PhD, LCSW-S, M.Ed.
Assistant Professor
Worden School of Social Service
Faculty Profile
Dr. Jessie Andr茅, PhD, LCSW-S, M.Ed. earned a Bachelor at The Pennsylvania State University. They went on to earn an MSW from Temple University followed by an M.Ed. and PhD from Widener University. Since entering the social work field, they have had the opportunity to work in various capabilities within the field of clinical social work. Dr. Andr茅 began their work doing advocacy for people impacted by intimate partner violence in MT. Their work aims to address the sexual and mental health needs of first- and second-generation immigrant individuals. As a practicing intentional social work, Dr. Andr茅 is passionate about helping future social work practicioners develop a global framework regarding all aspects of human behavior. |
Dr. Christine (Chris) Charmichael, PhD, CCC-SLP
Professor of Communication Disorders
Woolfolk School Director
Faculty Profile
Dr. Charmichael specializes in voice disorders, dysphagia, neuroanatomy & neurophysiology, and craniofacial anomalies. Her research has focused on respiratory dysfunction related to voice and swallowing deficits in neurogenic populations, psychosocial aspects of cleft lip/palate, electrical stimulation, myofascial release, and most recently, long COVID. She is also interested in researching the need to increase diveristy of graduate applicants through the use of holistic admissions. |