Here are some of the key highlights from our research endeavors during the past year:
Open Doors Academy (ODA)
Our evaluation work continues with, a local agency providing after-school programs dedicated to students at underperforming Cleveland schools. The annual evaluation report for the 2022-2023 program year was completed, as was a study examining ODA’s impact on two school districts. Two more impact studies are now underway. These studies evaluate student success and provide valuable insights for improving and developing ODA programs. Key findings thus far indicate that participation in ODA programming is related to increased school day attendance compared to students who do not receive ODA programming. Planned work for this collaboration will continue through 2027.
Advisory groups and consultation:
We support various community child-focused groups that enhance family and child well-being. This support is provided through general child development research information and project evaluation consultation by Drs. Minnes and Dimitropoulos. This past year, we have actively participated with Invest in Children, United Way, and Cleveland Housing Partners, which introduced Family Space and Scholar House. Through our involvement in advisory boards and evaluation committees, we continue to gain valuable knowledge about Cleveland's efforts to support our children's well-being.
Research Director Sonia Minnes has served on the Scholar House Steering Committee and Evaluation Committee, Family Space Evaluation Committee, Safe Babies Court of Cuyahoga County and has advised members of the School-Based Health team at MetroHealth Medical Center and serves on an advisory group whose goal is to recommend Cleveland Municipal Schools on education and interventions for children with elevated lead levels. Dr. Minnes also served as an advisor on the Open Doors Academy evaluation project.
Student Research Opportunities
Welter-Muzic Research Support - Small Grants
This program enables students to apply for grants ranging from $200 to $1,000 to cover expenses related to their child or youth-focused research projects. Generous donations have facilitated our students' research projects by partially covering the cost of their projects, stipends for research participants, and expenses connected with attending conferences.
Grant Recipients 2023-2024:
Aja Leatherwood, a junior majoring in Communication Science and Childhood Studies, attended and was chosen as a volunteer for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and American Auditory Society (AAS) Conventions with her mentor, Schubert Associate Lauren Calendruccio Ph.D.
Madeline Witort, a junior majoring in Communication Science and Cognitive Science, attended and presented her capstone at the 14th Annual Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) conference with her mentor, Schubert Associate Angela Ciccia, Ph.D.
Learn more about the small grant and the recipients' experience.
Welter-Muzic Continuing Research
We have increased the opportunities offered to students this year by adding the Welter-Muzic Continuing Research Fellowship, which provides sophomores and juniors with marginalized identities the opportunity to apply for grants of up to $1,500 to extend their research work and attend relevant conferences. This fellowship allows students to acquire advanced research skills and foster professional growth. Participants have the opportunity to collaborate with research teams focusing on child and adolescent studies across multiple disciplines. Additionally, students develop presentations and papers for academic dissemination, enhancing their ability to communicate research findings effectively and contribute to the academic community's knowledge base.
Welter-Muzic Continuing Research Fellow 2023-24:
- Aja Leatherwood, a previous Schubert Research Fellow 2022-23, continued her research by analyzing the speech stimuli spoken by Spanish/English speakers while wearing a face mask with her mentor, Schubert Associate Lauren Caladruccio.
Learn more about the continuing fellowship and join , where she discusses her experience.
Schubert Research Fellows
The Schubert Center for Child Studies is excited to announce we have received a small grant from The Expanding Horizons Initiative (EHI) of the College of Arts and Sciences in the 2024 Social Racial Justice category. This grant, Building the Schubert Research Fellows Program, will help us expand this fellowship, now in its fourth year, by providing students with meaningful research experiences and mentorship. By underwriting the cost of student research assistants for Schubert Center Associates, the program supports career exploration and networking for students with marginalized identities. This effort strengthens the pipeline to graduate school and professional opportunities, fostering an inclusive academic environment that empowers the next generation of scholars.
- Berenice Grijalva Arvizu, a sophomore majoring in communication Sciences and Psychology, worked with Angela Ciccia, Ph.D., on her current research, School Transition after Traumatic Brain Injury in Youth in Grades K—12. This study used mixed-methods research (quantitative and qualitative) to evaluate academic, health, and social outcomes based on school-based support.
- Marc-Joelitza Montgomery, a junior in Psychology with a Minor in Childhood Studies, worked with Rita Obeid, Ph.D., on a mixed-methods design project to assess the experiences and mental health of underrepresented caregivers of individuals with disabilities in Cuyahoga County.
- Tamyra Otkins, a junior in Psychology with a Minor in Childhood Studies, Social Work, and Spanish, worked with Debbie Wilber on her project Exploring Youth Engagement for Community Leadership and Participation in Cleveland's Woodhill Homes Redevelopment
Read more about the Schubert Research Fellowship.
SchubertCenter@Intersections
Intersections: SOURCE Symposium and Poster Session, held three times a year, showcases the diverse and innovative research and creative projects of ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½ undergraduates, celebrating their achievements alongside supportive faculty mentors. SchubertCenter@Intersections awards a separate cash prize for child-focused research.
Fall 2023
First place
- Tamyra Otkins, The Impact of Police Surveillance on Students: The School to Prison Pipeline and Students' Wellbeing
Second place
- Shreya Balaji, Impact of Social Needs/Support Navigation Programs on Patient Health and Unmet Needs in Cleveland, Ohio
Third place
- Sophia Saavedra, Social Defeat in Adolescents
Spring 2024
First place (tie)
- Dave Ki "The Lived Experiences of Minority Caregivers of Children with Special Needs: A Focus on Social Support and Well-being"
- Shivangi Nanda "Beyond Reality: Comprehensive Review of Imaginary Companions and their Impact on Children's Socio-emotional Development"
Second place
- Adrian Alumbo "Select Positive Allosteric Modulators Promote the Forward Trafficking of NMDA Receptors Containing the Pathogenic GluN1_S688Y Variant"
Honorable mentions:
- Joelie Montgomery, "Examining the Role of Race and Ethnicity among Caregivers of Autistic Youth: A Qualitative Analysis"
- Mikaela Elliot, "Having their Voices Heard: Evaluating the Role of Community
in Coping when Raising a Child with Special Needs in Minority Communities."
- Duc Knoa Le, "The Relationship of Prenatal Cocaine Exposure and Experiences of Victimization to Aggression in Adolescence"
Learn more about all of our student research opportunities.