Nnenna Valentina Kalu

Nnenna, an international student from Nigeria, is a Counseling Psychology PhD student at Purdue University and a Dean’s Doctoral Fellow. She earned her undergraduate degree with First Class Honors in Educational Psychology/Guidance and Counseling, a journey that deepened her passion for understanding how people learn, grow, and make life choices. After graduation, she volunteered as a counselor at the University of Port-Harcourt Teaching Hospital and later served as a Teaching and Research Assistant at Tai Solarin University, where she taught psychology courses and co-wrote grant proposals for TETFUND-funded projects on graduate employability and student learning.

At Purdue, her research focuses on gender stereotypes, career intentions, and STEM identity, exploring how cultural norms and expectations shape students’ confidence, persistence, and career paths. Beyond her academic work, she enjoys reading inspirational biographies, cooking creative Nigerian meals, and taking long reflective walks—activities that give her fresh perspectives for her research and life.

Research interests include gender stereotypes, career intentions and STEM identity development.