2023-2024
Gold Graduate College Fellows
Mark A. Hernandez
Epidemiology
Dornsife School of Public Health
Mark Hernandez is excited to join the Dornsife School of Public Health as a doctoral student in Epidemiology under the mentorship of Dr. Gina Lovasi. He plans to focus his research on examining the impacts of neighborhood change and gentrification on health inequities. Prior to joining Drexel, he worked as a researcher at MIT, where he led an effort to develop data analytics and decision support tools for the State of Maine’s mental health crisis system. Mark earned his Master of Public Health degree from Boston University and his Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Outside of work, Mark enjoys boxing, gardening, and dancing.
Jenna Hunt
Neuroscience
Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Professional Studies
College of Medicine
Jenna Hunt is a first-year doctoral student at the School of Medicine and is completing her first laboratory rotation with Dr. Peter Baas. She received her BS in Neuroscience with minors in Biology and Bioinformatics from Saint Joseph’s University in 2023, where she used a fruit fly model to investigate the molecular basis of Huntington’s Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease. She chose Drexel for its sense of community within its students, faculty, and staff— in addition to the ongoing research in neurodegeneration, which is where she intends to focus her research. Outside of school and lab, Jenna enjoys spending time outdoors, taking care of her plants, and baking.
Laura Rubino
Clinical Psychology
College of Arts and Sciences
Blue Graduate College Fellows
Michael DiCalogero
Clinical Psychology
College of Arts and Sciences
Michael is thrilled to join Drexel University as a first-year doctoral student in Clinical Psychology. He will be under the mentorship of Dr. Evangelia Chrysikou and focusing on neuropsychology. Prior to joining Drexel University, he received his BA in Psychology at Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire. In undergraduate studies, he completed research projects in cognition and neuropsychology, where he examined memory and attention. Afterwards, he was a lab manager for a cognitive neuroscience group at Florida State University and then a research coordinator at the Penn Memory Center. At Drexel, he plans to continue research in memory and executive functions in neurological populations. His hobbies include reading history and visiting the museums in Philadelphia.
Emma Jennings
Clinical Psychology
College of Arts and Sciences
Emma Jennings is excited to join the Drexel University community as a first-year Clinical Psychology doctoral student working under the mentorship of Meghan Butryn, PhD. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology & Society from Cornell University and later completed the Psychology Postbac Program at Columbia University. Emma is interested in the bidirectional relationship between mental and physical health and in behavioral interventions that promote wellness and positive lifestyle modifications in medical populations. Outside of the lab, she loves to read, cook, do yoga, and spend time with family and friends.
Hannah Smith
Ecology, Evolution and Earth
College of Arts and Sciences
Hannah Smith is excited to join Drexel University as a first-year Ecology, Evolution, and Earth doctoral student under the mentorship of Dr. Jacob Russell. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Biology from High Point University in 2023. At HPU, she did research on yeast autophagy, along with a project on the morphological variation in the endangered red wolves, coyotes, and their hybrids. Her research interests include biodiversity, symbiotic relationships, and microbiology. Outside of school, Hannah likes to travel, read, and workout.