Markella Lanara
Markella Lanara is a second-year graduate student pursuing a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at The George Washington University. She currently holds a professional placement in the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs (OGPA), where she is dedicated to promoting the psychological well-being of GW graduate students and strengthening the sense of community among them.
In her role at OGPA, Markella supports programming and event planning for graduate and postdoctoral students. She focuses on expanding professional development opportunities and creating initiatives that promote student wellness.
During her first year at the Fellowship, she was placed at the Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), where she led the outreach efforts for wellbeing workshops and therapy groups. Her outreach efforts resulted in CAPS having a new record of student participation in workshops and groups.
As an undergraduate, Markella was an international student-athlete, captain of GWU’s varsity volleyball team, and a first-generation college student. She held multiple leadership roles within athletics, her cultural student organization (HSA), and mental health advocacy initiatives, including serving in the Mental Health Assembly of the Student Government Association (SGA).
Completed: Bachelor of Arts - Psychology, Minor in Sociology
Pursuing: Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Internship and Work Experiences:
- Counseling Intern- GWU Community Counseling Services Center
- Graduate Assistant - GWU Counseling and Psychological Services
- Sports Psychology Intern - Spirit and Soul Training
- Student Org President and Co-Director - GW Listens
- Children's National Hospital
- Academy Intern at Prison Fellowship - Stand Together Fellowships
- Student Athlete Captain - NCAA
- Sports Psychology Program Analyst - SurePeople
Some of Markella's areas of interest include improving feeling of community and belonging at GWU, especially for grad students; increasing professors’ sensitivity to students’ mental health and wellbeing; and student-athlete wellbeing.
During her first year in the Fellowship, Markella was placed in the office of Counseling and Psychological Services.
Throughout her placement, Markella played a vital role in a wide variety of projects, including the following:
- Social Media & Marketing: Led CAPS's digital marketing, increasing outreach by 40% through collaborations with 100+ campus partners.
- Resource Creation: Developed targeted resource guides for diverse student demographics.
- Workshops & Psychoeducation: Delivered workshops to 35+ student-athletes, with 90% of participants finding them relevant and helpful.
Professional Development Takeaways:
In these varied projects, Markella has honed her skills in digital marketing, event coordination, and content creation, sharpening her ability to engage diverse audiences. She also developed her public speaking and psychoeducational workshop facilitation skills, strengthening her capacity to design and deliver impactful presentations and educational resources.