Biography
Jennifer Renick is a doctoral candidate in the School of Education with a specialization in Human Development in Context (HDiC), working from a community psychology approach. Her research interests include school climate and sense of school belonging, specifically how to improve school climate and connection for historically underserved early adolescents. Her interests also include how to do ethical social science research, considering different community based and participatory approaches.
Jennifer works as a graduate student researcher on the university’s OCEAN (Orange County Educational Advancement Network) initiative, a network of research practice partnerships between K-12 schools and the UCI School of Education. She was awarded a dissertation grant by the Society for Community Research and Action in April of 2021 and in November of 2020, she received a Public Impact Fellowship from UCI’s Graduate Division, which provides funding to graduate students whose research has the potential for substantial impact in the public sphere. For the 2019-2020 academic year, she was selected as a Newkirk Fellow in Community Based Research through UCI’s campus wide Newkirk Center for Science and Society.
Jennifer received her B.A. in Community Mental Health: Schools and Youth from Pitzer College, conducting an honors thesis in partnership with a local high school. While attending Pitzer, she was awarded the Kallick Community Service Award twice, the Katie Lawson Memorial Award, the Pomona Unified School District Community Service Award, was named a Napier Fellow, and was a four time recipient of the Rosenburg Fund for Children's Targeted Activist Youth development grant.
After graduating, Jennifer worked for the El Monte City School District’s alternative education program as a Student and Community Liaison, and for Promesa Boyle Heights as their Community School-Achievement Coordinator at Hollenbeck Middle School.
Jennifer Renick is a doctoral candidate in the School of Education with a specialization in Human Development in Context (HDiC), working from a community psychology approach. Her research interests include school climate and sense of school belonging, specifically how to improve school climate and connection for historically underserved early adolescents. Her interests also include how to do ethical social science research, considering different community based and participatory approaches.
Jennifer works as a graduate student researcher on the university’s OCEAN (Orange County Educational Advancement Network) initiative, a network of research practice partnerships between K-12 schools and the UCI School of Education. She was awarded a dissertation grant by the Society for Community Research and Action in April of 2021 and in November of 2020, she received a Public Impact Fellowship from UCI’s Graduate Division, which provides funding to graduate students whose research has the potential for substantial impact in the public sphere. For the 2019-2020 academic year, she was selected as a Newkirk Fellow in Community Based Research through UCI’s campus wide Newkirk Center for Science and Society.
Jennifer received her B.A. in Community Mental Health: Schools and Youth from Pitzer College, conducting an honors thesis in partnership with a local high school. While attending Pitzer, she was awarded the Kallick Community Service Award twice, the Katie Lawson Memorial Award, the Pomona Unified School District Community Service Award, was named a Napier Fellow, and was a four time recipient of the Rosenburg Fund for Children's Targeted Activist Youth development grant.
After graduating, Jennifer worked for the El Monte City School District’s alternative education program as a Student and Community Liaison, and for Promesa Boyle Heights as their Community School-Achievement Coordinator at Hollenbeck Middle School.
