Current Students
Zoey Babyak, MPH, Graduate Research Assistant
PhD Student
Concentration: Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior
University of South Carolina
Areas of interest: Mental Health, Social Determinants of Health, Socio-cultural
Julia Budiongan, Graduate Research Assistant
PhD Student
Concentration: Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior
University of South Carolina
Areas of interest: Substance Abuse, Influence of Close Others, Sexual health
Grant Awards:
– SPARC Graduate Research Grant (May 2025 – July 2026): Between sips and sheets: Relationship between college students’ sex-related alcohol expectancies and risk behavior
Jon Harris, Undergraduate Research Assistant
Major: Sociology & Data Science
University of South Carolina
Research Interests: Substance Abuse, Influence of Social Controls, Data Collection, Visualization, and Analysis
Grant Awards:
– Magellan Journey Award (April 2025 – August 2025): Measuring the influence of romantic partners on changes in alcohol use during treatment
– Magellan Apprentice Award (June 2025 – May 2026): The role of spouse social control in improvements in problem drinking
Emily Henderson, Undergraduate Research Assistant
Major: Public Health Law and Policy
Pre-Law & Pre-MPH Track
University of South Carolina
Areas of interest: Health and Relationship Mechanisms, Public Health, and Health Policy
Grant Awards:
– Honors College Research Grant (Summer 2025 – Spring 2026): Understanding how social and interpersonal influence impact health behavior
Julia Maloney, Undergraduate Research Assistant
Major: Psychology
Minor: Women and Gender Studies
University of South Carolina
Areas of interest: Mental health, Relationship Dynamics, and Women Studies
Grant Awards:
– Honors College Research Grant (Summer 2025 – Spring 2026)
Jake McGee, Undergraduate Research Assistant
Major: Psychology
Minor: Latin and Biology
Pre-Med Track
University of South Carolina
Areas of interest: Substance Abuse, Veteran Psychiatry, Mental Health
Grant Awards:
– Magellan Journey Award (January 2026 – May 2026): Research experience in military and veteran behavioral health
Tori Rasmussen, Undergraduate Research Assistant
Major: Psychology
Minor: Counselor Education
University of South Carolina
Areas of interest: Close relationships, Substance Abuse, and Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Grant Awards:
– Magellan Journey Award (April 2025 – August 2025): Research experience in design, administration, and dissemination of behavioral health research
– Honors College Research Grant (Fall 2025 – Spring 2026)