Laura Álvarez Ríos
Laura Álvarez Ríos
B.A. Psychology, 2023
Laura Álvarez was halfway through an undergraduate degree in the South American country of Colombia when her path changed. After her mother joined the Mississippi State faculty, Álvarez had the opportunity to continue her studies in Starkville. She chose to make the move—leaving a familiar academic track behind to start again at MSU and take on a new challenge.
“In many ways, choosing Mississippi State was an act of openness and courage. Having lived in different countries, I had learned that moving away from home can make the world feel bigger, and it can also teach you to be open to change, possibility and reinvention,” she said.
Her dedication to self-growth led to lessons that changed her in ways she never expected. “Looking back, I think I decided to be brave, and Mississippi State rewarded that bravery with opportunities, community and a sense of purpose. I feel like I chose to be brave, and Mississippi State met that bravery with opportunity, encouragement and belonging.”
Álvarez said her time at MSU introduced her to mentors who left a lasting impression. She especially remembers Dr. Kristen Campbell’s Drug Use and Abuse course—not because of the subject matter alone, but because of the instructor. “Her teaching, her care for students, and the way she made the material feel connected to real people and real communities,” Álvarez said, are why she counts Campbell among her mentors.
That sense of connection extended beyond the classroom and into research experiences. “I worked with Dr. Hillary DeShong in her Personality course and was funded as a research assistant through the National Institute of Mental Health. That experience was life-changing because it showed me what it felt like to be trusted, trained and supported as an undergraduate researcher,” Álvarez said. She later worked with Dr. Mary E. Dozier on the RECLAIM project, where she participated in home visits with older adults as part of research on hoarding disorder.
Alongside her academic and research experiences, Álvarez also found community in MSU’s cultural life. International Fiesta became one of her favorite campus traditions, and she also served as a member of the International Student Advisory Board.
“That sense of community meant so much to me as an international student. People like Dr. Kei Mamiya and Dr. Alina Nigmatullina at the Homes Center for Student Success were instrumental in bringing us together and helping us feel connected at MSU. I feel very lucky to have been surrounded by people who, like me, were building a life far from home, chasing opportunities, and trying to make their experience in the U.S. as meaningful as possible. Many of my closest friends at MSU were international students, and those friendships remain one of the biggest blessings from that chapter of my life,” said Álvarez.
Since graduating from Mississippi State, Álvarez has continued along a research-focused path and is preparing to enter her fourth year as a Ph.D. student in developmental psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She connects her experience as an immigrant to her academic work, focusing on “biculturalism, immigrant-origin youth and strength-based approaches to understanding how young people navigate multiple cultural worlds.”
“I am especially passionate about studying the competencies and strengths that can come from learning to move across different cultures, values and expectations. Rather than focusing only on the challenges of biculturalism, my work highlights the skills, adaptability and resilience that young people develop through those experiences. In many ways, my journey since MSU has allowed me to turn my own experiences with culture, belonging and adaptation into what drives my research.”
She is most proud of defending her master’s thesis at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “Through my thesis, I was able to carry out a project from start to finish developing the research questions, engaging with the literature, running analyses, interpreting results and communicating the significance of the findings.”
“My College of Arts & Sciences education at Mississippi State prepared me for this milestone by giving me a strong foundation in research and critical thinking. Through my courses, research experiences and mentorship at MSU, I learned how to ask meaningful questions, think like a scientist and approach lived experiences with curiosity and care. MSU gave me some of my earliest opportunities to contribute to research and present my work. Those experiences continue to shape the way I approach my work and my career.”
The lessons Álvarez learned go beyond education and bleed into essential life lessons. “I have learned that home is not always tied to one location. For me, home is found in the people who make me feel loved, supported and grounded. I feel very blessed that my immediate family now lives in the U.S., and I love visiting my brother in New York, where he lives with his wife. Álvarez stays connected to her home at MSU through friends, family and opportunities to connect with the school as an alumna.
Her advice to students today reflects her journey and commemorates her dedication to self-growth. “Be brave and take a chance on yourself. If you are passionate about research, community engagement or service, do not be afraid to reach out to faculty, staff or mentors whose work interests you. In my experience, MSU is full of people who are eager to invest in students, train them, and help them discover their passions. As a student, you have so much to offer, and the relationships you build with mentors can become meaningful long-term connections.”