2024-2025 Fellows

Chandani Bhandari (she/her) is an international student from India and currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Human Development and Family Studies. Her research interests are the promotion of well-being interventions for children with developmental disabilities, their caregivers and educators. She is specifically interested in mindfulness-based stress and anxiety reduction interventions. As a Leadership Fellow, she hopes to develop mindfulness interventions that cater to the stress and anxiety issues of MSU graduate students.

Peyton Ellis is a 3rd year doctoral student in the Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics. She is originally from rural North Carolina, which fostered her interest in community development in rural areas. Her academic background is in political science, philosophy, history, and economics. Peyton pulls from each of these fields in her current research on developing more effective metrics that capture social inclusivity and resulting economic empowerment. Her goal in this research is to drive effective policy that addresses the unique and systemic obstacles faced by marginalized communities. Outside of academia, Peyton enjoys baking, participating in community sports, and hiking with her friends and family.Ph.D.

Moldir Moldagaliyeva is an Information and Media doctoral student in the Department of Advertising and Public Relations. She is an international student from Kazakhstan interested in cross-cultural comparative studies on social media and digital technology use, the digital divide, and digital literacy. She is working on projects on older adults' ICT use in the US and Central Asia. She is also a Research Assistant at the Center for Anti-Counterfeiting and Product Protection at MSU for a global study on counterfeit product sales. She earned her Master's in Advertising and Public Relations from Michigan State University in 2022. Before joining MSU, Moldir worked as a Marketing and Public Relations Specialist for a nationally recognized IT company in Kazakhstan and participated in initiatives to promote e-government services and enhance citizens' digital literacy through the e-government portal.

Darren "dee" Dubose is a former K-12 educator, a present community member, and future doctoral candidate in the College of Education (Ed. Administration Department) at Michigan State University. His current research interests connect at the junction of the lessons learned from Black graduates and school board members in separate but equal Black schools in the rural South. Particularly, how these alternative knowledges influences their political agency in a deficit K-12 educational landscape. Outside of scholarly research at MSU, dee is an active member of the 517 Wellness Committee in Lansing, Michigan; the Vice President Board Member of Resilient Village; Board Member of Coalition of Schools Educating Mindfully, COSEM.

Mahbub Amin is a second-year MA TESOL student at MSU. His research interests encompass the intersection of technology and language education, with a particular focus on the development of online resources and tools. He completed his first MA in Applied Linguistics and ELT from Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh. His professional journey as an E-learning industry specialist and curriculum designer with several e-learning companies in the UK and the USA has provided him with invaluable experience in instructional design and online course and curriculum development. As a sports enthusiast, he likes to play cricket, tennis, table tennis, and chess.

Hannah Wright (she/her) is a second-year master's student in the Student Affairs Administration program at MSU. She is originally from Columbus, Ohio and completed her undergraduate degree in public policy at Ohio State University. She currently works as a graduate assistant in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging. Hannah is passionate about serving the needs of underrepresented and nontraditional college students, and has worked in equity-centered career preparation and exploration at multiple institutions. Outside of MSU, Hannah enjoys reading, crocheting, and gardening. As a Leadership Fellow, she aims to explore ways that graduate students can connect with the greater Lansing community.

Yetunde S. Alabede is a daughter, wife, mother, friend, liberal Muslim, cultural enthusiast, and food lover. She is currently a Ph. D student in the Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and Teacher Education (CITE) at Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan. She received the Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Program fellowship (2018-2019) and the P.E.O International Peace Scholarship for two consecutive years (2022-2024). She holds a bachelor's degree in English Education from the University of Lagos, Nigeria, and a master's in Cross-Cultural and International Education from Bowling Green State University, Ohio. Her research includes a decolonial and Global South epistemologies approach to language policies and practices of African and African (im)migrant families; the nexus between parenting, languaging, and gifting; multilingualism, Less Commonly Taught Languages (LCTLs) pedagogy, and home-school-community educational collaboration to enhance African and African (im)migrant children's holistic development and sense of belonging. At leisure, Yetunde loves cooking and spending quality time with her family transnationally. She also enjoys outdoor activities with her energetic four-year-old daughter.

Rachael Watson is a second-year Master's student in the Rehabilitation Counseling program. She received her Bachelor's degree from Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, MI, where she majored in Psychology with a concentration in Neuroscience and minored in Biology. Rachael is passionate about animal-assisted therapy and frequently volunteers with her therapy dog, a Golden Retriever named Tucker. Currently, Rachael is working as a Graduate Assistant through the Writing Center @ MSU, where she supports individuals with their writing as well as coordinates activities through her role as a GA. In her free time, Rachael enjoys spending time with loved ones, camping, reading, horseback riding, and drinking coffee while thrifting.

Sahel Izadi is a third-year Ph.D. student in Urban Geography with an interdisciplinary academic and professional background in architecture, urban planning, and geography. Her research primarily focuses on immigrant communities and their settlement patterns in Istanbul, Turkey. Sahel is passionate about integrating these diverse fields in her research and future practice. As a Leadership Fellow, she is particularly interested in exploring how students can thrive and enhance their mental well-being by finding opportunities to explore and develop their various abilities and skills in interdisciplinary environments.

Carter Crosby (b. 2001) is a composer, theorist, and multimedia artist currently based in East Lansing, Michigan. They are currently pursuing a master's in music composition from Michigan State University where they serve as a Music Technology Graduate Assistant. Carter works to create immersive experiences in both their musical works and installations- combining auditory, visual, and written art forms to create dynamic music on and off the page. Carter is excited about interdisciplinary work within and beyond the arts- creating multimedia installations, graphic scores, and finding collaborators in STEM. They have also been selected to attend nationally and internationally recognized festivals such as REDNOTE composition workshop, SPLICE Institute, and soundSCAPE composition-performance exchange.

Maura Philippone (she/her) is a licensed CCC-SLP and a PhD student. She obtained her bachelor's degree from The University of Maine (Orono, ME) and earned high honors for her undergraduate thesis, titled "The Use of Smartphone Apps as a Supplement to Transgender Voice and Communication Therapy," under the guidance of Dr. Nancy E. Hall, PhD, CCC-SLP. She earned her master's degree in speech from The George Washington University (Washington, DC), where she completed her thesis, "User-Centered Design for Gamified Voice and Communication App: Applying UCD to Gender-Affirming Communication Services," under the supervision of Dr. Adrienne B. Hancock, PhD, CCC-SLP. During her clinical fellowship at EvergreenHealth's adult outpatient facility in Kirkland, WA, Maura developed a keen interest in enhancing voice/speech treatment outcomes for individuals with neurodegenerative conditions. During this fellowship, she founded Forward Focus (https://reproducibilitea.org/journal-clubs/#Forward%20Focus), a monthly, virtual voice journal club aimed at fostering connections and discussions among voice enthusiasts of diverse backgrounds. She currently co-directs this group, and continuously works to advance the Open Science movement.

As a PhD student under the direction of Dr. Thea Knowles, PhD, CCC-SLP, and a researcher in the SONIC lab, Maura's current research focuses on optimizing SLP services for individuals with Parkinson's disease. She explores innovative approaches (e.g., gamification/gameful design) to enhance engagement and generalization for optimal voice/speech intervention outcomes.

Olamide Ogungbemi is a third-year graduate student in the Educational Psychology and Educational Technology program. She previously worked as a computer science instructor in a K-12 school in Nigeria and as a program manager in an international non-profit organization based in Nigeria. She has experience working on empowerment and research projects focused on teachers' professional development, technology training for African women and girls, and equity-centered teacher education. Her research focuses on equity-centered computer science education at the K—12 level as well as technology- and justice-centered teacher education. As a leadership fellow, she hopes to work with African female graduate students to provide them with culturally relevant resources, support, and mentorship to succeed as international graduate students in the United States.

Zhamilya Yessirkepova (she/her) is an international student from Kazakhstan, currently pursuing a doctoral degree in K-12 Educational Administration. Her research centers on family engagement within the Head Start program. In addition to her academic work, Zhamilya serves as the Head Start Policy Council Chair and a Board member at Capital Area Community Services agency. Through the GROW fellowship, she aims to strengthen support systems for graduate students who have children with disabilities.

Talgat Bainazarov is a PhD candidate in the K-12 Educational Administration program at Michigan State University. His research focuses on the systems and factors that support school leaders' learning and professional growth, with a particular interest in understanding and measuring how principals' beliefs influence their leadership practices to create equitable learning environments for diverse students and families. He currently works as a graduate student for the University Council for Educational Administration (UCEA) and serves on the internal editorial team of the Educational Administration Quarterly (EAQ) journal. Previously, he was a schoolteacher and school administrator in Kazakhstan, where he worked in schools serving students from diverse ethnic, racial, and socio-economic backgrounds.

Paninga Muiliya is a third year PhD student in the department of chemistry. His research is focused on developing high barrier paper materials for food packaging applications. Paninga has a decade of experience in nonprofit leadership, including working as communications specialist, mentor, business developer, and project manager. He is the founder of Pannyword Foundation, where he leads numerous outreach programs, youth leadership programs, and other social projects, collaborating strategically with partners across the globe. His life's vision, rooted in service, stewardship, and self-sacrifice, aims to raise 3 billion stewards — a global community of youths dedicated to pleasing the Lord God and serving the world with ideas and creativity.

Jermaine R. Howell (he/him) is a third-year PhD student in the Curriculum, Instruction, and Teacher Education program. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Primary Education (K-6) from the International University of the Caribbean, Jamaica, and a Master's Degree in Curriculum, Instruction, and Development Supervision from North Carolina State University. Jermaine has experience teaching grades 3, 4, and 5 in both Jamaica and North Carolina. His work focuses on teaching mathematics for social justice by utilizing culturally relevant pedagogy to support and enhance Black students' learning of mathematics. Alongside his doctoral studies at MSU, Jermaine is also pursuing a Graduate Certificate in Urban Education and Qualitative Research Methods. Currently, he serves as the Chief Diversity Officer for the International Student Association, where he is committed to advancing multicultural and diversity initiatives as well as supporting the well-being of international students on campus.

Dana Anafina is a second-year master's student in the Department of Communication. Her research focus is health communication, specifically how social norms influence an individual's behavior. She is interested in exploring how persuasive messages can challenge and reshape existing social norms for positive health outcomes. Inspired by current fellows, Dana is excited to work with and learn. As a leadership fellow, she aims to create an environment for international students where their voices are heard and to ensure each individual feels valued and supported.

Delilah Pacheco is a second year PhD student in the Curriculum, Instruction and Teacher Education (CITE) department at MSU's College of Education. Prior to joining MSU, she served in leadership and community outreach roles as an Assistant Professor of English in Goa, India. Delilah's research interest include the implications of decolonial and postcolonial pedagogical approaches in classrooms and youth participatory action research. As a Leadership Fellow she hopes to identify community needs and learn of creative ways of tackling persistent issues with regard to language, identity and culture. Delilah has also served as the 2021-22 Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) to MSU, where she taught Hindi.

Narae Yu is a second-year master's student in Rehabilitation Counseling at Michigan State University, with a passionate focus on disability justice. Her academic foundation includes a double major in Counseling Psychology and Social Welfare from Handong Global University in South Korea. Narae aspires to become both a skilled counselor and a dedicated researcher in Rehabilitation Counseling, with a particular interest in addressing the mental health needs of people with disabilities. Recognizing the intersectionality of these experiences, she aims to challenge systemic barriers and promote equitable access to mental health services. Through her studies and future work, Narae is committed to amplifying the voices of marginalized communities and ultimately improving the lives of individuals facing challenges related to disability and mental health.

Phyllis Angemwin Gyang is a PhD dual major student in Geography, Environment, and Spatial Sciences and Environmental Science and Policy (ESPP). Her research focuses on hydrological modeling in the White Volta Basin, specifically examining flood patterns resulting from Bagre Dam releases. She employs modeling techniques and geospatial analysis to understand these patterns over the past decade and assess the vulnerability of the affected communities.