Published and Ongoing Research

The First-Year Transition Study is a quantitative, longitudinal survey that assessed first-year college students’ perceptions of their high school experiences and how these experiences may have impacted their college transition. During the study, the research team sent research surveys to first-year college students at three different time points during the academic year to explore questions related to demographics, coping styles, and attachment to parents, among other social and academic factors, to explore students’ college adjustment.

For this qualitative study, we conducted focus group meetings aimed to learn about first-generation college students’ transition into and through college. Interview protocol was designed to learn about participants educational and life experiences. Focus group conversations explore: 1) the impact of participants high school experiences on college adjustment, 2) strategies that first-generation college students employ to deal with competing demands and pressures from academic work and life, with a focus of understanding coping strategies, and 3) the role of support systems on developing resiliency. The goal of this project is to better understand the college and life experiences of first-generation students in order to inform future programs for first-generation students at DePaul University.

Food and Housing Security, Project Description: National statistics are showing alarming numbers of college students struggling to cover basic needs like food and housing (Goldrick-Rab, et al., 2016). The CAA’s Food and Housing Security Project involves utilizing participatory research to understand DePaul University undergraduate and graduate students’ access to and need for basic food and housing resources. The center focuses specifically on the needs of historically underrepresented students (low-income, first generation going to college, and students of color). Project findings will be used to guide best practices on services and programming for TRiO populations at DePaul (link to SSS eligibility page). This project aims to improve community resources available for students and delivery systems around DePaul University's campus community focused on addressing student issues with basic needs (e.g., food intake, housing, and healthy opportunities for social integration). Additionally, this project serves as a focal point for dialogue, strategy, and action concerning college access to food and housing.

Current projects (2020-2021)

• Comorbidity of Food and Housing Security at DePaul- Annual Report
• Graduate Food and Housing Security at DePaul- Annual Report
• Food and Housing Resource Awareness Assessment- Pilot Study
• College Food and Housing Security in the Context of COVID-19- Annual Report

Working Manuscripts (2020-2021)

• University Response to COVID-19 Pandemic: Qualitative Analysis
• Sense of Belonging, Negative Racial Experiences, and Food Security
• Food Security for Low-Income Students
• Housing Security for Low-Income Students
• Comorbidity of Food and Housing Security Among University Students

Research Team

• Undergraduate Research Assistant, Jackson Carroll, DePaul Psychology Department.
• Graduate Research Assistants, Kayleigh Zinter, B.S., and Kelly Lancaster, B.S., DePaul Psychology Department.
• CAA Internship Coordinator, Helena Swanson, B.A.
• CAA Research Coordinator, Rebecca McGarity-Palmer, M.A.
• Project PIs, Olya Glantsman, Ph.D., DePaul Psychology Department and Luciano Berardi, Ph.D., CAA.