Ph.D candidate Tasha Childs is a recipient of USC’s 2023 Breakthrough Graduate Scholar Awards. The award recognizes exceptional graduate students who make extraordinary contributions to research and field scholarship along with classroom excellence.  

Childs’ research interests include inequities in education through school social work targeting adolescent behavior, school climate, teacher education and school policy. Her scholarship includes intervention development, facilitating group interventions and evaluating interdisciplinary education.  

“Tasha is an outstanding scholar whose research will make incredible contributions at the intersection of social work and education. Her line of research focuses on teacher racial bias and how it relates to the quality of student-teacher relationships,” says Associate Dean of Research Aidyn Iachini. “I am excited to see how her research trajectory unfolds as she continues her career and contributes in meaningful and important ways to racial and social justice efforts, particularly within the educational context.” 

All graduate students are eligible for nomination. Childs is one of fourteen 2023 scholars to receive the award from USC’s Office of the Vice President for Research.