Category Archives: Graduation

Congratulations class of 2021!

Congratulations to the Class of 2021! With graduation being less than 24 hours away, we want to invite, family, friends, community members, faculty, staff, alum and anyone else to join us in celebrating our 2021 Psychology Department graduates.

Using this link you may record a video, upload an image, leave a message or select some options for gifts to share with our 2021 graduates.

As a member of the class of 2021, I speak on behalf of all other 2021 graduates in thanking the entire psychology department for guiding us and being there for us these past four years. We certainly would not have gotten to where we are today without you all and thank each of you for all of your support throughout these last four years.

Get Connected!
Blog: https://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rcpsychology
Twitter: @RC_Psychology
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Website: http://www.roanoke.edu/inside/a-z_index/psychology
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SENIOR HIGHLIGHTS: Ryen Beach, Sophia Bacon, Athey Crump, and Emily Deeds!

Over the next few days, we will be highlighting the Psychology Department graduating seniors! This post will highlight 4 seniors: Ryen Beach, Sophia Bacon, Athey Crump, and Emily Deeds!

Ryen Beach

My plans after graduation are to take a gap semester and then attend nursing. I want to be an emergency department nurse and become a flight nurse.

 

 

 

Sophia Bacon

This summer I have been accepted to participate in a clinical internship at Southeast Psych based in Charlotte, NC. In the fall, I plan to both nanny part-time and work at Easterseals UCP where I will be providing ABA therapy to children on the spectrum. I also plan to apply to various graduate school programs in clinical psychology for the 2021 academic year.

Athey Crump

My favorite memory is when I was walking down the hall one day and heard each class make a joke and laugh, one after the other. It made me smile and be so happy to be amongst so many good spirited people. 

After graduation, I plan to spend some time with my family while I’m home. Then I plan to attend graduate school nearby so I can be a little bit closer to home. 

Emily Deeds

My favorite memory was passing out in Dr. Powell’s Developmental Psychology class watching the video on fertilization. 

After graduation, I plan to move down south and pursue a career in Human Resources. 

Congratulations to you all on the success you have achieved while at Roanoke College and we look forward to seeing all that you do in the future!

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Get Connected!

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

Senior Highlights: Casey Gough, Carter Smith, Emily Townley, and Ji’Asia Anderson!

Over the next few days, we will be highlighting the Psychology Department graduating seniors! This post will highlight 4 seniors: Casey Gough, Carter Smith, Emily Townley, and Ji’Asia Anderson!

Casey Gough

My favorite part of the psychology department is that we are a family. I remember studying with psych students I didn’t even know in the library, studying while goofing off with all my friends, and taking naps on the psych lounge couch together.

After graduation, I will be attending Appalachian State University in the Fall (2020) for a three-year dual degree MA & EDs school psychology program.

Carter Smith

I love the community of the psychology department. Being apart of it was like having our own little family on the fifth floor that would occasionally go to the brewery together, pie each other in the face, and, oh yeah, take classes. 

After graduation, I will be serving in the Peace Corps as an English teacher and teacher trainer in Indonesia!

 

Emily Townley

Though it was daunting at the time, I greatly enjoyed defending my Honors in the Major/Distinction Project for psychology. It was the culmination of 3 semesters of independent work and I was excited to share my results. 

After graduation, my plans are to attend a Master’s program for psychology, with a focus on clinical psychology. As of writing this, I have gotten into four so we’ll see where I end up!

Ji’Asia Anderson

Carly and I were able to present our poster of the research we were helping Dr. Carter with all semester at the APS Conference in Washington. Sadly, we got a slot on the last day, so we only got to present to Carly’s mother and the group that had a poster next to us. Even though we didn’t have a lot of people to present to, we had a lot of fun seeing the different research that others had been conducting and talked to some really nice people.

After graduation, I plan to find a job as a counselor or a social worker, so I can use everything that I have learned at Roanoke to help other people. Hopefully, one day in the future, I will be able to work in the prison system as a counselor.

Congratulations to you all on the success you have achieved while at Roanoke College and we look forward to seeing all that you do in the future!

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Get Connected!

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

Senior Highlights: Emily Jones, Lauren Furlow, Kinsey Overfelt, Hayley Mulford and Dionne-Louise Liberia!

Over the next few days, we will be highlighting the Psychology Department graduating seniors! This post will highlight 5 seniors: Emily Jones, Lauren Furlow, Kinsey Overfelt, Hayley Mulford, and Dionne-Louise Liberia!

Emily Jones

After graduation, I plan on working with children for a few years before I go to pursue a career in guidance counseling.

 

 

 

Lauren Furlow

One of my favorite memories from being in the Psychology Department was watching Dr. Buchholz cover Dr. Osterman’s office with googly eyes for April Fools. I definitely had nothing to do with the prank. 

After graduation, I am starting a PsyD program at Marshall University in August 2020. 

Kinsey Overfelt

After graduation, I will be continuing my education at Virginia Tech by pursuing a Master’s Degree in Counselor Education. 

 

 

 

Hayley Mulford

My favorite memory from being the Psychology Department was getting the chance to attend the SPSP Conference in New Orleans 2020!

After graduating I will be attending Florida State University to get my Master’s in Applied Behavior Analysis! This will allow me to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst!

 

 

Dionne-Louise Liberia

After graduation, I plan on finding a full-time job as a Graphic Designer, dealing with digital marketing.

 

 

 

 

Congratulations to you all on the success you have achieved while at Roanoke College and we look forward to seeing all that you do in the future!

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Get Connected!

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

Congratulations Senior Class of 2020!

At the end of each year, the Roanoke College Psychology Department decorates a bulletin board and holds a reception to celebrate the accomplishments of the graduating senior class. Unfortunately due to the current circumstances, these events are unable to take place this year. Nonetheless, the graduating seniors of 2020 deserve to be recognized! For that reason, over the course of the next few days, we will be sharing the senior class and their plans after graduating from Roanoke College.

To the seniors, congratulations on all you have accomplished at Roanoke College. The Psychology department is so proud of each of you and we will continue to cheer you on from the fifth floor of Life Science no matter where you end up!

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Get Connected!

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

RC Psychology Offers Clinical Psychology Class

Beginning this semester, Roanoke College’s Psychology Department began offering a class on Clinical Psychology taught by Dr. Hilton for those interested in learning more about the field.

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Goals for the class include: 

  1. Clearly delineate the field of clinical psychology from all related professions
  2. Help students understand the unique skills and abilities of clinical psychologists and how these things can be used across the many settings we work in
  3. Give students the basic tools to think like clinical psychologists and learn how to approach things systematically and scientifically to be informed consumers and ethical providers in the future

When asked about his hopes and expectations for the class, Dr. Hilton responded:

I think the class is beneficial for anyone with an interest in the field of mental health broadly. Even if you don’t pursue a clinical doctorate, the clinical psychologist’s approach to studying and treating mental health problems can (and should) be applied to any other field.

As part of the course, students will regularly be asked to apply their knowledge in the form of reaction papers, discussion, and research. Students will have the opportunity to speak with a licensed psychologist regarding their education, training and work life and will learn the basic skills of the assessment and therapy process, later applying these in a role play with the instructor.

In recognition of this new course offering, a series of blog posts focusing on exploring what clinical psychology is, the process of becoming a clinical psychologist, and what other, similar career options will be posted over the new few weeks.

We look forward to and are excited about this new opportunity for students at Roanoke College to learn more about what clinical psychology as, as well as hope that our future blog posts will also help aid students in learning more about what careers are available post-graduation.

If you have any questions about the field of clinical psychology, or about the class at Roanoke, you are encouraged to contact Dr. Dane Hilton at hilton@roanoke.edu.

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Get Connected!

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

Looking for Research Opportunities & Internships?

Looking for research opportunities and/or internships this summer, but not sure where to start?

Never fear! I bring you good news.

The American Psychological Association provides a list of opportunities at major institutions for undergraduates. Such programs are available across the United States, from New York City to California.

Take a look at a few of those offered below, you may be surprised at what’s out there.

  • Boston University Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURFs)
    • Particular focus on minority groups, those traditionally underrepresented in the sciences
    • Applications opened December 9th, 2019 and close on February 15th, 2020
    • Program runs from June 1st to August 1st
  • Harvard Lab for Developmental Studies
    • Students interested in research on language and/or cognitive development, have experience with research methods (especially psychology or linguistics), comfortable interacting with families in a professional setting, and have excellent problem-solving and teamwork abilities
    • Application deadline: 12:00 EST, 1 March 2020
    • Program runs from June 8th through August 14th
  • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NIH) Summer Program in the Neurological Sciences and Other Neuroscience Research Training and Funding Opportunities
    • Available to high school, undergraduate, graduate, and medical school students
    • Receive first-rate training in neuroscience, have opportunities to network, and obtain impressive credentials when competing for graduate school, medical school, predoc or postdoc fellowships, and tenure-track positions
    • Applications open from mid-December through March 1st
    • Requires: CV or resume, a list of coursework and grades (do not need a transcript at this time), a cover letter describing research interests and career goals, and the names and contact information for two references
  • University of South Florida Summer Research Institute (SRI)
    • Application deadline: 15 March 2020 at 11:59 pm
    • Acceptance notifications: 3 April 2020
    • Program is dedicated to research and education of substance use and co-occurring disorders, prepares students for graduate school and/or Senior thesis
    • Up to 12 students chosen, courses in statistics and research methodology are required to be eligible
    • 11-week program from May 27th through August 7th

And there are plenty more opportunities as well. If you are interested in learning more, follow this link to the American Psychological Association’s website where all their recommended research/internships are listed.

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Get Connected!

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

AN INTERVIEW WITH RECENT GRADUATE NOELLE WARFFORD ’19

© Roanoke College

In an interview with a student assistant, recent graduate Noelle Warfford ’19 describes life after graduation, recalls on her favorite memories from Roanoke College, and shares about being Salutatorian for the class of 2019.

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To start off, can you tell me a little about yourself? 

I’m Noelle, currently a graduate student at The University of Toledo studying Clinical Psychology. I would say I am a pretty friendly, hard-working person. I live with my cat Joshua, who is adorable, and I love to sing and watch movies whenever I get free time. Just not at the same time, to be clear. 😜 

Congratulations on being a Salutatorian! What was it like when you found this out?

When I found out I was Salutatorian, I was so excited that I just wanted to tell everybody I knew. I found out while I was with Dr. Nichols, who was my advisor, which made it even more exciting!

Noelle and her friend Phillip

What was graduating like? 

I remember graduation as being simultaneously incredibly fun and pretty stressful. There were so many events to go to that week and people to hang out with and talk to. The evening at President Maxey and Mrs. Maxey’s house was awesome, but nothing beats the feeling of hearing your name and walking across that stage!

How did it feel to finally step on the seal? 

Stepping on the seal felt like one of my biggest accomplishments at Roanoke. We all spend four years avoiding it because we’re all at least a teeny bit superstitious. So when you finally get to do it, it’s such a relief! You really know you made it.

What do you miss about Roanoke College? What is your favorite thing about having graduated? 

I miss so many things about Roanoke…but Commons honestly might be the thing I miss most. Especially all the kind staff, and the delicious desserts. I miss Olin Hall and of course the 5th floor of Life Science too, because I spent so much of my time in those places, usually with my closest friends. The best thing about graduating, though, is not having to worry about parking on campus anymore! And I mean, having a degree is great too. 🙂

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© The University of Toledo

What are you doing now after graduating? 

Since I graduated I moved up to Ohio to go to UToledo. The PhD program I’m in is 5 years long, including one year of internship. As a first year student, I have a few different jobs as a graduate assistant, I have classes on psychological assessment, clinical practice, psychotherapy, and research methods. I’m also already starting research and get to sit in on a clinical practicum where advanced students discuss the clients they’re treating at the University Psychology Clinic.

What does a typical day consist of in Graduate school? 

For me, a typical day in graduate school can range from a day where I only have meetings to attend throughout the day but no classes, to a full day where I have an hour-long lab at 8:15 (which I always grab a coffee on the way to campus for), a 2hr 40min class at 10:30, a brief time to grab lunch, and then another long class at 2pm. Since my classes only meet once a week, I usually have a lot of time to work on readings and assignments during the day and then have time to chill in the evening.

Noelle and Joshua

What has been your favorite part of graduate school so far? How about least favorite? 

My favorite part of graduate school is getting to study topics I’m interested in in a lot of depth. For example, I’ve already gotten to practice administering two major cognitive tests, the WAIS-IV and the WIAT-III, on a volunteer. I’m always surrounded by students and faculty who are very passionate about what they do, so it’s an encouraging environment to be in. My least favorite part is the sheer amount of reading I have to do. I’m so thankful I got practice reading empirical articles while I was at Roanoke, because I feel like that’s all I do now!

Where do you hope this opportunity takes you in the future?

My hope is that during my time in this program, I’ll be able to make contributions to research on psychosis assessment, especially assessing thought disorder, and that I’ll be able to gain significant experience working with populations with psychotic disorders. From there, I hope I can find a job where I get to do assessments all the time and help train others to become experts in assessment as well.

Is there anything else you would like to tell us?

Hmm…I guess the only other thing I’d like to share is, look out for a chapter on psychosis that I’ll be co-authoring with my advisor in the 2nd edition of The Oxford Handbook of Personality and Psychopathology Assessment. I am psyched about getting to work with her on this project! We’re starting a lot of exciting work on assessing early symptoms of psychosis, and I’m focusing in on signs of thought disorder, like you often see in schizophrenia.

Congratulations on all of your accomplishments Noelle! We will be continuing to cheer you on from Roanoke College!

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Get Connected!

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

AN INTERVIEW WITH RECENT GRADUATE CODY DILLON-OWENS ’19

© Roanoke College

In an interview with a student assistant, recent graduate Cody Dillon-Owens ’19 describes life after graduation, recalls on his favorite memories from Roanoke College, and shares about being Valedictorian for the class of 2019.

To start off, can you tell me a little about yourself? 

Well, I am of course a graduate of Roanoke College and this past August I started the first year of my PhD at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte for Health Psychology with a Clinical Concentration. I was born and raised in Roanoke, VA so this is my first time permanently leaving the area. I have a love for mountains and the outdoors and enjoy playing bass and guitar in my spare time. 

© Roanoke College

Congratulations on being a Valedictorian! What was it like when you found this out?

This was actually interestingso, Ellen and a few professors, along with the registrar during my Senior check-out in the Fall, told and reminded me that I was in the running. I knew I had a 4.0, but I guess the question was: how many other people did, and could we all keep it up? When it was official, knowing I had achieved it was cool (I had certainly worked for it), but I think my main feelings centered around the privilege of addressing our graduating class. There are a lot of fiercely intelligent, insightful, caring, and hard-working people I had the honor of attending Roanoke with and, in some ways, I feel like the cards just lined up for me to keep that magic number. A lot of people had very transformative journeys through college, but just the lack of one A puts them out of the running. I wanted my speech to focus on the triumphs we achieved as people, not students. 

 

© Cody Dillon-Owens

What was graduating like? 

For me, it was kind of weird to suddenly just be done. Four years of the same people, working towards the same goal, and now you’ve done it. I felt proud for doing it, happy I’d have a break from homework, but mostly curious about the future. I made a lot of great friendships, including with my professors. It was sad to have to leave and watch everyone start doing their own thing. But it was also a joyous occasion having my whole family there and seeing all the people who supported me to get me to this point. 

How did it feel to finally step on the seal? 

Don’t tell Maxey, but I had probably accidentally stepped on it long ago haha. It does remind me of some of the fun and quirky traditions we had at ‘Noke. I am glad I got to attend a college with some character and live out some of its traditions. 

© Cody Dillon-Owens

What do you miss about Roanoke College? What is your favorite thing about having graduated? 

I definitely miss the people. Ellen and all the psych faculty are the bee’s knees. And having all my friends in the same place. All you can eat chicken tender and mac day is kind of noteworthy as well. My favorite thing about having graduated is that I’ve completed another milestone in life that’s gotten me closer to where I want to be. I get to take specialized courses in what I want to be doing and pursuing ideas that are uniquely mine. This is also the first time for me being totally on my own which I’ve enjoyed. 

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Photo of the UNCC Campus © Cody Dillon-Owens

What are you doing now after graduating? 

Currently, I am attending UNCC getting my PhD. Technically, the PhD is in health psychology which is a very interdisciplinary field. It looks at health as a unitary concept involving both brain and body, which are deeply interconnected. We apply psychological models, like the biopsychosocial model and the ecological model, to examine health (prevention, maintenance, outcomes) – it’s very broad. My concentration is in clinical psychology, although being APA accredited, I’m also technically getting the same required training as any accredited clinical degree. So, within that realm I’m also learning the components of assessment and treatment. I think the two fields complement one another very well. 

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Cody Dillon-Owens office setup for his first intellectual assessment

What does a typical day consist of in Graduate school? 

Haha, usually quite a bit depending on the day. Currently, I am in course overload, so I never run out of things to do. I have classes at 8am most days, and after class there will be a mixture of activities. I read many articles and chapters of textbooks for my classes basically every day. I may also have to work on writing 2-page application papers or contributing to a pre-class discussion board. I now have a couple of course papers I have somehow make time to start working on too. I also have two applied clinical courses, so I am conducting an interview or an intellectual assessment about once a week. I’m also a Research Assistant and Project Coordinator on a HRSA GPE grant so I have meetings and various tasks I carry out for that. And then I’ll be reading and generating research ideas for my own research projects as well. Of course, it’s some mixture of these each day, not all at once thankfully. It’s still quite busy though, so it’s essentially class and then work until the evening where I’ll leave myself about an hour and half or so for myself to do whatever. My cohort has also instituted tea-time on Thursdays where we’ll take a break from work, and every other week or so we’ll have a big outing like yoga at a brewery or bingo or hiking or something. It’s mostly work but not entirely ;). 

First program social

What has been your favorite part of graduate school so far? How about least favorite? 

The learning environment is so enriching. Getting to discuss concepts with students and professors of various backgrounds has really broadened my perspectives. I’ve learned so much in such a short time. It’s also really cool to start being trained with skills for the clinical profession. My least favorite part is 1000% the lack of time haha. 

Where do you hope this opportunity takes you in the future? 

That’s a good question. I’ve tried giving some more thought to it, but it may take me a few more classes and clinical experiences to know for sure. I’ve considered a professorship at a small college, or at least teaching some health psych courses. My main career path I’ve told people is working as a clinician in a healthcare center but doing a mix between practice, intervention research, and maybe program eval. Recently after working on this grant, it also popped in my mind to pursue a position as a director of integrated care and push and work for developing true integrated behavioral health care and a patient-centered approach. 

Is there anything else you would like to tell us? 

This app/site called Trello saved my life for that extra level of self-management I needed, especially when working with other people so check that out if you’re interested. My new email is cdillono@uncc.edu, if anyone has more questions or would like student-level advice about graduate school or what the transition is like or anything, feel free to contact me! And remember that self-care is important, and no goal is worth sacrificing your happiness and well-being. 

Congratulations on all of your accomplishments Cody! We will be continuing to cheer you on from Roanoke College!

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Get Connected!

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

Still Looking for Graduate School Opportunities?

Still looking for graduate school opportunities?

UVA Educational Psych – Applied Developmental Science Master’s Program is still accepting applications!

If you are interested in learning more about how developmental processes impact learning in an educational and community environment, and enjoy conducting research to improve the lives of youth, then this program would be a great fit for you!

The Applied Developmental Science Master’s Program at UVA is 12 month long and gives you the opportunity to work with and learn from their supportive faculty. You will learn more about human development, educational psychology, and research methods. As part of this program, you are expected to complete a 6 credit (200 hour) internship with a local lab or community-based organization.

What can you do with this degree? Graduates go on to become educators, researchers, or consultants working in a variety of settings including schools, labs, and non-profit organizations.

Applications are due May 15th, and the program has a new start date of June 3rd. To learn more about the program click HERE.

Have questions? Contact Dr. Beverly Sweeney by phone at  434-243-1995 or via email at .

Written by Rachel Harmon, contributed to and edited by Brittney Rowe

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Get Connected!

Bloghttps://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/
Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/rcpsychology
Twitter: @RC_Psychology
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Website: http://www.roanoke.edu/inside/a-z_index/psychology
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The Literacy Lab

Written by Rachel Harmon, edited by Brittney Rowe

Interested in doing a year of service? Continue reading to learn more about the Literacy Lab!

What? The Literacy Lab is an AmeriCorps partner program that helps to build strong readers in the Greater Richmond area, Hampton Roads, and other cities across the country. The Literacy Lab works to ensure that all students receive the help they need to read at a proficient level. The Literacy Lab trains and places full-time literacy tutors in schools to assess and coach students.

When? Full-time capacity for 11-months from August 2019-July 2020.

Why? The benefits of completing a year of service with the Literacy Lab include a modest living allowance, federal student loan forbearance, earning the Segal Education Award, transferable professional development skills and more!

How? If you fit all of the requirements, and wish to apply for the Literacy Lab click here and hit the green APPLY button in the top right corner!

To learn more about the Literacy lab click here or email recruitment@theliteracylab.org.

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Get Connected!

Bloghttps://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/
Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/rcpsychology
Twitter: @RC_Psychology
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Website: http://www.roanoke.edu/inside/a-z_index/psychology
Instagram: rcpsychology

Phi Beta Kappa Inductees!

The Psychology Department would like to congratulate Sarah Waldinger, Molly Zydel, Megan Blackwell, Erin “Micky” McDonnell, and Alicia Mitchell on their induction to Phi Beta Kappa. Continue reading to hear from the students themselves.

Sarah Waldinger

My name is Sarah Waldinger and I am a double major in Psychology and Political Science.  I was surprised and honored to be invited to join Phi Beta Kappa, and am so thankful for all of the opportunities Roanoke College has given me.  Throughout my time here I have been able to travel to Poland and Ukraine on a May Term, go to leadership conferences through my sorority, work on campus in the Writing Center, and volunteer extensively downtown.  [In particular,] I volunteered with REACH, which is a nonprofit that focuses on the Southeast of Roanoke.  We worked with the Rescue Mission, CYP, Pathways, the SPCA, and renovated abandoned homes.  That is definitely not an exhaustive list, but REACH was the name of the main program.

I am happy to say that next year I will be working with Teach for America in Alabama – I would like to thank everyone in the Psychology department and throughout the college who helped me to achieve everything I could have wanted in the past four years!

Molly Zydel

My name is Molly Zydel, and I am a Psychology major with a minor in Sociology. I am so excited and honors to have been invited to Phi Beta Kappa! Dr. Powell, since she is my advisor, actually got the chance to tell me in person before she sent out the emails! That was really cool, and I am glad to have experienced that the way I did. Throughout my time here at Roanoke, I have been involved in research, gone on May Term to Thailand, served on the Honors Executive Board as the Mentor Program Chairperson, and volunteered at the West End Center for Youth and the Community Youth Program. Currently, I am also a member of Psi Chi (the International Honors Society for Psychology), Alpha Kappa Delta (the International Honors Society for Sociology), and the Roanoke College Honors Program. Specifically with research, I have been working on my Honors Distinction Project, which focuses on former foster care youth and their perceptions of themselves concerning their academic self-efficacy, resiliency, and their attachment style. Essentially, I am surveying this population on their beliefs about themselves concerning their ability to accomplish school-related tasks. I am also surveying foster parents on their perceptions of foster care youth on the same constructs. After graduation this May, I hope to be joining the workforce, possibly working in Human Resources and Recruiting. I am so excited to become a part of Phi Beta Kappa!

Megan Blackwell

My name is Megan Blackwell. I’m a senior Psychology and Biology double major with a concentration in Neuroscience. I’m ecstatic about my invitation to join Phi Beta Kappa! It was a huge surprise for me and I could not be happier about it. It’s a huge honor and affirmation that my hard work here at Roanoke has paid off. In my time here, I’ve been involved with several student groups including Psi Chi, Omicron Delta Kappa, Alpha Sigma Alpha, SAACS, and many others. I’ve served as the Vice President of Psi Chi, the secretary of Omicron Delta Kappa, the secretary of SAACS, and at various times the secretary, treasurer, and coffee shop coordinator of our Honors Program. I also had the opportunity to travel to Switzerland and Denmark to study the origins of modern physics for my May Term. For the past two years, I have been doing research at the Salem Veteran Affairs Medical Center. I’ve been involved on several protocols as a research assistant there and have had the opportunity to carry out my own research project, “Cognitive Reserve and Resilience in Veterans with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.” As of right now, I don’t know what my next steps are after graduation, but I’m confident in saying my experiences at Roanoke have more than prepared me for a career and life after I move on from here.

Erin “Micky” McDonnell

I am Erin McDonnell, or “Micky”, as I’m more commonly known as around campus. I am a Psychology major, concentrating in Neuroscience. I came to Roanoke not having a clue as to what I wanted to do or even study. Roanoke College has afforded me the opportunities to explore, the tools to succeed, and the motivation to pursue everything without discounting any of my interests. Phi Beta Kappa is an enormous honor that I am so thankful to have received and am excited to be a part of. These four years, in addition to the unique curriculum, I have been able to conduct my own research, travel all over Greece, work in theater, volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, and hold many different leadership positions within various organizations.

In my final year, I have been preparing to enter the field of scientific research by working inter-departmentally to complete a Behavioral Neuroscience Independent Study research project. This project involves exposing varying concentration levels of a tin compound to Danio rerio (AKA zebrafish) in order to see how it affects brain development and response to startling stimuli. It will be a privilege to continue working, now through the community that is Phi Beta Kappa. Thank you to everyone who got me to where I am today and will be in the future.

And other our inductee, Alicia Mitchell, who graduated from Roanoke College in December of 2018.

Congratulations to everyone! We look forward to seeing what you accomplish in the future and we’ll be cheering you on from the fifth floor of Life Science (until it’s renovated, then from different floors!)

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Get Connected!

Bloghttps://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/

Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/rcpsychology
Twitter: @RC_Psychology

Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/RC-Psychology-8140491/about
Website: http://www.roanoke.edu/inside/a-z_index/psychology

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Molly Zydel ’19 at MadRush

Molly Zydel discusses her recent presentation at JMU for the 10th Annual MadRush Undergraduate Conference below. 

I presented part of my Honors in the Major/Distinction Project at the 10th Annual MadRush Undergraduate Conference hosted by James Madison University on Saturday, March 16th. The presentation focused on part of the larger project, which seeks to understand foster parents’ perceptions of former foster care youth, former foster care youth’s perceptions of themselves, and college students perceptions of former foster care youth on different aspects of their academic identity, specifically academic self-efficacy, resiliency, and academic expectations and attainment. The presentation at MadRush focused on the data I have collected from foster parents concerning their perceptions of foster care youth on these constructs.

Rather than your typical poster presentation session, I had the chance to give an actual presentation in front of a room concerning the project. The presentation went very well, as did the following discussion. The session consisted of 3 total presentations, all from different disciplines, that all in some way focused on populations of youth who are not the normal. There was a presentation on juvenile sex offenders, one on the orphan trains, and my presentation. It went very well, and it was interesting to see how different disciplines connect together to engage in a conversation about youth from different perspectives. Overall, I enjoyed the conference!

Thank you to Molly Zydel for taking time to tell us about her research and presentation at MadRush! Congratulations on your successful presentation and we look forward to seeing what you will do in the future!

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Just for fun.

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Bloghttps://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/

Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/rcpsychology
Twitter: @RC_Psychology

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Website: http://www.roanoke.edu/inside/a-z_index/psychology

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CFF Summer Treatment Program Internship Opportunity

Interested in gaining experience this summer working with children with ADHD and related behavioral, emotional and learning challenges?

The Center for Children and Families at Florida International University offers training opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students through their Summer Treatment Program to learn and help children improve their ‘problem-solving, academic functioning, and social skills.’

The Summer Treatment Program focuses on providing evidence-based intensive treatments through group and tailored individual programs in a therapeutic summer camp style. The program is eight weeks. The children are divided into two programs according to their ages: STP Pre-K and STP Elementary.

https://ccf.fiu.edu/opportunities/summer-treatment-program-opportunities-and-training/

Available Spring 2019 positions include: 

Things to Consider:

There is no application deadline but CCF recommends applying early due to the program’s popularity.

Room, board, and travel expenses are not covered by CCF. Accepted staff members interested in finding a roommate will have to do so themselves through social media.

Dates, hours, salary, and responsibilities are subject to the different positions. According to CFF, once positions have been filled, applicants will be placed on a waiting list.

Application: 

Step 1: Online Application

Step 2: Three (3) Letters of Recommendation from those indicated on the Online Application.

Step 3: Official College or University Transcripts

Have questions or want to know more? Please email stpjobs@fiu.edu.

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Bloghttps://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/

Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/rcpsychology
Twitter: @RC_Psychology

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Website: http://www.roanoke.edu/inside/a-z_index/psychology

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Congratulations to Noelle Warfford ’19

The psychology department would like to congratulate Noelle Warfford ’19 on her acceptance to The University of Toldeo’s Clinical Psychology PhD program!

Recently I received an offer of admission to The University of Toledo’s Clinical Psychology PhD program to work with Dr. Joni Mihura. Since this had been my top choice school, I happily accepted. I’ll start this fall, and I’ll be doing research on developing a short form of the Rorschach-Performance Assessment System to assess for thought disorder in first-episode psychosis.                                         

                                                                   – Noelle Warfford ’19

University of Toledo

We are incredibly proud of Noelle and will be cheering her on from the fifth floor of Life Science. 🙂

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Get Connected!

Bloghttps://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/

Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/rcpsychology
Twitter: @RC_Psychology

Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/RC-Psychology-8140491/about
Website: http://www.roanoke.edu/inside/a-z_index/psychology

Instagram: rcpsychology

A Reunion in Copenhagen: Interview with Kaitlin Busse ’18

Our student assistant was recently able to catch up with recent graduate Kaitlin Busse about life after graduation and her favorite memories from Roanoke College! A Fulbright recipient, Busse is currently studying Industrial and Organizational Psychology in Denmark. 

Thank you so much for answering my questions! We’ll start with the basics first. Can you tell me a little about yourself?

I graduated back in May of 2018, which is so hard to believe that it was six months ago! During my time at Roanoke, I majored in Psychology, minored in Sociology, and concentrated in Human Resource Management. I was the President of Psi Chi, Vice President of Chi Omega, and a member of the Honors Program. I also worked on campus as a Maroon Ambassador, a Psychology Student Assistant, and as a research assistant for the HR Department. I really liked research and was  extremely involved with projects in the Psychology Department, where I was part of Dr. Powell’s lab.

Over the course of my college career, I had three internships that have given me experience in learning and development, talent management, and counseling. One of my favorite experiences that Roanoke College provided me with was the opportunity to study abroad. I completed my May Term in Sri Lanka studying the landscape and culture and also spent a semester in the Netherlands.

Can you tell me more about where you interned?

My first internship was at a local outpatient counseling facility back home in NJ. During my time, I learned about what is was like to work as a counselor and gained some insight into how counseling sessions were run. While I enjoyed the internship, I found that after the experience my interests shifted more towards the organizational issues in the workplace. It was then I decided to take an Organizational Behavior class at Roanoke and completely fell in love with it!

That summer, I interned as a Talent Management intern at Digitas, an advertising agency in NYC. I gained so much experience there, which also reaffirmed [my interest in] the field of I/O. My favorite projects were analyzing company turnover rates and developing a national survey for interns and managers regarding job satisfaction and progress.

The next summer I interned at Wyndham Worldwide as a Learning and Development intern in their corporate office. While I was there, my favorite project involved researching ways that employees could develop the core values of the organization, which then led to the creation of a professional development website.

In both my internship programs, I participated in group case study projects where we worked together to create a strategy to solve a problem in the organization. This is where I became interested in a possible career as an organizational consultant.

What was your May Term and study abroad like?

During my May Term, I studied the landscape and culture in Sri Lanka. During the three weeks that we were there, we traveled all over the country, which was nice because we gained a well-rounded understanding of the culture. We visited different sites of worship where we gained an understanding the religious diversity of the country. We had the opportunity to interacts with the locals. My most memorable experience was volunteering at a school for a day where we taught English, did arts and crafts, and played sports with the kids. It was really interesting to visit the tea plantations and learn about its significance to the economy. My favorite part of the trip was learning about the wildlife, where we had the opportunity to go to safaris and a baby elephant orphanage!

I studied abroad in Tilburg, Netherlands in the fall semester of 2016. I chose the Netherlands because I wanted to study in a country that was known for their high quality of life and good working conditions. Tilburg University was the perfect school where I could take classes in the field of organizational studies through a psychological, sociological, and HR background (which combined all of my majors, minors, and concentrations)! I got to take a qualitative research class, an HRM class, and a class about the importance of building relationships within the workplace.

[…] I spent my weekends traveling throughout different European countries. Traveling to different places in Europe was so cheap and I got to experience so much history, culture, and beautiful architecture and landscapes.

During my time at Tilburg, the most meaningful memories I made were with the people I met. I was active in the international club, where I got the opportunity to interact with both Dutch people as well as different exchange students from all over the world. I lived in an international dorm where I also had the opportunity to learn about different cultures and build strong friendships with my roommates, who I still keep in touch with! (Fun fact: two of my friends that I studied abroad with actually live in Copenhagen and are students at CBS)!

What was graduating like? (Stepping on seal, the ceremony, etc.)

Graduation was such a special experience. Everyone was smiling and cheering each other on as they walked across the stage and got their diplomas. My whole family had driven all the way from New Jersey and Florida to share this moment with me which was so meaningful to me. At the end of the ceremony, it was a really special moment to walk past all of my professors who had supported me along this journey. Stepping on the  seal was definitely felt a little strange as I made sure I stayed away from it all four years.

What are you doing now after graduating?

After graduation, I took the summer off from working to do some traveling both within the States and internationally. Whenever I have free time, I love to explore new places and experience different parts of the world. It’s funny because I actually spent more time traveling than I did at home this summer. I traveled around the US with my best friend, who was also a recent graduate of RC! We went to Charleston, South Carolina, went all over California (San Francisco, Napa Valley, and Los Angeles), and Kennebunkport, Maine. It was funny because I live in NJ and my friend lived in Maine, and since we weren’t ready to say goodbye to each other just yet, we would book trips every few weeks so we could see each other fairly often! I got to visit family in Cocoa Beach, FL, where I have gone every single year since I was born. I also got to travel to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for a couple weeks to visit my boyfriend and quite a few of the friends that I studied abroad with.

I am now in Copenhagen, Denmark as I was awarded a Fulbright to studying and research at Copenhagen Business School for one year. It has truly been such amazing experience. I take classes within organizational studies and am researching workplace-related issues such as Nordic gender equality and sexual harassment in the workforce. During my time here, I have also started volunteering with an organization that focuses on students’ professional and personal development. I usually spend my weekends exploring new places throughout the city and country with friends. Although Denmark is such a small country, there is so many beautiful things to see and things to do. I’ve also taken up yoga in Denmark, which has been really cool to get into, especially in Denmark!

Where have you traveled to in Denmark?  

Since I’ve been in Copenhagen, I’ve been able to do some travelingboth domestically and internationally. The first few weeks I got here, I spent my time around the Copenhagen area getting to know the city a little better. My favorite things in Copenhagen are walking along the pretty painted houses of the Nyhavn, sitting on the dock at the beach in Amager Strand, exploring the different parks with all the fall foliage, and going to Tivoli at different times of the year (so far, I’ve got to experience the decorations for Summer, Halloween, Christmas). Outside of Copenhagen, I’ve done a road trip to Mons Klint, which are the cliffs in Denmark, which are absolutely stunning. I’ve also been to Odense to visit another Fulbrighter, which is an old town and also home to the birthplace of Hans Christian Anderson, one of Denmark’s most popular authors (he wrote the Little Mermaid). Outside of Denmark, I’ve been to Oslo, Norway which was another beautiful Scandinavian city. I also had some time to explore Malmö, Sweden, which is a 30 minute train ride from Denmark (you can actually see from Copenhagen)! My favorite trip I’ve been on so far is to Switzerland to visit one of the friends I lived with when I studied abroad in the Netherlands. She is now an intern for the United Nations in Geneva and it was so nice to catch up with her, explore the city, and meet some of her friends. Switzerland is absolutely gorgeous with the mountains and the lakes!

What drew you to Denmark? Now that you have been there for a few months, what is living there like?

Living in Copenhagen is pretty awesome! The Danes are extremely kind and are also very chill. It is such a lovely place to live […]. There’s this concept in Danish called “hygge” which is really hard to describe, but it translates directly to cozy. It’s sort of this warm, cozy feeling of being relaxed and surrounded by people you care about and often involves food and drink. I think this is my favorite part about Denmark! Everyone rides their bikes pretty much everywhere, so it has been fun getting to know the city on bike. I live in international housing where I have my own room and share a kitchen with nine of master’s students from all over the world. It has been great to get to know everyone and learn about their cultures! Work-life balance is really emphasized in Denmark as well, which has been nice with balancing class, research, friends, volunteering, and leisure activities.

Copenhagen is a foodie city, so I have definitely made an effort to try lots of cool places to eat (Copenhagen street food and food markets are incredible)! The only downfall to Copenhagen is that it rains more than it does back in the States!

That sound amazing! What kind of food do they have there? 

Danish food is […] quite good! Rye bread is big here and so is seafood like small shrimp and salmon. Pork is also very popular (fun fact: there are more pigs than people in Denmark).

Although the Danes eat similar food that we do on a day-to-day basis, I’ve had the opportunity to try some of the more traditional dishes. Smørrebrød is probably my favorite dish. It’s a beautiful open face sandwich with all different kinds of meats, vegetables, and topping on it. Danish pastries are also SO GOOD! I’ve also tried roasted pork with crackling which has also been quite tasty as well! My favorite are the Danish version of cinnamon buns, which are incredible! While we have hot dogs in the US, the Danish hot dogs have a ton of topping on them like onions, pickles, and a bunch of different sauces. Aside from food, beer is also huge in Denmark and they have tons of local beers. Tuborg and Carlsberg are the two most popular and a couple of weeks ago, the beer companies released their Christmas beers which was an (un)official holiday in Denmark!

What do you miss about Roanoke College? What is your favorite thing about having graduated?

I love life after graduation, [though] I do miss Roanoke! I miss seeing my friends and professors every single day the most! I also miss how beautiful campus is and sitting outside of Commons on a nice day…

My favorite thing about having graduated is the newness of everything. In the past six months, I’ve moved to a completely new country and had the chance to experience many different things.While I still spend most of my day in a university setting, I am a part-time student so there is a bit less of a work-load in the evenings. With that being said, I have more free time to do things that interest me like spending time friends, reading leisurely, and enjoying different events in the city.

I saw that two of your friends came to visit you recently in Copenhagen and you took over RC Snapchat while they were there! That sounds like a lot of fun. Can you tell me more about it? What did you guys do?

It was so nice to have two of my friends visit me during their Fall Break at RC. It was so nice to catch up and show them around Copenhagen! We had a great time getting to explore the different parts of the city and trying good places to eat! My favorite place that we went to was Tivoli Gardens, which is a cute little amusement park in the middle of the city. Since it was October, the whole park was covered in Halloween decor which was so pretty! My Danish friend also came along and it was really nice for my two friends to meet some of my friends here in Copenhagen as well! I’m really grateful to have made such amazing friends at RC and miss them already!

What plans do you have for the future?

After I return back to the States from Denmark, I plan go to graduate school and get a degree in industrial/organizational psychology. I would like to work as an organizational consultant and focus on improving the work life of employees.

Is there anything else you would like to tell us?

I’ve been extremely grateful for all of the opportunities I had at Roanoke College, especially within the Psychology Department. I would not be who I am without the support and guidance from my professors and advisors. To current students reading this, take advantage of the opportunities that come your way… you never know what they will lead to!

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Get connected!

Bloghttps://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/

Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/rcpsychology
Twitter: @RC_Psychology

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Website: http://www.roanoke.edu/inside/a-z_index/psychology

Instagram: rcpsychology

Undergraduate Research Published

Alumni Lauren Ratcliffe, Sabrina McAllister, Jacob Johnson, and Paige Dzindolet published their research seminar in neuroscience project from fall of 2016 in IMPULSE, an undergraduate neuroscience journal.

Their project, titled ‘During Ascending and Descending Limbs of the Blood Alcohol Concentration Curve’ uses a computerized trail making test in place of driving performance tests in order to better ascertain neurocognitive impairments associated with varying blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels.  Follow this link to go to the original article.

Students in Dr. Nichols’ research seminar in neuroscience have published their projects at a rate of one student publication per year.

Congratulations to our alumni on their recent publication!

Alumni Updates:

Lauren Ratcliffe

Graduating Magna Cum Laude with Honors in Psychology from Roanoke College in 2017, Ratcliffe obtained a B.S. in Psychology and a concentration in Neuroscience.  Ratcliffe is currently pursuing a Psy.D. at Mercer University in Clinical Medical Psychology with an emphasis on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Ratcliffe also works as a research assistant at Mercer.

A Phi Beta Kappa member, McAllister obtained a B.S. in Psychology, a minor in Biology, and a concentration in Neuroscience from Roanoke College. McAllister graduated with ten semesters of psychology research experience in 2018. She is currently working as a psychometrist at Carilion Clinic in Roanoke, VA, with a goal of pursuing her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology.

Graduated in 2017 from Roanoke College with Honors in Psychology, a minor in Biology, and a concentration Neuroscience. He studied in Germany in the summer of 2016  and was recruited to Phi Beta Kappa as a junior. Johnson intends on pursuing a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology to teach college-level courses and perform therapy.

Dzindolet graduated in 2017 with a B.S. in Psychology and a minor Biology. In 2016, Dzindolet interned at Virginia Museum of Natural History where she worked with dinosaur bones and fossils, among other things. She is currently interested in obtaining a position involving Forensic Psychology and Criminology.

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

Saint Joseph’s University Virtual Open House

Click on the image above to go to their main page.

Saint Joseph’s University, ranked as one of America’s best colleges in 2011 by USNews, is hosting a virtual open house on Monday, November 12th at 2:00 pm.

The university offers an MS in psychology with particular emphasis on experimental psychology. This is a full-time program designed to provide students with a solid grounding in the scientific study of psychology. All students in the program are assigned to a mentor and conduct an empirically based research thesis under his/her direction.

Information on how to attend the open house can be found here

Click on the image to go to the admissions section of Saint Joseph’s University.

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

An Interview with Recent Graduate, Maddie McCall ’18

In an interview with a student assistant, recent graduate Maddie McCall ’18 describes life after graduation and recalls her favorite memories from Roanoke College.

 

To start off, can you tell me a little about yourself? 

Just graduated in May of 2018, with a BA in Psychology and Honors in Sociology, with two concentrations, Human Development and Information Analysis. I was the VP of Psi Chi, a member of RCPA, wore all of the hats for the now inactive (RIP) chapter of Mu Beta Psi, was president of Lamba Alliance, and was active in a bunch of other clubs. I was also the Head Academic Coach, a Research Assistant to the wonderful Dr. Khoo, and was lucky enough to be the Head Student Assistant for the Psych Department (which I miss dearly).

What was graduating like? 

Graduation was such a fun time (even waiting in the basement of West before line up)! I was the first person in my family to go to college, so being able to walk across the stage, shake President Maxey’s hand, and get my diploma… it meant so much, both to me and my family. But being able to stand next to all of my friends, who have all worked so hard the last four years, made it even more special. Plus, finally getting to step on the seal was pretty cool 😉

Grey outfit = groutfit.

What are you doing now after graduating? 

After graduation I moved to Northern Virginia, where the people are diverse but all suck at driving. It sort of reminds me of Freshman year, where I’m starting fresh and finding my tribe. Apps like MeetUp have totally helped me branch out and meet new people! I’ve joined some board-game groups and have tried my hand at Bob Ross paint-alongs 😊 Oh! My roommate and I also adopted a gray cat named Groutfit (all gray outfit = groutfit, because of course).

I’m also working as a Survey Analyst at a market research company called Resonate.

Click on the image to go to Resonate’s official website.

How did you get your position? What do you do for them?

I honestly got this job mostly through my two seminar projects. Basically, what my job entails is creating hour long surveys on Qualtrics that then get sent out to thousands of people (a much bigger N than I was used to at Roanoke), monitoring and QA-ing the data, and delving deeper into and analyzing the “why” of human behavior. While at Roanoke, I used Qualtrics to create both my Soc and Psych senior seminar projects, which gave me a lot of experience at different features and logics Qualtrics has available. That, along with research experience on campus (which comes in handy when researching and writing the actual questions in a non-biased way) and just being open to learning new experiences was incredibly beneficial. (But, really, it was the fact that my now-boss asked me if I knew any jokes during my final interview… It’s like my whole life was leading up to that moment.)

(As a side-note, we currently have some computer science openings… we’re a really cool company!)

What do you miss about Roanoke College? What is your favorite thing about having graduated?

I think one of my favorite things about having graduated is that I’m now 3.5 hours closer to my family. I also have a lot more free-time on my hands with just working a 9-5. However, there’s a ton that I miss from Roanoke, but mostly the people. (There’s something special about going to Sheetz at 1 in the morning and seeing people from your 9:40 class.) I miss being able to walk across campus and seeing so many of my friends and professors, all of the different events constantly happening, and those mountains. Man, you can’t beat those mountain sunsets.

But mostly, I’m going to miss Ellen’s Christmas trail mix!

What plans do you have for the future?

While I enjoy the job I currently have (HR gave me a Nerf gun on my first day, we have Bagel Wednesday’s, Snacktastic Friday’s, our teams are named after comic book groups, and we have Mystery Events twice a year!), ultimately, I would love to go back to school – both to learn and to teach. I would love to one day be a psych professor of my own. 😊

Do you still have an opportunity to utilize your knowledge of memes?

… I’ve begun to incorporate memes into my team’s group chat at work, so…

Is there anything else you would like to tell us?

  • Push yourself out of your comfort zone and experience new things (both academically and otherwise – you have no idea how they might benefit you when applying for jobs/grad school).
  • Stay on top of your LinkedIn profile.
  • Take it all in

And of course, because I’m me and I’m incapable of ending anything without a pun:

What do you call two monkeys who share an Amazon account?

Prime mates (because, let’s face it, those Prime rates are bananas)

We miss you, Maddie,  but are glad that you are doing well! Thank you for taking your time to talk with us about life after graduation! (And for the cute cat pictures and fabulous memes/puns.)

If you have any questions about Qualtrics and/or job searching, feel free to email Maddie at mtmccall@mail.roanoke.edu.  She will be happy to help you!

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

Psychology Internship Information Session

Want to gain more experience, add to your resume, and find out more about a career you are interested in?

Consider attending the Psychology Internship Information Session on Tuesday, October 30th from 11:45 am to 1:00 pm in Life Science 502!

The information session is your opportunity to learn more about available internships in psychology, as well as requirements and deadlines. You can also get advice on how to present yourself well with resumes and cover letters.

Pizza will be provided, but please bring your own drink.

RSVP by Monday, October 29th at noon, by either calling (540)375-2462 or emailing dyer@roanoke.edu.

If you have any questions or want more information, please contact Toni McLawhorn from Career Services or Dr. Mary Camac. They will happy to help you!

Don’t miss out on this opportunity (including the free pizza)! We hope to see you there.

The pizza won’t be this spooky, but it will be tasty. Get the recipe for this pizza here.

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

Casa de Esperanza: Hands of Hope Internship

Interested in working with children after graduation?

Casa de Esperanza, a non-profit in Houston, Texas, provides residential care to children from birth through six years of age. These children are in crisis due to abuse, neglect, or the effects of HIV. Among their different programs is the Hands of Hope internship.

These interns, most of whom are recent college graduates, join the organization for a year working full-time. Interns live with the children they are caring for in agency homes, alongside generally three other interns who all share the responsibility of taking care of the children. One intern is designated the foster parent. Interns come from all across the United States. In addition to taking care of household needs, making sure they get to their appointments, and other such responsibilities, these interns also work with “case workers, psychological staff and community volunteers”.

Other program benefits include:

  • Monthly stipend of $600
  • Health insurance
  • Life insurance
  • Two weeks paid vacation per year
  • Successful completion of internship award

In order to apply, one must be 21 years old, willing to work full-time for a year, a valid U.S. Driver’s License, and a college degree is preferred. Furthermore, one must be in good physical shape and be flexible and patient.

To learn more about Casa de Esperanza, their programs, and the requirements for Hands of Hope, click here to visit their website.

Applications are open year-round. 

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

Thinking of Grad School? A Webinar Opportunity

Missed out on the Psychology Department’s Graduate School Panel?

Want to ask a few more questions about navigating graduate school applications?

Want to ask current graduate school students questions?

If you are any of the above, then consider attending the webinar hosted by the psychology department from the University of Alabama! Current PhD candidates will be there to answer any questions you might have about the process, or if you just want some advice.

The online webinar will happen on Wednesday, October 10th at 5 pm CST or 6 pm EST. 

This is a fantastic opportunity to learn about graduate school applications, ask any lingering questions, and learn about current graduate school student’s experiences.

Don’t miss out!

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

Grad School Advice Panel

As fall approaches us here at Roanoke, so do the deadlines for graduate schools.

Cue the mental freak out:

It’s OK, Thor. Just attend the advice panel.

Regardless of whether you are a senior or not, if you are like Thor and want to know more about graduate school programs and the application process, then consider attending the Psychology Department’s Grad School Advice Panel on Tuesday, September 18th at 12 pm in Life Science 502.  

The Grad School Advice Panel will be hosted by Dr. Findley-Van Nostrand, Dr. Wetmore, and Dr. Hilton. If you have any questions or just want advice, they will be happy to help you!

Oh, there will also be pizza and refreshments provided.

Be like Captain Jack Sparrow, but instead of a moving ship, there’s free pizza instead.

Also, if you want to know more information about career opportunities and graduate schools, you can click here to go to the department’s website for more information.

Most importantly, though, as the time for research and decisions begins, remember:

Hope to see you there!

 

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

Graduating Seniors

After I graduated in December, I started working at a nursing home as the Social Services Director. In Fall 2018, I will start the Master’s of Social Work program Virginia Commonwealth University.

Megan Miller

Hoping to gain a little work experience before I take a swing at grad school!

Sydney Patterson-Bradbery

Following graduation I will begin post-baccalaureate work at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in order to pursue a career in medicine.

John Anderson

I’ll be working in the psychology field for a year while applying to clinical graduate programs.

Sabrina McAllister

Kaitlin was awarded a Fulbright to Copenhagen, Denmark where she will be studying and researching in the field of Organizational Psychology. She then plans to get a graduate degree in Industrial-Organizational Psychology.

Kaitlin Busse

I do not plan on going to graduate school immediately after graduation, but I do plan on going back to Long Island. I am thinking of doing EMT work as well as volunteering to figure out what is in my possible scope of view.

Kathryn Wicklund

After graduation I will be working as an elementary English as a second language teacher for Prince William County Public Schools!

Alaina Nguyen

I will be taking a gap year and preparing for applications for law school.

Adora Nguyen

I plan on becoming an artist. After graduation I will be living in Roanoke to hopefully get a good start on this new path.

Tyler Muntz

After graduation, I will be pursuing a Masters of Arts/Science Degree in Clinical Counseling and relocating to Charlotte, North Carolina. I plan to use my Master’s Degree to become a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and address the mental health needs of children within marginalized populations.

Victoria Preston

I am taking a year to gain experience in the field. I will also be preparing to apply for grad school in pursuit of my Master’s degree.

Sarah Bocook

Continuing research in Northern Virginia to gain experience before attending graduate school in 2019.

Maddie McCall

I am planning on finding jobs or internships that are related to mental health in New York.

Jeanne Skulstad

I am going to work for the Western Virginia Water Authority for a year and then apply to medical schools.

Griffith Wood

I plan to take a gap year and gain some clinical experience before hopefully apply to graduate school.

Kyttichera Bridgewater

I plan to pursue a career in higher education.

Hannah Wuerthner

I plan to attend an Accelerated Bachelors of Science in Nursing program. In addition, I hope to travel and see the world.

Laura Sullivan

I finished my course work here at Roanoke College December 2017 and have been working towards my Master of Education with a specialization in supervision and administration. After I earn my masters, it is my hope to work within the higher education setting.

Leah Bond

I am planning on attending grad school

McKenna Polak

I plan on taking the year before furthering my education in Art Therapy.

Mary Grove

After graduation, I will be pursuing a Masters of Arts/Science Degree in Clinical Counseling and relocating to Charlotte, North Carolina. I plan to use my Master’s Degree to become a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and address the mental health needs of children within marginalized populations.

Sydney Quantock

I am taking a gap year of sorts; I’m moving to Dallas, TX to participate in a leadership development program, while I try to decide if I want to go to grad school or not.

Brittany Naumann

I will be attending graduate school, at William and Mary, for a masters degree in Couples, Marriage, and Family Counseling

Taylor Kracht

Samantha Baldwin will be finishing up her student teaching in the Fall 2018. She hopes to go to graduate school in the following year.

Samantha Baldwin

Immediately I will be returning to Newport News, VA hoping to work for the Peninsula Boys and Girls Club. I am ultimately aiming to move to California to pursue a career in Event Management.

Karla Williams

My goal is to find a full time job after graduation!

Amber Durr

Master has given Dobby a diploma, Dobby is free. Except not really because I plan to go to grad school, the ride never ends.

Alexander Glando

Alumni Career Fair!

Are you looking for internships? Job opportunities? Then consider attending to Alumni Career Fair! The event will be held on Thursday, April 12th, from 5-7 pm on the main level of Colket.

Why should you attend? According to Director McLawhorn of Career Services, alumni from around 30 companies/organizations/career fields of various industries and geographic locations will be there to share about their career fields, as well as provide information about internships and/or job opportunities that may be available at their respective places of employment.

Some company recruiters will be there as well.

Things you should know before you go: 

  • Neat, but casual clothing is fine.
  • It’s highly suggested that students bring resumes, but they are not required. (Students can contact Career Services for assistance with resumes prior to April 12.)
  • There will be door prizes.

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

An Interview with Fulbright Scholar, Kaitlin Busse ’18

Kaitlin Busse ’18 (far left)

Kaitlin Busse, a senior majoring in psychology and a student assistant for the department, was recently awarded an open study/research Fulbright grant for Denmark.

In this post, Busse discusses with a student assistant what she will be doing while in Denmark, how she learned about the Fulbright program, and advice she has for students considering applying to Fulbright and any other research/internship opportunity.

Can you tell me a little about yourself and what you will be doing in Denmark?

I am a psychology major, sociology minor, and human resources concentration, and my interests are in organizational psychology. I was awarded an open study/research Fulbright grant to Denmark and I will be in Copenhagen from August 2018 until June 2019. I will take master level classes at Copenhagen Business School, where I plan to take classes about leadership and organizational change, employee identity, and diversity management, and about Danish culture and how it influences their organizations.

While there, I am also planning to assist my affiliate, Dr. Sara Louise Muhr, with a project she is working on about improving organizational cultures for women in academia in the European Union. Part of the Fulbright experience involves a project in which you immerse yourself in the community. I am planning to partner with an organization called, Crossing Borders, where I will help teach professional development skills to refugees in Denmark.

Click on the picture above to learn more about Crossing Borders.

How did you learn about the opportunity?

I actually learned about Fulbright while on my May Term to Sri Lanka. My professor, Dr. Katherine Hoffman, was a Fulbright ETA (she taught English) in Sri Lanka, and we interacted with their Fulbright Commission. I did not actually think about applying for a Fulbright until the second semester of my Junior year. I had just gotten back from studying abroad in the Netherlands and I loved immersing myself in another culture. After I came back, I received an email from Dr. Rosti about a Fulbright Information Session meeting.

What made you choose Denmark?

I wanted to go to Denmark because they are known for the great working environments and are constantly ranked one of the best places to work (and also one of the happiest countries)! My research interests lie in creating better work environments, especially in relation to work-family issues, which is what the Danes are known for! Also, I initially planned to study abroad in Denmark, but the program was cancelled during the semester that I wanted to go abroad.

Can you give any advice for those interested in applying for the Fulbright, or for research/internship experiences in general?

To people who are thinking about applying for Fulbright, I would say DO IT! It is a lot of work and it is extremely competitive to receive an award, but you develop so much personally, academically, and professionally from the application process. Even if you do not receive the Fulbright award, you end up with a great personal statement from the process.

For those thinking about research and internship experiences, I would also say DO IT! It was actually through one of my internships at a counseling agency that I learned I did not want to be a counselor and was instead most concerned with improving the work environment. Internships have also helped me get to know a little bit more about what organizational psychology and the HR field are about.

For those looking for internships, my advice would be to reach out to your networks and Roanoke College alumni (I actually [found] my first internship at a Roanoke College Career Night in NYC). I would also recommend research too because it allowed me to go in deeper to my studies and learn more about a particular area that I am passionate about.

Roanoke has an amazing research focus in the psychology program, which also gives you the opportunity to have a strong network relationship, present at conferences, and learn more about the research process.

Thank you to Kaitlin for taking her time to answer our questions, and congratulations again on receiving the Fulbright grant! Keep in touch and let us know how it goes! We’ll be cheering you on from the fifth floor of Life Science.

Also, for those interested in the Fulbright Program, click on this link to go to their official website. You can also talk to Dr. Jenny Rosti, who is the Director of Major Scholarships and an Adjunct Senior Lecturer. Her email is: rosti@roanoke.edu.

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

Congratulations to Kaitlin Busse on Her Fulbright Acceptance!

Congratulations from the Department

Kaitlin Busse, a psychology major and student assistant, was recently awarded an open study/research Fulbright grant in Denmark!

Psychology faculty congratulated her on receiving the Fulbright grant, saying:

We are very proud of Kaitlin’s achievement; it is truly an honor. Kaitlin is the third Psychology major to receive a Fulbright in the last two years. Congratulations Kaitlin and good luck in Denmark!                                                                – Dr. Buchholz

Dr. Powell added:

Kaitlin is driven by an intrinsic motivation to succeed and to make the most of the educational opportunities available. Here at Roanoke, she has worked with myself and another faculty member in the Business Department to diversify her research experiences, which has led to her presenting projects at several disciplinary conferences. she also studied abroad at an institution well-known for their Industrial Organizational Psychology faculty and courses, and she acquired competitive summer internships to further expand her social capital and see the concepts she’s learned in action. A Fulbright Scholarship is an extraordinary next step for her! As she completes additional coursework and conducts a study under Dr. Muhr’s supervision, I am confident that she will thrive in Denmark. I am incredibly proud of what she has accomplished and look forward to hearing how it goes!

Keep a lookout for a follow-up post wherein Kaitlin will discuss what her project will entail, how she came to know about Fulbright, and advice for students interested in pursuing a Fulbright or any internship/research opportunity.

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

Stressed About Graduate School Applications?

If you are graduating this year and looking to apply to graduate schools or would just like to learn more about the process, then consider attending Ms. Brook’s talk on Tuesday, April 10th at 6 pm in Life Science 515!

A recruiter and retention specialist for graduate programs at Radford University, Ms. Brooks will demystify the process, providing tips towards strengthening your application and answer any questions you may have.

Hope to see you there!

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

Application Deadline for Radford University’s Graduate Programs in Psychology

The future is scary, but here are several options available at Radford University for students interested in pursuing a Master’s degree or higher in some aspect of psychology.

These programs include:

  • Clinical-Counseling (M.A., M.S.)
    • A two year, full-time program designed to provide a solid foundation in theory and application for students interested in pursuing counseling or further studies in counseling or clinical-psychology.
      • The MA program requires the completion of 46 credit hours (including a thesis)
      • The MS program requires the completion of 40 credit hours
  • Experimental Psychology (M.A.)
    • A two year, full-time program providing students with advanced training in research methodology, data analysis, and the core principles of psychology. Students gain invaluable experience by working with faculty conducting research in a number of different subfields, as well as developing a wide range of knowledge in psychology.
    • Students will be required to develop, test, and defend a thesis project based on empirical research.
  • Industrial-Organizational Psychology (M.A., M.S.)
    • A small, non-competitive and collaborative cohort
    • Through applying the basic principles of psychology to the workplace, I/O strives to improve not only the workplace, but also the “quality of work life for employees.”
    • Radford offers a two year, terminal master’s degree based on a “practitioner-scholar” model that applies to a number of career paths; the M.A. option includes a thesis project that prepares students for further studies.
    • A required internship, as well as a client-based project for each of the six I/O courses
    • 37 credit-hour program (9 hours per semester; 1 credit summer internship)
  • School Psychology (Ed.S.)
    • One of the few programs that offers a study abroad option, students in School Psychology may also earn both an Ed.S. in School Psychology and a M.S. degree in psychology.
    • Hands-on training begins in the first semester by going to public schools
    • In addition to assessment and intervention classes, students learn the most up-to-date methods such as “RTI and neuropsychological assessment and intervention.”
    • The program works with students who want to complete their third year internship in their home state, thus increasing their chances of employment.
    • School Psychology at Radford University is fully approved by the National Association of School Psychologists. Graduates are eligible to apply to be a nationally certified school psychologist.
  • Counseling (Psy.D.)
    • Counseling (Psy.D.) at Radford University focuses on rural mental health, with emphasis on “cultural diversity, social justice, and evidence-based practice in psychology.”
    • The program is designed for students “interested in pursuing careers as psychologists in mental health settings and institutions where clinical supervision and the direct application of counseling, therapy, and psychological assessment are required.”
    • APA-accredited, follows a practitioner-scholar model, and includes a 2,000 hour internship.
    • Applicants must have completed a Master’s degree from an accredited institution where “they provided face-to-face counseling services by August of the year in which they wish to enroll in the Psy.D. program.”

Other opportunities include:

Applications for these programs are due February 15th. These applications must be online, require a non-refundable payment of fifty (50) dollars, and degreeseeking students must submit official transcripts from all universities or colleges attended. The application will automatically be forwarded to the selected department for evaluation.

To learn more about admissions and to find the link to the application, click here.

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

Americorps Literacy Lab

Graduating this semester?

Interested in working in the non-profit sector, or just interested in helping kids learn?

Not sure what you’re going to do yet?

Then consider applying to the Literacy Lab, a branch of Americorps.

The Literacy Lab’s mission is to provide low-income children with individualized reading instruction to improve their literacy skills, leading to greater success in school and increased opportunities in life. In Richmond they serve children K-3, partnering with school districts to help close the literacy gap, by embedding full-time, rigorously-trained tutors in elementary schools.

The Literacy Lab works in Metro DC, Greater Richmond, Baltimore MD, Kansas City, MO and in the upcoming year, Springfield MA. Students who are graduating this year and are unsure what their next steps should be, may consider applying to this amazing service term. The position is rewarding, and the professional skills developed could help with a career in the non-profit sector. There is also an expansive Americorps alumni network that you’d also become a part of.

You can choose to serve full-time as a literacy tutor for the rest of the 2017-2018 year (through July 2018), or for the next year (August 2018- July 2019).

There is also another program called “Leading Men Fellowship” through the Literacy Lab which is a year-long opportunity from August 2018 – July 2019.

You can find the applications for all three of the above opportunities here. To learn more about the Literacy Lab in general, follow this link for the general website.

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

An Interview with Victoria Preston

The following is a transcription from an in-person interview with Victoria Preston at Fruitions where a student assistant was able to talk with her about her research and internship experiences at Roanoke College and Blue Ridge Behavioral Healthcare.

Victoria Preston ’17, presenting her findings at the recent Psychology Poster Session

Can you tell me a little about yourself? (Such as interesting hobbies and your favorite color?)

I’m a psych major. I don’t think I have any interesting hobbies. I like animals and my favorite color is green.

What kind of classes are you taking this semester?

This is my last semester, so I’m at the very end of what I need to be taking. I’m taking a seminar course [for psychology], and then I’m taking a sociology class because it’s interesting to me. I [also] work for Dr. Powell on a research lab.

How do you like seminar?

It’s kind of challenging just because you’re working in a group to come up with a project. Most of the groups are four people, [but] we’ve got three, so it’s just kind of difficult to get everyone on the same page, to get everyone to meet on time, [and] to get the work done, but it seems to be going well so far.

How do you like Dr. Powell’s lab?

I  love it. This is my second year working for her, second semester I guess, and her lab is about an emerging adult study or doing something with adolescents. Last semester I just worked in helping other students with their research- I didn’t do anything of my own. (…) This year I’m doing my own study from a previous student’s and some of her work. I have someone working for me this time. So, (…) I really enjoy it and you get the experience of what working in a research setting would be and you get her attention to help with anything else that you need.

So, what are you doing specifically in the lab?

There’s a Roanoke College student who graduated last year who did a study on emerging adults and talking, ghosting, friends with benefits, that kind of relationship. I’m doing a secondary data analysis of her study. Dr. Powell and Dr. Friedman did a study on a ghosting, so I’m taking some of their information and putting it together and running my own analysis of it: dealing with if there’s a time frame, what blocking is, if we can accurately define what “talking” really means. [Talking is] different for every person. That’s basically what I am doing this semester.

In addition to working in the lab, you also completed an internship. Can you tell me about that?

I interned at Blue Ridge Behavioral Health Care in the Child and Family Services [Department]. I was toying with the idea of working with children and families and I wanted to intern at a place that was local enough to where I could potentially work there because I am from Salem. [Interning at Blue Ridge] was just the best option and was something I was vaguely familiar with.

What did you learn from your experience at Blue Ridge?

A lot of what I did there was observing group therapy or sitting in on family assessment planning. If there was a kid that needed some sort of services but couldn’t afford it, they would go to this board and make their argument for the government or organization to pay for it. What I learned was that there are a majority of people who need the help that Blue Ridge is giving but they can’t afford it. That was kind of surprising to me because you think “oh, you know everybody has insurance, that insurance just pays for it” but that was not the case. [I also] just figured out my own personal biases in working with kids because I still want to work with children – I eventually want to be family therapist. Maybe. Working with kids, you think it’s going to be one thing and then it’s an entirely different thing.

I did learn a lot about what it was like to work in an actual office setting, which was really important to me because the only other job I’ve had I was working at a jewelry store. That was just really interesting to me to just see how complicated the behind-the-scenes of mental health is and trying to get people the services that they need.

Were there any moments during your internship that really surprised or struck you?

Since there are children and family services in that building, I thought it was only going to be kids needing some sort of residential treatment or psychiatric testing but it’s anything that has to do with children. […] I’m not sure… There were a lot of interesting experiences that I never anticipated or expected to see.

How do you plan on applying what you learned in your internship to what you’d like to do in the future?

The reason why I wanted to intern at a local place was because I plan on applying for a job there, so basically just taking all of the things I observed and kind of deciding if that’s the path that I want to go down since I’ll only have a bachelors [degree]. You can’t really do a lot, so I’ll probably end up being a case-worker. Just taking the things that I saw and learned in my psych classes, counseling classes, or my abnormal classes- even some of my sociology classes. I’ve taken a lot of juvenile delinquency and behavior classes and the things I’ve learned in my classes [I’ve also] seen first hand. When you do an internship, you have to write daily reflections of what you did and how it applies to what you learned and I could apply 90% of what I saw [interning at Blue Ridge] to something that I learned in my classes.

What’s some advice that you have for students who want to complete an internship?

Definitely do it. If I hadn’t taken the internship, then I would have no idea where to go or where to apply. Experiencing something is good but also being able to network and having people that you can then go to or have them be a reference for [is good as well]. I only interned for two months, so you don’t have to have a long internship to get a full experience . You can just do it for a summer. I would tell everyone to do an internship if they can, especially if they are not a hundred percent certain- even they are a hundred percent certain, but maybe they [realize they] don’t like it that much.

Thanks Victoria for taking time to meet to talk about your research experiences and your internship with Blue Ridge. Congratulations on completing your degree!

For those interested in applying to an internship or wanting to know more about research opportunities, please contact Dr. Camac in the Psychology Department and/or Dr. Lassiter in the Biology Department.

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

UVA: Educational Psychology Program

For students interested in learning how developmental processes relate to school learning and the community, as well as simply how science can be used to improve the lives of adolescents, the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia offers a graduate degree in Educational Psychology – Applied Developmental Science where students will be able to learn about their interests and apply to them to real world settings.

The program is twelve-months long and includes a 6-credit, 200 hour internship experience and is housed through the Curry School of Education, which is ranked one of 2017 best graduate schools for education by the U.S. News. Students who pursue this program later work as educators, researchers, among other various fields.

Students that are interested in the program should either click on the snapshot above to be taken directly to the site or click here. If you have any questions and want to talk directly with someone from the program, please feel free to contact Dr. Ellen Markowitz at em2ee@virginia.edu.

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

Applications for the UVA Ed Psych Program

Applications are now being accepted for the UVA Ed Psych Program at UVA’s  Curry School of Education, which is currently ranked one of the best grad schools in the country.  If interested, be sure to apply to the M.Ed. program by 2/1/18 or the Ph.D. program by 12/15/17, if applicable.

 

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

Online Open House for St. Joseph’s University

SJU is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Picture credit: https://plexuss.com/college/saint-josephs-university/overview

For students interested in pursuing a masters degree in experimental psychology, consider attending Saint Joseph’s University’s virtual (online) open house on Monday, November 13th at 11:30 am.

Saint Joseph’s University offers an intense, full-time program where students acquire a strong foundation for the scientific study of psychology through equal emphasis on coursework and empirical research.

For more information on how to attend the open house, click here. For those interested in the overall program, follow this link to go to the official site.

A brochure for SJU’s M.S. in Psychology can be found here.

 

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

Doctoral Student Recruitment Opportunity

Graduating this year?

Want to gain clinical experience as a doctoral student?

Then read on…

Dr. Adam Schmidt, assistant professor and director of the Pathways to Resilient Youth Development (PRYDe) lab, is looking for up to two students who would qualify in the Fall of 2018 to work as clinical psychology doctoral students.

The PRYDe lab is located in the Department of Psychological Sciences at Texas Tech University (TTU) and conducts research in the areas of neuropsychology, forensic psychology, and child clinical psychology with research grounded in neuroscience and developmental psychopathology. The lab has three broad areas of interest, including:

  1. “The impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).
  2. The impact of resilience promoting factors on brain/cognitive development.
  3. The utility and incremental validity of neuropsychological assessment in forensic and
    clinical settings.”

Interested students would need to have “a strong academic/research focus and be open to a psychological clinical science training perspective.” In addition, prospective applicants with “substantial coursework outside of psychology (e.g., neuroscience, cognitive science, computer science, criminal justice/criminology, genetics, chemistry, physics, math/statistics, engineering,etc.) are particularly welcome to apply. ” The lab considers competitive students to be those who are interested in “integrating cognitive neuroscience/neuropsychology techniques with theories of developmental psychopathology and applying this approach to investigations of justice-involved youth or youth at risk for such involvement (e.g., youth with a history of significant trauma exposure).”

The deadline for applications is December 1st, 2017.

Onsite interviews will occur on February 9, 2018

For more information about the PRYDe lab, go to http://www.depts.ttu.edu/psy/pryde/ ; for those interested in the clinical psychology doctoral program at Texas Tech University, the link is: https://www.depts.ttu.edu/psy/clinical.  Finally, for more specific questions, contact Dr. Adam T. Schmidt at adam.t.schmidt@ttu.edu.

JOB: Community-Based Mental Health Counselor

 

The Community Counseling at Family Service of Roanoke Valley has at least two openings for a Community-Based Mental Health Counselor (working primarily with youth) in the Roanoke area.

Community Counseling Programs – Family Service of Roanoke Valley is seeking part-time professional to work with youth and families in Medicaid Licensed Programs as well as grant funded programs. The services will be provided in a variety of community settings included homes, after school settings and school based groups. A Bachelor’s degree in an applicable social science is required as is experience working with youth (must be Qualified Mental Health Professional-Children, QMHP-C). Each applicant must hold a valid Virginia Driver’s License and have an insured vehicle to transport youth. Bi-lingual applicants are encouraged to apply.

Applicants can email or call Emily DeCarlo, the Program Manager, if they have any questions.
edecarlo@fsrv.org, Phone: (540)563-5316 ext. 3007.

Please see www.fsrv.org for more information on Community Counseling at Family Service of Roanoke Valley.

Get connected!
Instagram & Twitter:  #PsychRC
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Bloghttps://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/
Linked In:  https://www.linkedin.com/groups/RC-Psychology-8140491/about
Website:  http://www.roanoke.edu/inside/a-z_index/psychology

Psychology Grad School Fair

PSYCHOLOGY GRAD SCHOOL FAIR – Meet Admissions Teams & Faculty on October 5th
REGISTER NOW * LEARN MORE * Live online event – Attend the Fair from Anywhere

Register Now: Psychology Grad School Fair | Virtual Event Happening on October 5th

 Get connected!
Instagram & Twitter:  #PsychRC
Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/rcpsychology
Bloghttps://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/
Linked In:  https://www.linkedin.com/groups/RC-Psychology-8140491/about
Website:  http://www.roanoke.edu/inside/a-z_index/psychology

Opportunity for Graduating Seniors

stanford_logo

Lab Manager – Social Learning Lab @ Stanford University

The Social Learning Lab (SLL) welcomes enthusiastic, motivated individuals to apply for a lab manager position to start in summer 2016. This person will work closely with other lab members to assist in all aspects of running the lab and conducting research.

The goal of our research is to understand the cognitive underpinnings of our ability to communicate with others to both learn about and teach others about both the physical and the social world. To this end, we employ a variety of methods: many of our projects involve behavioral methods with young children, fMRI experiments with adults and children, as well as online experiments with adults.  A successful candidate would be someone who would feel comfortable being involved in all aspects of research as well as taking good care of general lab business (e.g., training & coordinating undergraduate research assistants, recruiting & running subjects, communicating with staff at our research sites, constructing stimuli, managing & analyzing data, etc.). This person will also have opportunities to develop independent research projects.

A BA or BS degree in Psychology, Cognitive Science, Computer Science, or in related fields would be helpful but not required. Research experience (particularly in cognitive neuroscience or cognitive development), strong statistical background, and programming skills (e.g., MATLAB) is highly desirable.

This position will be posted as a one-year position. Ideally however the position would be held for two years, and renewal will be contingent upon performance. Please refer to this webpage (sll.stanford.edu) for more information on applying for this position. We ask all applicants to submit their answers to a list of questions as part of the application. For best consideration, please apply by February 1, 2016. Send any inquiries to sll.stanford@gmail.com.

 

Get connected!
Instagram & Twitter:  #PsychRC
Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/rcpsychology
Bloghttps://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/
Linked In:  https://www.linkedin.com/groups/RC-Psychology-8140491/about
Website:  http://www.roanoke.edu/inside/a-z_index/psychology

Hazel Smitson completes Master’s degree

Hazel Smitson and Devin DobynsHazel Smitson (B.S in Psychology with concentration in Neuroscience, 2013 cum laude) completed her master’s degree at the University of Indianapolis this July. Her degree is in Clinical Psychology with a track in mental health counseling. She will be working as an outpatient therapist at Meridian Health Services in Muncie, Indiana. Hazel looks forward to (finally) working with people as a therapist. We are very happy for her!

Featured Alum: Yuki Yamazaki

Alumna Yuki Yamazaki (’13) recently graduated from Columbia University Teachers College after earning her Ed.M. & M.A. in Counseling Psychology with a concentration in Mental Health Counseling.

Since graduation, Yuki has started working as a Field Researcher for the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development in their Housing and Neighborhood Study which looks at how housing, communities, and neighborhoods impact individual New Yorkers health- physical, mental, and emotional- as well as overall wellbeing.

Yuki would like to also thank the Roanoke Psychology Dept for their unwavering support, listening ear, and unnerving dance abilities through all of the milestones she’s completed so far.

yuki

 

Recognizing Graduating Seniors: Mackenzie Slater

 

slater

‘Mackenzie states that she “may have not known what I was doing sometimes in my life while at Roanoke College,” but whatever it was “tried my best to do very well.”  She likes the quote from Abraham Lincoln:  “Whatever you are, be a good one.”

Post-Graduation Plans:  Mackenzie plans to attend VCU’s MSW program for the Fall of 2015.   She wants to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and work within a hospital or VA setting.

Relevant Information:  Mackenzie finished Roanoke as a Psychology major and a Spanish minor.   She is a member of the following Chi Omega Fraternity, Psi Chi, Xi Theta Chi, and Sigma Delta Pi.’

 

Congratulations Mackenzie!

Recognizing Graduating Seniors: Lydia Fujimura

Lydia Fujimura 2015

 

Lydia is attending Vanguard University’s Masters of Organizational Psychology program in Costa Mesa California! She hopes to go into organizational conflict resolution involving factors such as self esteem and cultural differences.

Lydia had a hard time nailing down one class as her favorite from her time here at Roanoke. “​Every semester it changes!” she said. “I have taken so many wonderful courses here: the sociology of sex and gender, health illness and healing, the meaning of life, learning, and many others. Since it is still fresh in my mind, I would probably say Learning because Dr. Early conveys the material with both material from the book and good graphs to explain phenomena. I also loved Research Seminar because of the hands-on learning we were able to do. I really liked being able to master the material by actually using software like SPSS and conducting our own research.”

Lydia also worked in Dr. Buchholz’s research lab for 3 semesters and conducted an independent study on investigating the effect of empathy and agency on social mindfulness. Lydia is always cheerful and a pleasure to be around. She is smart and a hard worker.

Good luck, Lydia! We’ll miss you!

TAP: Total Action for Progress

TAP.HSTAP

Next week, the Education Job Fair will take place in the Wortmann Ballroom on Wednesday, February 4th from 9am-3pm. One of the many employers that will be on campus that day is TAP: Total Action for Progress.

TAP’s mission is to help “individuals and families achieve economic and personal independence through education, employment, affordable housing, and safe and healthy environments.” TAP’s goal is provide everyone with an equal opportunity for economic development and obtaining the American way of life. TAP offers over 30 different programs for Education & Career Development, Business & Economic Development, and Housing & Community Scholars.

TAP offers many regular entry-level jobs that Psychology, Teacher Licensure Program, Sociology, and Spanish majors would qualify for. There will be a representative at this event for graduating seniors. The representative will be looking to fill positions that teacher licensure candidates many wish to fill. The representative will not be conducting formal interviews, but an informal interview where you can ask more questions about the opportunity and TAP.

It is recommended that you bring your resume along with you to meet the representative. Business attire is not required, however very nice business casual attire is recommended.

Explore the opportunities TAP and many other employers have to offer by visiting their tables on February 4th from 9am-3pm at the Education Job Fair!

For more information,  you can visit their website at http://www.tapintohope.org/

TAP: Total Action for Progress

TAP.HSTAP

Next week, the Education Job Fair will take place in the Wortmann Ballroom on Wednesday, February 4th from 9am-3pm. One of the many employers that will be on campus that day is TAP: Total Action for Progress.

TAP’s mission is to help “individuals and families achieve economic and personal independence through education, employment, affordable housing, and safe and healthy environments.” TAP’s goal is provide everyone with an equal opportunity for economic development and obtaining the American way of life. TAP offers over 30 different programs for Education & Career Development, Business & Economic Development, and Housing & Community Scholars.

TAP offers many regular entry-level jobs that Psychology, Teacher Licensure Program, Sociology, and Spanish majors would qualify for. There will be a representative at this event for graduating seniors. The representative will be looking to fill positions that teacher licensure candidates many wish to fill. The representative will not be conducting formal interviews, but an informal interview where you can ask more questions about the opportunity and TAP.

It is recommended that you bring your resume along with you to meet the representative. Business attire is not required, however very nice business casual attire is recommended.

Explore the opportunities TAP and many other employers have to offer by visiting their tables on February 4th from 9am-3pm at the Education Job Fair!

For more information,  you can visit their website at http://www.tapintohope.org/

Carilion Clinic Career Focus Dinner

November 6, 4:30-7pm

Location: off-campus site TBD

Large health care organizations offer a variety of opportunities for employment, internships, and research to students in many majors – Business, social sciences, and healthcare related fields. Come and hear from one of our local health care systems – Carilion Clinic – about such opportunities, as this could be useful in looking for similar settings in other locations. Registration is required by Thursday, October 30, through Career Services. This program takes place off-campus and includes dinner at no cost. Rides are available if desired or needed. For more information, contact Career Services.

For more information contact: Toni McLawhorn (540) 375-2303