Campus Connection - May 9, 2016
Students Accepted into BUILD Program Move Closer to Science Dreams
Five Cerritos College students were accepted into California State University, Long
Beach (CSULB)’s BUILD Program. Vanessa Altamirano, Tania Rodriguez, Patsy Rodriguez,
Tatiana Avila and Chyann Richard will join two Cerritos alumni, Alex Gomez and Amalia
Lira, who were accepted into the program last year. Selected students will receive
mentoring and intensive research training to prepare them for doctoral-level research
in the biomedical and behavioral sciences.
Funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to create a sustainable pipeline of students in research fields, the BUILD Program partnered with three community colleges, including Cerritos College to develop a pathway for community colleges to four-year universities.
For psychology major Vanessa Altamirano, her research training at Cerritos College has prepared her for the intensive program.
“My goal is to earn a doctorate degree in the field of clinical psychology,” said Vanessa. “A doctorate degree is extremely competitive. BUILD will help me became a highly competitive candidate.”
She will pursue a career as a forensic psychology professor and conduct research that can be applied in the criminal justice system. She aspires to be a consultant for the police department by using her research to provide psychological insights into offering effective police strategies.
The Board of Trustees recognized psychology students and their outstanding achievements at its meeting on May 4.
“This is an outstanding opportunity for students to showcase their skills learned at Cerritos and be mentored with the goal of continuing on to graduate study in psychological science,” said Dr. Kimberley Duff, psychology professor, Cerritos College. “In addition, part of the goal of this pipeline between Cerritos College and CSULB is to have our students come back to Cerritos to mentor additional students, which we look forward to."
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Campus Connection - May 9, 2016
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