Two SHU Professors Earn Annual Naclerio Scholars Award

Funding will pay for research into the language of sacrifice and pandemic impacts

Sacred Heart University professors Chelsea King and Jonix Owino are this year’s recipients of the University’s annual Richard and Barbara Naclerio Faculty Scholars Program award.

The Naclerios established the program and annually award two $12,500 grants to support faculty research that will make significant contributions to the recipients’ fields of study, with a secondary goal of seeing them submit their findings for publication. The program is open to all junior, tenure-track faculty in good standing from across all disciplines who have completed three years of teaching at SHU. Applicants must demonstrate their interest in and capability for conducting scholarly research that benefits the academic community.

King studies sacrifice within Catholicism

King’s grant will enable her to access essential resources she needs for her project, “Re-Claiming Sacrifice,” which will critically examine the theological category of sacrifice within the context of Catholicism. She aims to uncover the damaging consequences that the idea of sacrifice has had on marginalized communities, particularly women.

“Receiving this grant is truly an honor, and I am immensely grateful for SHU’s support and recognition,” King said. “Knowing the University stands behind this project reinforces the importance of fostering an inclusive and transformative understanding of sacrifice within the Catholic tradition.”

King is a professor of Catholic studies. In 2020, she earned her Ph.D. in systematic theology from the University of Notre Dame.

Owino studies pandemic’s impact on older refugees

Owino’s project, “Implications of COVID-19 on Aging Refugees Living in Connecticut,” aims to understand how the pandemic affected older immigrants. She plans to interview refugees ages 50 and older to determine how the pandemic affected their routines, social engagements, social roles, employment and mental wellness. She also wants to determine if they had difficulty adhering to COVID-related guidelines, what sources they relied on for information and what coping strategies, if any, they adapted to adjust to their situation.

The grant will pay for interpreters and translators in languages such as Swahili and Arabic so communication will not prevent people from participating in the study.

“I am deeply grateful and indebted to the generosity of Richard and Barbara Naclerio, who have made this award possible,” said Owino. “I believe the findings of my project will be beneficial to stakeholders in our community and other refugee host communities, as it will shed light on issues pertaining to aging refugees’ well-being.”

Owino is a psychology professor. She earned her Ph.D. in developmental science from North Dakota State University.