Faculty Directory
Belle Liang
Ascione Faculty Fellow
Professor
Licensed Psychologist
Belle Liang
Ph.D.
Contact
Campion 314
Telephone: 617-552-4079
Email: liangbe@bc.edu
ORCID 0000-0002-0005-4856
Education
- Ph.D., Michigan State University
- M.A., Michigan State University
- B.S., Indiana University
Courses
Applied Psychology Practicum: Pathways to Purposeful Work and Life
Research Interests
Mentoring and Cultivating Purpose in Adolescence and Young Adulthood; Creating schools and workplaces that foster purpose and belonging.
Expertise
- Career and Work
- Formative and Whole Person Education
- Health and Well Being
Department
Profile
Dr. Belle Liang is a professor of counseling, developmental, and educational psychology in the Lynch School of Education and Human Development at Boston College. She is a licensed clinical psychologist, and an expert in mentoring and youth purpose. She is an American Psychological Association Fellow Division 17, recipient of a Distinguished Alumni Award from Indiana University-Bloomington, The Many Faces of Counseling Psychology Award for outstanding contributions in psychology, and numerous honors for teaching and mentoring.
She founded the Purpose Lab, and has published nearly dozens of peer-reviewed journal articles and chapters to advance the science and practice of mentoring and cultivating purpose in schools and workplaces. She co-authored, "How to Navigate Life: The New Science of Finding Your Way in School, Career, & Beyond" (St. Martin's Press, 2022).
GLOBAL SPOTLIGHT
- COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning), Sophia University, Tokyo, Japan
- Youth Mentoring and Purpose Project, Potter's House Guatemala City
- Postcards for Peace Project with WorldVision in Northern Uganda
Select Publications
Liang, B., & Klein, T. (2022). How to navigate life: The new science of finding your way in school, career, & beyond. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press.
Lincoln, B., Patel, K. N., Binder, M.*, Lund, T. J., & Liang, B. (2024). Transforming service into civic purpose: A qualitative study of adolescent civic engagement and purpose development. Adolescents, 4(1), 90–106. https://doi.org/10.3390/adolescents4010007
Lund, T. J., Fongemy, G., Lincoln, B., Snow, H., Hakovirta, A. L. S.*, & Liang, B. (2024). Predictors of purpose among young adults in college: An exploratory analysis of the importance of relational supports and experiential learning. Youth.
Kang, A. S., Hoskova, B., Liu, C. Y., Viddayakorn, A., Binder, M.*, Liang, B., & Lai, B. (2023). Students of color and COVID-19: Experiences, coping strategies, and supports. Journal of Educational Research & Practice, 13(1), 345–364. https://doi.org/10.5590/JERAP.2023.13.1.23
Patel, K. N., Lincoln, B., Gomez, L. A. M., Lopez, A. C., Ting, T.*, Lund, T. J., & Liang, B. (2023). MentorOn: A peer mentoring program developed for COVID-19 times. Journal of Community Psychology, 51(8), 3152–3170. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.23030
Lincoln, B.*, White, A. E., Lund, T. J., Liang, B., Blustein, D. L., & Barnett, G. M. (2023). Moving from passion to purpose: A STEM-focused after-school program’s influence on purpose outcomes. Journal of Adolescent Research. https://doi.org/10.1177/07435584231182137
Konowitz, L., Lund, T. J., Chia, S. W. C., Reed, M., Wood, W., Liang, B., Blustein, D., & Barnett, M. (2023). The powerful role of mothers in adolescent purpose development. Journal of Psychological Research, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.30564/jpr.v5i1.5236
Zhou, M., Rauen, J., Sepulveda, J.*, Lund, T. J., Liang, B., & Mousseau, A. D. (2022). Purpose in the face of adversity: The roles of meaning-making and adversity among purposeful college students. Journal of Character Education, 19(2), 1–22.
Sepulveda, J., Zhou, M., Amorosi, A., Rauen, J., Boyer, M.*, Liang, B., Lund, T. J., & Mousseau, A. D. (2022). The R and R of purpose in college students: Refining and redefining purpose over time. Journal of Adolescent Research. https://doi.org/10.1177/07435584221093724
Lai, B. S., Hoskova, B., Riobueno-Naylor, A., Colgan, C. A., Aubé, S. S., & Liang, B. (2022). College students and COVID-19: Mental health and purpose formation. Journal of Emergency Management, 20(9), 65–77.
Lund, T. J., Liang, B., Lincoln, B., White, A. E., Mousseau, A. D., Gomez, L., & Akins, E. (2022). Purpose in life among first-generation college students: Friends make a difference. Youth, 2(1), 12–22.
Konowitz, L., Lund, T. J., Lincoln, B., Reed, M.*, Liang, B., Barnett, M., & Blustein, D. (2022). Changemakers: Influences on engagement in STEM curricula among underrepresented youth. European Journal of Psychology and Educational Research, 5(2), 103–113.
Liang, B., Lund, T., Mousseau, A., & Spencer, R. (2016). The 4 P’s of purpose among college-bound students: People, propensity, passion, and prosocial benefits. Journal of Positive Psychology, 12(3), 281–294.
Select Grants
Liang, B., & Bronk, K. (2024–2027). Cultivating Purpose & Belonging in Schools. Funded by the Walton Family Foundation ($2,225,000).
Liang, B. (2024–2026). True North at Messina Purpose Initiative. Funded by the Davis Education Foundation ($160,000).
Barnett, M., Liang, B., & Blustein, D. (2017–2023). Change Makers: Urban Youth Food Justice Ambassadors. Funded by the National Science Foundation ($1,998,290).
Barnett, M., Liang, B., & Blustein, D. (2018–2023). Seeding the Future of STEM Researchers Through Emerging Agricultural Technologies. Funded by the National Science Foundation ($1,197,756).
Liang, B. (2023–2024). Cultivating Purpose & Belonging in K-12 and College. Funded by the Walton Family Foundation ($110,000).
Liang, B. (2023–2025). Purpose & Belonging Curriculum in K-12 RedGen Schools. Funded by RedGen ($64,000).
Liang, B. (2022–2023). True North 2.0. Funded by the Melkus Foundation ($64,000).
Liang, B. (2021–2022). Working Wise & Living Whys: Purpose from School to the Workplace. Funded by Boston College Research Across Schools and Departments Grant ($50,000).
Liang, B. (2019–2020). Formative Education: The Role of Purpose and Critical Consciousness in College Students. Funded by Boston College Research on Formative Education Grant ($15,000).
Liang, B. (2019–2021). True North. Funded by the Melkus Foundation ($200,000).