story by Claire Miller
College of Education & Human Development doctoral student Daun Kwag was chosen for the Association for Assessment and Research in Counseling’s (AARC) new Racial Disparities and Oppression Related Research Grant Program.
The program, created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of racial injustice in the U.S., invited students to submit research proposals that “specifically investigate racial disparities and oppression … and have a direct effect on influencing public policy and client outcomes to further the counseling profession,” according to AARC’s request for proposals.
Kwag will use her $2,250 AARC grant to study the connections between Korean Americans’ cultural values and their mental health outcomes.
“I want to know whether there is an aspect of immigrating to the United States as a child (1.5 generation), and spending formative years in two very different cultures, that has any influence on wellness and mental health treatment attitudes,” she said. “I chose to look at Korean Americans specifically because Asian Americans are often thought of as having monolithic experiences, even though cultures within this racial group are very different and unique.”
Kwag, who also serves as president-elect of Georgia State University’s chapter of Chi Sigma Iota, the international counseling honor society, said she was excited her research project was selected for the AARC’s new grant program.
“I feel so validated that my passion for Korean American wellness is being acknowledged as important work in this profession,” she said.
For more information about the Association for Assessment and Research in Counseling, visit https://aarc-counseling.org.