Meet the founder of SAATHI, Dr. Sehrish Shikarpurya, and the talented women who currently support the SAATHI project under the PTEL (Post Secondary Transition and Equity Lab) at The University of Maryland- College Park

Meet the Research Team

Anjali Sheth

Anjali Sheth (she/her) is a third year doctoral student in the School Psychology program. She earned her B.S. in Neuroscience at Temple University. Broadly, Anjali is interested in culturally appropriate research, practice, and interventions for South Asian American youth. Specifically, she is interested in understanding and reducing the gap between schools and families as it relates to assessment processes, goals, and outcomes. Anjali has a newfound love for reading and reads as much as she can during her free time.

Amrina Rangar

Amrina Rangar (she/her) is a First-Year Masters Student in Higher Education program. She earned her B.A. in History, and now engages research interests in BIPOC college student experiences, History of Higher Ed & it's modern impacts, crisis response in higher education, first-gen college access. In her free time, Amrina enjoys creatively writing, scrapbooking travel experiences, cooking, and reading.

Adithi Soogoor

Adithi Soogoor (she/her) is an undergraduate Junior, Psychology and Information Systems (double major). She has a passion for DEI psychology, specifically when applying it to the workforce to foster a positive professional requirement. In her free time, Adithi enjoys crocheting, spending time with friends and going out to fun places like cafes and shops!

Avipsa Hamal

Avipsa Hamal (she/her) is an undergraduate Sophomore, pursuing a B.S. in Psychology and Minor in Asian American Studies. Her research interests include culturally competent mental health care and resources for marginalized groups, specifically researching solutions for unique issues pertaining to the South Asian community. Additionally, Avipsa is interested in researching children and adolescent psychology looking at effects of childhood trauma, cultural experiences, and racial adversities. Currently serving as the Vice President of External Affairs for the Asian American Student Union at UMD she has organized events centered around solidarity and advocacy for various issues surrounding the APIDA community on campus. In her free time, Avispa likes to go to the gym, listen to music, hang out with friends, go thrifting, go to concerts, and travel!

Ida Caternor

Ida Caternor (she/her) is an Undergraduate Senior, pursuing a B.S. in Public Health Science and a Minor in Human Development. She has a passion for equitable education in underserved communities. Her research interests include administration policies and its impact on building community within schools and educational attainment. She hopes to further research on disciplinary action and its efficacy in subjective environments. In her free time, Ida enjoys travel documentaries, expanding her palate through cooking & traditional cuisines, thrifting and reading the Bible.

Meet the Founder

Dr. Sehrish Shikarpurya (She/Her) is an Assistant Professor of Special Education in the Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education at the University of Maryland, College Park. Her research takes a critical and comprehensive approach to understanding the multifaceted impact of intersectional and marginalized identities, such as race and disability, on the postsecondary transition outcomes of racially minoritized young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Specifically, her work centers on postsecondary transition and equity across three interconnected strands: (a) strengthening culturally competent and equity-focused family-centered interventions, (b) reexamining policies and practices to increase pathways of economic and social mobility, and (c) reshaping community engagement and social belonging for racially minoritized young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. Her work is guided by an equity-focused perspective aimed at ameliorating systemic inequities to ensure that all racially minoritized young adults have the opportunity to live meaningful lives while actively participating in the broader social and economic landscape of their communities.

She has published in top-tier peer-reviewed journals, presented at multiple conferences, served in leadership positions for national organizations, and conducted workshops for schools, communities, and non-profit organizations. She is also committed to community-driven research partnerships and is currently working alongside organizations serving racially minoritized families of children with disabilities across DMV and Texas.

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Meet the talented women who supportied the SAATHI project under the Aggie Research Program at Texas A&M University (2022-2023)

Meet the Alumni Research Team

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Raegan Anderson

Classification: Senior

Major/minor: Human Resource Development/Business

Hometown: New Braunfels, TX

Reason for joining:

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Aubrey Flores

Classification: Sophomore

Major: General Studies

Hometown: Austin, TX

Reason for joining: I have research experience and wanted to help with a project that aligned with my interests in supporting the disability community.

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Jiya Mathuria

Classification: Sophomore

Major: Biomedical Sciences

Hometown: Katy, TX

Reason for joining: I always had a strong desire to be a part of a research team and learn about the process that helps getting to the end goal but when I discovered that this project not only conducted research but was a way to give back to the community, I knew I wanted to be a part of it!

Tiffany Nguyen

Classification: Senior

Major/minor: Biology/Business

Hometown: Houston, TX

Reason for joining: I wanted to gain insightful research experience and learn how to better support minority communities of children with disabilities.

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Savannah Petty

Classification: Sophomore

Major/minor: Allied Health/Biology and Psychology

Hometown: Lindale, TX

Reason for joining: I joined this project to be immersed in the research process and gain knowledge and understanding of the disabled community.

Laura Pham

Classification: Senior

Major: Biomedical Sciences

Hometown: Plano, TX

Reason for joining: I have a passion for working with the special needs population and have always wanted to be involved in research, so when I saw this project I knew I wanted to be involved!

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Faith Sandoval

Classification: Junior

Major: Psychology

Hometown: Corpus Christi, TX

Reason for joining: Aside from participating in research and gaining exposure, I wanted to make a difference by sharing my knowledge and experiences as someone with connections to both communities.

Mahima Varghese

Classification: Sophomore

Major: Biomedical Sciences

Hometown: Houston, TX

Reason for joining: Seeing the level of awareness that needed to be brought towards the transition planning for parents with disabled children, was truly eye opening. Being able to gain knowledge through this research and sharing my experiences to help those in need, is something I strive to accomplish.