Social Work Professor Awarded Lucille P. and Edward C. Giles Dissertation-Year Graduate Fellowship

Social Work Undergraduate Program Director and Clinical Assistant Professor Sonyia Richardson has been awarded the 2019-20 Lucille P. and Edward C. Giles Dissertation-Year Graduate Fellowship.

The fellowship supports UNC Charlotte doctoral students as they work to complete a dissertation in pursuit of their degree. It allows students in the final stages of their program to focus full- time on completing their research by equipping them with a grant that assists with living costs, travel expenses and full tuition coverage.

“This fellowship will help to ensure that I am able to complete my dissertation in a timely manner and focus wholeheartedly on my research contributions,” said Richardson. “It will also allow more time for me to focus on publishing and scholarly activities.”

Richardson centers her research on understanding factors that influence suicide attempts among racially diverse high school students, particularly students of color. She asks the question of why minority students experience higher rates of suicide attempts, to bring awareness to prevention and intervention efforts that can decrease these rates.

With over 20 years of experience in social work and 10 years teaching in higher education, Richardson is pursuing a doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in Urban Education. She plans to pursue a tenure track position and continue her research to lower suicide attempts in teens.

“I am so grateful for this fellowship and the opportunity to immerse myself in suicide research for the next year; this research has the potential to save lives,” she said.

by: Anna Henderson