Christina Marie Ellis

Basic Life Support Certification/CPR – July 2025

Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) – June 2023

Medical Assistant Certification – August 2022

Nonviolence Training – The King Center, October 2021

Research Assistant Child Study Center, Penn State University - August 2025 – Present 

Principal Investigator: Dr. Koraly Pérez-Edgar, Ph.D. Assist with developmental psychology and child behavior research projects within the Child Study Center. Support data collection and management involving child participants. Contribute to ongoing studies examining socio-emotional development and early risk factors.

Research Assistant – Center for Childhood Obesity Research, Penn State University December 2024 – August 2025

National Institute of Health Principal Investigator: Dr. Jennifer Savage Williams, CCOR

Studied the psychological development of school-aged children in public schools with emphasis on hunger and nutrition. Research supported by NIH and SNAP Pennsylvania.

Research Assistant – Psycholinguistics Laboratory, Penn State University, Principal Investigator: Dr. Giuli Dussias, PhD, August 2023 – April 2025 

Investigated proficiency and predictability in bilingual (English/Spanish) speakers. Research was conducted in State College, PA, and Granada, Spain, with NSF funding.

Ellis, C. M., & Golden, O. T. (2025, April). Vocabulary size modulates linguistic prediction in adult L2 speakers of English. Liberal Arts Undergraduate Research Expo, Penn State University. Primary Investigators: Migliaccio-Dussias, P. E., Mulik, S., & Pulido, M. F.

Partnerships for International Research and Education (PIRE), 2023-2025 Director: Dr. Giuli Dussias, Professor of Spanish, Linguistics, and Psychology, Predicción lingüística en inglés como segunda lengua (Linguistic Prediction in English as a Second Language), 

Selected as a fellow in the NSF-funded PIRE program focused on advancing bilingualism and second language research. Collaborated on interdisciplinary projects bridging linguistics, psychology, and neuroscience. Gained research training in psycholinguistic methods, cross-linguistic data analysis, and international academic collaboration.

Learning Assistant (LA), BIOL 222 – Genetics
The Pennsylvania State University
Fall 2024 – Fall 2025

Assisted in instruction for undergraduate genetics courses. Held weekly office hours to support student learning. Conducted exam review sessions to reinforce course concepts. Initiated and led a semester-long academic outreach initiative supporting at-risk students through targeted office hours and individualized study strategies, contributing to improved course performance and pass rates.

Diversity and Outreach Chair, No Refund Theatre (NRT), 

Organize DEI-focused events within Penn State Theatre. Act, volunteer, and fundraise to ensure free theatre events for the community., 

Eberly College of Science Week of Service, 

Received 1 credit for a semester course in Spring of 2024. Spent a week in Philadelphia servicing the greater community, shadowing community clinics, volunteered in local schools and learned from community members about the history and needs of Philadelphia., 

Co-Founder, EmpowerED, 

Established an online organization to combat attacks on education such as book bans and limiting laws in U.S. schools., 

Vice President, Panther Anti-Racist Union (PARU), 

Organized a school-wide peaceful protest that gained international recognition. Advocated for diversity and inclusion at the Pennsylvania State Capitol and U.S. Congress., 

PA Democratic Volunteer, 

 Supported voter protection efforts during the presidential election, ensuring fair and accessible voting., 

D.C. Social Justice Internship, Georgetown University Law, 

Enrolled in a social justice course through DCJS from January 2025 to May 2025. Interned with Georgetown Law and taught high school students in D.C. public schools.

Bunton-Waller Merit Scholarship, 

Four-year award to enhance diversity at Penn State's Eberly College of Science.

Youth Influencer Award, The King Center, Atlanta, GA, 

Recognized for leading a peaceful protest that ended a Central York School District book ban, gaining international attention.

Ellis, C., Ellis, R., Gupta, E., Hodge, B., Jackson, P. A., & Pituch, O. (2025). Ban This!: How one school fought two book bans and won (and how you can too). Lerner Publishing Group.