Roanoke College Psychology Department

Category: Alumni News

  • Welcome Dr. Kennedy-Metz!

    Dr. Kennedy-Metz

    The psychology department is excited to welcome a new faculty member this year!

    Dr. Lauren Kennedy-Metz graduated from Roanoke College with a B.S. in Psychology, a Creative Writing minor, and a Neuroscience concentration. She then went down the road to Blacksburg where she completed a PhD in Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health with a concentration in Neuroscience at Virginia Tech.

    This year Dr. Kennedy-Metz has returned to her alma mater where she is currently teaching Introduction to Psychology and Cognitive Psychology, as well as serving as the faculty advisor for Psi Chi and RCPA.

    When asked what brought her back to Roanoke, Dr. Kennedy-Metz shared that the Roanoke College Psychology Department was her “ideal scenario” for a work environment. She says the department is “where I learned the most about myself, my interests, my strengths as a student and as a human.” She adds that “it’s where I was afforded the opportunities to thrive through the encouragement of lifelong faculty members.” In addition, this native New-Englander shared that “the Roanoke area has always felt like home.”

    Dr. Kennedy-Metz brings a unique research background to the department. She summarizes her work as follows:

    “My research interests include characterizing psychophysiological indicators of acute stress and developing biofeedback-based approaches to stress management interventions.  Most importantly, I’m interested in taking a tailored approach to both of these things within specific high-stress populations both on campus and beyond (e.g., students, student-athletes, police officers, healthcare workers, kitchen staff, etc.).”

    Dr. Kennedy-Metz says she became interested in this topic because the experience of stress is very relatable, but people are often left in the dark about how to respond to it appropriately. However, properly responding to stress is a critical topic, especially for the populations mentioned above.

    Speaking to current psychology students, Dr. Kennedy-Metz encourages you to “get involved in things that interest them early on.” She recommends exploring research, clubs, club sports, internships, study abroad and anything else that catches your eye. When trying new things, Dr. Kennedy-Metz says, “worst case you learn that it isn’t for you, and you move on!” She closes with this sage advice. “If you push yourself outside of your comfort zone and end up finding a niche you love, you might look back one day and wonder how different things may have been if you hadn’t taken that first step.”

    Be sure to say hi to Dr. Kennedy-Metz when you see her around on the 5th floor of Life Science.

    Welcome back to Roanoke, Dr. Kennedy-Metz!

    Get Connected!

  • Alumna taylor kracht gets published!

    Congratulations to Taylor Kracht. Her honors in the major project was recently published in the Psi Chi Journal of Psychological Research. The article, titled “Media Consumption: Association With Implicit Theories of Romantic Relationships”, examines the influence of romantic reality media on a specific set of romantic beliefs (i.e., individuals’ implicit theories of relationships) using an experimental procedure.

    Taylor completed this project under the mentorship of Dr. Darcey N. Powell and graduated from Roanoke in 2018. After graduation, she went on to earn her masters degree in Couples, Marriage, and Family Counseling from William and Mary. Taylor has worked on other research projects while she was in Dr. Powell’s research lab and has been published as a co-author before, but this is her only first author publication.

    “Getting this project published means a lot to me. I worked really hard my senior year creating the idea, developing the experiment, and then bringing it to fruition. Then the process of getting it published was extensive, and at many times, seemed defeating. Pushing through all the hardships of the process and getting it officially published is an accomplishment I will always treasure. I have a greater appreciation for all publications and the hard work it takes to succeed with it.” -Taylor Kracht

    After graduating with her masters degree, Taylor moved to Charlotte NC and started working at a private practice, L&B Counseling, as a Mental Health Counselor. She works with a range of clients from 13 years old to 68 years old. She generally work with those who have symptoms of anxiety, depression, grief, and relationship issues.

    “I am very happy in my position, I get to work with both individuals and couples (my passion), and we have the best workplace team environment. In my personal life, I live with my boyfriend (Jack Doriss, who also went to Roanoke), and our two dogs Murphy (chocolate lab) and Arlo (golden retriever).”

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    Get Connected!

    Blog: https://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rcpsychology
    Twitter: @RC_Psychology
    Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/RC-Psychology-8140491/about
    Website: https://www.roanoke.edu/inside/a-z_index/psychology
    Instagram: rcpsychology

  • Roanoke College Legacy

    Recent Graduate Samuel Paitsel has carried on a long-lasting family legacy at Roanoke College. Graduating in December 2020, Samuel followed in his family’s footsteps and became the sixth generation in his family to graduate from the school. Samuel studied psychology over his four years at Roanoke College, and is currently working as a registered behavior technician (RBT) at Therapeutic Alliance in Roanoke, Virginia. Reflecting on his time at Roanoke College, Samuel commented,

    “The professors made me feel at home, and I always felt cared about,” Paitsel says. “When I was doing rough, I knew I had a great support system to rally behind me. I also enjoyed how tight- knit the community was; you couldn’t go a day without seeing a friendly face.”

    Along with work, Samuel is training as a qualified mental health professional, focusing on children under 18 years old.

    Samuel was recently highlighted in the Roanoke College news letter.

    https://www.roanoke.edu/about/news/samuel_paitsel_family_legacy?fbclid=IwAR1hijGodj7y9dUUCHzQPct7MgRp5nFLhgloefsySPz7ql_onOGcD8i5oqo

    We wish Samuel a successful future in his career path!

  • job opportunity alert

    Research Coordinator Position in the JK Lifespan Development lab, Virginia Tech

    Applications are invited for a full-time research coordinator (lab manager) position in the JK Lifespan Development lab of Dr. Jungmeen Kim-Spoon, in the Department of Psychology at Virginia Tech (https://support.psyc.vt.edu/labs/jklifespan). Projects in the lab combine developmental psychopathology and decision neuroscience to investigate brain function, emotion, cognition and personality processes, decision making and health behaviors. We use a variety of methods including structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging, behavioral tasks, interviews, and questionnaires. This is an excellent opportunity for a personable, motivated, and detail-oriented person seeking further research experience before applying to graduate school.  

    Primary data collection responsibilities will include: recruiting young adults and family members; scheduling visits; obtaining behavioral assessments and fMRI scanning; and oversight of data collection. Primary data management responsibilities include: management and oversight of participant databases, entering data, ensuring data reliability and completeness, and preparing data for analysis. Additional key tasks include assisting with participant tracking and retention, preparation of IRB materials, and training graduate and undergraduate students on study procedures. Training for all aspects of the position, including MRI certification, will be provided. Flexible scheduling is required (e.g., evenings, weekends, and some holidays will be required). 

    Desired qualifications include: 1) BA/BS in psychology, neuroscience, or related fields; 2) undergraduate or post-baccalaureate research experience, including participant recruitment and data collection; 3) demonstrated organizational and time management skills, leadership skills, interpersonal skills, and attention to detail. Experience in the administration of standard psychological assessments (including self-report, structured interviews, and behavioral tasks) and a basic understanding of data management or analysis with corresponding data (e.g., SPSS, Excel, etc.) will be considered a strength.

    Required application materials: Cover letter including statement of interest, CV/Resume, list of two references. Two letters of recommendation will be required prior to final consideration.

    Expected start date is early March 2022. Graduating seniors are eligible to apply if they can start working part-time (10-20 hours/week) during the Spring 2022 semester to be hired before transitioning to a full-time position upon graduation. Consideration of applications will begin immediately and on a rolling basis and will end when the position is filled. Salary will be commensurate with experience.

    Virginia Tech is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer and is committed to cultural diversity and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

    Apply at: www.jobs.vt.edu, Job # to search: [518893].

    Pre-submission inquiries may be emailed to: Kathryn Tarnai, ktarnai@vt.edu (Research Coordinator for JK Lifespan Development Lab).

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    Get Connected!

    Blog: https://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rcpsychology
    Twitter: @RC_Psychology
    Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/RC-Psychology-8140491/about
    Website: https://www.roanoke.edu/inside/a-z_index/psychology
    Instagram: rcpsychology

  • New Publication Alert: Dr. Powell & Stephanie Gaines

    gold dragon statue during daytime

    Congratulations to Dr. Darcey Powell and alumni Stephanie Gaines (class of 2017) on their recent publication by Psi Chi. The publication is based on one of Gaines’s projects that took place in Dr. Powell’s lab during her time at Roanoke College. More information about the information can be found here, but you can read the abstract below:

    Emerging adulthood is a time of great transition, including but not limited to the commencement of “adult roles” and responsibilities. The present study examined emerging adults’ (EAs’) perceptions of transitional (i.e., cohabitating, marriage, parenting) and gradual (i.e., religious beliefs, political beliefs, managing own health) roles. Participants were recruited from a small liberal arts college (N = 88) and from Amazon’s Mechanical Turk platform (N = 181). They were surveyed on the age at which they anticipated or reported achieving the examined roles and their current self-efficacy for the roles. Female EAs reported intending to or achieving the transitional roles at a significantly later age than female EAs of the late 20th century (ps ≤ .001, ds 0.77–0.95). Additionally, female EAs anticipated role achievement for cohabitating, marriage, parenting, and religious beliefs at later ages than male EAs (ps < .05, gs 0.33–1.33). Moreover, male and female EAs differed in a few role-specific self-efficacies if they had not yet achieved the desired adult role (e.g., marriage, parenting; ps < .05, gs 0.62–0.98), but did not differ if they had already achieved the role. Lastly, the difference between EAs’ age and their role achievement largely did not predict their role-specific self-efficacies. The results provide additional insight into EAs’ expectations and current perceptions of themselves and may be useful to individuals who work regularly with EAs who are apprehensive about the extent to which they are “on time” and “ready” to engage in the examined transitional and gradual roles.

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    Get Connected!

    Blog: https://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rcpsychology
    Twitter: @RC_Psychology
    Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/RC-Psychology-8140491/about
    Website: https://www.roanoke.edu/inside/a-z_index/psychology
    Instagram: rcpsychology

  • ALumna Highlight: kara lissy ’11 book publication

    Kara Lissy ’11 recently published her book “Adult Children of Alcoholic Parents: An Evidence-Based Workbook to Heal Your Past.”

    Lissy ’11 received her bachelor’s in Psychology at Roanoke and studied closely under the late Dr. Curt Camac and his wife Dr. Mary Camac, as well as completed her senior thesis relating to alcoholism under the supervision of Dr. Angela Allen.

    This book is a workbook that is designed to walk people who grew up with alcoholic or otherwise dysfunctional parents through healing and recovery using vignetted, psychoeducation, and evidence-based exercises.

    Book Description

    “Your healing is in your hands with this evidence-based workbook for adult children of alcoholics

    As the child of a parent or caregiver with an alcohol use disorder, you may still feel the impact of your experiences. Take the next steps on your healing journey with this workbook full of therapeutic techniques, journal prompts, quizzes, and other short exercises and activities to empower adult children of alcoholics. The self-guided approach allows you to work at your own pace as you examine how your experiences have shaped you, learn coping skills, grow in self-love, and build healthy relationships free from the harmful patterns you’ve experienced.

    • Supportive exercises―Find exercises for combating negative self-talk, setting boundaries, working through guilt or shame, developing intimacy with yourself and others, and more.
    • Proven techniques―Rebuild using effective therapeutic methods including cognitive behavioral therapy, assertiveness training, and other empirically supported tools.
    • Realistic examples―Read stories from other adult children of alcoholics who have had similar experiences to help you remember that it isn’t your fault and you’re not alone.

    Discover evidence-based techniques to help you heal in this workbook for adult children of alcoholics.”

    If you are interested in purchasing this book, check it out here, and congratulations again Kara Lissy ’11 for this amazing accomplishment!

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    Get Connected!

    Blog: https://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rcpsychology
    Twitter: @RC_Psychology
    Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/RC-Psychology-8140491/about
    Website: https://www.roanoke.edu/inside/a-z_index/psychology
    Instagram: rcpsychology

  • Ways for Alumni to Stay Connected

    There’s no denying it. We love our Alumni! The Psychology department at Roanoke College is an inclusive group that wants everyone to feel welcomed into our community, both before and after your graduation! If COVID-19 has shown us anything, it is that connections are more important than ever. This post is outlining some ways for our Alumni (old or brand-new) can stay connected with the Psychology department.

    How to up Your Facebook Marketing Game Using Facebook Groups
    https://www.searchenginejournal.com/how-to-up-your-facebook-marketing-game-using-facebook-groups/387050/

    1. Social Media Accounts

    The Psychology department has a couple different social media accounts that Alumni are encouraged to follow and engage with. The first is our Instagram, @rcpsychology. Our posts are always fun to look through, but make sure you’re also staying up-to-date with our Instagram stories!

    And let’s not forget about Facebook! Our account on Facebook is used similarly to our Instagram. You can find information on research, events, alumni updates, shared articles, and so much more. Our account is again, @rcpsychology.

    And finally, Twitter! The Psychology department at RC is full of kindness and humor, which makes students and professors alike spend a lot of time scrolling through Twitter. The department’s account is @RC_Psychology.

    2. The Psychology Blog

    Good news! If you’re reading this, you’re already one step closer to becoming an active alumni for the psychology department. We hope you enjoy taking a look through these blog posts and staying in the loop on what is happening for RC Psychology, both on and off campus. Here you can find similar news and stories to the ones shared on our socials, but you may get more frequent updates with details.

    3. LinkedIn

    You guys already know the drill. Join the department’s LinkedIn group to stay informed on news, jobs, and graduate school information. Multiple faculty members are a part of the group, along with alumni and current students!

    4. Reaching Out

    Don’t forget that no matter how you stay involved, the Roanoke College Psychology community is eager to welcome you as an alumni. Feel free to reach out the faculty via email to share opportunities, hear about departmental news, or even to just catch up with your favorite professors!

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    Get Connected!

    Blog: https://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rcpsychology
    Twitter: @RC_Psychology
    Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/RC-Psychology-8140491/about
    Website: https://www.roanoke.edu/inside/a-z_index/psychology
    Instagram: rcpsychology

  • Success Stories for Alumni Amidst a Pandemic

    We have all struggled throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, but along with the bad days came some very good ones! Psychology students at Roanoke College are no exception to this experience. This post is highlighting some  of the good that has come out of the past year: we are so proud of all of our students, but we especially want to shoutout the following graduates who have made the best of their situation and are one step closer to living their dream!

    joelkirschenbaum happy celebrate yay skate GIF

    Rachel Harmon

    Rachel Harmon graduated after the Spring 2020 semester. We recently heard that she will be entering graduate school at the University of Alabama in the Fall of 2021! She will be working towards her Ph.D. in Clinical Child Psychology.  Congratulations Rachel!

    Psychology Clinic – University of Alabama College of Arts & Sciences | The University of Alabama
    https://psychologyclinic.ua.edu/

    Sophie Bacon

    Sophie Bacon graduated after the Spring 2020 semester. We were so excited to hear that she will be working towards her Masters in Human Development Counseling! She will be completing her masters degree in graduate school at Vanderbilt University in the Fall of 2021. Congrats Sophie!

    Vanderbilt University - Profile, Rankings and Data | US News Best Colleges
    https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/vanderbilt-3535

    Ji’Asia Anderson

    Ji’Asia Anderson is a recent graduate from Roanoke College. We are so proud to hear that she will be entering the workforce through a company called New Essecare of NJ as a case manager! This company focuses on helping people with mental illnesses in their daily lives and making sure that they are able to have basic skills to cope with their triggers and live independently. Congratulations!

    https://www.timeout.com/new-jersey

    Ji’Asia says that “you can tell that the people we work with appreciate the help and sometimes it’s the only help that they can get to help with their basic needs. I usually help my clients with making doctor appointments or finding primary doctors, working through coping skills to help them control their triggers for their disorders or help them identify them if they aren’t aware of their triggers. I talk to my clients daily to evaluate how they are doing and help provide them with activities to do at home, since most of them are bored and stressed out from being at home most of the day.”

    In addition to the amazing work of the alumni showcased above, soon-to-be-graduated students like Lauren Powell are also working harder than ever! 

    Lauren Powell is graduating at the end of this semester and has already solidified her plans to go to graduate school. She will be getting her M.Ed. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of Lynchburg. She is excited because the department there seems a lot like the psychology department at Roanoke in that it is tightly knit and everyone is close.

    Campus Store – University of Lynchburg

    “I am so sad to leave Roanoke behind but my time here was incredible and I’m excited to move forward with my education. I know Roanoke prepared me well.” – Powell

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    Get Connected!

    Blog: https://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rcpsychology
    Twitter: @RC_Psychology
    Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/RC-Psychology-8140491/about
    Website: https://www.roanoke.edu/inside/a-z_index/psychology
    Instagram: rcpsychology

  • Alumni Weekend: Psychology Reception

    From April 15-17, Roanoke College will be holding their annual Alumni Weekend virtually to bring Maroons together from all over the world to celebrate. On Friday, April 16th, the psychology department will be hosting a psychology reception from 3:30 to 5:30 pm hosted via Gatherly. You can sign up for Alumni Weekend by clicking this link. Come join us to see your favorite Psychology faculty members!

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    Get Connected!

    Blog: https://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rcpsychology
    Twitter: @RC_Psychology
    Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/RC-Psychology-8140491/about
    Website: https://www.roanoke.edu/inside/a-z_index/psychology
    Instagram: rcpsychology

     

     

  • Congratulations Alumnae Alex DiFelice ’17 and Dr. Powell on recent publicaton!

    Congratulations to Alumnae Alex DiFelice ’17 and Dr. Powell on their recent publishing in the Journal of Sport Behavior, titled “Self-Efficacy of Female Youth Athletes in An Intensive Training Camp”.  This paper is based on DiFelices’ Honor in the Major Project and specifically, examined how sport-specific self-efficacy, as well as sources of sport-specific self-efficacy, changes post attending an intensive training camp. They found that intensive training camps are in fact effective for increasing both sport-specific self-efficacy, as well as sources of self-efficacy. For more information refer to the graphic below, and once again congratulations to DeFelice ’17 and to Dr. Powell for their recent publication!

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    Get Connected!

    Blog: https://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rcpsychology
    Twitter: @RC_Psychology
    Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/RC-Psychology-8140491/about
    Website: https://www.roanoke.edu/inside/a-z_index/psychology
    Instagram: rcpsychology