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We are pleased to share that three department of applied psychology and human development students are recipients of the University of Toronto Inlight Research Fellowships in support of mental health research!

Jenny Hui, Sarah Kuburi and Yuchen Zhang are three of fifteen University of Toronto (UofT) students that are recipients of the  awarded by , a UofT  committed to improving student mental health and wellness outcomes.

This fellowship offers funding support for graduate scholars also includes a one-year training program designed to support fellows in developing knowledge and research skills related to post-secondary student mental health and well-being. We learned more about each recipient below and what this award means to them.

Jenny Hui (she/her)
PhD Candidate in Counselling & Clinical Psychology

Jenny joined the Inlight program as a member of the Student Advisory Committee (SAC) in 2023–2024. As part of the SAC, she worked alongside fellow students, staff, and faculty to develop programming and resources for engaging students as active collaborators in mental health research. This past year, she return as a recipient of the 2024–2025 Inlight Research Fellowship.

What does this award mean to you?
This award is an invaluable opportunity to build my own capacity to engage marginalized students in mental health research. This occurs not only through the fellowship’s funding support, but also through interdisciplinary community-building with other students/fellows, as well as taking part in a training program specifically designed to foster skills and knowledge for student engagement in research.

What next?
I believe in the critical importance of innovating research and mental health supports that centre student voices, with ongoing commitment to social justice—in other words, initiatives that recognize sociocultural sources of stress and oppression, and that uplift the expertise of individuals who face systematic barriers to accessing care. In future, I hope to become a clinical psychologist who conducts collaborative research with, provides affirming therapy to, and advocates for programs and policies for underserved post-secondary students, including folks who are disabled and chronically ill; low-income; first-generation; international students and migrants; BIPOC; and 2SLGBTQIA+. 

Sarah Kuburi (she/her)
PhD Candidate in Developmental Psychology & Education

Sarah  first became involved with Inlight after attending their 2024 annual research symposium, where she learned about their guiding principle of community engagement in student mental health research. Wanting to incorporate this approach into her own work, she applied for the Inlight Research Fellowship to gain valuable training in community engagement. As a fellow, Sarah is learning how to meaningfully involve community members in research that affects them, leading to more rigorous, relevant, and impactful findings.

What does this award mean to you?
This fellowship is a meaningful recognition of my work as a graduate student researcher in postsecondary student mental health. It affirms my commitment to advancing knowledge in this field and provides crucial support to further develop my research and training. Beyond funding, this award connects me with a dedicated community, offering opportunities for collaboration and the potential to create valuable change in student mental health and well-being.

What next?
I’m excited to continue my research in postsecondary student mental health and to see how the Inlight Fellowship Training Program will influence my work. I’m also looking forward to collaborating with the new Inlight Research Fellowship cohort as we work together to advance and shape the field of student mental health research and practice!

Yuchen Zhang (she/her) 
PhD Candidate in Developmental Psychology & Education

Yuchen first learned about this program through her doctoral advisor, Dr. Feng Ji, who found this opportunity through APHD’s weekly updates. Dr. Ji’s unwavering support and mentorship have provided her with a strong foundation and motivation to pursue meaningful research aligned with her aspirations to make a tangible difference in the field of mental health.

As a first-year PhD student, she has chosen to focus on areas that she is familiar with to build a strong and sustainable foundation for her academic journey. Through the Inlight Fellowship, Yuchen's work focuses on addictive behaviors such as screen use addiction, disordered eating, and body image concerns. Inspired by her personal experiences with cultural transitions, including acculturation and navigating cultural differences, she is exploring how these transitions influence addiction patterns.

To support this research, Yuchen attempted to employ novel research methods to analyze data and gain a deeper understanding of these issues. Her goal is to generate actionable insights that can inform practical interventions and contribute to improving mental health outcomes for diverse communities.

What does this award mean to you?
This award represents a bright and inspiring start to my PhD journey. This provides me with tremendous motivation and support to pursue meaningful research and make valuable contributions to both our community and the field.

What next?
As a newly admitted Inlight Fellow, I am committed to completing this project while actively participating in the Inlight Fellowship training program. Through this experience, I aim to develop advanced professional knowledge and skills, foster meaningful collaboration with fellow participants, and gain valuable insights from their diverse experiences.