Angela Pollard and Arnold Rodriguez Robles have won the 2023 Michael Furlong Award for Excellence in School Psychology Services. The award, in its inaugural year, is presented to two Department of Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology (CCSP) students who demonstrate excellence in the following areas: 1) dedication to helping children and families through school-based fieldwork, and 2) commitment to advancing justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in schools.
The award is named in honor of Dr. Michael Furlong (Education, Ph.D., '80), a research professor and Distinguished Professor Emeritus of School Psychology (2021/22 UCSB Edward A. Dickson Emeritus Professorship). He received the 2022 School Mental Health Research Award and provides consultation and support to the California Department of Education and WestEd related to CHKS. A co-editor of the Handbook of Positive Psychology in Schools (2009, 2014, 2022), he collaborates with colleagues on Project Covitality, supporting schools’ efforts to foster all students’ social-emotional development.
Arnold Rodriguez Robles is a doctoral student working under Dr. Matt Quirk pursuing a Ph.D. in School Psychology. During the 22-23 school year, Arnold provided psychological assessment and intervention services to many students and families in the community. His background as a dual language teacher led him to the field of school psychology, thus his research interests involve supporting multilingual learners and language development in children. Previously, Arnold received his M.S. in School Psychology at CSU Monterey Bay and B.A. in Legal Studies at UC Santa Cruz. He is pursuing a Ph.D. in hopes of broadening his knowledge of psychometrics and contributing to the development of culturally and linguistically sound assessment tools.
Angela Pollard is a doctoral student in the School Psychology emphasis advised by Dr. Jill Sharkey and a clinician for the Healing Space, a specialty clinic that provides psychological services for the Santa Barbara Black community. Prior to attending UCSB, Angela earned her Master of Science in Psychology from Drexel University (with mentorship from Dr. Naomi Goldstein) and her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Yale University. Angela’s research interests include implementation and program evaluation of school- and community-based supports for youth who are at-risk of juvenile legal system involvement. She is committed to creating safe and joyful school environments for marginalized youth, especially those who identify as Black and queer.
