1st Year Scholars
Daven Asafo-Agyei
Daven Asafo - Agyei is the recent recipient of the Caliph & Arlette Mathis Scholarship for Global Security Studies, as well as the 2023 Malcolm/King Leadership Award, and was recently published in John Jay’s Finest Vol. 38. He is currently majoring in Security management with a minor in Sustainability and Environmental Justice, and will soon be enrolled for a CUNY BA with an area of concentration in Human Ecology in the Built Environment. He is an active member of both the Urban Male Initiative program and the Black Student Union. Daven is also the founder of Humane LLC, a non-profit organization that focuses on the research and preservation of humanity which he founded in 2021. In his spare time, he likes to volunteer with various organizations, play legos and even attempt to learn the guitar. Daven works as a Fire Life Safety Director for Winfield Security as well as a part-time Coordinator of Gardens and Operations for a small non-profit situated in the Bronx. He is dedicated to becoming a scholar, humanitarian, ecologist, and environmentalist, hoping to one day obtain the highest of achievements in those fields and leave behind life-changing work.
Brooke Baker
Major: Forensic Psychology
Tenay Burgher
Major: Law and Society
Jacey Collins
Jacey Collins is a first generation Jamaican-American student. She is a senior at John Jay College of Criminal Justice with plans to achieve a PhD in Social Psychology. Jacey currently majors in Forensic Psychology and is minoring in Sociology. She is a first-year McNair Scholar with research interests in anti-racism and social justice reform. Outside of school she is a mental health perceptor at a psychiatric hospital. She aspires to become an expert witness in the justice system and extend mental health services to underprivileged populations.
Shaniece Ellison Young
Hello everyone! I grew up in Brooklyn, New York. I am now studying Sociology with a minor in Counseling. I want to become an attorney and a social worker, but I am also interested in other careers that involve directly assisting people. Cooking is something I do as therapy but also for fun. Cooking allows me to be creative while also being open to exploring new things. In addition, I volunteer for the Alliance Against Sexual Harassment in New York City. As a McNair Scholar, I wish to raise awareness about subjects that are rarely spoken about, such as sexual assault, suicide, and others.
Jheyleinnies Guerrero
My name is Jheyleinnies Guerrero, but everyone calls me Jhey Jhey. I grew up in Brooklyn, New York. I am a Criminology major with a minor in Psychology. I work part-time as a Peer Success Coach for SASP and am a member of John Jay's Honors Program. I work as an illustrator and T-shirt designer for my family's business when I'm not on campus. I keep myself as occupied as possible in my spare time, so I'm generally at the gym or on the soccer field. When I'm at home, I'm either reading, painting, or writing, or I'm learning a new skill.
Ashli Hamilton
Ashli Hamilton is from Ridgewood, NJ, and has dreamed of attending John Jay! She majors in Forensic Psychology and has a minor in Sociology. The scholar is a part of the John Jay Honors Program and the Black Honors Student Union. In terms of leadership, she works with the Black Student Union and holds the role of Event Planning Committee Chair. She is also a research assistant for Dr. Booker in a project that revolves around Restorative Justice. As a first generation-student, Ashli is grateful to be a part of McNair as she would like to pursue higher education and receive a doctoral degree. With this degree, she plans to teach, open her own practice, and conduct research. Currently, she is interested in Juvenile Justice and is under the mentorship of Dr. Haney-Caron. She has recently joined Dr. Haney-Caron's Youth Law and Psychology Lab and is excited about researching in her field of interest. Ashli enjoys listening to different genres of music, exploring NYC, and going thrifting. She is excited for the future of her education and hopes to create an impact on herself and others within her community.
Efeh Ibojie
Efeh Ibojie is a senior enrolled in the CUNY Baccalaureate for Unique and Interdisciplinary Studies program at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Her area of concentration is in Cultural Heritage and Museum Studies. She is the recipient of the CUNY BA’s Barbara Price Fellowship and Thomas W. Smith Academic Fellowship. As a McNair Scholar, she is interested in pursuing research in digital repatriation and preservation practices. Previously, she was enrolled at Queensborough Community College where she majored in Gallery and Museum Studies. Since 2020, she has completed training at the Greenwood Cemetery as a Masonry Restoration trainee, worked at the NYC Parks Arts and Antiquity Department in the Monuments crew, and has been a paper conservation intern at the Smithsonian Library and Archives and the Hirshhorn Museum. These experiences have allowed her to expand her knowledge of preservation and piqued her interest in conducting research. Upon completion of her undergraduate studies, she will be completing a 6-month conservation internship at the Smithsonian Library and Archives while applying to graduate school. During her free time, she likes reading fantasy novels, experimenting with various crafts (such as bead weaving, crocheting, and knitting), and watching crime mystery tv shows.
Stephanie Medina
Hello everyone! My name is Stephanie Medina and I’m currently a junior majoring in Forensic Psychology at John Jay. I also currently work as a Senior Bridge coach for College and Career Bridge for All to help high school seniors with their post-secondary plans. I am a part of the Honors program, McNair, Psy Chi Leadership Team and two faculty members labs. I love to read, dance and rock climb in my free time as well as take my puppy, Sky out for walks. I hope to go on to graduate school for a PhD in the discipline of cognitive psychology with a focus on memory.
Kimberely Mejia
Kimberely is a first-generation student. Her parents come from Mexico. She is a senior who majors in Forensic Psychology and Spanish (Interpretation and Translation) with the intent to work as a case manager before returning to graduate school for a PhD in neuropsychology. Over the course of her time at John Jay, she has discovered that she enjoys working with people. She started off at John Jay as a member of ¡Adelante! and is now part of the McNair Scholars Program. She enjoys drawing in her spare time and going to the gym.
Anjelika Soriano
Anjelika is a first-generation Latin, her parents come from the Dominican Republic. She is majoring in Forensic Psychology and intends to become a criminal profiler. Anjelika is striving to complete her Ph.D in Forensic Psychology. She is passionate about helping others, personal development, fitness, and her family. Her education journey has been about showing herself that she can accomplish anything she puts her mind to. She explores different opportunities to ensure a grounded future. Anjelika was in John Jay’s Upward Bound program during high school, now she is in the ACE program, and the McNair program. Anjelika hopes to make a positive impact on people's lives.
Sherley Tejada
My name is Sherley Tejada, I was born and raised in the Bronx. I'm majoring in Forensic Science and on the criminalist track and minoring in Biology. I'm a first-year McNair Scholar interested in researching DNA profiling. As well, as a member of the Forensic Science Society, I'm interested in pursuing a career as a forensic lab analyst for the FBI or criminal investigation for local law enforcement. Outside of school, I've been dancing since I was 9 years old, and had been doing professional dancing in the industry since I was 15 years old.
Imani Thomas
Imani Thomas is a first-generation undergraduate student majoring in Forensic Psychology with a minor in Africana Studies. She is from Long Island, NY yet loves to be in the city and explore it as much as possible. Currently, Imani is in John Jay’s Honors Program, a member of the Black Student Union, and involved in the Black Honors Student Committee. In addition to this, she is a part of Dr. Booker's internship focused on Restorative Justice in an Africana Context, and recently joined Dr. Camacho’s research lab dealing with Task Perception and Personal Attitudes. As a McNair Scholar, she is immensely enthusiastic about doing her own rigorous research on topics pertaining to racial issues, trauma and depression, and sexual violence; in the program, she will be under the guidance of Dr. Jeglic. Aside from her dedication in extracurricular activities and her studies, Imani enjoys reading poetry by Rupi Kaur, spending time with her family and friends, and recently has taken up reading more psychology books. Thus, after receiving her Bachelor's degree, Imani aspires to further her passion for research through a Ph.D. program, and assess underrepresented individuals with psychological disorders and individuals who have experienced sexual violence/abuse.
2nd Year Scholars
Gabrielle Andrade
Gabrielle Andrade is a senior majoring in Forensic Psychology and double minoring in Counseling and Sociology. Gabrielle is working with Dr. Jayne Mooney from the sociology department. Her independent research project focuses on Latinx women domestic abuse survivors and their experience with DV outreach programs.
Cynthia Gonzalez
Cynthia Gonzalez is a senior at John Jay College currently studying Computer Science while minoring in Art. During her free time she likes to delve into different mediums of art from music to drawing and painting. A few accomplishments to note would be participating in CodePath's iOS Development program in the Fall of 2021. Cynthia completed the course with honors which lead toward her training to become a Tech Fellow for the course. Cynthia completed the training and was able to become an official Tech Fellow for CodePath's iOS Development Course and finished off with a certificate of leadership for being a Tech Fellow. Cynthia is also proud to note that she is a Peer Advisor for the Computer Science department which has been something new for this major and she is proudly the only female Peer Advisor for the Computer Science Department and strives to keep helping students get to where they would like to be when they graduate.
Ly Thien Hoang
Ly Thien Hoang is an upper senior at John Jay College of Criminal Justice studying in the BA/MA Forensic Psychology program with a minor in Interdisciplinary Studies. Ly Hoang is under the mentorship of Dr. Rebecca Weiss, Ph.D. conducting a secondary analysis on the interrater reliability on competency to stand trial evaluations in New York. She is interested in becoming a forensic evaluator and hopes to enter a Ph.D. or PsyD program in Fall 2023. She hopes to obtain in the program a Clinical Psychology degree with a focus in forensics to becoming a neuropsychologist and trial consultant. Ly Hoang was awarded the ISP Award for Excellence in May 2022. Ly Hoang is currently externing with the New York Counseling for Change, LLC (QCC/NYCC) and has become a research assistant in Dr. Margaret Bull Kovera Lab.
Jaleel King
Jaleel King is a senior at John Jay College and ajors in Forensic Psychology with a minor in Africana Studies. Jaleel has taken advantage of multiple resources and programs at John Jay College including the Alumni Mentoring Program, The Pinkerton Fellow, and the McNair Program. Through the McNair program, Jaleel is conducting research on eyewitness testimony and jurors' perception of the evidence against suspects placed in lineups. Jaleel will serve as a second author of research that focuses on the role of resilient coping and family functioning on the presence and severity of opioid misuse during COVID-19 lockdown. After graduating from John Jay College, Jaleel plans to go into a Ph.D. program with a focus on social psychology.
Osmeily Luna
Osmeily Luna is majoring in Forensic Psychology and minoring in Criminology. Osmeily is a second-year Ronald E. McNair scholar, where she will be conducting independent research while learning all that she can about graduate school. Osmeily is researching violence against women with a concentration on sex trafficking from an international lens and is also a part of the Forensic Psychology BA/MA Program, where she will be taking an extra year to complete her bachelor's and master's degrees simultaneously.
Avii Van Praagh
Avii Van Praagh is a junior in the CUNY BA program Vis a Vis John Jay. They are majoring in both Sex, Gender, and Sexuality studies, and Structural Violence and Critical Othering studies. They are a McNair Fellow, Vera Fellow, and Moelis Fellow, as well as a CUNY Peer Leader and intern with both NYBCAP and the Urban Justice Center. Avii is also a member of both the honors program DEI club and the honors program LGBTQIA+ club. In addition to their academic pursuits, Avii is also an artist who has been featured in zines and has received multiple merit scholarships for their creative ventures. They aspire to be a part-time professor and part-time intimacy coordinator with extensive nonprofit involvement on the side.
Associate Scholars
Sam Ascencio
Sam Ascencio is a genderfluid senior in the CUNY BA pursuing Queer Education and Social Advocacy and Innovation at xyr home college of John Jay. Xe is a current McNair scholar, CUNY Peer Leader, and HASTACS Scholar. Xyrs projects include the creation of Q’onnections, a paid stipend queer peer mentorship program, and spearheading the creation of John Jay’s new LGBTQ+ center. Sam’s current research interest is in LGBTQ+ pedagogy, education, program development, and assessment, and xe is currently working xyr current research titled: From the Ones Doing the Work: Exploring the LGBTQ+ Service Landscape in Urban Higher Education under Dr. Emily McSpadden. Sam’s work can be found on the CUNY Peer Leaders website, HASTACS digital Friday, Spotify, and in various other forms of media publication.
Katiera Dickinson
Katiera Dickinson is majoring in Forensic Psychology, and minoring in Africana Studies. Early in her college career, an Interdisciplinary Studies class focusing on stereotypes in the U.S., spurred her interest in exploring social issues, specifically within the Black community. Her research interests include race-based traumatic stress, racial socialization, and Black identity. Her current research project focuses on the relationship between racial socialization and academic success, and investigates the role of race-based stress as a moderator. She is currently conducting her research under the guidance of Dr. Veronica Johnson. Katiera is also involved with TEDxCUNY, a group aimed to bring TED’s mission of “Ideas worth spreading” to the CUNY community. She began as the Head of Community Partnerships in 2019. Katiera eventually rose to become the Organizer and Licensee.
Alijah Sepulveda
Alijah Sepulveda is a third-year undergraduate student under the Macaulay Honors College at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. She was awarded the Access Path to Psychology and Law Experience (AP) Program in 2022. She is currently conducting research on the effect that parental advice can have on youth’s plea bargain decision making. Her research is exploring differences between African American and White parents' perceptions and advice concerning plea bargains for their children. After graduating from John Jay in 2023, Alijah intends to pursue her Ph.D. in clinical psychology with a focus in forensics.
Program Staff
Dr. Jessica Gordon-Nembhard
Dr. S. Ernest Lee
Omari Joseph
Rachel Rosado