Say hello to Professor Mandy Garcia, our newest Visiting Instructor of Psychology at Roanoke College! With a diverse background in psychology and student support, Professor Garcia is dedicated to helping students thrive, both in and out of the classroom.
A Journey into Psychology: “I initially became interested in psychology as a high school student,” shares Professor Garcia. “My younger brother was diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder in the 90s, when there was so little information and help available, especially in our rural community. That experience, along with other life events and personal interests, led me into the field of psychology.”
Her passion for teaching grew while she was an undergraduate at Concord University, where she served as a tutor and advising assistant. Later, at Radford University, she realized her true calling: working with students in higher education rather than in a clinical setting. Most of her career has involved a blend of teaching, advising, and supporting students with disabilities.
What She Loves About Teaching: “One of my favorite parts of teaching is seeing students grow in their understanding of topics and apply what they’ve learned to real-life situations,” says Professor Garcia. She enjoys helping students who may still be finding their way academically, discussing their study strategies, and finding new methods to boost their success. “There are always resources and people on campus to help with academic success—take advantage of those resources!”
Fun Fact: Outside of her role at Roanoke, Professor Garcia is an enthusiastic reader and a member of a book club that dives into sci-fi, space opera, and epic fantasy novels. “I love the world-building, the social structures, and the maps almost as much as the stories,” she says.
Want to meet Professor Garcia in person? You can catch her at her event next week!
Join Professor Garcia and other students on Tuesday, November 19, from 12:00pm – 1:00pm in Room 515, Life Science for a special workshop! This event, Successful Studying & Test Taking Techniques, will include Professor Garcia sharing her top tips and strategies for successful studying and test-taking, just in time for finals season. 🧠📚
Bring your friends, come with questions, and get ready to ace your next exam—see you there!
The Society of Southeastern Social Psychologists (SSSP) conference was a fantastic opportunity for our Roanoke College psychology students and faculty to engage with cutting-edge research and network with peers across the field. Professors FVN, Dr. Bu, and Dr. Carter attended the event alongside students Sydney Pennix, Ivy Phillips, Gabby Bosch, Shannon Dennehey, and Cassie Eddins.
We recently connected with some of the attending students to hear about their unique experiences, the research they presented, and the advice they have for students considering attending similar events.
Cassie Eddins collaborated with Dr. Bu on research developing a new scale to measure sense of belonging within political psychology—an area with no current standardized measures. Although she doesn’t plan to pursue research as a career, Cassie found inspiration at the conference and is now interested in exploring how sense of belonging manifests in third-culture children, such as those from military or immigrant families.
Cassie also had the chance to explore other undergraduates’ research projects. One presentation that stood out to her focused on the relationship between personal sexuality and the ability to accurately perceive others’ sexual orientations. “It was fascinating to see how personal biases might influence these perceptions,” Cassie shared, “Discovering unique topics like this made the experience even more enriching and broadened my understanding of the diverse areas being explored in psychology.”
Cassie shared her perspective of the experience in saying that, “SSSP was very non-threatening, especially for those of us who might not feel super confident with public speaking,” she continued, “I would definitely recommend attending—it’s a welcoming environment with fascinating research to explore.”
Sydney Pennix presented her study on how discrimination affects the romantic relationships of emerging and older Black Americans. “Conducting this research was fulfilling and eye-opening,” Sydney reflected, noting that her findings were surprising to both herself and her audience. She also found the graduate student panel to be particularly valuable, offering insights she’s already applying in her professional journey.
Sydney’s advice for her peers? “Take opportunities to present your research or attend others’ presentations. It’s incredible to converse with people who share your interests, especially outside of the classroom.”
Ivy Phillips is researching predictors of Hostile Attribution Bias in young adults with Dr. FVN, focusing on the influence of family relationships and adverse childhood experiences. The critical analysis of her data was challenging but rewarding, and Ivy appreciated the insights shared at the graduate school panel.
For Ivy Phillips, the Conference offered valuable insights that align with her long-term goal of working in Community Psychology. “My personal highlights included research on youth development in community settings and how individuals’ experiences and relationships shape their views on specific policies and laws,” Ivy shared. “These topics were not only fascinating but also inspired me to consider exploring them further in my own future research.”
Her biggest takeaway? “Get involved in as many experiences as possible, even if it feels outside your comfort zone. These opportunities build valuable skills and provide great stories that will benefit you long-term.”
More Photos From The Conference!
Shannon Dennehey and Gabby Bosch: Both Shannon and Gabby presented their research at the SSSP Conference alongside their peers. Check out their posters highlights in the photos attached!
Why Attend SSSP, or Any Conference For That Matter?
All our attendees—students and faculty alike—highly recommend participating in the SSSP Conference, as well as attending any psychology conference during your undergraduate years. Conferences like SSSP offer a welcoming environment and showcase a wide range of research presentations. Whether you go as a presenter or a spectator, these events provide a unique opportunity to explore new fields, connect with professionals, and deepen your understanding of psychology.
As Ivy put it best: “Talk to your professors and advisors to learn more about these opportunities—they can be incredibly valuable stepping stones for your future.”
As we observe Mental Illness Awareness Week from October 6, 2024 – October 12, 2024, it’s essential to bring attention to several significant mental health conditions that affect millions of individuals each year. This annual week serves as a vital platform for raising awareness, educating ourselves, and supporting those struggling with mental health issues. Among the conditions we will discuss are Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Bipolar Disorder, Depressive Disorders, and Anxiety Disorders.
Understanding PTSD
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. While only 5.6% of individuals exposed to trauma will go on to develop PTSD, the symptoms can be debilitating and include:
Flashbacks: Reliving the traumatic event through vivid memories.
Avoiding Triggers: Steering clear of places, people, or situations that remind them of the trauma.
Arousal and Reactivity: Experiencing heightened anxiety, irritability, or difficulty sleeping.
Cognition and Mood Changes: Negative thoughts, feelings of hopelessness, or detachment from others.
Intrusive Thoughts: Unwanted memories or thoughts related to the trauma that disrupt daily life.
Despite these challenges, treatment options are available, and up to 40% of individuals with PTSD recover within a year. Treatment typically includes:
Psychotherapy: Techniques such as cognitive restructuring help individuals process their trauma and develop coping strategies.
Exposure Therapy: Gradual exposure to trauma-related memories and triggers in a safe environment.
Medication: Antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications can help manage symptoms.
Understanding Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar Disorder is characterized by extreme mood swings that include periods of manic episodes and depressive episodes.
Manic Episodes: Individuals may experience elevated mood, increased energy, irritability, and impulsive behavior.
Depressive Episodes: These periods are marked by feelings of sadness, indifference, or hopelessness.
Bipolar Disorder affects men and women equally and is believed to have a genetic component. On average, individuals with bipolar disorder die 10 years earlier than the general population, highlighting the urgent need for effective treatment and support.
Treatment options for bipolar disorder include:
Medication: Mood stabilizers like lithium and antidepressants are commonly prescribed to help manage mood swings.
Psychotherapy: Approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and interpersonal and social rhythm therapy help individuals cope with their symptoms and maintain stability.
Understanding Depressive Disorders
Depressive disorders are serious conditions that significantly affect individuals’ lives. Depression is the leading cause of disability in the U.S. for those aged 15 to 44. Rates of depression are highest among those aged 18 to 29. Common types of depressive disorders include:
Major Depression: Persistent feelings of sadness and a lack of interest in daily activities.
Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia): Chronic depression lasting for at least two years.
Perinatal Depression: Affects women during pregnancy or after childbirth.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Occurs at specific times of the year, often in winter.
Depression with Psychosis: Severe depression accompanied by hallucinations or delusions.
Understanding Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental disorders in the world, affecting a significant portion of the population. They can manifest in various forms, including:
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): Characterized by excessive worry about various aspects of life.
Panic Disorder: Involves recurrent panic attacks and a fear of future attacks.
Social Anxiety Disorder: A fear of social situations and being judged by others.
Phobia-Related Disorders: Intense, irrational fears of specific objects or situations.
Separation Anxiety Disorder: Typically seen in children, characterized by extreme anxiety when separated from caregivers.
Anxiety disorders often affect women more than men, and symptoms can start in adolescence. Treatment options include:
Psychotherapy: Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is particularly effective in treating anxiety.
Medication: Antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications can help manage symptoms.
Support Groups: Connecting with others who experience similar challenges can provide valuable support.
Stress Management Techniques: Mindfulness, meditation, and other techniques can help reduce anxiety symptoms.
Prevalence of Mental Illness
Mental illness is a widespread issue, with 1 in 5 adults experiencing mental illness each year. Alarmingly, 164 million people live in areas with a shortage of mental health professionals, making it challenging for individuals to access the help they need. The prevalence of various mental health conditions includes:
Major Depressive Episode: 8.3%
Schizophrenia: <1.0%
Bipolar Disorder: 2.8%
Anxiety Disorders: 19.1%
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: 3.6%
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: 1.2%
Borderline Personality Disorder: 1.4%
Despite these alarming statistics, only 47.2% of individuals with mental illness received treatment in 2021, indicating a significant gap in mental health care.
Conclusion
As we reflect on Mental Illness Awareness Week, let’s come together to support those affected by Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Bipolar Disorder, Depressive Disorders, Anxiety Disorders, and/or other mental health challenges. Understanding that these conditions are common yet serious can help break the stigma and encourage individuals to seek help.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health issues, reach out to the counseling services at Roanoke College or explore resources from reputable organizations like the National Institute of Mental Health and the World Health Organization.
Remember, seeking help is a sign of strength, and together we can foster a culture of support and understanding for mental health. Let’s continue to advocate for mental health awareness and ensure everyone has access to the support they need. 💙
Resources for Students at Roanoke College
Access health care, including counseling, 24/7 with TimelyCare! 12:00 am – 11:59pm timelycare.com/roanoke For on campus counseling appointments, please complete a request form, linked below. 12:00 am – 11:59 pm https://saweb.roanoke.edu/counseling_services/request
Disclaimer: The statistics and information presented in this post were derived from the National Institute of Mental Health, the World Health Organization, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).
The Roanoke College Psychology Department is excited to share a series of upcoming graduate school information sessions! These sessions offer insight into various programs and help guide you in your future educational endeavors. Check out the details below, sorted by date, and explore the opportunities that best fit your interests!
Tuesday, October 15, 2024 Time: 12:00-1:00 PM School: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Program(s) of Focus: Master(s) of Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) and Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling (CRC) Registration Link:www.med.unc.edu/healthsciences/crmh/events/
Monday, October 28, 2024 Time: 3:00-4:00 PM School: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Program(s) of Focus: Master(s) of Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) and Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling (CRC) Registration Link:www.med.unc.edu/healthsciences/crmh/events/
Friday, November 8, 2024 Time: 7:00 PM School: George Mason University Program(s) of Focus: Master of Professional Studies, Applied Industrial and Organizational Psychology (online degree) Registration Link:https://psychology.gmu.edu/prospective/events
Monday, November 11, 2024 Time: 12:00-1:00 PM School: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Program(s) of Focus: Master(s) of Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) and Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling (CRC) Registration Link:www.med.unc.edu/healthsciences/crmh/events/
Monday, November 25, 2024 Time: 4:00-5:00 PM School: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Program(s) of Focus: Master(s) of Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) and Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling (CRC) Registration Link:www.med.unc.edu/healthsciences/crmh/events/
As we dive into the new academic year, we thought it would be fun to share some highlights from the summer adventures of our psychology faculty members. From personal milestones to family escapades, our professors had a variety of experiences that added a splash of excitement to their summer breaks. Let’s take a closer look…
Dr. Nichols’ Family Travels and Favorite Reads
This summer, Dr. Nichols and his family embarked on two major trips. The first was to Charlotte, NC, for the semifinal of the Copa America. The second was to Sarasota, FL, where they helped move his eldest daughter, Kennerly. The trip also included some relaxing time at the beach, as pictured above!
Dr. Nichols also found time to revisit one of his favorite book series: Harry Potter. He’s reading through the entire series for the third time, this time with his youngest child, Jacob. Years ago, he read the books with each of his older children, and even with his wife while in graduate school.
Dr. Findley-Van Nostrand’s Program Development and Hufflepuff Pride
Dr. Findley-Van Nostrand’s summer was packed with exciting work. She’s leading the development of a psychology master’s program, a project funded by the Dean’s office. Along with others, she’s working on various components of the program and hopes to submit it for curriculum approval this semester.
She also made headway with her research. She currently has two studies under review and another in preparation. One focuses on young adults’ relational aggression, particularly how their status striving and insecurity impact it. The other two studies examine adolescents, exploring racial differences in various forms of victimization (physical, relational, verbal, electronic) and how these relate to self-esteem and depression.
For fun, Dr. Findley-Van Nostrand and her family spent time traveling, with the highlight being a couple of weeks in Tampa and Orlando visiting friends and family. They also enjoyed a visit to Universal Studios, where she and her son celebrated their shared Hufflepuff pride!
Dr. Buchholz’s Camping and Canoeing
Dr. Buchholz’s summer highlight was an unforgettable six-day, 45-mile camping canoe trip down the James River with his son and his son’s best friend. The adventure was surely magical, and something Dr. Buchholz will cherish forever.
Dr. Bu’s Japanese Adventure
Dr. Bu’s summer highlight was a trip to Japan right after the academic year ended in May. Among the many memorable experiences, staying at a traditional ryokan in Hakone (a spa town outside Tokyo) stood out. The meals, including the breakfast shown in the picture, were exceptional and left a lasting impression. Dr. Bu is already looking for excuses to return to Japan!
Dr. Allen’s Milestone and Memories
This summer, Dr. Allen had a significant personal milestone: receiving a cochlear implant in July! While the process of adjustment is ongoing, Dr. Allen is already hearing much better and is happy to share insights and answer any questions from any students curious about the experience.
Dr. Allen’s favorite memory was a nostalgic visit to Chapel Hill, NC. It was a delightful reunion with a friend from graduate school, filled with reminiscing and laughter. As Dr. Allen puts it, “We may look like respectable middle-aged women with husbands and children, but stories were told.”
Dr. Kennedy-Metz’s Research Achievements and Home Projects
Additionally, Dr. Kennedy-Metz had the chance to be a guest on the podcast “Heart Rate Variability,” though it’s not yet released.
In a different realm, her, her husband Josh, and her mom, undertook a major home project, painting six rooms in just three days—what an endeavor!
Prof. McCutcheon’s Program Development and Puppy Joy
Prof. McCutcheon had a productive summer preparing for the launch of Roanoke’s new Disability Studies program, which is set to be an exciting addition to the Psychology Department.
But it wasn’t all work and no play! Prof. McCutcheon also had a fantastic time introducing her new puppy, Connor, to the joys of water. A memorable outing involved hiking to the Cascades, where Connor had a blast splashing in the creek and swimming. Check out these adorable pictures of Connor enjoying his new aquatic adventure!
Prof. Garcia’s Family Time and New Opportunity
Prof. Garcia’s summer was a whirlwind of family activities, shuttling her daughter to various camps, including tennis, theatre, dance, and soccer. Amidst the busy schedule, the Garcia family managed to sneak in a relaxing beach trip to Emerald Isle, which was a perfect way to unwind.
Her summer wrapped up with exciting news: being offered a visiting position at Roanoke College!
Congratulations, Prof. Garcia, and we are so thrilled to welcome you to the department!
We hope you enjoyed this glimpse into the summer adventures of our psychology professors. Their diverse experiences and personal milestones remind us all of the richness of life outside the classroom. Here’s to a new academic year filled with continued learning and growth!
Feel free to reach out to any of our professors if you have questions about their summer adventures or any of their exciting projects.
Our final alumni highlight series will comprise of professionals on the career track of psychology & creativity, as well as some bonus highlights including alumni working as medical, education, research, or clinical and counseling professionals! Our bonus features intend to remind readers of a few of the many career tracks that we have shared throughout the series. As always, Roanoke students are encouraged to reach out for career advice. The Psychology Department is a great place to start — talk to your academic advisor, your course instructors, etc.! PLACE office also offers a range of resources, including career counseling, resume and cover letter assistance, job search strategies, and networking opportunities. In conjunction with PLACE, the Alumni Relations office can connect students with alumni mentors in their field of interest. Whether you’re exploring your options or preparing for your next steps after graduation, the Roanoke College community is here to support you on your journey. Check out some of the resources available to you on Roanoke’s “Preparing for Life After Graduation” webpage!
Let’s now delve into the journeys of some professionals in the psychology field as we introduce our featured alumni for this week!
Kinsey Overfelt: Resident in Counseling at Family Services of Roanoke Valley
How would Kinsey describe her role as a Resident in Counseling?
“I am a Resident in counseling which means I am working with clients every day to meet the direct hour requirements to become a licensed professional Counselor. I utilize Play Therapy to help children build self-confidence, understand their emotions, and resolve inner conflicts. I counsel all ages from 3 years old to 80 years old but my main focus is children.”
Carly Schepacarter, MA, ATR-P, LGPC: Kids Like Us Counselor within the Behavioral Health Services Department under Frederick County Government, Maryland
How did Carly become a Kids Like Us Counselor?
“I got my Master of Arts in Art Therapy from The George Washington University in 2023. While I was there, I interned as an art therapist with a residential substance abuse rehabilitation center in DC, Washington DC Public Schools, the GW Art Therapy Clinic, and worked for GW as an Academic Coach. All of these provided such valuable opportunities for me to work with clients, learn how to use art for healing, process traumatic and stressful experiences with clients, and provide ethical and competent services. Working with folks in recovery also provided me with a deeper compassion for the youth that I serve and the ones in their lives that they worry about. All of these surely nurtured my passion for the work as well. In order to get my job, I talked to as many art therapists and counselors as I could find to get advice and wisdom related to their job searching. My networking really helped, and landed me an interview, a kind recommendation, and my current position. Since graduating, I have been working towards obtaining licensure for Counseling and Art Therapy in the DMV, as well as national certification for Art Therapy. All of this has been super helpful for me to find my way in the field.”
Victoria Winnard: Independent Fiction Author
What has Victoria been working on most recently?
“I made great progress on a trilogy I’ve been working on for several years, the first two books of which can be found on Amazon under my pen name Victory Parsons – ‘The Forgotten Prince’ and ‘Forerunners.’ The final installment still needs a lot of work before it may be exposed to the public eye. The trilogy follows beings who can time travel and the tolls that such abilities can take on the mind, which basically means any major mental illness you can think of. Throughout the books, I play with other concepts like dreams, memory, consciousness, mortality, loss/grief, parenting and attachment styles, even drug abuse and some psychedelic ideas.”
Sophia Bolton Jennings: RN BSN RNC-OB in the Labor and Delivery Unit at UVA
What does Sophia appreciate most about her current position?
“I’m a high risk Labor and Delivery nurse. I assist women during their labor and birth process… I love working with students and new nurses teaching and sharing the knowledge I have learned along the way. I have grown to appreciate working at a teaching hospital because of the collaboration with different members of the medical team (Residents, RTs, pharmacist) and using new products and research that enhance our patients’ experiences. I think birth is so fascinating and I don’t think I will ever stop being in awe of the human body! I also gave birth to my first child on the unit where I work so I have an all new appreciation for my coworkers!”
Ally Brothers: Associate Professor at Colorado State University
What are some of Ally’s roles and responsibilities at Colorado State University?
“I am a fully-integrated member of our department with an 80% teaching load, 15% research and 5% service (not adjunct). I teach undergraduate and graduate courses related to adult development and aging and lifespan development, and maintain a small research program as well. I typically teach about 4 classes per semester (Fall and Spring) and 1-2 in summer. My main courses include HDFS 201 Perspectives in Gerontology, HDFS 312 Adult Development and Aging, HDFS 412 Mental, Physical Health in Adulthood, and HDFS 434 Risk and Resilience Across the Lifespan, and HDFS 613 Adult Development and Aging (graduate level)… My research focuses on the connection between the subjective experiences of aging (e.g., age stereotypes and self-perceptions of aging) and how they affect health, mental health, and longevity… I also collaborate with community partners and CSU Extension professionals to conduct community-engaged research. For instance, I am working with Extension partners on the program evaluation of a farmers’ market-based program, in which we are also developing intergenerational learning opportunities to connect college students with older adults around fresh produce and healthy aging.”
Bree Brodeur, MS, CCLS: Senior Multifamily Researcher at CoStar Group
How did Bree become a Senior Multifamily Researcher?
After earning her master’s degree from Nova Southeastern university in Program Development, she took a Child Life Exam during her clinical internship at Broward Health. She then worked as an Emergency Room Child Life Specialist at Inova Health System, and then at Bon Secours St Mary’s Hospital. She included, “I created a sensory friendly program at the hospital and started analyzing data from the sensory friendly program to make a difference in children’s healthcare experience and loved seeing results from that study so I then decided to transition into higher paying research/analyst position at costar group / apartments.com but still have the opportunity to make a difference in investor and stakeholder decisions on multimillion dollar transactions, so while it is not child development centered it still allows me to feel rewarded knowing I’m making a difference through research!”
Maya Lamprinakos: Graduate student studying Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services at Virginia Tech, and hired as a School counselor for the 2024-2025 school year in Roanoke City Public Schools
What professional journey has Maya followed following her time at Roanoke College?
“I attended Roanoke College and obtained an amazing background in psychology. I decided to attend graduate school to become a school counselor at Virginia Tech. I have become knowledgeable in group counseling, substance use, trauma-informed care, crisis intervention, expressive arts, multicultural competency, and more. I went to a job fair and was hired by Roanoke City as full-time school counselor in an elementary or middle school.”
From integrating Play and Art Therapies, to creative writing, these alumni showcase some of the many fulfilling careers that can await you following your psychology studies at Roanoke College.
We also asked our alumni to reflect on the Roanoke courses or experiences that have been most relevant to their current careers.
In terms of influential classes, alumni named PSYC-202 Research Methods, PSYC-204 Quantitative Methods, PSYC-221 Developmental Psychology, PSYC-321 Child Development, PSYC-344 Creative Thinking, PSYC-381 Abnormal Psychology, and PSYC-410 Research Seminar. Independent Fiction Author, Victoria Winnard included, “Basically I’ve incorporated a little bit of everything from the classes I took at Roanoke… Without a doubt my background in psychology has informed and deepened my writing.”
Kinsey Overflet and Maya Lamprinakos’ both shared experiences of volunteering and/or interning at the West End Center, and how that shaped their career goals and further prepared them for life after Roanoke. Maya’s volunteer work even led to an internship, and then her current job!
Additionally, Ally Brothers noted how she capitalized on experiential learning opportunities at Roanoke in saying, “Participating in Summer Scholars one year through the Honors Program and Psych department allowed me to do a deep independent study and customize my learning with close mentorship.” In reflecting on her internship, Ally added, “Dr. Jan Lynch served as the internship supervisor, and I remember that I did an internship with a brain injury rehabilitation center (such good experience). Dr Lynch and her husband invited all 15+ of us interns to their home and made us the best spaghetti with meat sauce, which we ate while gathering in their living room to discuss our internship experiences – we shared challenges, insights, and lots of laughter. The way she cared for and supported students was just remarkable!”
We understand that choosing a career path can be hard, and you will likely even change your mind somewhere along your journey! Internships are a great way to immerse yourself in a field of interest to you and discern what you truly want your future career to entail. Sophia Bolton Jennings best highlighted this in saying, “I hadn’t considered nursing as a profession until the end of my Junior year at Roanoke. I was completing an internship at a local drug rehab facility where I found myself more drawn to the nurses workflow than that of the therapist I was working with. Upon this realization I went to my advisor, Dr. Powell, and she worked with me to get my pre-reqs in order (this included a summer at Roanoke doing the anatomy and physiology intensive course – which I loved!). The following fall I completed the application process. Even though I made the decision to go to nursing school later in my undergraduate career, the process of preparing for and applying to schools was made simple by the easy access to my advisors, something Roanoke prides itself on.”
Carly Schepacarter, MA, ATR-P, LGPC shared the immensely positive impact of undergraduate research on her professional journey. She wrote, “I cannot oversell the value of my research experience with Dr. Carter, my Honors in the Major project, and the extensive classroom instruction on research was to my success. It made research less scary and something that I feel confident in. This helped immensely in my graduate program to write my thesis and complete a research class, both of which were new and stressful tasks for the rest of my program. This has also helped in my job, where we are completing a 10-year longitudinal study and once again, my research knowledge and confidence has come in handy… It’s not something to be afraid of and knowing the ins and outs of a spreadsheet, literature review, and research study is one of my most valued assets.”
Before closing out our final week of alumni highlights, we want to extend our sincerest gratitude to all of our wonderful alumni who have shared reflections on their time at Roanoke College, as well as details about their professional roles! Their stories serve as a true testament to the breadth of opportunities available after studying psychology at Roanoke College. We also want to thank you, our readers, for joining us on this journey of discovery and inspiration!
As you consider your own path, remember that your experiences at Roanoke College can provide a strong foundation for whatever career you choose to pursue. Whether you’re interested in counseling, research, education, or any other field, the skills and knowledge you gain here can help you make a positive impact in the world. Don’t hesitate to reach out to your professors or advisors for guidance as you navigate your future career path.
Welcome to this week’s Alumni Highlights. We’re back to featuring a single incredible track in psychology: Industrial-Organizational. There are several career fields in which psychology is blended with other disciplines and Industrial-Organizational is one of those fields. Specifically, the Industrial-Organizational field blends knowledge from the disciplines of psychology and business!
Roanoke College has been consistently been recognized by the Princeton Review as a great school for both Business and Psychology majors. Moreover, the college offers a concentration in Human Resource Management. So, current and prospective students are well positioned to pursue an Industrial-Organizational career upon graduation from Roanoke!
Once again, before delving into the stories of our alumni for this week’s edition of the career tracks series, we want to express our sincere gratitude to our wonderful alumni. Their generosity in sharing reflections on their time at Roanoke College and details about their professional journeys is truly appreciated. Their stories not only highlight the wide range of opportunities in the field but also demonstrate the positive impact Roanoke College can have on your future. If you’re an alum who would like to share your story for a future post, please reach out to Dr. Powell (DPowell@roanoke.edu).
Now, let’s explore the realm of careers that focus on Industrial and Organizational Psychology as we introduce our highlighted alumni for this week!
Jordan Visser: Human Resources Generalist at myHR Partner, Inc.
How did Jordan become a Human Resources Generalist?
“Human resources was never really the position I thought I’d end up being in as a psychology major. I learned so much while earning my degree that I knew there were multiple paths that I could choose from. After receiving my degree from Roanoke, I went on to obtain my Master of Science degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Northern Kentucky University. I/O Psychology is about the study of the workplace and learning about employee performance, employee satisfaction, organizational development, training and development, and much more. I learned more about how statistics is used in a workplace setting and what types of workplace processes and policies can come from data obtained by my employees. While earning my degree, I realized that human resources was a position in which encompassed a lot of what I learned and was a gateway into being able to make more of a difference for employees in a workplace setting.”
Laura Pope, MS: Senior Recruiter at Capital One
What does Laura enjoy most about her role as a Senior Recruiter?
“Helping candidates navigate our interview process and eventually being able to extend offers! Creating that positive experience and being a part of their journey is extremely rewarding. I love that we can offer these programs and knowing this opportunity can change someone’s life is everything.”
Kaitlin Busse: Associate Consultant at Siena Consulting and PhD Candidate at Baruch College/Graduate Center, CUNY
What is Kaitlin’s favorite part about being an Associate Consultant?
“Every project is different, and I really like that it allows me to constantly learn something new every day! One day, I might score an employee assessment or interview to predict who will be a good hire for an organization. Another day, I might work on writing development reports that focus on employees’ strengths and development areas for rising leaders in an organization. Some days I might help with brainstorming and creating a selection system with a client to ensure employees are being hired fairly and accurately. These are just a few of the many things I’ve worked on, and I really enjoy the close-knit team setting that makes this work fun!”
Destinee Sinclair, MA: Organization Development/Human Resources Coordinator at ORC
What are some of Destinee’s duties as an Organization Development/Human Resources Coordinator?
“I assist and support in the design, implementation, delivery, and ongoing maintenance of people programs that improve employee experience and organizational effectiveness in various areas such as employee engagement, performance management, leadership development, career development, HR initiatives, and culture.”
Jessica Gladfelter: Personnel Psychologist at the Office of Employee Experience and Development, Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA
What responsibilities fall under Jessica’s role as a Personnel Psychologist?
“Essentially I work with a lot of data and concepts related to the human element of work. A few example topic areas I may cover include understanding what skills are needed for a certain position, how to best evaluate if a training is effective, ensuring that selection systems are valid, analyzing exit survey data, and designing a data management system for personnel related data. These are just a few examples, but essentially if you think about data Human resources might collect, it is likely that someone in my field would be involved in some way!”
From senior recruiter and Human Resources staff, to personnel psychologist, our alumni showcase some of the many opportunities within the field of industrial and organizational psychology. By sharing their experiences, these alumni hope to inspire the next generation of I-O psychology folks to explore and pursue their passions.
We also asked our alumni to reflect on the Roanoke courses or experiences that have been most relevant to their current careers.
In terms of influential classes, alumni named PSYC-202 Research Methods in Psychology, PSYC-204 Quantitative Methods, PSYC-382 Industrial-Organizational Psychology, and PSYC-251 Social Psychology.
Several alumni noted how instrumental the Roanoke College faculty mentors have been to their success. Many of them had never known about the field of Industrial and Organizational Psychology before they were exposed to it either in their coursework, or through individual professional development conversations with faculty.
Alumni also highlighted specific research and internship experiences they had during their time at Roanoke that helped facilitate their successes after graduation. Kaitlin Busse mentioned both when saying, “[In] Dr. Powell’s research lab… I was able conduct research on an I-O Psychology topic area and present findings at the Society for Industrial Organizational Psychology conference” and “I interned in a variety of HR roles during my summers (e.g., talent management, learning and development) where I gained practical knowledge of what it’s like to do this work in a real-life setting.”
Laura Pope, MS, sums up the sentiment shared by many of our alumni: “Truly, all of my experiences within the department helped set me up for success. I learned those invaluable ‘softer skills’ needed for a successful career (i.e., time management, problem-solving, working with others, achieving goals, etc), not to mention great general advice from professors.” These words echo the impact that Roanoke College’s psychology department and faculty have had on our alumni, emphasizing the value of both academic and personal development.
If this series hasn’t highlighted it enough yet, we highly encourage you to seek out professors who inspire you and be open to learn from our very own experts in the field!
As Alumni Weekend approaches in just over one week, we look forward to showcasing our final set of alumni stories in the coming days. Stay tuned for next week’s spotlight on more than one exciting career path!
Welcome to this week’s Alumni Highlights, where we will feature not one, but three incredible career tracks in psychology: Human Services, Medical, and Peace & Justice. Following your read of this post, please feel free to explore the Roanoke Psychology Department’s Instagram and Facebook accounts as well. You will notice that we offer a more individualized highlight of each of our alumni on those platforms weekly!
Before jumping into our alumni’s stories for this week, we again want to thank our wonderful alumni who have generously shared reflections on their time at Roanoke College, as well as details about their professional roles today. Their stories serve as a testament to the breadth of opportunities available in the field, and the positive influence that Roanoke College can have on your future. If, as an alum, you would like to share your story for inclusion in a future post, please reach out to Dr. Powell (DPowell@roanoke.edu).
Get ready to meet some outstanding alumni in Human Services, Medical, and Peace & Justice fields in this week’s spotlight!
Human Services Professionals
Victoria Preston Brown: Utilization Management Specialist in the Children Services Act (CSA) office for Roanoke County and Salem
What does Victoria do as a Utilization Management Specialist?
“It’s a mix of quality control and coordinating treatment plans for children in and out of the community. I review the treatment level of every foster child in a private foster care placement and assess if the treatment level is appropriate to their current level of need. Every level of treatment is a different daily cost rate, so part of the big picture of what I call quality control is ensuring public tax dollars are being used appropriately. CSA funds are public funds that are then reimbursed by the state at a varying percentage of a match rate. Additionally, I monitor the placement and treatment of every child placed in a residential treatment facility, whether they’re a child in foster care or a just child from our community where their parents still retain custody.”
Allison Tatum: Adult Protective Services (APS) Family Services Specialist at Roanoke County Department of Social Services
How did Allison earn her role as an APS Family Services Specialist?
“Upon graduating from Roanoke College in December of 2021, I immediately began working as an Adult Mental Health Case Manager at Blue Ridge Behavioral Healthcare. This position helped me to foster important skills in the field including case management, rapport building, communication, and time management. This experience led to my current opportunity in APS.”
Stephanie Horgan, M.Ed., BCBA, LBA: Tennessee Licensed Behavior Analyst and Regional Clinical Director at Grateful Care Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA)
What is Stephanie’s favorite part of her work?
“My favorite part of my position is having the opportunity to work with kiddos and families. When we go into work with a family, often they are in serious need of support. It is immensely rewarding being able to make a difference in their lives by increasing their kiddo’s communication skills, social skills, and independence.”
Medical Professional
Alex Grant Lux: Rehabilitation Neuropsychologist at the Palo Alto Veterans Affairs Health Care System within the Polytrauma System of Care
How would Alex describe her position to others?
“The unit I work on is called the Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center/Comprehensive Rehabilitation Center (PRC/CRC) and is one of only 5 in the country. The PRC/CRC is a 18-24 bed acute inpatient rehabilitation unit for Veterans or Active Duty Service members who very recently sustained a brain injury (traumatic brain injury, stroke, brain tumors, anoxia/hypoxia, encephalitis, etc.) as well as some who are receiving rehabilitation for more orthopedic injuries. My role is to provide neuropsychological and psychological support. I work with my patients on assessing their cognition, tracking their cognitive recovery throughout their stay, and providing psychoeducation about recovery trajectory and expectations. Simultaneously I provide support for these patients as they adjust to their new circumstances and cope with what is often one of the most difficult life experiences so far for these individuals. I also work on an interdisciplinary team with occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech and language pathologists, vision rehabilitation therapists, recreation therapy, social work, nursing, and physician/physiatrist. I am also a clinical supervisor and supervise interns and post doctoral fellows.”
Peace & Justice Professionals
Sydney Quantock, J.D.: Assistant Director of Title IX, Compliance, and Assessment at Loyola University Maryland
What did Sydney’s path of professional development consist of?
“I shaped my professional career around my passion to encourage healthy and safe relationships. I placed being an advocate for those experiencing sexual and/or gender-based violence at the forefront of my career. During my time at Roanoke College, I served as a student liaison for the Roanoke Rescue Mission, a local homeless shelter, while also working remotely as a legal intern for a family law firm. Then I worked for an immigration attorney whose primary practice involved those obtaining U-Visas as individuals who experienced sexual violence crimes while in the United States. Which led me to attend Delaware Law School, Widener University serving as a domestic violence and child abuse advocate and obtain my Juris Doctor degree. My professional career focused on sexual and gender-based misconduct which ultimately led me to my current position where I get to encourage those relationships but also provide everyone the equal opportunity to access their education without sexual and/or gender-based misconduct.”
Patrick McClanahan, PhD: Postdoctoral Researcher at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law (Freiburg, Germany)
What does Patrick enjoy most about his job?
“My favorite part of the position is getting to conduct research in the field. Whether it be a clerk’s office, prison, or school – I like getting to speak with the people who are most impacted by my work… In my research I use Virtual Reality technology to better understand criminal behavior. Most recently, I spent six months traveling across prisons in the state of Pennsylvania, having individuals with a criminal history of burglary scout a virtual neighborhood for burglary targets. Through this project we better understand how burglars determine if a house is a good house to break into or not.”
Naomi H. Painter: Graduate Teaching Assistant in a Peace & Justice Studies graduate program
What does Naomi do in her role as a Graduate Teaching Assistant?
“In this position, I am helping instructors with grading assignments, providing feedback to students regarding their progress throughout the course. I enjoy the behind-the-scenes look at how many classes are structured and maintained throughout the semester.”
The diverse and inspiring stories of our alumni in the Human Services, Medical, and Peace & Justice fields highlight the vast opportunities available across the field of psychology. From earning master’s degrees to becoming specialists and neuropsychologists, our alumni are finding great success following their time at Roanoke! Their journeys underscore the transformative impact of a Roanoke College education and serve as a testament to the countless ways one can make a meaningful difference in the world through the field of psychology.
We also asked our alumni to share what Roanoke courses or experiences have served to be most relevant to their current career.
In terms of classes, alumni named PSYC-231 Biological Psychology, PSYC-251 Social Psychology, PSYC-321 Child Development, PSYC-322 Adolescent Development, PSYC-327 Interpersonal Relationships, PSYC-332 Drugs & Behavior, PSYC-381 Abnormal Psychology, and even statistics courses! Patrick McClanahan, PhD also included “Dr. Buchholz’s Social Psychology was one of the most influential classes I took. It really ignited my passion for research and wanting to understand how society and the individual interact, leading to different behaviors. Dr. Buccholz was always more than happy to sit with me and hear my questions and ideas.” Additional alumni also noted how impactful their concentrations have been throughout their careers, specifically the Human Development and Neuroscience concentrations. Concentrations are a great way to integrate a more specific area of study into your educational background!
Other beneficial experiences that were said to make our alumni stand out in their graduate school applications and job interviews included research experiences, attending conferences, fellowships, and building relationships with their professors. Naomi H. Painter shared that her participation in a research fellowship program at Roanoke College enabled her to develop the skills, experience, and awareness that ultimately led her to her current role as a Graduate Teaching Assistant. Also, Sydney Quantock, J.D. expressed her gratitude for being able to build such wonderful connections with faculty in the department. She wrote, “I cannot thank Dr. Darcey Powell enough for her support and encouragement throughout my time at Roanoke College – your professors and advisors are amongst your biggest supporters, engage with them!” Professors and advisors can serve as wonderful role models and mentors. The Psychology faculty at Roanoke have a strong reputation for the high quality mentoring and advising they provide to help students achieve their career goals. Be sure to capitalize on their willingness to support you in your journey during and after Roanoke College!
We look forward to sharing more alumni stories from the additional tracks in the coming weeks before Alumni Weekend. We hope you enjoyed this exciting three-track edition, and be sure to stay tuned for next week’s spotlight on another exciting career track!
Roanoke students are offered the chance to design and conduct experiments firsthand as a part of the curriculum! Some also choose to join faculty member’s research labs. As a part of their experiences, your peers have published their own research and presented at regional and national psychology conferences (see details here). If you’re interested in pursuing undergraduate research opportunities, please explore the Psychology Department’s website here.
Once again, before jumping into our alumni’s stories for this week’s edition of the career tracks series, we want to say thank you to our wonderful alumni who have generously shared with us reflections on their time at Roanoke College, as well as details about their professional roles. Their stories serve as a testament to the breadth of opportunities available in the field, and the positive influence that Roanoke College can have on your future. If, as an alum, you would like to share your story for inclusion in a future post, please reach out to Dr. Powell (DPowell@roanoke.edu).
Let’s explore the realm of research professionals as we introduce our highlighted alumni for this week!
Molly Reed: Project Manager at Schlesinger Group
What is Molly’s role on her team?
“I work in qualitative market research for a team that recruits participants for market research studies. My role as a project manager is to manage client relations and direct the team during the recruiting process.”
Abbie Joseph: Clinical Research Coordinator at US Foot & Ankle Specialists
How does Abbie describe her position to others?
“I work with the doctors to conduct the day-to-day activities of clinical trials on medical devices that are not yet on the market. I see each patient weekly to collect all the necessary data to enter into the study databases. I also help recruit new research patients through advertisements and visiting other clinics in the community who may have qualified patients.”
Nikki Hurless, PhD, NCC, LPC: Visiting Assistant Professor of Psychology at Tarleton State University
How did Nikki become a Visiting Assistant Professor?
“I started out in a clinical psychology doctoral program, but after 2 years I decided I wanted more training in counseling and therapeutic relationships, so I left with a master’s degree only. Then, I completed a doctoral program in counselor education and supervision where I learned the nuances of mental health and how to train new professional counselors. I taught at a master’s level counseling training program for 3 years before deciding I wanted to try teaching at the undergraduate level. Throughout this time I’ve also been a part-time counselor focusing on treating traumatic stress. My clinical work helps inform my teaching and I love having real-world examples to illustrate psychological concepts, diagnoses, and the counseling process. I also research topics including counselor development, the effects of self and external stigma, and queer-affirming strategies, among others. I wear many hats!”
Rebecca Ward, PhD: Scientific Writer at Massachusetts General Hospital
What are some of Rebecca’s duties as a Scientific Writer?
“I write and edit research documents (such as grants and manuscripts), manage regulatory protocols (IRB, biosafety, animal safety), and educate trainees on scientific communications. In addition to this, I am currently setting up a writing center within the Department of Medicine and lead the MGB Scientific Writing Group.”
Misha Digman Narducci: Senior Survey Programmer, Research Operations at inVibe, a division of THREAD
How did Misha enter the field of research psychology?
“I obtained my first survey programming position with no professional work experience, I instead showcased my undergraduate projects on a portfolio website. The website showed that I knew the basics of the research process, including survey design and programming. From there, I was promoted to a senior position after gaining 2 years of professional experience.”
Yipeng (Shaw) Wang: Senior User Experience Researcher at The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.
What is Shaw’s favorite part of being a Senior User Experience Researcher?
“I still do my favorite research and talk with all kinds of people! All the parts I like about psychology and humans can be found in this job! What’s more, it gives me a lot of satisfaction to see the feedback from my research in a relatively short period of time. The impact of the findings on the product involves a large number of users, and it is very rewarding for me to be able to make people’s experience of the product more user-friendly and comfortable. Plus: the pay is high! Probably one of the highest in the psychology field.”
From project management and clinical research coordination to teaching and scientific writing, our alumni showcase some of the many opportunities within the field of research psychology. By sharing their experiences, these alumni hope to inspire the next generation of researchers to explore and pursue their passions.
We also asked our alumni to reflect on the Roanoke courses or experiences that have been most relevant to their current careers.
In terms of influential classes, alumni named PSYC-202 Research Methods in Psychology, PSYC-204 Quantitative Methods in Psychology, and PSYC-410 Research Seminar: Psychology. Several alumni also mentioned the various credited research opportunities working in faculty member’s labs as being beneficial to their skill development, a few even completed Honors in the Major projects prior to graduating. Also noting the significance of her Neuroscience concentration courses, Rebecca Ward, PhD wrote, “The addition of the neuroscience concentration, coupled with the amount of writing required through the coursework at Roanoke, prepared me to think critically and better communicate science.”
Nikki Hurless, PhD, NCC, LPC included, “My research methods class was a foundational component of my academic career. I loved learning research design – my instructor instilled a scientific curiosity in me that motivated me to get involved in as many research-related experiences as possible. In general, the psych department’s strong focus on writing has also been very useful to me in publications and in communicating my ideas at professional conferences.” Similarly, Yipeng (Shaw) Wang reflected by saying, “I do literature reviews, write research plans, conduct research sessions like interviews, usability testing and field research. All these skills can be traced back to my courses at RC.” These alumni’s reflections underscore the invaluable role of strong foundational education and practical experiences in research, highlighting the enduring impact of their time at Roanoke College on their professional journeys.
Molly Reed wrote, “Working in the position I do [Project Manager], I only handle the recruitment aspect, but because of all of the research experience I gained during my time at Roanoke I feel like I have a deeper understanding of the overall picture, which makes me more effective at my job.”
It’s great to see the diverse paths Roanoke College psychology alumni have taken in their careers! The emphasis on research and practical experiences in the Roanoke College Psychology Department curriculum clearly played a significant role in their professional development. We hope that current and prospective students will find their stories motivating as they pursue their own career paths throughout the field.
As Alumni Weekend approaches, we look forward to showcasing more alumni stories from different tracks in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for next week’s spotlight on another exciting career path!
Prior to highlighting another group of Roanoke alumni, we want to share an exciting opportunity with you! At the Education Pathways Fair next Wed (3/27), you can explore various roles within the school system, from teaching to administration. In addition to licensed teaching positions, this fair will showcase roles in human resources, communication and marketing, information technology, and more — reflecting the diverse pathways available in the field of education. Swing by the Colket Center next Wednesday, March 27th, sometime between 10am and 2pm to learn more! Attendees are encouraged to register via Handshake here.
Once again, before jumping into our alumni’s stories for this week’s edition of the career tracks series, we want to say thank you to our wonderful alumni who have generously shared with us reflections on their time at Roanoke College, as well as details about their professional roles. Their stories serve as a testament to the breadth of opportunities available in the field, and the positive influence that Roanoke College can have on your future. If, as an alum, you would like to share your story for inclusion in a future post, please reach out to Dr. Powell (DPowell@roanoke.edu).
Let’s now delve into the world of education professionals as we introduce our featured alumni for this week!
Hannah Perry: Residential Life & Operations Program Manager at Victory Junction
What does Hannah enjoy most about her position?
“My favorite part about my position is that I am able to support children in a unique way! It’s already extremely difficult for parents to find opportunities for children with serious medical conditions and chronic illnesses, but when you add behavioral concerns and mental health challenges on top, it can feel impossible. If there is a concern, it’s my job to work with the parents/guardians to put a Camper Success Plan into place prior to their arrival on-site. We’re proactive on our end to ensure that their child can be successful with the appropriate accommodations and support – It’s like an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) for summer camp!”
Allie Poggendorf: School Psychologist at Roanoke City Public Schools
What is Allie’s role as a School Psychologist?
“As a school psychologist, my role is to support students’ needs and specifically their ability to learn. I complete comprehensive assessments on students looking at their cognitive, academic, social, emotional, and behavioral functioning and help guide a team to determine if a student qualifies for special education services. A school psychologist’s role is vast, in that we wear many hats. We also help to promote and support a positive school climate, we collaborate and consult with teachers, parents, and other school staff. Overall, I apply what I have learned through my training to help students succeed academically, socially, behaviorally, and emotionally.”
Vanessa Bowman: Family Liaison and Graduate Student (Florida Institute of Technology)
How does Vanessa explain her job duties to others?
“I have a couple different aspects to my job. The first is I work closely with families who may need different services throughout the school year, whether that is coordinating angel tree or recommending/coordinating grocery deliveries throughout the year. The second is I work with students who are tiered for behavior (RTI-B). I observe and work closely with students who are either on formal behavior plans or informal positive behavior plans in order to help them succeed throughout the day. The last piece of my job is helping improve our student attendance at our school by implementing a variety of attendance programs.”
Kiah Coflin: School Adjustment Counselor at Duxbury Public Schools
How did Kiah end up in her position today?
“While in Roanoke, I found it to be incredibly impactful when I was able to volunteer both with the Toys Like Me group on campus, in a school with a special needs population (BRAAC – Blue Ridge Autism and Achievement Center), as well as working with and volunteering for a local Roanoke city non-profit for students (TAP – Total Action for Progress) helped me to see that there are so many ways to support children beyond the confines of an office and that I wanted to work with students who otherwise might not be able to access individualized counseling. Following Roanoke, I took these experiences and was able to attend a Master’s Program specifically for School Counseling, where I was able to intern at a local middle school. Working in public schools allows support and access to students who otherwise may be unable to attend counseling in a private therapy setting, and makes me feel like I’m positively contributing to a large population of children!”
Exree Hipp: Associate Director of Admission at Denison University
As an Associate Director of Admission, what does Extree do?
“I am currently overseeing the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives for the Office of Admission at Denison University. This role manages various specialty programs, including our Fly-in program, ‘Dialogue with Denison’. I also participate in application review, helping to shape the class of our incoming Freshman each year.”
Alexandra DiFelice: Assistant Director of Student Athlete Success and Leadership at the University of Delaware
What does Alexandra value most about her position?
“Community: My dad works here and my cousin goes to school here so I get to see them weekly for lunch. University Lifestyle & Work/Life Balance: I spent 18 years of my life on an academic calendar, I might as well keep living it. I have the ability to manage your life and your work in a university setting. Fitness Forward: I work in athletics, therefore it’s common to leave during the workday to work out; it’s great to have that as a part of our culture. Team Mentality/ Collaborative: I get to assist the athletes, working as a team with the other departments (sport psych, DEI, athletic counseling, academic advisors). It is more satisfying to help when you are a part of the team. Opportunities to try on different hats: Not only am I doing mental health counseling, leadership and sport psych work but I have an opportunity to try different things like event planning, or study abroad coordination.”
Camryn Ryan: Admission Counselor at Hollins University, and Graduate Student at Liberty University (Spring '24)
What is Camryn’s favorite part of her role as an Admission Counselor?
“I love working with our prospective students and traveling to meet them in their comfort zones. It really is an honor to be invited into these students’ lives, walk beside them during one of the scariest chapters of their lives, and be a champion for them.”
Claire Kirchoff, MEd: Upper School Counselor (grades 9-12)
What does Claire’s position entail?
“In my current role, a large chunk of my time is spent working directly with students who seek support with issues and topics such as relationship struggles, family/home-life challenges, executive functioning skills, stress management and anxiety, and others of the like. I also design and implement social emotional learning curriculum and support the college & career planning program. I also give presentations and trainings to faculty and communicate regularly with faculty about ways to support students in the classroom. In addition, I respond to crises, conduct risk assessments, and collaborate with parents and medical professionals to support student needs. Even as I was writing these responses, I was called away to support a student experiencing a panic attack.”
These alumni showcase the fulfilling and varied career paths available in the field of education, and related to psychology. Each alum’s story showcases their impact in various roles within schools and communities, from supporting children with medical conditions to promoting positive school climates.
We also asked our alumni to reflect on the Roanoke courses or experiences that have been most relevant to their current careers.
In terms of influential classes, alumni named PSYC-101 Introduction to Psychology, PSYC-221 Developmental Psychology, PSYC-241 Cognitive Psychology, PSYC-321 Child Development, PSYC-322 Adolescent Development, PSYC-327 Interpersonal Relationships, PSYC-351 Personality, PSYC-354 Evolutionary Psychology, PSYC-381 Abnormal Psychology, PSYC-390 History of Psychology, PSYC-415 Tests and Measurements, and even MayTerm courses!
Exree Hipp also included that “The courses taught me a lot, but it’s the bigger picture that counts. The liberal arts education and fantastic faculty at Roanoke—that’s what really made the difference. I picked up more than just textbook knowledge. Critical thinking and managing my time became crucial, and I learned it’s okay to ask for help when you need it… Basically, it’s not just about getting a degree; it’s about all the extra skills and support you get along the way that really shape your journey.”
The Roanoke College community has served to build a wonderful environment that enables success for its students. Claire Kirchoff, MEd wrote, “…from the moment I became a psychology major my freshman year, I knew it [Roanoke] was the place for me. The collaborative and collegial atmosphere of the department supported me through so many challenging courses, and I was able to do so much more with my time than friends at other colleges were able to do, like working with Dr. Powell for research, having internships at Carilion Roanoke Memorial and Salem Montessori School, taking courses that were genuinely interesting.” Many alumni also expressed great gratitude to the professors who helped them along their way. Alexandra DiFelice had nothing but appreciation for Dr. Powell in saying that, “Dr. Powell’s support, and the opportunities she encouraged us to take positioned me to achieve things (like getting published in a journal) possible. She spent years with me after I graduated helping me apply to graduate schools, and helping me get published. She is the reason so many of us are successful in what we do.” In addition to Alex and Claire noting their time working in Dr. Powell’s lab, the support from Dr. Findley-Van Nostrand and Dr. Buchholz’s were also explicitly mentioned. It is not the specific courses alone that make Roanoke so special, rather it is the community that fosters curiosity and the desire to seize opportunities. Our featured alumni serve as wonderful examples attesting to just that.
Many alumni also emphasized the significance of their internship experiences. For instance, one alumni interned at a summer camp, which eventually led to a full-time position following their graduation! Others interned at various organizations, including Salem High School, the Philadelphia Union Soccer Academy, and the University of Pennsylvania, all gaining valuable experiences that have contributed to their current roles. Each experience underscored the pivotal role internships play in shaping career paths.
We are excited to share more alumni stories from other tracks in the weeks leading up to Alumni Weekend. Stay tuned for next week’s spotlight on another exciting career track!
The paths taken by our alumni offer valuable insights and inspiration for current Roanoke students as they contemplate their post-graduation plans. We are thrilled to showcase the diverse and impactful careers of a subset of students who graduated from Roanoke College with a degree in Psychology! Each week, until the ever-famous Alumni Weekend (April 19-21), we will be highlighting professionals within a specific career track. The graphic below displays the specific tracks that we will feature!
Before we jump into our alumni’s stories, we want to say thank you, again, to our wonderful alumni who have generously shared with us reflections on their time at Roanoke College, as well as details about their professional roles. Their stories serve as a testament to the breadth of opportunities available in the field, and the positive influence that Roanoke College can have on your future. If, as an alum, you would like to share your story for inclusion in a future post, please reach out to Dr. Powell (DPowell@roanoke.edu).
Without further ado, this week, we are excited to dive into the world of clinical and counseling professionals – now, let’s meet some of our alumni!
Taylor Kracht, LCMHC: Licensed Clinician Mental Health Counselor and the Culture and Communications Coordinator at L&B Counseling
How would Taylor describe her position to others?
“I am a clinical therapist who works with adolescents, adults, and couples with varying mental health concerns… My approach is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Solution Focused therapy with person-centered care… As the company’s Culture and Communications Coordinator, I am in charge of creating a fun and positive culture at the company by organizing activities for team bonding. In my communications role I go out into the community and give talks to schools about various mental health topics, as well as promote the company at primary care offices for referral purposes. I am also on the marketing team for L&B and you can find many videos of me promoting mental health topics on our social media.”
Kira Narrise Hunt: Therapist Assistant at Kennedy Krieger Institute
What is Kira’s favorite part about her job?
“When a child shows progress in communicating, or when they meet other goals such as joint attention or functional play. It always brings me joy when it seems that something finally clicks!”
Kelsey Camire, LCSW: Care Coordinator at Family Guidance Centers, Inc., and Outpatient Therapist at LifeSpire of Virginia
What did Kelsey’s path look like, following her time at Roanoke College?
“I received my MSW and went on to get my Clinical Social Worker License. While at Roanoke, I had an internship with the VA working with older adults in an at-home care program. After graduate school, I coordinated care for older adults in living HUD-subsidized affordable housing. My current full-time position is with a non-profit senior living agency.”
Morgan J. Hamilton: Marriage and family therapist at Deerfield Township Family Counseling Center
What is Morgan’s favorite part about her job?
“My favorite part of my position is being able to connect with people. Humans are interesting and unique, so I never have a uniform day at the office. I am rarely certain about what my clients may bring week to week, which challenges me to continue learning on the job. I especially love working with couples and families because they are so dynamic. I often witness special moments in real time, which is a part of what makes this work so fulfilling. Additionally, it is always a gift to walk the journey of life alongside others, supporting, caring for, and hopefully ushering them to health and happiness.”
Cedric Wilson, LPC: Licensed Professional Counselor and Owner of Seeking Wellness Counseling Services
What path did Cedric take to end up in his current role?
“In addition to obtaining my Bachelor’s degree from Roanoke College my educational journey includes obtaining my Master’s degree in professional counseling, licensure from the VA state board and now several others. Formational moments within my work experience included my residency at Blue Ridge Behavioral Healthcare, an Acting Director position at Shenandoah University’s Student Counseling Center which finally inspired me to open my own mental health counseling practice.”
Cody Dillon-Owens, MA: Psychology Technician at Primary Care Mental Health
How would Cody describe his day-to-day duties?
“Primary Care Mental Health Integration at the VA (PCMHI for short) provides brief mental health services to Veterans and conducts the initial assessment and referral process for more intensive care. As a psych tech (and a newly added position to the team) I have my hands in a lot. I am on-call to see folks same-day in primary care to conduct assessments and referrals, I help conduct group therapies, I complete referral management to administer screeners and ensure Veterans attend their initial therapy intakes, I conduct brief alcohol interventions and follow-up tobacco cessation appointments, and I do some light data tracking for our clinic. This is besides the other random responsibilities and tasks that come up weekly!”
Sophie Bacon: Clinical Mental Health Counseling Intern, and Graduate Student at Vanderbilt University
What is Sophie’s favorite part about her internship?
“I love this work so much, and I think a big part of the reason is that I get to use both my creative and investigative sides. Young children can’t always tell you how they feel, but by using expressing arts techniques, I can help them show me.”
Kelsey Markel, QMHP-A: Recovery Support Specialist at The Coleman Institute
What does Kelsey do as a Recovery Support Specialist?
“I work at an outpatient detox center for opiates, alcohol and benzodiazepines. I help guide patients into their first steps in recovery after completing their detox by providing talk therapy, resources in their community (therapists, psychiatrists, and/or substance use programs) and by facilitating weekly support groups.”
Lauren Powell, M.Ed, LPCA, CSAC-S: Substance Use Counselor at Verity Mental Health
What is Lauren’s favorite aspect of her work?
“It’s inspirational; watching someone come from horrible circumstances like jail, homelessness, addiction, poverty, trauma, etc., and seeing them grow into productive members of society is amazing… You develop amazing relationships with people, and you learn something from them every day, just as they learn things from you. That doesn’t mean that working as a therapist (especially in substance use) is easy, because it’s not – but it really is so rewarding when someone who has been using substances for 10+ years shows you their 30 day NA key tag. Even on the hard days I love my job because I know that I’m making a difference, and in this field, sometimes you are literally the difference between life and death for someone.”
Amy Conner, MS, LCMHC: Embedded Clinician for Asheville Fire and Police Department
How would Amy describe what her duties are?
“I provide therapeutic services to first responders in Western North Carolina with a primary focus on Asheville’s fire and police departments. However, my job is not typical for a therapist. The embedded component of my job means that I work intertwined with the firefighters and officers on a daily basis. I spend time in each of the stations and get to ride along regularly to help create greater connection and decrease the stigma of mental health within the first responder community.“
Megan Miller, LCSW: Licensed Mental Health Provider at WellSpan Health
How did Megan reach her current position; what did the timeline look like for her?
“After graduating from Roanoke, I worked for a nursing home as part of the social services team. I then went to Virginia Commonwealth University for my Masters of Social Work with a clinical concentration which included two years of internship experience. After I graduated, I worked in outpatient therapy settings and participated in licensure supervision to gain the hours of practice to qualify for licensure examination to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.”
Kaillee Philleo, MA, MHC-LP: Trauma Informed Counselor, and Adjunct Professor at John Jay College
What does Kaillee value as her favorite parts of each of her positions?
Adjunct professor: “Seeing my student’s reactions to new and interesting topics. Most of my students have an interest in forensic psychology which I studied in my Master’s program, so bringing in elements of forensic psychology and tying it back to our development has been insightful to my students and it is exciting to see them become so engaged in these new topics.”
Trauma-informed counselor: “Seeing clients learn and take skills from sessions, apply them to their routine, and experience improvement in their mood and well-being. As I work with a lot of survivors of crime, getting back into a daily routine can be challenging but when small signs of progress are made and noticed, it goes a long way in treatment.”
These alumni stories exemplify the diverse and rewarding career paths available in clinical and counseling psychology. From working with individuals, couples, and families to providing support in community settings, each alum’s reflection demonstrates the impact they are having in their work with others.
We also asked our alumni to share what Roanoke courses or experiences have served to be most relevant to their current career.
In terms of classes, alumni named PSYC-101 Introduction to Psychology, PSYC-251 Social Psychology, PSYC-332 Drugs & Behavior, PSYC-381 Abnormal Psychology, PSYC-221 Developmental Psychology, and many noted their courses for the Human Development concentration. Taylor Kracht, LCMHC also included that “Roanoke’s class difficulty levels made it so that I was well beyond prepared for the requirements of a counseling graduate program”. So, while you may feel overwhelmed at times, know that your professors are serving you well and helping you prepare for life after college.
Other beneficial experiences that were said to make our alumni stand out in their graduate school applications and job interviews included research experiences, having their research published, and completing relevant internships. Many alumni also expressed great gratitude to the professors who helped them along their way; Dr. Allen, Dr. Powell, and Dr. Buchholz were specifically named!
Amy Conner, MS, LCMHC says “I credit a lot of where I am today to my experience at Roanoke”. Similarly, Kaillee Philleo, MA, MHC-LP shared, “I truly mean it when I say Roanoke College gave me all the foundational skills and experiences I needed to be successful in grad school and my career as a counselor and professor. I will forever be grateful for the opportunities and support I was able to experience from the Psychology Department at Roanoke”. The department is so grateful to have received such positive responses from our alumni, and are appreciative of their willingness to share their inspiring journeys with us all!
We look forward to sharing more alumni stories from the additional tracks in the coming weeks before Alumni Weekend. Stay tuned for next week’s spotlight on another exciting career track!
Dr. Powell’s Interpersonal Relationships course discusses family, peer, and romantic relationships. Delving into the science of relationships, students read an empirical article related to the day’s topic and then discuss the article, as well as other research, on the day’s topic in class. Throughout the semester, students are assisted in the development of an infographic on a topic of their choosing. A sampling of the infographics completed by the students this past fall semester are shared below!
Christopher Resendiz’ Infographic, “Online Dating: Deception and Modality Switching”
Sydney Wagner’s Infographic, “Debunking the Myth that ‘Opposites Attract'”
Jenna Santos’ Infographic, “FOMO In Social Media & Relationships”
Interested in graduate school? If so, the APA Education Directorate has announced that they will be hosting a Virtual Psychology Graduate School Fair on Wednesday, April 17th from 12pm-4pm! This may be 3 months away, but save your spot by registering today! Registration for all prospective psychology graduate students is FREE through this link.
Students who register will have the opportunity to meet virtually with recruiters from any of the participating programs during the event hours. Individuals can come for a short time and meet with a select few recruiters or stay for the whole event and meet with everyone, depending on their schedule and interest. Similarly, participating graduate schools will be able to contact registered student both before and after the event to distribute information about their program or to arrange meetings with prospects at the event.
Goals of The Event:
APA intends to virtually connect graduate psychology programs with a diverse group of students seeking to further their education beyond their current degree. The APA Psychology Graduate School Fair is open to all graduate psychology degree (MA/MS/PsyD/PhD/EdD/Other) granting institutions in the U.S. and Canada, and all areas of psychology are encouraged to participate, including health service psychology, scientific and applied psychology, and general psychology programs.
Recent Roanoke College graduate, Maryam Nishtar, was recently published based on research that she completed during Summer Scholars and for her Honors in the Major! Her and Dr. Nichols had worked on this research through her time at Roanoke, but she has been working on it independently since her graduation last spring. What an achievement this is for you, Maryam! Find the full article published here, and the abstract below.
Abstract:
Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a progressive, neurodegenerative disorder where two-thirds of the affected population are women. Along with cognitive impairments, AD is associated with behavioral changes such as aggression towards caretakers. The limbic system consists of various brain structures that play a role in emotions and behavioral reactions. Some of the limbic system- related areas are the amygdala, hippocampus, thalamus, corpus collosum (CC), and white matter (WM). Cognitive changes with AD can be measured using the clinical dementia rating (CDR) scale. Physical changes in living patients require brain imaging tools, such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). As there is currently sparse research present for these areas relating to the female brain, we used clinical data and FreeSurfer-processed imaging data from an open-access database, OASIS-3, to explore the associations between dementia severity and the volume of the limbic system-related brain components in women. A control group consisted of participants with no dementia and multiple brain scans while comparison groups consisted of participants with a single brain scan and 1) no dementia 2) mild dementia or 3) moderate/severe dementia. Hemisphere differences with increasing CDR were found for the thalamus as well as simple hemisphere differences for the hippocampus, thalamus, and WM. When using age-matched controls and normalized volume data, the amygdala, hippocampus, thalamus, and CC volumes for subjects with AD were different than those in the control group, with the amygdala and hippocampus also showing statistically significant volume loss with increasing dementia severity. As the areas included in this study are related to the limbic system, this provides insight into the physical changes occurring in the brain of women with increasing AD, who often show changes in emotions. This can be an area to longitudinally explore whether there are associated behavioral changes as physical changes at the individual level occur over time.
Our very own Roanoke alum and now professor, Dr. Kennedy-Metz, has been published! Her collaborative work entitled “Behavioral sciences applied to acute care teams: a research agenda for the years ahead by a European research network” was released by the BMC Health Services Research journal. Congratulations, Dr. Kennedy-Metz, on this wonderful accomplishment! Please read the abstract below, or view the article here.
Abstract:
Background: Multi‑disciplinary behavioral research on acute care teams has focused on understanding how teams work and on identifying behaviors characteristic of efficient and effective team performance. We aimed to define important knowledge gaps and establish a research agenda for the years ahead of prioritized research questions in this field of applied health research.
Methods: In the first step, high‑priority research questions were generated by a small highly specialized group of 29 experts in the field, recruited from the multinational and multidisciplinary “Behavioral Sciences applied to Acute care teams and Surgery (BSAS)” research network – a cross‑European, interdisciplinary network of researchers from social sciences as well as from the medical field committed to understanding the role of behavioral sciences in the con‑text of acute care teams. A consolidated list of 59 research questions was established. In the second step, 19 experts attending the 2020 BSAS annual conference quantitatively rated the importance of each research question based on four criteria – usefulness, answerability, effectiveness, and translation into practice. In the third step, during half a day of the BSAS conference, the same group of 19 experts discussed the prioritization of the research questions in three online focus group meetings and established recommendations.
Results: Research priorities identified were categorized into six topics: (1) interventions to improve team process; (2) dealing with and implementing new technologies; (3) understanding and measuring team processes; (4) organizational aspects impacting teamwork; (5) training and health professions education; and (6) organizational and patient safety culture in the healthcare domain. Experts rated the first three topics as particularly relevant in terms of research priorities; the focus groups identified specific research needs within each topic.
Conclusions: Based on research priorities within the BSAS community and the broader field of applied health sciences identified through this work, we advocate for the prioritization for funding in these areas.
It is with great enthusiasm that we announce the achievement of Raegan Middelthon, a senior in the psychology department! She has been awarded a 2023-24 Fall Undergraduate Research Grant from Psi Chi, the International Honor Society in Psychology. Her research proposal titled “The Influence of Tik Tok on Perceptions of Relationships: Is Tik Tok Associated with Relationship Dissatisfaction, Sexism, and the Desire for a Partner”, has earned a well-deserved place among the select few recognized by the Psi Chi Grants Committee and the Board of Directors. She has been working with Dr. Buchholz on this project, and they were even given the opportunity to present their research at a recent conference!
Psi Chi is contributing $1,500 to Raegan’s research project, aimed to unveil the influence of social media, and its potential impact on relationship perceptions. The psychology department echoes our sincerest congratulations to both Raegan Middelthon and Dr. Buchholz. Their dedication to advancing psychological research is commendable and inspiring!
Are you interested in doing research while studying at Roanoke? Talk to your psychology advisor to learn more about the opportunities that await you!
Renewable $5,000 and $10,000/year Scholarships for future Teachers, Counselors, Social Workers, Psychologists, and Nurses.
The Essential Visionaries Scholarship is awarding 100 renewable scholarships to help students pursuing degrees in Education, Counseling, Social Work, Psychology or Pre-Nursing/Nursing.
To apply applicants must:
Be high school seniors or graduates or current college undergraduates in the United States
Plan to enroll in part-time or full-time undergraduate study at an accredited two- or four-year college, university or vocational-technical school for the entire upcoming academic year
Be seeking a degree or certificate in Education, Counseling, Social Work, Psychology or Pre-Nursing/Nursing
Demonstrate Financial Need
Have a minimum grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale (or its equivalent)
To learn more and apply, click here.Deadline to apply is January 8, 2024.
Conversations to Remember is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, dedicated towards combating loneliness and isolation felt by senior citizens. The organization has created a virtual visit program which 2-3 college students with residents of long-term care, assisted living, and memory care communities for virtual video visits.
These residents have been suffering from isolation, and you could really brighten their days just by speaking with them. Conversations to Remember provides training and support throughout your service. Since these visits are virtual, you can do it without any travel! This is both convenient, and allows more of your valuable time to be spent volunteering, rather than commuting to the volunteering location. This program is offered free of charge to seniors across the country, and there are active student volunteers from around the country as well.
Typically, you will volunteer 1-2 hours per week. Each call lasts up to one hour, based on the senior’s attention span and mood on each day. Conversations to Remember expects students to volunteer for approximately 16 weeks, so that you can build a friendship with the senior. This does not need to coincide with the start of a semester, as new seniors start all the time, and new volunteers are trained weekly. Volunteers are matched based on the times that they’re available, with a senior who is available at the same time, and they will have a regular, weekly appointment for their visit. Students wishing for more visits or other opportunities that allow them to volunteer more frequently can be accommodated with different ways to volunteer, such as assisting us with the organization’s social media, call support, or outreach.
Please feel free to look through the organization’s website here. You can register to volunteer by filling out a volunteer interest form here.
The psychology department is excited to share a glimpse into a recent conference experience that not only showcased a depth of academic exploration but also highlighted the power of collaboration and shared passion. This year Dr. Powell presented the work of herself and co-authors, Dr. FVN, and Kosovare Fetinci (’23) at the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR) 2023 Annual Conference in Florida. She also presented a second research poster with Dr. Mayer (sport management), and their son!
The above image displays on a remarkable poster featuring Dr. Powell and co-authors, Dr. FVN and, Roanoke alum, Kosovare Fetinci (’23). The collaborative effort was rooted in Kosovare’s senior independent study project, a testament to the dedication and enthusiasm that students bring to their academic endeavors. The title of the project was “Friendship Dissolutions in Emerging Adulthood: Differing Reactions Based on Type and Role in Dissolution”.
A second presentation by Dr. Powell was a joint effort with Dr. Mayer, a dynamic combination of expertise that undoubtedly brought a unique perspective to the conference. What’s even more special is that their son joined in on the presentation, turning it into a family affair! This research was titled “Parental Leave Options For Professional Athletes: Negative Media Reactions May Not Be Reality of Fans’ Attitudes”
The great positive feedback received from fellow conference attendees is a testament to the quality and impact of their work. It’s always gratifying when your efforts are not only recognized but also appreciated by your peers. The exchange of ideas and the validation of hard work create an inspiring environment that fuels further academic exploration. Conferences are a great way to expand your knowledge and share your research!
In addition the two noted presentations, Morgan Hamilton’s (Roanoke alum, ’21) oral presentation based on her master’s thesis was also a great success. Titled “Now I understand who I am and where I came from: The tribal reunification of indigenous fostered/adopted relatives,” Morgan’s presentation delved into a crucial and often overlooked aspect of identity and belonging. Congratulations Morgan – you are absolutely representing the Roanoke psychology department well!
As we reflect on these academic triumphs, let us celebrate the dedication, passion, and collaborative spirit that drive the pursuit of knowledge. To all the authors and presenters of the NCFR conference, congratulations!
Please consider this amazing opportunity for mentored studies and career development! The program focuses on supporting undergraduate students who are looking to pursue graduate work or a career in adolescent development. You can find the link to more information and the application at the bottom of this post.
IT’S TIME TO APPLY FOR THE 2024 UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARS PROGRAM! The Undergraduate Scholars Program is designed to support junior and senior undergraduate students from racial/ethnic minority groups in North America to pursue graduate work and careers in adolescent development. Selected scholars attend the SRA Annual Meeting and participate in special activities that focus on careers in adolescent research, applying to graduate school and funding, curriculum vitae workshops, and navigating the Annual Meeting. The Undergraduate Scholars will receive mentorship from graduate students and senior scholars who are active in the field of adolescent research. Junior/senior undergraduate students from North America who are interested in pursuing a career in the field of adolescence and are a member of an underrepresented ethnic/racial minority group (African American, Latino/Hispanic, Native American/American Indian, Asian and/or Pacific Islander) are eligible. Applicants must become SRA members.
As a scholar, students will: – Attend the SRA Annual Meeting, including Undergraduate Scholars Program events. – Receive complimentary travel to the meeting and hotel accommodations. – Receive mentorship by graduate students and senior scholars before, during, and after the meeting. – Maintain contact with mentors before, during, and after attending the meeting. – Keep the SRA office informed of contact information for five years following the meeting.
The image above depicts Eddie Rygalski (left) and Dr. Buchholz (right) presenting their research during the poster session. All featured Roanoke authors included: Eddie Rygalski, Reagan Middelthon, Dr. Findley-Van-Nostrand, Dr. Carter, and Dr. Buchholz.
Over this past weekend, the Roanoke College psychology department was represented well at the Society of Southeastern Social Psychologists (SSSP) 2023 Annual Conference in Charlotte, NC. Two students and three faculty members were named authors on research presented during the conference. Congratulations to all of our presenters, the psychology department commends you for your excellent research and dedication to the field. Please find their research titles and abstracts below.
PERSONALIZED ACCOUNTS OF HARM LEAD TO INCREASED EMPATHY FOR WOMEN WHO HAVE SUFFERED BECAUSE OF THE OVERTURNING OF ROE V. WADE (Raegan Middelthon, Eddie Rygalski, and Dr. Chris Buchholz) Many women have been harmed by the limitations placed on abortion after the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Research in empathy has pointed to a spotlight effect, where we feel more empathy in response to personalized accounts of suffering than more generalized accounts. In this study, we randomly assigned participants to read a personalized account of a woman who suffered medical complications because of the restrictive nature of abortion access in her state, a more generalized account, or a control group. As expected, liberals expressed significantly higher levels of empathy for women who have suffered as a result of the overturning of Roe v. Wade. We also found a significant effect for condition, where the highest empathy was reported for the personalized story followed by the generalized story and finally the control group. This pattern held up for conservatives; they reported significantly more empathy when they read the personalized story. Women expressed significantly more empathy than men. Interestingly, women expressed high levels of empathy regardless of which story they read, while men reported the highest empathy for the personal story.
POSITIVE INTEGRATION AND ADVERSE EFFECTS ASSOCIATED WITH RECREATIONAL PSILOCYBIN USE: A CORRELATIONAL STUDY (Edward Rygalski and Dr. Christopher Buchholz) This exploratory study sought to determine the relationship between positive integration of the psilocybin experience, occurrence of adverse effects, dosage, and factors including age, gender, as well as a variety of other measurements. Clinical literature suggests that psilocybin, when paired with psychotherapy, is a relatively safe and effective treatment for conditions such as depression, anxiety, and addiction. As many people use psychedelics outside the clinic, we sought to determine whether predictors of adverse events and positive integration were consistent between clinical and recreational use. Using two studies, first a content analysis of online reports, and second an international survey of those with experience with psilocybin, we determined that doses greater than 5g expose individuals to increased and unnecessary risk and that a lack of trust in co-present individuals may exacerbate adverse effects. Finally, we found that those who scored higher on measures of empathy tended to also report positive integration, and those who scored lower on measures of purpose in life reported more adverse effects. However, directional causality remains unresolved.
FACT OR FICTION: DO FACIAL AUGMENTATION FILTERS ON TIK TOK IMPACT SELF ESTEEM AND PERCEPTIONS OF ATTRACTIVENESS? (Raegan Middelthon, and Dr. Christopher Buchholz) The popular social sharing app “Tik Tok” has become a cultural staple. Alongside its increasing popularity, public concern has risen over its unique hyper-realistic facial augmentation filters. Many users have claimed that these filters are facilitating the creation of unattainable beauty standards, and damaging self esteem. While work has been done exploring social media’s role in these areas, to our knowledge, the current study is the first to explore the impact of Tik Tok’s filters on self esteem and the perception of both individual and others’ attractiveness. In a series of 3 studies, we presented subjects on Prolific with women in filtered and unfiltered videos. Though many are worried that users cannot detect a filter on a video, we found that users were generally able to tell when one was being used. The presence of a filter did not impact ratings of self attractiveness. However, we discovered that men’s state self esteem was negatively affected when confronted with filtered videos; this effect was not found in women, contrary to our hypothesis. Filtered videos were also rated as more attractive, mainly due to male ratings.
SHORT-TERM LONGITUDINAL ASSOCIATIONS AMONG YOUNG ADULTS’ SOCIAL GOALS, RELATIONAL AGGRESSION, FORMS OF PROSOCIAL BEHAVIORS, AND SELF-PERCEIVED STATUS (Dr. Danielle Findley-Van Nostrand) Adolescent relational aggression (RA) is consistently related to popularity and status striving, and adolescent use of prosociality for self-gain is related to higher striving for status and peer-reported popularity, whereas prosociality aimed at benefitting others is related to higher communal motives and being liked by peers. Emerging adults also experience RA by peers, and show distinctive use of forms of prosociality. However, these peer dynamics are not well-understood in emerging adults. The present study tested whether social goals for popularity and social preference predict changes in self-reported RA and forms of prosocial behaviors (altruistic and public forms) across two time points, 8 months apart (data collected via Prolific; N=215; using existing and reliable assessments). Path modeling found popularity goals predict increases in RA and public prosociality and decreases in altruistic prosociality, whereas preference goals show the inverse of each of these associations over time. RA partially mediated effects of both popularity and preference goals at T1 on dominance at T2. Results suggest that use of RA for enhancing peer social status is not limited to adolescence.
REFLECTING ON EXPERIENTIAL PURCHASES HAS DOWNSTREAM CONSEQUENCES ON COGNITION (Dr. Travis Carter) Prior research has found that experiences tend to be more satisfying than material possessions in part because they are more closely associated with the self-concept. The present studies aim to examine whether spending some time reflecting on material or experiential purchase would impact downstream cognitive processing. In Study 1, participants who first reflected on an experience, rather than a possession, exhibited more global (vs. local) processing of stimuli on the Navon (1977) letter task. In Study 2, after a purchase reflection, participants performed an approach/avoidance task, using a joystick to categorize trait words as positive or negative. There was an interaction such that participants in the experiential condition were generally faster to categorize self-relevant traits across trial types. However, material participants were only faster to categorize self-relevant traits on the congruent trials, but not incongruent trials. Thus, the act of reflecting on a recent experiential (vs. a material) purchase had downstream consequences on cognitive tasks: participants adopted a more global mindset (Study 1) and processed self-relevant stimuli more quickly (Study 2).
Because of involvement like this, the psychology department at Roanoke College remains well-renowned. Congratulations, again, to all of our presenters!
Making the decision to go to graduate school is a big one. It requires a great deal of research and reflection to ensure you are making the best decision for yourself and your future. On Wednesday, October 25th, Dr. Carter led a faculty panel to discuss grad school and provide tips and advice for prospective applicants. If you weren’t able to attend the panel, please review the following notes if you think they could be of interest to you!
Dr. Daniel Nasrallah is an assistant professor in the Chemistry department here at Roanoke College. He applied to 11 schools nationwide and was accepted to four of them, eventually landing himself to earn a PhD from the University of Michigan. He chose the University of Michigan over other schools because there were five faculty that he was interested in working with. It is extremely important to research faculty at the schools you are looking at, because if there isn’t at least a couple that you would be happy working with, that school might not be right for you. To kick off your grad school search, he recommended researching the top 10 programs in your desired field, and then reaching out to undergraduate faculty and current graduate students in those programs to get more insight. Dr. Nasrallah suggested knowing what your end goals are, and keeping your motivations in sight throughout your time in school. He also found it important to note the differences between graduate school and medical school—in terms of money—when making your decision. Medical school acquires debt, whereas he was offered a stipend through agreeing to teach throughout his time at the University of Michigan.
Dr. Wen Bu, who went to law school and practiced as a lawyer before going back to get her PhD at the University of Minnesota, offered tips on transitioning from being a successful student to balancing coursework and producing research. Dr. Bu is now an assistant professor in the psychology department. In graduate school it is equally important to avidly complete coursework and to complete meaningful research. She also discussed the differences between a terminal master’s degree and a PhD. If you are applying for a PhD program, some schools will allow you to earn an MA on the way, and others won’t. This is important to consider because if you were to drop out after, say, 3 years, at some schools, you can leave with an MA, and at others, you would leave with no degree.
Dr. Matthew Trumbo-Tual, from the Roanoke College modern language department, earned a PhD at the University of Virginia. He provided advice for graduate school applicants interested more specifically in the humanities. He suggested taking advice from your Roanoke faculty, but also remembering that graduate school is ever-changing, meaning do your own research in addition to considering the experience of past grad school students. He also recommended getting work experience outside of academia before applying for a PhD, as this is the path that he followed. This allowed him to not feel “stuck” at any point in the process, and he knew he would have options down the line, if grad school didn’t work out, or if his goals changed. A final remark spoke to being intentional in each step of the grad school process – know why you want to be there and make progress that gets you closer to your goals.
Finally, Dr. Wale Sekoni works in the computer science department at Roanoke College. He earned a PhD from the University of Wyoming and suggested prospective applicants find someone they want to work with and be flexible with their goals. He also mentioned the importance of putting thought into your application and having strong letters of recommendation. Many of the other panelists also supported the idea that strong letters of recommendation make a big difference, so make use of your time with professionals you meet throughout your time prior to graduate school.
Overall, the panel offered insight on how to stand out in your grad school applications. In the humanities, being knowledgeable in multiple languages can help you stand out. For chemistry applicants, published work and research experience can help you stand out, as well as having strong and specific letters of recommendation. For law school, undergraduate GPA, LSAT scores, and letters of recommendation are very important.
No matter what field you are looking to pursue, doing your research and being aware of all the details of the graduate school process can help you make the best decision for yourself and your future. If you have further questions or would like to discuss any these panelists experiences with them, please find their contact information on the Roanoke College website.
Dr. Meike Van der Heijden is a new researcher joining the faculty at Fralin Biomedical Research Institute this January. She uses mouse models to study cerebellar contributors to health and disease and she’s looking for a paid Research Assistant (and is open to interviewing undergraduate students for that role) to start in early January.
Are you an undergraduate student looking for tips and tricks to help you succeed in your studies? Look no further!
The Psychology Department at Roanoke College has gathered advice from our experienced professors to help you get the most out of your undergraduate career. In this post, we will discuss the top tips and tricks for undergraduate success, courtesy of our very own professors. We have also asked professors to advise specifically to the feat of preparing and applying for graduate schools. There is a lot of great information that will truly help you make the most out of your time and successfully prepare yourself for what is to come! You can only benefit in learning from those who have achieved before you.
Dr. Buchholz quotes Albert Einstein in saying that “Genius is 1% talent and 99% percent hard work. Thinking is hard work; that’s why so few do it.”
According to research into growth mindset and academic success, the biggest factor in academic success is effort; and effort does not always mean the amount of time you spend. While many things like writing a paper or studying for a test do take time, it is crucial that the time you spend is spent wisely—some methods of studying are more effective than others.
Reach out to your instructors and advisors for help navigating how to be both efficient and effective. Your professors spent many years figuring out how do this well and all of us chose to teach at Roanoke College because we care about helping our students thrive.
In addition to putting in the work, wellbeing is another critical component to academic success and thriving as a human being. Take care of yourself, get enough sleep, develop self-compassion for your shortcomings, try mindfulness practices like meditation, exercise, and most importantly, spend time with others.
Dr. Allen speaks to cultivating relationships, getting letters of recommendation and building a resume for yourself:
Cultivate relationships with faculty so that professors can write you a meaningful letter of recommendation when the time comes. These letters of recommendation are so important! Your quantifiable information like GPA and GREs can get you on a short list, but then it’s activities and your letter and your LORs that make the difference whether you get the nod or not.
If you can, get an internship in a relevant organization. That way you can get a LOR from someone who has seen you in a situation that’s different from what your professors have seen.
Dr. Findley-Van Nostrand provides students with numerous tips on preparing for graduate school and life after Roanoke:
Think about grad school as prep for your career… what do you want to do longer term? Make sure your program gets you there (especially in Psych, where programs have a very wide range of intended outcomes).
If you want a Ph.D. – why? Many students aim for this without recognizing that the career they want might not require a Ph.D. (for instance, counseling or social work!)
Differences between kinds of helping professions are important – talk to us about social work, counseling, psychiatry, psychology, etc.
Do well in your classes, but also think about what other experiences you can aim for to make yourself competitive. Internships and supervised research are at the top of that list for psych and psych-adjacent programs! Try not to wait until your senior year – given application timelines, the earlier you can jump on experiential learning, the better.
Make an individualized plan, and give yourself timelines to achieve different parts of the plan. Assume that applications will start being due the November prior to any Fall start date (for instance- want to start Fall 2025? Assume your materials should be together by Nov 2024). This is a conservative timeline since some programs accept applications all the way up until April or May of the same-year start – but it ensures you are prepared.
Look into what the application requires. Personal statement? Get as many professional eyes on it as possible – from career service folks, but also your professors who are in the field. GRE? Many don’t require it anymore, but some do… if they do, prep for the test and don’t take it cold (don’t waste your money with the attitude of “I can always take it again”). Do you need recommendation letters? Give your letter writers plenty of time and all details about you and the places you are applying (many require 2-3 letters, some require those letters to be from professors specifically… think about who can best evaluate your ability to succeed in the program and career you are aiming for).
Don’t apply to the shiny named schools only – some of the best experiences will be had in programs that are not in fact on a Google-able “top 10” list.
If you are aiming for a career that requires licensure, be sure to think about that process in addition to the academic components, and also pay attention to state-by-state licensing rules.
Don’t be nervous about whether you are good enough, and if you get a rejection, don’t let it derail you. It’s a numbers game that doesn’t always land in your favor and is often not at all about you. Shake off the imposter syndrome! What feels hard now will help you improve your future life.
Dr. Cate provides insightful tips, and personal experience, regarding Ph.D. programs:
Attending a Ph.D. program is free, in the sense that 1) you don’t pay tuition, and 2) you usually get paid a very modest stipend. The stipend is almost always in return for teaching courses as a teaching assistant, or doing similar work (such as research assistant for your advisor). I didn’t know this at first when I was in college, and it ended up having a big influence on my decision to get a Ph.D. versus another kind of degree.
The best thing you can do when applying to Ph.D. programs is to have some kind of personal contact with a faculty member. Applying to Ph.D. programs is not at all like applying to college. When it comes down to it, you will be accepted by one individual faculty member at your school, and not by a committee. This means that someone has to know your name, either because your application materials are outstanding, or because they talked with/read an email/heard about you.
Actually, even if your application is outstanding, there is no guarantee that anyone will read it, so I can’t emphasize getting your name into faculty inboxes enough. I think a great way to introduce yourself is to send a brief message to interesting-looking faculty, asking them whether they are planning to accept graduate students this year. (Do this before applications are due.) You don’t necessarily need to say anything else about yourself (but it wouldn’t hurt!). The point is to get the faculty member familiar with your name so that they will make the effort to look over your application later. Your application will have good things in it, and you will want people to read it!
Even if you’re not sure whom you would like to be your advisor yet, it’s good to get in touch with someone. When I worked at Virginia Tech, I accepted a great grad student based on the recommendation of a colleague who had read their application and thought we were a good match.
A couple addition notes:
Juniors – Fall Break can be a great time to begin researching graduate programs, even if you aren’t applying until next year. Plan on talking with your advisors after Fall Break about what’s involved in applying to graduate school or what would be helpful to do to prepare for a job after graduation.
All – Please reach out to your advisors or other college faculty and staff if you would like more support in your post-graduate decisions and endeavors. Roanoke College is intended to get you to graduate, but we also want each of you to succeed for years to come. Please utilize the resources available to you and speak with your experienced and knowing advisors/professors/PLACE staff, etc.
Our very own Dr. Powell has been published! Her collaborative work entitled, “A Longitudinal Examination of Mothers’ Early Postnatal Adaptation: Relative Stability Across the First Eight Weeks” was published just last week after a review period of two years. Dr. Powell has definitely earned our congratulations both for her achievement, and her patience! Please read the abstract below, or view the article here.
Abstract:
Objective
Using person-centered analyses, this study examined the trajectories of women’s early postnatal adaptation and explored whether there were differences in their trajectories based on women’s status as a first-time or more experienced mother.
Methods
Data were collected from women (N = 137; Mage = 28.6 years, SD = 4.49; 48.2% first-time mothers) at 2-, 4-, 6-, and 8-weeks postpartum. At each wave of data collection, mothers reported on their parenting self-efficacy, parenting satisfaction, anxiety, parenting stress, and depressive feelings.
Results
The creation of an amalgamated measure of postnatal adaptation demonstrated acceptable fit. Latent class growth analysis revealed four distinct trajectories of postnatal adaptation; two revealed stability across the early postnatal period and two had relative stability except for a change between weeks four to six. Women’s parity was not associated with differences in their trajectories.
Conclusions for Practice
These findings reiterate the importance of collecting data from women in the early postnatal period and identifying if a woman is struggling in those early weeks, as the women in our sample demonstrated relative stability in their postnatal adaptation across the first eight weeks. Furthermore, the findings suggest that work should be taken to dismantle the commonly held belief that parenting is “easier” after having already navigated the early postnatal period with an infant once before.
Mental health crises have always been a difficult issue for law enforcement to address. However, with the recent introduction of the Marcus Alert Program in the Roanoke Valley, police officers now have additional tools to help them better assess and respond to calls related to mental health crises.
The Marcus Alert Program is a statewide system designed to improve responses to mental and behavioral health crises using therapists to assist police. It was named after Marcus-David Peters, a young Black man who was shot and killed by police amid a mental health crisis in 2018. The implementation of the program began in 2020, and the Roanoke region launched the program on July 1 of this year.
The Blue Ridge Behavioral Healthcare CSB oversees the counties of Roanoke, Botetourt and Craig, the cities of Roanoke and Salem, and the town of Vinton, and their Marcus Alert team has already responded to 160 scenes since the program’s launch. The team consists of five clinicians, or co-response therapists, who are trained to respond to mental health crises if requested by a police officer. Clinicians can provide an in-person response, a telephone consult, or resources for follow-up within 72 hours of the initial call.
While the program has been met with an “overwhelmingly positive” response from Roanoke Valley residents, it is only the beginning. The New River Valley CSB is also planning to launch the Marcus Alert Program by July 1, 2024, and the General Assembly has plans to implement the program across the entire state by 2028.
Mental health crises are a difficult issue to address, and the implementation of the Marcus Alert Program is a big step in the right direction towards providing better resources and assistance to those in need. For more information, read the article posted here.
Stay informed and be on the look out for resources and opportunities! The following newsletters have information regarding research, internships, conferences, and graduate school. Joining newsletters and remaining informed is one of the best tools that you can arm yourself with as an undergraduate students. Make the most of your time and attention!
Psychology Student Network (PSN) listserv – A listserv for sharing more time-sensitive announcements about opportunities for internships, undergraduate research opportunities, and undergraduate conferences. Interested students may join through this link.
Dr. FVN has now been published for her collaborative work entitled “Is Bullying Always about Status? Status Goals, Forms of Bullying, Popularity and Peer Rejection during Adolescence”. Congratulations Dr. FVN, we are so proud to say you are a Roanoke College professor! Please read the abstract of her work below, or visit the article here.
Abstract: Bullying has been associated with status goals among peers, but this research has not distinguished among forms of bullying, nor included actual status or popularity among peers in an integrated analysis. To this aim, in concurrent correlational data, we examined adolescent status goals as predictors of peer-reported physical, verbal, exclusionary and electronic bullying, and these further as predictors of popularity and peer rejection (N = 256; 67.2% girls; M age = 12.2 years). We also explored potential indirect associations of status goals with popularity and peer rejection via forms of bullying. The findings indicated that verbal bullying was the most common form of bullying. Status goals were positively related to all but physical bullying, yet only verbal bullying partially mediated this association with popularity. Electronic bullying was unrelated to popularity and peer rejection, when controlling for other bullying forms (but was positively related to rejection at the bi-variate level). The findings underscore the importance of assessing bullying as a heterogeneous construct, as related goals and adjustment among peers may depend on its specific form.
Continuing a streak, Roanoke College has been featured as a Great School For Psych Majors by the Princeton Review! The psychology department has been recognized by the best colleges guide every year since the book’s 2015 edition.
The full story can be found here: https://www.roanoke.edu/news/princeton_review_2023
The APA Education Directorate is pleased to announce that the first Virtual APA Psychology Graduate School Fair is happening on Thursday, November 2nd from noon-6pm (Eastern)! Registration for all prospective psychology graduate students is FREE, and psychology graduate programs that wish to recruit at this event can register for a modest fee.
The goal of the APA Psychology Graduate School Fair is to virtually connect graduate psychology programs with a diverse group of students, including current undergraduates, graduate students seeking to further their education beyond their current degree, and individuals returning for their graduate education. The APA Psychology Graduate School Fair is open to all graduate psychology degree (MA/MS/PsyD/PhD/EdD/Other) granting institutions in the U.S. and Canada, and all areas of psychology are encouraged to participate, including health service psychology, scientific and applied psychology, and general psychology programs.
Students who register will have the opportunity to meet virtually with recruiters from any of the participating programs. Individuals can come for a short time and meet with a select few recruiters or stay for the whole event and meet with everyone, depending on their schedule and interest. To learn more and to register for the event, visit https://www.careereco.com/events/APA.
