David Zelaya '12 Named Young Alumnus of the Year

Loyola University New Orleans Alumnus David Zelaya '12 has been selected as the 2022 Young Alumnus of the Year. This award honors one young alumnus who has given most generously of their time, talent, and philanthropy to their alma mater and community.

After graduating from Loyola with a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Psychology, David pursued his Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology at Georgia State University. While there, he was selected to receive the prestigious American Psychological Association's Minority Fellowship. Only five to seven percent of the 200 applicants who apply for the fellowship are accepted. David then completed his clinical psychology pre-doctoral internship at Harvard Medical School/Cambridge Health Alliance.

As he wraps up his post-doctoral research at Brown University School of Public Health, he will join the faculty. His research interests broadly focused on examining minority stress and the intersections of multiple stigmatized identities (e.g., race/ethnicity, sexual minority identity, and gender) and their links to mental health and substance use. Clinically, he is interested in LatinX populations and assisting Spanish speaking clients.

David’s professional interests focus on the intersectionality of multiple stigmatized identities with emphasis on sexual and ethnic minorities. He has been a member of the American Psychological Association of Graduate Students (APAGS) and served on the Committee for the Advancement of Racial and Ethnic Diversity (CARED) and as the APAGS liaison to the Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs (CEMA).

David exemplifies the characteristics Loyola seeks to form in its graduates – moral character, service to humanity, and unquestionable integrity. He has demonstrated a strong commitment to his community and Loyola through volunteer service and has been recognized for his accomplishments in his profession.

David is a true example of a Magis maker and an admirable example to young Loyola alumni everywhere.