RHONDA LEWIS-MOSS — A TRAILBLAZER IN HER OWN RIGHT
Early in her career, Rhonda Lewis-Moss began receiving multiyear, multimillion-dollar grants for her research. Her path has escalated and her passion is exhilarating.
Wichita State University, Wichita, communities outside of Kansas and her students benefit from her expertise.
Rhonda is a WSU professor of psychology and coordinator of the community psychology doctorate program. Starting her education at WSU with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology in 1991, Rhonda was pleased and proud to come back as a faculty member. But before that could happen, she continued her education, receiving a Master of Arts from the University of Kansas in 1993, a Master of Public Health from the University of Kansas Medical Center in 1996 and a doctoral degree from the University of Kansas in 1996.
Beginning her WSU career in 1997, Rhonda set her professional sights based on her experiences as an African-American woman. Her major interests include teen pregnancy prevention, adolescent health and development, and reducing health disparities.
"I focus on what is relevant — the issues affecting our community," said Rhonda. "Adolescent health and development is always relevant, but its focuses may change to teen pregnancy, increasing dropout rate, teen violence or substance abuse."
Changing societal needs demand adaptability and continuing education on Rhonda's part. She partners with community organizations and her colleagues, attends conferences to see how other people do things and has mentors all across the world.
Her efforts are numerous and valuable. In 2002 Rhonda secured a $336,231 grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to reduce the risk associated with substance abuse and HIV/AIDS risk among African-American adolescents. She helped the Wichita community's Center for Health and Wellness obtain a grant to increase physical activity and improve diet and nutrition among low-income African Americans in Wichita's near northeast section. Overall, Rhonda has secured nearly $2 million in grants.
She works independently and on teams researching African-American issues and publicizes the findings in such highly respected journals as the Journal of Community Health and the American Journal of Community Psychology. She has more than 30 publications in peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed journals and has made more than 100 conference presentations at regional, national and international conventions.
Her full professorship shines brightly on the list of her accomplishments. Rhonda is only the second African-American woman to achieve the rank of full professor at WSU, an accomplishment she completed during the summer of 2009.
"Being a full professor means that you have reached the top of your field in terms of being recognized as an expert by people nationally and internationally," said Rhonda. "Furthermore, having a rich research and action background will help me attract the best and brightest students to our Ph.D. program."
Rhonda not only teaches her students to go beyond survival, go beyond having a drive to succeed, but to thrive — in other words, to reach true fulfillment in their careers and research endeavors.
"I encourage my students to survive their college years by getting involved in campus life, meeting people to make connections and easing their financial burdens by earning scholarship money," said Rhonda.
She then inspires them to find their drive, that motivating factor that creates passion for their cause. Rhonda is a strong believer in goal-setting — with flexibility.
"It's good to have goals," said Rhonda, "but if and when necessary, alter them so they can evolve, enabling you to embrace new things."
Then thrive.
"Have a purpose when you go to work," said Rhonda. "Don't go because you have to or just for the paycheck. And when you're there, be electrifying."
One of Rhonda's continuing goals is to secure more funding for graduate students, so they can do less teaching and more research, which leads to publishing in journals and gaining additional experience, all of which helps to build their vitae and their identity within their profession.
Rhonda is always looking to the future. She rarely sits or stands still.
"There's always so much more to do," said Rhonda, "but by bringing in really good students to help me, we can shape, build and serve our community in the best ways possible."