Mary Lauren is a senior from outside Cincinnati, Ohio studying public policy and psychology. On campus, she is a Costanzo Teaching Fellow for Psych 101, an executive member of the Duke Tour Guides Program, and part of Duke RUF. The inspiration for her research on youth division stems from her experience during the summer of 2023 working in the office of a county courthouse in Kentucky that processes juvenile complaints, oversees diversion programming, and connects youth with mental health resources. After graduation, she hopes to work in the space of youth behavioral health and eventually pursue a PhD in child clinical psychology.

Honors Thesis: A Comparative Analysis of Stakeholders’ Perceptions of Youth Diversion Programming in North Carolina

Faculty Advisor: Professor Anna Gassman-Pines