HEAL Fellows: 2024-25 Cohort

Alicia A. Broderick, Teaching and Learning: Disrupting Institutionalized Neuronormativity through the Development of an Institute for Neurodivergent Innovation & Leadership

Dr. Broderick will use the HEAL Fellowship to develop an Institute for Neurodivergent Innovation and Leadership here at Montclair. This three-pronged initiative is designed to cultivate and nurture a more neuroinclusive culture at Montclair; to platform and amplify neurodivergent talent, innovation, and leadership on campus; and to curate and support the production of vanguard neurodivergent scholarship at Montclair and beyond. The Institute’s aims will be addressed through the development of a community Neurodivergent Safe Space Training program, and through collaboratively exploring and building partnerships with existing entities and initiatives on campus–for both students and employees–that might recognize, value, and develop neurodivergent leadership on campus.

Christopher Donoghue, Sociology: Enhancing Student Belonging & Resilience in Higher Education: A Competing Demands Framework

Dr. Donoghue is engaged in a longitudinal survey of student sense of belonging and its connection to academic success. An important part of the project is understanding the needs of students, their physical and mental health status, and the competing demands in their lives such as work and student activities. The goals of the project are to develop baseline information on student needs and belonging, identify groups of students that are in the greatest need of support, and to develop an informed strategy for enhancing academic success.The project is informed by feedback from students, faculty, administrators, and staff from across the campus community.

Livia Alexander, Art and Design: NextGen EduVerse: Innovating Higher Education with Customizable Immersive Media and Game-Based Learning Tools

As a HEAL fellow, Dr. Alexander will be leading a project responding to shifts in higher education prompted by Generation Z students and the COVID-19 pandemic. Its core aim is to integrate game-based learning into curricula, enhancing student engagement and outcomes. By leveraging gaming methodologies, the project offers a fresh approach to learning for digital-native students. Through research, collaboration, and phased development, Dr. Alexander seeks to create a modular gaming engine tailored to higher education needs. Workshops, surveys, and pilot testing will inform the creation of a robust framework for game-based learning at Montclair State University.