How police should engage with people suffering from mental health conditions is a complex policy question that New York City has grappled with for decades. Due in part to the efforts of SLU master’s student Christina Sparrock, however, one piece of that puzzle was recently resolved.
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Christina Sparrock: Purposefully Driving Person-Centered Mental Health Policy
November 24, 2025 | Student Stories -
‘Use Your Culture to Contribute to Your Community’: SLU Alum Justin Sanchez on Hispanic Heritage and Running for NYC Council
October 16, 2025 | News, Student StoriesWith all 51 districts of the New York City Council up for election on November 4, new faces are coming to local government – and SLU alumnus Justin Sanchez is likely to be among them.
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From Nightclubs to Union Halls: Joseph Juntunen Carries On Legacy of Labor Organizing
October 16, 2025 | News, Student StoriesSLU graduate student Joseph Juntunen has been working in the nightclub and entertainment industry for most of his life, and organizing there for almost as long.
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From Refugee Camp to College Campus, Rina Cummings Redefines Her Future
September 22, 2025 | News, Student StoriesSLU student Rina D. Cummings comes across as even keeled and self-possessed, even though her life has been shaken by profound transitions. Born in Liberia, she spent part of her childhood in a Ghanaian refugee camp before immigrating at 12 to America.
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Charge to the Graduates: Students’ Commencement Speeches
June 16, 2025 | News, Student StoriesCommencement is an exciting time and a feast for all the senses — it’s understandable if one’s attention sometimes flickered away from the oratory onstage …
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Here’s What Students Investigated In Their Capstones This Year
June 16, 2025 | News, Student Stories“Capstone” is a word often heard in the halls of SLU — yet most of us never learn about the content of these important student projects …
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The Ultimate Education: Anna Tresvalles on Motherhood and Urban Studies
June 16, 2025 | News, Student StoriesLeading up to Commencement, Anna Tresvalles knew that when she crossed the stage to receive her bachelor’s degree in Urban Studies, she wanted her 9-month-old baby daughter Tala to be with her …
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The Natural: Organizer and Future Lawyer Kaarthika Thakker
May 16, 2025 | Student StoriesIn life and work, you never know when you’ll need a good lawyer. So you may want to remember the name Kaarthika Thakker …
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The Education of a Changemaker: Valedictorian Joseph Newswander
May 15, 2025 | Student StoriesLabor Studies B.A. student Joseph Newswander is this year’s Valedictorian and will speak at Commencement on May 28. Joseph has not only excelled academically …
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Elee Ballinger: Immersed in NYC’s Queer Past, Present and Future
April 10, 2025 | Student StoriesWhen Elee Ballinger decided to leave her small town amid the redwood forests of northern California for college, she opted for a true urban experience: attending Hunter College, living in Brooklyn …
