Effua Sosoo, a graduate student in Clinical Psychology, is the recipient of the 2020 UNC Graduate/Professional Student Diversity Award.
The UNC Office for Diversity and Inclusion’s Diversity Award recognizes significant contribution, time, and effort of Carolina community members towards advancing an inclusive climate for excellence in teaching, research, public service, and academic endeavor. The award has been given annually in six categories: Undergraduate, Graduate/Professional Student, Alumni, Staff, Faculty and Intergroup Collaboration. Award winners demonstrate outstanding advocacy for diversity, equity, and inclusion at the interpersonal, unit and institutional level, commitment to the advancement of diversity and inclusion at UNC Chapel Hill and/or in the community through research, teaching, service and collaborative partnerships, commitment to creating a culture of inclusion within their areas of influence, and dedication to initiatives which cultivate/advance/model diversity and inclusion within the Carolina community.
Effua was selected for her service, research and clinical endeavors that reflect her steadfast commitment to improving and documenting the lived experiences of marginalized communities. As a co-leader for the Clinical Psychology Diversity Training Committee, Effua has organized the Diversifying Clinical Psychology Weekend, which recruits talented racial and ethnic minority students and provides a variety of panels on gaining admittance to graduate school. With regard to research, her award-winning dissertation examined how vicarious discrimination (i.e., viewing images depicting the assault and shooting of unarmed Black individuals) influences body and mood responses among a sample of Black emerging adults. Effua has a deep passion for providing evidence-based psychotherapies to marginalized communities, particularly racial and ethnic minorities. Read more about why Effua is this year’s UNC Graduate Student Diversity Award Winner. Congratulations, Effua!