Seanna Leath

Seanna Leath is a psychologist who studies topics such as the effects of discrimination, socialization and resilience, especially for Black girls and women, using an interdisciplinary approach. She is an assistant professor of community psychology at the University of Virginia. She is a mother of three and has spoken openly about the challenges of motherhood. Her research interests extend into her personal life given her experience having her first child during graduate school and thus navigating the balance between her family life and career. At Pomona, Dr. Leath majored in Africana Studies and Psychology. Her graduate dissertation is titled, “Racial and Gender Identity Beliefs Among Black College Women Attending PWIs: Examining Developmental Trajectories and Associations with Interpersonal Discrimination and College Adjustment”. Her dissertation looked specifically at identity development for Black college women within the context of a PWI (predominantly white institution). Her work contributes to ongoing literature dedicated to improving mental health and academic achievement for Black women. The longitudinal study found that for their sample of African American adolescent girls, racial identity and ideology were related to higher achievement motivation beliefs over time. Additionally, factors such as positive school racial climate and sense of belonging were related to students' higher academic persistence and curiosity (e564). This research is explicit in acknowledging the way culture intersects with race as a way to improve learning strategies and educational recommendations for children and adolescents (2).
* Teachers’ Expectations of Girls’ Classroom Performance and Behavior: Effects of Girls’ Race and Pubertal Timing
* Shifting Contexts and Shifting Identities: Campus Race-Related Experiences, Racial Identity, and Academic Motivation Among Black Students During the Transition to College
* Being Better Than My Dad: A Qualitative Case Study of One African American Father’s Journey With Parenthood and Intergenerational Change
*Black Women’s Experiences of Campus Racial Climate and Stigma at Predominantly White Institutions: Insights from a Comparative and Within-Group Approach for STEM and Non-STEM Majors
*Racial Identity, Racial Discrimination, and Classroom Engagement Outcomes Among Black Girls and Boys in Predominantly Black and Predominantly White School Districts
*Comparing Associations Between Perceived Puberty, Same-Race Friends and Same-Race Peers, and Psychosocial Outcomes Among African American and Caribbean Black Girls
*Teacher-Based Racial Discrimination: The Role of Racial Pride and Religiosity Among African American and Caribbean Black Adolescents
Impact
In both her undergraduate and graduate careers, Leath has prioritized offering advice and guidance to other first-generation college students like herself. She has received awards such as the Dr. Joseph R. Morris Fellowship for her commitment to furthering her research goals.

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