Outstanding Seniors in the College of Science: Elizabeth Yee
This spring, each department in the University of Arizona's College of Science nominated an outstanding senior who went above and beyond during their time as a Wildcat. We are pleased to share their stories as they reflect on their time at UArizona. Our next Outstanding Senior is Elizabeth Yee in the Department of Psychology.
Elizabeth Yee
Department: Psychology
College of Science: Why did you choose your area of study?
Yee: I am from a border town, Yuma, AZ. In school, we had AP Psychology, but beyond that, mental health or psychological well-being was never discussed. If it was, it was always from a Eurocentric perspective. Additionally, Yuma lacks a lot of accessible mental health resources. As a Mexican American first-generation college student, I always felt drawn to learn more about psychology through a cultural lens. Through my own experiences, conversations with others, and my research, I have been able to truly see how our communities with intersecting identities face a variety of issues ranging from a lack of accessibility to healthcare to health disparities, discriminatory policy, environmental racism, and so on. This has directly influenced my decision to pursue psychology in hopes of bridging the gap that exists between academia and community.
COS: Tell us about a class or research project you really enjoyed.
Yee: In the summer of 2023, I was part of the Ronald E. McNair Scholarship Program. I have no words to encapsulate everything McNair did for me, truly. The now-retired director Dr. Andrew Huerta was someone who reflected my own background (as a queer Mexican American first-generation college student) which is something I had never experienced before. It served as a reminder that representation matters. In addition to that, his lectures were very honest and insightful. He always pushed me beyond what most people expected from me, but also created a safe space to share when I was struggling. Beyond the classroom setting, the project I conducted during this program under Dr. Daniel Sullivan was a special one.
In the study I worked on, the results concluded that a low-income Latine community here in the southside of Tucson was still dealing with mental and physical health concerns decades after historical water contamination. Dr. Sullivan and I worked to create a community-engaged project focused on reporting back the results to the community. This experience provided great insight into the lack of community representation in academia and uncovered stories that reflected great disparities in our healthcare systems. This experience has truly shaped my understanding of research, my undergraduate experience, and my overall involvement in our local community.
COS: What is one specific memory from your time at UA that you'll cherish forever?
Yee: I cannot choose just one, but I would say the UA had so many fun campus events from Encuentro to Aromas, the Bear Down Music Festival, and so on. My friends and I would often pack our weeks with all these crazy events going on, meet so many cool people, and get lots of free food. It is something that I will cherish forever.
COS: What is next for you after graduation?
Yee: Right after graduation, I have this sort of perfect pairing of continuing my research with Dr. Sullivan and working as a community organizer here in Tucson. I also want to pursue a PhD in social/community psychology. The overall goal is to have my own lab and teach as a professor at a public university. I often think about the lasting impact so many faculty and students had on my undergraduate experience and I would love to do the same for others someday.