Our Students
Applicants represent universities nationwide and come from diverse backgrounds with vast cultural knowledge. We are proud to include students in our program who come from rural and urban communities, who are the first in their families to attend college, DACA recipients, attendees of local Colorado universities and Ivy League schools, international students, Putska, Boettcher, and Gates scholars, and students who are just like you!
Our program typically receives an average of 60 or more applications from students across the country with an average 10% acceptance rate. We wish we could include more deserving students, but because we pair students one to one with faculty mentors to work on a range of real-life clinical research projects, our cohorts tend to be small. We value the ability to build camaraderie, professionalism and peer support within each small cohort.
Below are the students from past cohorts of PURPLE and their respective university, degree, and their matched mentors.| Name | University | Degree | Mentor(s) |
| Cristina Casler | University of Arizona | Neuroscience | Allison Dempsey, PhD |
| Aarushi Singh | University of Colorado, Boulder | Neuroscience and Psychology | Jessica Megan Ross, PhD |
| Miarri Phillips | University of Colorado, Denver | Psychology and Sociology | Michelle L. West, PhD |
| Hunter Orr | University of Colorado, Boulder | Psychology | Emily Hemendinger, LCSW |
| Brian Melendez | University of Colorado, Boulder | Psychology | Patrick Romani, PhD |
| Keinada Andereas | University of Colorado, Denver | Psychology | Aviva Olsavsky, MD |
| Haley Almeida | University of Colorado, Denver | Psychology | Jessica Kenny, PhD and Ayelet Talmi, PhD |
| Name | University | Degree | Mentor(s) |
| Aafia Alladin | Hofstra University | Psychology | Laura Anthony, PhD & Jessica Holmes, PhD |
| Mona Eyghanifard | University of Colorado, Denver | Psychology | Bethany Ashby, PsyD |
| Elizabeth Garcia | University of Colorado, Denver | Psychology | Michelle L. West, PhD |
| Rebecca Himberger | University of Colorado, Colorado Springs | Biochemistry | Monique Germone, PhD, MA |
| Krista Luttkus | Cornell College | Sociology | Patrick Romani, PhD |
| Jenny Nguyen | University of Colorado, Denver | Psychology | Jessica Kenny, PhD & Ayelet Talmi, PhD |
| Christian Olivencia | University of Colorado, Denver | Psychology | Jacob Holzman, PhD |
| QinXiao (Allie) Wu | University of Notre Dame | Neuroscience and Behavior | Bruno Anthony, PhD & Jessica Holmes, PhD |
| Selihom Yosief | Yale University | Cognitive Science | Noy Phimphasone-Brady, PhD |
| Name | University | Degree | Mentor(s) |
| Alazar Gebremichael | University of Colorado, Boulder | Integrated Physiology | Sarah Kennedy, PhD |
| Madison Harris | University of Colorado, Colorado Springs | Biomedical Science/History | Monique Germone, PhD, MA |
| Evamaria Kent | University of Colorado, Boulder | Integrative Physiology | Allison Dempsey, PhD |
| Adriana Lopez | Regis University | Psychology/Spanish | Amber McDonald, PhD |
| Luis Alan Martinez | Metropolitan State University of Denver | Psychology | Christine Garver-Apgar, PhD |
| Eddy Panklang | University of Colorado, Denver | Psychology | Patrick Romani, PhD |
| Aneri Patel | Union College and Clarkson University | Chemistry/Anthropology/Healthcare Administration | Jarrod Ellingson, PhD and Joe Schacht, PhD |
| Shanna Trott | Stanford University | Psychology | Michelle West, PhD |
| Naomi Tubbs | Regis University | Psychology | Jacob Holzman, PhD |
| Name | University | Degree | Mentor(s) |
| Adriana Lopez | Regis University | Psychology/Spanish | Amber McDonald, PhD, LCSW, MSW |
| Evamaria Kent | University of Colorado, Boulder | Integrative Biology | Allison Dempsey, PhD |
| Kate Maegley | University of Denver | Psychology | Kimberley Sheffield, PhD, MA, BS |
| Luis Martinez | Metropolitan State University | Psychology | Christine Garver-Apgar, PhD |
| Jeneva Moreno | University of Colorado Boulder | Psychology | Aviva Olsavsky, MD |
| Eddy Panklang | University of Colorado, Denver | Psychology | Patrick Romani, PhD |
| Aneri Patel | Union College | Chemistry/Anthropology/Healthcare Administration | Jarrod Ellingson, PhD & Joseph Schacht, PhD |
| Camryn Slosky | Swarthmore College | Neuroscience | Monique Germone, PhD, MA |
| Name | University | Degree | Mentor(s) |
| Hannah Christensen | Regis University | Psychology/Women's and Gender Studies | Benjamin Mullin, PhD |
| Tennyson Dahlman | Regis University | Psychology | Joel Stoddard, MD |
| Sara Kvidahl | Metropolitan State University | Psychology | Jessica Malmberg, PhD & Jacob Holzman, PhD |
| Amy Linares-Francois | Metropolitan State University | Psychology | Elizabeth Steinberg, PhD & Amie Lofton, PsyD |
Jada Lister | University of Colorado, Denver | Psychology | Patrick Romani, PhD & Tara Hayes, MA |
| Yunliang Luo | University of Colorado, Denver | Biology/Pre-Med | Ayelet Talmi, PhD & Catherine Wolcott, PhD |
| Hisham Nsier | University of Colorado, Denver | Psychology | Allison Dempsey, PhD |
| Year | Name | University | Degree | Mentor(s) |
| 2016 | Alexandra Malek | University of Colorado, Denver | Biology | Guido Frank, PhD |
| Joseph Rosales | University of Colorado, Denver | Psychology | Benjamin Mullin, PhD | |
| Kristina Samon | University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus | Nursing | Cindy Buchanan, PhD | |
| Shengh Xiong | University of Colorado, Denver | Biology/Ethnic Studies | Ayelet Talmi, PhD | |
| 2017 | Andrea Boorse | University of Colorado, Denver | Psychology/Sociology | Patrick Romani, PhD |
| Analyse deSousa | Regis University | Neuroscience | Joel Stoddard, PhD | |
| Gabrielle Fabrikant | University of Southern California | Psychology | Jennifer Hagman, MD & Mindy Solomon, PhD | |
| Rohit Gupta | Rice University | Biochemistry and Cell Biology | Benjamin Mullin, PhD | |
| Cassandra LeFebre | University of Northern Colorado | Nursing | Jennifer Lindwall, PhD | |
| Vishruti Patel | University of Colorado, Denver | Integrative Biology/Leadership Studies | Cindy Buchanan, PhD & Elizabeth Steinburg, PhD | |
| Yovana Perez | University of Colorado, Denver | Psychology/Sociology | Ayelet Talmi, PhD | |
| 2018 | Brianna Barkocy | Regis University | Psychology/Religious Studies | Monique Germone, PhD, BCBA |
| Austin Chavez | University of Colorado, Denver | Public Health/Pre-Med | Ayelet Talmi, PhD | |
| Eve Delao | University of Colorado, Denver | Psychology | Jonathan Miller, PhD | |
| Haley Dellinger | University of Colorado, Denver | Psychology | Justin Michener, PhD & Emily Laux, PsyD & David Walick, MD | |
| Kristen Torres | Colorado State University | Psychology | Jennifer Hagman, MD | |
| Maria Torres | University of Colorado, Denver | Public Health/Psychology | Patrick Romani, PhD, BCBA-D |
PURPLE Cohort Demographics
| Gender | n (N=46) | % |
| Male | 9 | 19.5% |
| Female | 36 | 78.0% |
| Others | 1 | 2.5% |
| Race/Ethnicity | ||
| Hispanic or Latino | 14 | 30% |
| White or Caucasian | 16 | 35% |
| Black or African American | 5 | 11% |
| Asian | 9 | 20% |
| American Indian or Native American | 0 | 0% |
| Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander | 0 | 0% |
| Prefer not to answer/Other | 2 | 4% |
| Currently Working at CU | 14 | 30% |