A Mission to Redefine Mental Health Advocacy

VILLANOVA, Pa. - Luvonda Fuller ’25 MS is a Counseling graduate student in the Department of Education and Counseling whose passion for mental health advocacy is deeply rooted in personal experience. Inspired by her sister’s struggles with the mental health system, Fuller is on a mission to challenge the stigma around mental health and one day establish a holistic private practice tailored to communities of color.

In her role as a graduate assistant, Fuller collaborates with professors to enhance learning and research. Last semester, she worked with Assistant Teaching Professor of Education and Counseling Amber Haley, PhD, to create a supplemental booklet for a Certificate in College Counseling course. “By leveraging my perspective as a student, I aim to create materials that resonate with peers navigating today’s college challenges,” she explains.

Fuller’s passion for impactful research has only grown through her work with faculty mentors like Associate Professor of Education and Counseling Edward Wahesh, PhD. One of her most rewarding projects explored how structural racism, socioeconomic inequalities and policy deficiencies affect the health of Black women, sharing, “It helped solidify my research interests for doctoral studies and transformed my perception of research from daunting to inspiring and impactful.”

As Fuller prepares to graduate in May 2025, she looks ahead to pursuing a doctoral degree in clinical or counseling psychology. “Over the next five years, I aspire to become Dr. Fuller and make a tangible difference in the lives of those who need it most.”