Alyssa Kaser is grateful for the close connection and memories she has shared with her grandparents, whose stories and family traditions shaped her childhood – even if bittersweet at times.

As a teen, she watched her grandfather live with Parkinson’s disease and navigate the changes brought on by its progression. His illness revealed to her the importance of strong support systems of care, and this realization sparked her desire to help other older adults facing similar challenges.

In high school, she began volunteering and working at senior centers and nursing homes. “I found so much joy in spending time with older adults and learning from their wisdom,” she said. “It wasn’t just about assisting with daily tasks – but helping them feel valued and connected. Those experiences taught me how vital it is to be present for older adults, honor their stories, and help them retain a sense of purpose and meaning during their final stages of life.”

Ms. Kaser, right, discusses brain studies with her mentor, Professor of Psychiatry and Neurology Laura Lacritz, Ph.D. The two have worked together for three years on research related to dementia.

Her passion eventually led her to UT Southwestern, where she is a fourth-year doctoral candidate in clinical psychology. She works under the direction of her clinical and research mentor, Laura Lacritz, Ph.D., ABPP, Professor of Psychiatry and Neurology and Director of Neuropsychology and Psychological Services, an expert in neuropsychological assessment whose research is focused on early detection of cognitive change in aging populations.

Now, Ms. Kaser’s achievements have garnered accolades from the UT System, which awarded her a Jess Hay Chancellor’s Graduate Student Research Fellowship for 2024-25. The fellowship supports her dissertation research on functioning and cognitive performance in a diverse community sample, emphasizing the need to develop culturally sensitive diagnostic tools and interventions.

“I am truly honored to be selected as a Jess Hay Fellow,” Ms. Kaser said. “Receiving this prestigious recognition is such meaningful validation of the work I’ve done in the aging and dementia field. I’m so grateful for this acknowledgment and am excited about how it will propel my research and career forward.”

Ms. Kaser, as a young child, with her grandfather. His experience living with Parkinson’s disease inspired her to go into neuropsychology.

The fellowship program was established by former UT System Regent Jess Hay, a Dallas financial executive and community leader who passed away in 2015. Mr. Hay was an advocate and visionary leader for the UT System, serving from 1977 to 1989 as a Regent and for 2½ years as its Chairman. Annually, four graduate student research fellowships of $15,000 each rotate among the 13 UT institutions, benefiting two academic and two health institutions every year. The program is designed to tie graduate education to timely and high-quality research benefiting the state of Texas.

“Alyssa has worked with me for the past three years and has helped to advance research related to the clinical connections of cognitive complaints, use of language biomarkers for early detection of dementia, and application of screening instruments for identification of those at risk for cognitive decline. These efforts have resulted in 13 conference presentations and seven publications,” Dr. Lacritz said.

She said Ms. Kaser’s receipt of a Jess Hay Fellowship speaks to her promise as a clinician and researcher, collaborative nature, and potential to make important contributions to the field of neuropsychology.

Ms. Kaser, left, with a patient she once cared for who had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig’s disease. “My patient taught me so much about respecting someone’s independence and dignity,” she said.

“Her commitment to understanding the whole individual and finding ways to help not only patients, but their care partners, contributes to her passion to support our aging community and find ways to ease their burden,” Dr. Lacritz said.

Ms. Kaser’s early motivations came from the relationships she built in her work and personal life. She was born and raised in the small rural Midwestern town of Earlville, Illinois, where she developed a sense of belonging. She was intent on pursuing a career in psychology. As an undergraduate at Baylor University, she conducted research on veterans with traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and worked as a caregiver for a woman with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

“My patient taught me so much about respecting someone’s independence and dignity. Her care was a process of constant adaptation, filled with painful emotions but also small victories. I found a deep sense of purpose in adapting her routine and activities to maximize her independence and quality of life,” Ms. Kaser said.

She hoped to combine her experience with research and advocacy to make a positive impact on those affected by aging and dementia. After graduating from Baylor with a B.A. in psychology with concentrated coursework in neuroscience, she worked as a research coordinator in the Brain Health Lab at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She investigated multimodal interventions – combining mobile applications with lifestyle activities – and the causes of symptom progression in older adults at risk for Alzheimer’s, related dementias, and TBI.

At UTSW, Ms. Kaser serves as an officer in the Association of Neuropsychology Students in Training within the UT Southwestern Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology. She also volunteers with and has presented research findings at the Texas Alzheimer’s Research and Care Consortium, a collaboration of 11 of the state’s leading medical research institutions working to improve early diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease.

After she graduates from UTSW in 2025, Ms. Kaser plans to pursue postdoctoral training in clinical neuropsychology, with an emphasis in neurodegenerative disorders. She hopes to work where she can combine clinical care and research.