Alexandra Rush

Alexandra Rush, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology and Human Development at Empire State University. Her work examines how people and families construct meaningful lives in the aftermath of war. She focuses on intergenerational transmission of trauma, resilience, and processes that contribute to posttraumatic growth, while also examining youth purpose, identity development, and the cultivation of meaning in challenging contexts.

She began her academic journey at Douglass College of Rutgers University, where she majored in psychology with a focus on resilience and human development. She continued her graduate studies at Long Island University and later earned her doctorate in Family Science and Human Development at Montclair State University. Her research there examined how the traumatic impact of war is transmitted across generations and how resilience and growth emerge within family narratives, shaping identity and sense of purpose.

At Montclair State, Alexandra worked at the Institute for Research on Youth Thriving and Evaluation, where she contributed to the Building Evidence in Scouting Together study. This project examined the impact of adult volunteer training on the character development of youth in Scouts BSA. She also served as a content expert on youth purpose, analyzing programmatic features and mentoring relationships that promote a sense of purpose, as well as examining the impact of online training programs for non-formal educators in the Boy Scouts of America.

In her faculty role, Alexandra teaches courses in child development, human ecological systems, spirituality and wisdom, and abnormal psychology. She encourages students to connect personal meaning to their studies and explore purpose as part of their education. At Dickinson College, where she served as a Visiting Assistant Professor, she led a survey of some of the first girls to officially join Scouts BSA, examining how they navigated a historically male-dominated environment and how participation influenced their sense of self and purpose.

Alexandra Rush's research has been published in academic journals and presented at conferences and cultural forums, with articles on intergenerational trauma, youth purpose, and posttraumatic growth. Beyond her scholarly work, Alexandra draws inspiration from her background in dance and theatre, as well as her practice of yoga, hiking, swimming, and time outdoors.