eduardo Hernandez Leiva

Hernandez L., an immigrant and first-generation college student, completed his associate degree at Essex County College in New Jersey, followed by his undergraduate studies in psychology at Rutgers University in New Jersey. Currently, he is pursuing his MA in Clinical & Counseling Psychology at William Paterson University in New Jersey. As a former military service member, Ed's research interests focus on the intersection of military communities, immigration, and cultural influences on mental health. Ed has been actively involved in The Cultural Adjustment Group under the mentorship of Dr. Ma and Dr. Torres, where he works on a school-based group intervention for recently arrived immigrant middle school students who are Spanish-speaking, in an urban school district in Paterson, NJ. His work is dedicated to improving the mental health and adjustment of these students, addressing the unique challenges they face in their new environment.