Alberta M. Gloria

Originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico, Alberta M. Gloria is currently a Professor in the Department of Counseling Psychology and Director of the Chican@/Latin@ Studies Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. After completing her predoctoral internship at the University of California-Irvine and her doctorate in Counseling Psychology from Arizona State University, Dr. Gloria started her career at the University of Utah and in 1996 joined the faculty at Wisconsin.

Dr. Gloria is passionate about her research. Her primary research interests include psychosociocultural factors for Latina/o and other racial/ethnic students in higher education. Her work addresses issues of cultural congruity, educational and social coping supports, and academic well-being, and has appeared in journals such as Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, and Journal of College Student Personnel.

Dr. Gloria's leadership in the training of students has been acknowledged at the national level. As former Director of Training for the Department of Counseling Psychology, the department was recognized with APA's 2005 Suinn Minority Achievement Award from the Committee on Ethnic Minority Affairs for demonstrated excellence in the recruitment, retention, and graduation of racial and ethnic minority students. Also under her guidance, the Department was awarded the 2006 APAGS Department of the Year Award for its outstanding commitment toward graduate students and graduate student life. The department was also received an Honorable Mention for the Innovative Practices Award for 2005 from the Board of Educational Affairs of APA and the Council of Graduate Departments of Psychology.

Her greatest professional fulfillments, however, come from her work with students, and she has been nationally and locally recognized for her contributions to learning and climate change for students of color. For example, she was awarded the 2002 Emerging Professional Award from Division 45 of the APA for outstanding early career contributions in promoting ethnic minority issues in the field of psychology, and in 2003, Dr. Gloria received the Kenneth and Mamie Clark Award from the American Psychological Association of Graduate Students for her contributions to the professional development of ethnic minority students. Just within the past year she has received two additional honors: (1) Division 45's Charles and Shirley Thomas Award, which is given to a psychologist who demonstrates significant contributions to the education, training, and mentoring of students of color, and who demonstrates a professional presence within ethnic minority communities; and (2) UW-Madison's 2007 recipient of the UW System Outstanding Woman of Color Award for her advocacy and activism to improve the status and climate for women of color on campus. Dr. Gloria recently co-edited a book entitled "Pathway to the Latina/o Ph.D.: Abriendo Caminos," which highlighted the experiences of Latina/o students pursuing advanced degrees in higher education.

An active member of the American Psychological Association, Dr. Gloria is Past-Chair of Division 17's (Society of Counseling Psychology) Section for Ethnic and Racial Diversity, Member-at-Large for Division 45 (Society for the Psychological Study of Ethnic Minority Issues), and President of Division 35's (Society for the Psychology of Women) Latina/Hispanic Women's Concerns. She is currently the Chair of Section Chairs for Division 17.

When Dr. Gloria is not working with students, collecting data, writing manuscripts, or presenting her work at conferences, she enjoys spending time with her partner Jeff and their rat terrier Fenway Bark. She also likes to make cards, watch movies, work in her garden, and go to the beach.