Willie Joe Marquez Social Science
Managing Type I Diabetes During Adolescence: Social Relationships and Identity
Current Bio: After graduation, Willie worked in customer support, marketing, operations and sales functions within various private-sector Ecommerce companies. While working, Willie completed part-time programs to earn his Masters in Public Administration at USC and a Masters in Business Administration at UCLA. He currently works as a Senior Account Manager at Zinus, a global Ecommerce Mattress Manufacturer.
Haas Scolars Project: Adolescence is a pivotal period for developing friendships and identity. For chronically ill adolescents, however, this developmental period may be disrupted due to the lifestyle limitations associated with carefully managing their illness. To examine the extent to which a chronic illness alters an adolescents social relationships and identity, Willie will conduct in-depth interviews with University of California, Berkeley students with and without Type I Diabetes about their experiences within four contexts: social networks, the family, secondary school, and self-perception. Ultimately, Willie’s study will include public health policy implications by providing an accurate portrait of the lived experiences of chronically ill adolescents, and the types of support they may need to accommodate their unique needs and be better integrated into society.
