Meet the incoming Ecological-Community graduate students
August 6, 2025 - Shelly DeJong
A warm welcome to the new graduate students who are joining the Department of Psychology at MSU this month. Andrea Santibañez, BK Ali, and Gracie Meagher will be joining the ecological-community research area. Get to know them a bit below!
Name: Andrea Santibañez (she/her)
Hometown: Hardeeville, SC
Background: I attended the University of South Carolina Beaufort and received my B.A. in psychology. During my four years there, I had numerous rewarding experiences. One of the first things I did as an undergraduate was become a Ronald E. McNair scholar. From that moment, I fell in love with research. Upon completing my summer research program, I received a grant from the University of South Carolina to continue my research on domestic violence and its effects on victims. This project, Ethnic Differences in Seeking Help After Exposure to Domestic Violence, has been my first published paper in an undergraduate psychological journal. During the summer of 2024, I had the amazing opportunity to complete another summer research program at Rutgers University.
I have worked as a Registered Behavior Technician and as the student assistant for the psychology program at my institution. My time as an undergraduate has helped me learn many things and grow in unimaginable ways.
Why grad school? It has been a long dream of mine to attend graduate school. Completing my graduate studies at Michigan State University will allow me to be a changemaker in my local community with the goal of sharing the learned information nationwide and even globally. I strive to fight for justice and equality, and I firmly believe this program and university will allow me to achieve that.
What do you hope to research while you're here? I hope to research a plethora of different topics. Some of those topics include cumulative violence exposure and its effect on individual’s lives, mental health awareness in underserved communities, and ways of providing resources to people who have undergone violence and are in need of it but have difficulty accessing it. I am very excited about getting to work with such amazing faculty on crucial topics to benefit so many different individuals, especially those who need it most.
In your free time, what do you like to do? During my free time, I enjoy trying new cuisines, spending time with loved ones, going on nature walks and runs, attending concerts, and reading.
Name: BK Ali (they/them)
Hometown: Lahore, Pakistan
Background: I hold a BS (Hons) in Biotechnology and Psychology from Forman Christian College (A Chartered University), and an MEd in Learning, Teaching, and Educational Transformation (LTET), with a specialization in Mental Health Counseling, from the University of Massachusetts, Boston, where I studied as a Fulbright Scholar.
My professional experience has included both academic research and grassroots organizing, especially with feminist and queer communities in Pakistan.
Why grad school? Pursuing a PhD has been a long-term goal for me, especially to deepen my research practice in a way that’s grounded in community engagement, critical inquiry, and social change. I see graduate school as the next step in developing the skills and tools I need to support mental health practices that are more inclusive, decolonial, and liberatory.
What do you hope to research while you're here? Why does that interest you?
At MSU, I hope to explore how systemic oppression, colonial legacies, and socio-cultural contexts impact the mental health and well-being of marginalized communities, particularly queer and trans communities in South Asia, especially Pakistan. I'm interested in how community-driven, culturally grounded, and decolonial approaches to mental health can challenge dominant, Western-centric psychological models. This work is deeply personal to me and stems from both lived experience and years of organizing and research within these communities.
In your free time, what do you like to do? In my free time, I love traveling, exploring local museums and galleries, watching too many documentaries or listening to too many podcasts, having a board game or movie night with my community, and spending time with my cat.
Name: Gracie Meagher (she/her)
Hometown: Cloquet, Minnesota
Background: Bachelors of Psychology, Social Work, and a minor in Native American Studies. During my undergrad, I conducted research about youth’s school environments and their feelings towards themself and others. This research was supported by St. Scholastica and APA SUPER Fellowship!
In terms of applied work, I completed field work in a local Domestic Abuse and Violence shelter as well as Minnesota’s Sixth Judicial District Public Defender’s Office. I currently work at Fond Du Lac Human Services within their Substance Use Department’s Prevention and Intervention Summer Day Camp program.
Why grad school? I chose grad school because I am passionate about researching ways to effectively serve our Indigenous communities. I instantly loved the Ecological and Community Psychology program at Michigan State and felt like it was a great fit!
What do you hope to research while you're here? I hope to research Indigenous efforts of revitalization, preservation, and colonial impacts. I am particularly interested in Native American (Ojibwe) youth populations and how they are influenced.
In your free time, what do you like to do? In my free time, I love playing/watching/coaching soccer and doing various outdoor activities!