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CBCS students receive Undergraduate Research Scholarships

Recipients of the Undergraduate Research Scholarship

Lena Bayyat, Cassandra Hendry, Julia Hoonhout, and Breanna Zurita are this year's Undergraduate Research Scholarship recipients.

Four CBCS undergrads were awarded Undergraduate Research Scholarships Monday afternoon. Recipients Lena Bayyat, Cassandra Hendry, and Breanna Zurita are students in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, and Julia Hoonhout is a behavioral healthcare major in the Department of Mental Health Law & Policy.

This scholarship is funded by The Moms Project, which honors three mothers (Alice Armstrong, Ruth Boothroyd, and Ellen Nizzi) of CBCS faculty by establishing undergraduate research scholarships in areas of special interest to each mother. The Undergraduate Research Scholarship provides funding to undergraduate students conducting research and pursuing a major in CBCS.

Lena Bayyat received the scholarship for her research titled, "Tell Me More - The Relationship Between the Perceptual Accessibility of Vocabulary and K-3 Students' Narrative and Expository Language." Bayyat also recently received the 2022 USF Undergraduate Research Scholar Award and the Audience Choice Award at this year's Undergraduate Research Showcase for her poster.

Ellen Nizzi and Lena BayyatLena Bayyat smiles with Ellen Nizzi, one of the three original moms of The Moms Project.

Cassandra Hendry is conducting research titled, "Broadening Spectrum: Insight into the impact that inferencing has on mathematics in children with autism spectrum disorder."

Julia Hoonhout received the scholarship for her research titled, "Perceptions of methadone treatment among people in recovery from opioid addiction."

Breanna Zurita is conducting research titled, "Inferencing Ability and its Relation to Comprehension in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders” which is part of her ongoing work with mentors on a study called “Language Beyond the Spectrum."

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About College of Behavioral & Community Sciences News

The Mission of the College of Behavioral and Community Sciences (CBCS) is to advance knowledge through interdisciplinary teaching, research, and service that improves the capacity of individuals, families, and diverse communities to promote productive, satisfying, healthy, and safe lives across the lifespan. CBCS envisions the college as a globally recognized leader that creates innovative solutions to complex conditions that affect the behavior and well-being of individuals, families, and diverse communities.