Looking for a transformative experience in the realm of psychology and human development? Welcome to Camp Easterseals, located in the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains near Roanoke, Virginia. It’s more than just a camp; it’s a hub for personal and professional growth, catering to children and adults with diverse disabilities.
Camp Easterseals is a sanctuary of learning, fun, and connections, where students interested in psychology can gain invaluable hands-on experience by serving people with disabilities such as autism, cerebral palsy, and Down syndrome, enriching their understanding of human spirit and behavior.
Upcoming Event: Halloween-Themed Weekend 🎃
Join us from October 27th to 29th, 2023, for a Halloween-themed weekend filled with activities like horseback riding, archery, arts and crafts, and dancing! We’re inviting volunteers and staff to be a part of this joyful journey and help us create unforgettable experiences for our campers.
Why Join Us? 🌿
– Experience life-changing insights and personal growth.
– Gain practical exposure and embellish your resume.
– Forge lasting bonds and create cherished memories.
– Receive comprehensive training and earn letters of recommendation.
Camp Easterseals is not just about learning; it’s about experiencing the joy of making a difference and embarking on a journey of self-discovery and professional development. Join us and be a part of a world where compassion meets fun, and learning meets fulfillment.
Here is the link to the weekend staff application (it pays!) if anyone is interested. ^link in case the hyperlink doesn’t work: https://recruiting.ultipro.com/EAS1015EUCP/JobBoard/0f0249a6-0416-453f-b54d-24dda355daf1/OpportunityDetail?opportunityId=832ded22-cf3f-4ab7-9cda-a275f6d04165&sourceId=cc194bec-a059-4034-bc14-2ec5a81d18b9
It’s been a busy year as usual for RC Psych! On Thursday April 20th, the Psychology Department took over the first floor of Fintel Library for the Spring 2023 poster session! Students, faculty, and staff from across campus gathered to hear psychology students present their research and experiential learning experiences.
Scroll on for photos from the day and visit us on social media to congratulate our hard-working students!
Fintel Library buzzes with presenters
Seminar students present their project Effect of Mood on Recall: (L to R) Alex Jaklitsch, Anna Arnold, Lindsay Jones, & Haley Patterson, class of 2023.
Seminar students (L to R) Emma Kalinski, Amanda Nakdimen, Noal cheru, & Morgan Micallef present their seminar project titled Heart Rate Variability: Coherence Between Heart Rate and Breathing.
Seniors (L to R) Isabelle Mildonian, Ciara Fadeley, Taelor Quick, & Kynston Boyd present their seminar project titled Increased Desire for socialization with stronger Social Support and higher Need to Belong.
Seniors (L to R) Rhianna Chambers, Skyler Pokorny, Kelsey McCown, & Macallan Bonser present their research, Emerging Adults and Media.
Seniors (L to R) Kosovare Fetinci, Kristi Rolf, Logan Pasley, & Alexis Wright present their study titled Perceptions of Crime & Mental Illness.
Senior Kosovare Fetinci presents her independent study titled Friendship Dissolution and its Impacts.
Senior Lauryn Chappell (second from left) presents a study titled von Restorff Effect: examining perceptual memory recall accuracy of college students to Dr. Carter with team members Pete Nichols (left) and Ameen Oliver (right) .
Senior Morgan Kelly (left) presents her internship experience at H2 Health.
Seniors (L to R) Elayna Jennings, Sariah Steele, Huda Hashash, Maryam Nishtar, and Devin Brown present their study titled Effect of Task Difficulty and Anxiety on HRV.
Senior Selam Mekonnen presents her study titled The Impact of Pluralistic Ignorance on Gender Bias
Dr. Powell and Dr. Allen learn about student research.
It’s been a great year of research and experiential learning for RC Psych! We can’t wait to see how these students apply their skills in the future.
The Roanoke College psychology department is always proud to recognize the work of our fantastic students. Today we are highlighting Avery Jackson who completed an internship this summer at Children and Family Associates in Roanoke, VA.
Avery is a senior from Yarmouth, Maine who is double majoring in Communications and Psychology. She shares that she was motivated to pursue this internship because “I knew I wanted to have a hand on experience with a counselor.”
While interning at Children and Family Associates, Avery was able to observe counseling sessions and discuss her questions and comments with the counselor afterwards. She shares what a typical day in her internship looked like: ” an average day would involve me going in at noon to debrief with my supervisor on the previous day. I would then sit in on the sessions each hour unless the client requested for me to not be present.”
This direct experience paid off since Avery says, “I wasn’t sure if I wanted to work with children, but after this experience I know that I want to pursue this career.”
I asked Avery to reflect on a meaningful moment from her experience. She shares that the most impactful memory occurred as she was wrapping up her internship:
“My supervisor pushed me to fill out the report for a new client. After meeting with this new client, my supervisor asked me what I would diagnose this patient with. I replied with what I thought the diagnoses would be and I remember a huge smile coming across her face. She told me she was so impressed and proud of me. She pushed and encouraged me the whole summer and made me realize that this is what I want to do, and I can do it.“
Avery Jackson ’23
Avery’s work is an exciting example of the benefits of completing internships as a psychology student. We can’t wait to see what Avery does in the future and how her internship experience guides her career!
Psychology students who are interested in completing an internship can contact the department’s Internship Coordinator, Dr. Findley-Van Nostrand (findley@roanoke.edu) for more information.
Are you currently searching, or are interested in learning more about a job or internship?
If so, then make sure to come out to the Job and Internship fair, hosted by the PLACE. This event will occur tomorrow, Tuesday, March 1st, from 4:30pm – 6:30pm in the Wortmann Ballroom.
All students are encouraged to attend. Professional dress is NOT required as we realize that some students may be coming from class, lab or practice. There will be over 30 prospective employers and internship supervisors on campus and ready to answer questions. Some businesses will have internships open each semester, so even students not looking for an immediate placement can still come and explore.
If you have questions, or would like more details, please feel free to visit the PLACE’s website: https://www.roanoke.edu/place
Claire McDonald and Ben Campbell, both psychology seniors at Roanoke College, were recently featured on Roanoke’s website for their research experience. You can check out the full page here.
Claire McDonald, Class of 2022
Claire wasn’t sure what degree she wanted to pursue when she first came to Roanoke College. But during the fall semester of her sophomore year, she enrolled in a developmental psychology class, taught by Dr. Danielle Findley-Van Nostrand, assistant professor of psychology. She loved the class and, consequently, found her major.
In the spring of her sophomore year, McDonald joined a lab managed by Dr. Findley-Van Nostrand, which focused on adolescent and young adult peer relationships. This sparked her interest in research within psychology. This fall, Claire plans to work as a research intern at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Salem. She hopes to apply to graduate school to pursue a doctorate in clinical psychology with a specific interest in research related to dementia and cognitive impairment in older adults — experience Claire said she hopes to gain at the VA Medical Center. But she’s not the only psychology student that has recently made big steps in their research experience…
“Research has played a huge role in my college career and in my development as a student. It has been the most crucial and beneficial part of my college experience.”
Ben Campbell, Class of 2022
Ben Campbell has used his interest in relational aggression, peer social dynamics and gender to formulate a study. He used the study to apply for the College’s Summer Scholars Program and received the prestigious award, enabling him to carry a project titled “Effects of elicited jealousy on masculinity and relational aggression in men.” You can check out more info on his research journey in our previous blog post, found here.
In recent years, approximately 30 students each semester have been involved in research. The experiences are important not just for information discovery, but also for deepened learning, enhanced training on specific topics or methods, and the development of skills that graduate training programs and employers in careers utilizing psychology look for and highly value. As a research assistant, students also develop professional and mentoring relationships with their faculty mentor, and refine critical thinking and statistical reasoning skills.
“The experience to contribute to a discipline in a larger way is a special opportunity,” Dr. Findley-Van Nostrand said. “Apart from the professional skills developed, the research experiences students at Roanoke are involved in also contribute to the sense of community we have in the department.”
Research is the bedrock of the student experience in Roanoke College’s psychology department, which brought the College its seventh consecutive “Great Schools for Psychology Majors” recognition in The Princeton Review’s annual “Best Colleges” guidebook, released on Aug. 31.
Looking for ways to get more involved this summer? Or looking to build your resume/CV and experience? Then check out Camp Starfish!
Camp Starfish fosters the success and growth of children with emotional, behavioral, and learning problems by providing individualized attention as part of structured, nurturing, and fun group programs.
You may be thinking, well why should I work at Camp Starfish? Working at Camp Starfish
Allows for the development of transferable skills in supporting children with emotional, behavioral, and learning troubles
Offers the ability to participate in a paid internship to earn course credit and develop professional skills
Will receive a salary that includes: room and board, weekly laundry service, paid time off, and a travel stipend for far-traveling staff
Offers transportation to/from Boston
Will experience networking opportunities with current/past Starfish staff
Will receive hands-on training and professional development
Offers a chance to work with a diverse group of young people from around the world, and make lifelong friends
If you are interested in learning more about interning/working at Camp Starfish this summer contact Jessica Eades at (719) 640-9773 or Jessica.eades1257@gmail.com, as well as if you have further questions contact their staffing team at (978) 637-2617 or staffing@campstarfish.org
Moreover, follow their Instagram @campstarfishstaff and check out their website for more information and to apply today!
Learn more about completing an internship for credit at Roanoke College by going to our webpage or by contacting Dr. FVN at findley@roanoke.edu
Therapy4thePeople is a new non-profit making it easier to access mental healthcare in the US by focusing on three of the biggest barriers to care: cost, complexity, and cultural mismatch. They are currently looking for an intern to help plan their social media content and manage accounts on Twitter and Instagram.
About the Organization
Therapy4thePeople is building the first national directory of free and low-cost mental health services that goes beyond therapy to include overlooked sources of support like chat services, support groups, research studies, and self-guided programs. They also bring expertise and insider knowledge onto their blog, where they publish guidance on navigating the mental health system and finding culturally sensitive care.
We are excited to expand our communications team to ensure that we get these important resources to the people who need them most.
More information about the organization can be found on their website, on their About Us page. You can also check out their existing Twitter account, @therapy4theppl.
About the Role
From the organization: “We’re looking for an intern to help plan our social media content and manage our accounts on Twitter and Instagram. The intern will play a key role in disseminating our work to help-seekers and mental health professionals on these platforms. Their primary role will be to create social media content that promotes our directory and blog and provides updates on our work. We’re also looking for someone who will find, create, and share online content aligned with our organization’s values (e.g., health equity, culturally sensitive care, evidence-based treatments, social justice). The intern will track social media engagement to help us maximize Therapy4thePeople’s impact and reach. One year commitment is required, with a flexible schedule of approximately 3-5 hours per week, including regular check-ins with our Executive Team. If looking for additional hours or experiences for internship credit, this role can be expanded.”
Role Qualifications:
Proficient with major social media platforms including Twitter and Instagram (TikTok is a plus!).
Experience with the mental health field (e.g., psychology student, provider, consumer).
Commitment to increasing access to affordable and culturally sensitive mental health services.
Self-motivated, able to work independently, and collaborative.
No formal higher education is necessary – instead, enthusiasm for and sincere interest in improving access to mental health services is most important.
Why Join Therapy4thePeople?
This organization says the role includes the following benefits…
Work on a collaborative team of early career professionals in psychology and social work who are committed to supporting and mentoring the intern.
Take on a fulfilling and impactful role that promotes mental health access.
Flexible schedule and independence.
Position is unpaid, however we’re happy to fulfill credit hours for internship coursework or write letters of recommendation in the future
Application Process
Interested applicants should submit a resume and cover letter that includes information about relevant mental health and social media experience, and two sample Twitter posts (preferably with visual content). Applications are due Sunday June 6. Applicants should expect to hear back regarding their application within two weeks, and if deemed a strong fit for the role, will be invited to a Zoom interview with the Therapy4thePeople co-founders. Please direct all inquiries about this position and application materials to: Therapy4thePeople Executive Team therapy4thepeople@gmail.com
“Our work centers the needs and experiences of people from marginalized groups, especially Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) and those from lower income backgrounds. We know that we can only achieve our mission if our team reflects the communities we aim to serve. Applicants who bring a diversity of lived experiences and identities are strongly encouraged to apply.” – Therapy4thePeople
Internships are one of the main forms of experiential learning experiences offered at Roanoke College and within the psychology department. Each semester, our department sends students to work with various different organizations, across a number of fields or professions within psychology, to gain exposure to the field and to share their experiences with the department and other students on campus.
While COVID-19 has come with many challenges, this semester, many internships were able to resume, allowing one student, Kait Gifford ’21, to gain an internship that allowed her to overlap her two academic areas of interest, psychology and criminal justice. Specifically, this semester, Kait Gifford has been interning with the Salem Commonwealth Attorney’s Office. Continue reading to learn more about this experience and what Gifford does during this internship.
Can you tell me more about your internship?
At my internship, I have gotten to review past and current criminal cases here in Salem. I pretty much have free range over the case files including any important videos from the crime scenes, witness statements, and any other supporting documents which is very interesting and exhilarating. After I have reviewed the cases, I report what I have learned back to the Commonwealth Attorney and we discuss the pertinent portions of the cases and what would be relevant at trial.
What drew you to interning at the Commonwealth Attorney?
I was actually recommended to this internship by Interim Chief of Campus Safety, Joe Mills. I am a student dispatcher at Campus Safety and I knew that I wanted to have an internship that combined psychology and criminal justice. I want to go into Forensic Psychology, and I felt that this internship would give me a better handle on some of the legislative principles of the field, while also allowing me to apply what I have learned through my psychology courses at Roanoke.
What does a normal day look like for you?
For the most part, I spend the majority of my time at my internship pouring over the case files. However, I also sit in court and watch court proceedings and trials in addition to talking to the people that work in the different aspects of the court system. I feel that this has been particularly interesting and beneficial for me because everyone takes different paths, so it is interesting to hear how some of the essential people to the courts have made it to where they are today.
Thanks again to Kait Gifford ’21 for sharing this experience, and if you are interested in completing an internship, you can reach out to the psychology department’s internship director, Dr. Findley-Van Nostrand, as well as check out the Psychology Departments, and Career Services websites for more information and resources.
A current Psychology student at Roanoke College, Grace Page, is completing an internship with Thriving Families Counseling, so we decided to highlight this local organization and share her experience and story. Thriving Families Counseling is a counseling center that provides services for adults, children, and adolescents.
Their services include individual, family, and group counseling sessions, and creative therapeutic modalities to address psychological distress (such as depression or anxiety), substance abuse, stress, family problems, grief, and much more.
The mission statement for Thriving Families Counseling (TFC) is: “to provide support, encouragement, compassion, and unconditional positive regard to adults, children, adolescents, and families while guiding them to find their inner resources and true Selves so that they may heal, grow, and learn to thrive in life”.
Grace Page is the first undergraduate intern TFC has ever had and sets a great example of how students can seek out engaging opportunities in the Roanoke Community. Grace had previously been a part of Roanoke’s Career Services’ Maroon Mentor program, and her mentor happened to work at TFC. After getting to know the Mentor, she was able to talk to her boss to work out an internship for Grace, creating the position based on Roanoke’s internship criteria.
“My favorite part about doing an internship is getting real-life experience working with someone in a position I hope to be in someday in the future.” – Grace Page
While TFC may not have other positions available for students, Grace sets an amazing example of what can happen when students step outside of their comfort zone a bit and independently search for meaningful opportunities. If struggling to find a place to start, students can always reach out to faculty members or the department’s head of internships, Dr. Findley-Van Nostrand.
If you are anything like the majority of psychology students across the country, you are probably trying to find a meaningful experience to fill your time over the 2021 summer. For some, this could mean going home and spending time with family, while others may have a job lined up and waiting for them. Whether you have an idea of what to do or not, we encourage everyone to take a look at summer internship and research opportunities for psychology!
Internships offer real-world learning experiences that allow students to apply what they are learning in the classroom in a professional setting and broaden their education from abstract to applied contexts. Internships also give you valuable information to add to your resume, allow you to develop a professional network, and there are opportunities for you to earn academic credit or pay for the work you are performing.
Research in psychology is a broad field that has endless topics to conduct research on. Psychology research occurs every day and providing support to research does not require extensive degrees, or prior experience. Research experience is a very valuable component to any graduate school or job application. Just like with internships, research experience provides a wealth of knowledge about the research process that your classes may not even begin to cover. It also opens a window of academic networking opportunities, is an outstanding experience to list on your resume, and often earns you course credit.
All Roanoke College students should remember that internship credits can be earned for research-based internships, and/or paid opportunities as well! This year specifically, credit can be earned locally, through a virtual opportunity, or wherever home is.
Not sure where to start looking for an internship? Check out this list of paid internship positions in developmental and general psychology. OR take a look at this site, which offers both psychology job listings and opportunities for internships for undergraduate students.
Additional information about internships and research can be found here, as well as contact information for Dr. Danielle Findley-Van Nostrand, the Internship Director for Psychology.
Blue Ridge Behavioral Healthcare (BRBH) is the Community Services Board serving adults, children and families with mental health disorders, developmental disabilities, or substance use disorders in the Roanoke Valley of Virginia. They believe that everyone has the right to be treated with respect and to participate fully in decisions that affect his or her life and value fairness and diversity.
SERVICES
BRBH offers a plethora of services and there are unique ways for volunteers and interns to become involved with each one. They have a mental health crisis program that offers both crisis screenings and stabilizations. BRBH’s child and family services includes case management and counseling. Their adult services are counseling, medications, housing and homeless services, addiction treatment, and much more. BRBH also provides services for individuals with developmental disabilities and overall prevention and wellness.
LOCATIONS
Burrell Center – 611 McDowell Avenue, NW, Roanoke,
VA Child & Family Services – 1315 Franklin Road, SW, Roanoke, VA
Recovery Center – 3003A Hollins Road, NE, Roanoke, VA
Liberty Road – 2720 Liberty Road, NW, Roanoke, VA
Mountain House Clubhouse – 2708 Liberty Road, NW, Roanoke, VA
Administrative Office – 301 Elm Avenue, SW, Roanoke, VA
WANT TO GET INVOLVED?
Follow BRBH on their social media account (Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter) and check out their NEWS blog on their website, where they post information about events, mental health awareness, trainings, and more. If you are interested in more information about internship or volunteer positions with BRBH, email hr@brbh.org for instructions on how to apply. Also feel free to reach out to Dr. Danielle Findley-Van Nostrand, findley@roanoke.edu, office 509-B Life Science, to talk more about psychology internship sites.
“I interned at Blue Ridge Behavioral Health Care in the Child and Family Services [Department] … 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. I would tell everyone to do an internship if they can, especially if they are not a hundred percent certain.”
Internships are one of the best ways to gain experience in the field of Psychology and explore future careers that you may end up working in as well as explore future careers that you may end up deciding are not for you.
Paid internships are hard to come by in the field of psychology, but there are currently three that are approaching application deadline for 2021 admission. Continue reading to learn more about each program.
Other Info: According to the programs website, “PIER’s SPUR program allows talented undergraduates to spend 8 weeks during the summer in a research laboratory at Carnegie Mellon University. Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, SPUR 2021 may be offered on a remote basis. Each student will receive a fellowship stipend of $3,000 and apartment-style housing will be provided if SPUR 2021 takes place face-to-face. Guidance and supervision of the research project will be provided by a faculty member as well as, in some cases, a postdoctoral fellow and/or advanced graduate student. Admitted students will also participate in the Go Research! Summer Program at CMU. This program brings undergraduate researchers from across departments together in apartment-style dorms with resident assistants to facilitate community building, manage housing, and provide programming. A Summer Seminar Series is provided for all students to help prepare for graduate education and research careers.”
Pay: $5,000 stipend for the ten-week period housing, a $500 food allowance, health insurance (if needed), and full travel expenses to and from Madison, WI
Other Info: According to the programs website, “The Psychology Research Experience Program (PREP) provides intensive mentoring and experience in scientific research and professional development to undergraduates from historically underrepresented populations — those from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, those from low-income backgrounds, those with disabilities, and first-generation college students — who have expressed and demonstrated an interest in a career in scientific psychology.”
Deadline: Applications opened November 1, 2020 and reviews start in late January 2021
Pay: $4,500 – $5,000 stipend (varies for partner REU programs), free on-campus housing, $500 travel allowance, free GRE prep course
Other Info: According to the programs website, “RISE at Rutgers is a nationally acclaimed summer research program for outstanding undergraduates from diverse backgrounds. Scholars participate in 10 weeks of cutting-edge research in the biological, physical, and social/ behavioral sciences, math, engineering, and exciting interdisciplinary areas under the guidance of carefully matched faculty mentors. A comprehensive professional development component, including GRE preparation, complements the research.”
If interested in any of these internships, click the links provided to learn more. Furthermore, Meltem Yucel frequently adds paid internships to their list so be sure to check back for more potential paid internships in the future.
Mainstream Mental Health Services provides goal-directed training to individuals who have been diagnosed with a serious mental illness. Their services are intended to support the individual in achieving and/or maintaining independence within their community in the most appropriate and least restrictive environment. It is Mainstream’s mission to enable eligible older adolescents and adults to acquire life skills and develop stronger family and community relationships that will enhance their quality of life in the mainstream community.
Mainstream’s three main areas of service include mental health skills building, psychosocial rehabilitation, and an outpatient crisis stabilization and outpatient psychotherapy unit. Roanoke College students have previously held internships with the psychosocial rehabilitation (PSR) program.
What do they do?
Mental Health Skills Building: a Qualified Mental Health Professional provides individual – one to one service – focused on the individual client’s personal goals and individual service plan. Mainstream follows a supportive strength-based approach to helping individuals recognize personal strengths and natural supports that help support a happier, fulfilling life.
PSR: person-centered service emphasizing a continuum of psychoeducational programming, daily life skills training, socialization opportunities, and satisfying recreational activities in a group setting. Provides an individual with an opportunity to move from social isolation to interacting with others in a positive, supportive environment.
Bridges to hope: Mainstream Outpatient Crisis Stabilization and Outpatient Psychotherapy Services, also referred to as Bridges to Hope, aims to provide quality, immediate interventions and ongoing support focused on stability with the least restrictive treatment possible. Programming will vary from day to day, depending on the needs of individuals in the program.
How can YOU get involved?
Mainstream values the opportunity to provide undergraduate and graduate level internships for individuals pursuing a career in the mental health field. Internships are centered around learning experiences and supervision that provide a basic, yet fundamental skill set that is the root of all direct mental health service practices. Students seeking an internship with Mainstream Mental Health Services, Inc. should be pursuing a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in one of the following areas:
Psychology
Human Services
Sociology
Social Work
Counseling
More information about internship opportunities can be found here on their webpage. You can also reach out to psychology department professors and fellow students who have had experience working with Mainstream. The Internship Director for Psychology is Dr. Danielle Findley-Van Nostrand, findley@roanoke.edu, office 509-B Life Science.
You can find more information on Mainstream Mental Health Services’ website: https://mainstreammh.com/ If you are interested in volunteering and not committing to a full internship experience, try reaching out to Bobbi Cook at bcook@mmhservices.com to see what alternative opportunities they have available. Make sure you tell her that you are from Roanoke College!
With spring break being only one week away the thought of summer may still seem distant in some mind’s, but it is quickly approaching. Summer break is a great time to explore opportunities in psychology and get experiences that go beyond the classroom. With the multitude number of research or internship opportunities available to students it can sometimes be challenging to figure out where to begin. Likewise, with summer comes graduation and the rush to find jobs begins. However,this websitehas got your back!
Whether it be a summer opportunity or a long-term job, this website is regularly updated with information on psychology opportunities. Not only does this website offer a numerous amount of resources but it is also easy to navigate. By providing filtering options such as the type of position you are looking for and what state you are looking to be in, there are options that would align with each student’s needs and interests. Moreover, this website also filters the positions on areas of psychology and includes opportunities in clinical, cognitive, cultural, developmental, educational, health, neuroscience, positive, and social psychology.
While you may not know quite yet what you want to do this summer or after graduation, this website is a great place to start searching and a great starting point to familiarize oneself with the endless opportunities that those studying psychology have! This website is updated frequently so if you don’t find a position that suits your needs or interests now, check back later!
Are you interested in getting a real world experience in Psychology? Then come to the Psychology Internship Information Session! The info session will be this Thursday, February 20, from 11:45 AM – 1:00 PM in Life Science 502.
This info session will provide you with all of the information you need about internships in psychology. Not only will deadlines, requirements, and opportunities be shared, but there will also be information shared on how to present yourself with resumes and cover letters.
If you are looking to get an experience in psychology outside of Roanoke College, complete an internship credit, or learn more about the benefits of internships then stop by this info session.
If you are interested in attending RSVP by 12 PM Wednesday, February 19, by contacting (540) 375-2462, or dyer@roanoke.edu
See Toni McLawhorn (Career Services), or Dr. Mary Camac or Dr. Danielle Findley-Van Nostrand for more information.
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.
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
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
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.
Applications are now open for the National Institute on Aging’s Summer Training in Aging Research (STAR) Program, based in Baltimore, Maryland. The deadline for college, graduate, and medical students is March 1, 2020.
Part of the broader NIH Summer Internship Program in Biomedical Research, the STAR Program participants (ranging from high school students to graduate or medical students) work with NIH Scientific Staff mentors regarding age-related research, culminating in presenting their research findings at the NIA Summer Student Poster Day.
While also there, participants learn about the scientific method, attend seminars, and may have the opportunity to co-author a journal article.
The aim is to provide students with the opportunity to developresearchskills through hands-on practice and seminars.
The program also provides aid regarding professionaldevelopment, through both the internship itself and assistance regarding applications to graduate or professional schools.
NIA Summer Internships range from eight to ten weeks, beginning in late May and ending mid-to-late August.
Participants will receive a stipend, with the amount depending on the level of education completed at the beginning of the internship.
If the NIA is not of interest, there are a number of other research opportunities through different NIH institutions. If interested in the other NIH research opportunities, follow this link to the NIH OITE Training Website where everything is broken down regarding overall opportunities through NIH and more.
For those interested in the NIA: applications will automatically be sent to the NIA if participants indicate such interest in the study of aging or designate the NIA as their NIH institute of choice on their application. To confirm that said application has been received by the NIA, please contact Recruitment Specialist, Ms. Arlene Jackson at jacksona@nia.nih.gov.
For advice in terms of writing a successful application, follow this link to a PDF provided by the NIH Office of Intramural Training & Education.
Potential participants are also encouraged to contact either Ms. Jackson, as mentioned above, or Ms. Taya Dunn Johnson, Assistant to the NIA Deputy Scientific Director, at dunnt@mail.nih.gov, for further information.
At the end of last semester on Thursday, December 5, students, faculty, and staff gathered in Fintel library to look at all of the amazing work the psychology department students have completed over the semester and summer. Various research posters and internship opportunities were shared and of course, the pizza was a hit among all session attendees! Check out the gallery of photos from the event below and congratulations to everyone who shared their research or internship on having a successful presentation and semester.
On Tuesday, November 19 from 12:00-1:00 PM Mainstream Mental Health Services will be in LS 502. They will be discussing internships (which can start this coming spring or summer) and job opportunities that their organization offers, as well as careers in mental health in general.
According to their website, Mainstream Mental Health Services, INC. believes in providing goal directed training to individuals in need to achieve and maintain independence in the most appropriate and least restrictive environment. It is our mission to enable eligible older adolescents and adults to acquire life skills and develop stronger family and community relationships that will enhance their quality of life in the mainstream community.
If mental health interests you then stop by on Tuesday and check out the opportunities that Mainstream Mental Health Services has to offer!
Naufel, K. Z., Appleby, D. C., Young, J., Van Kirk, J. F., Spencer, S. M., Rudmann, J., …Richmond, A. S. (2018). The skillful psychology student: Prepared for success in the 21st century workplace. Retrieved from: https:// www.apa.org/careers/resources/guides/transferable-skills.pdf
“The Skillful Psychology student” guide shown above lays out skills that could be listed on a resume, CV and LinkedIn. The graphic separates skills into five categories and lays out some of the most valued skills in each category.
If you are looking to enhance the way you look to possible employers or future graduate schools then check it out!
On Monday, September 30 from 4:30 – 6:30 PM there will be an Internship fair held in the Colket Center. This is a wonderful opportunity to find out more about internships offered for the Spring, Summer, and Fall of next year! Internships are a great way to immerse yourself into your field and possible future jobs.
For psychology majors, an internship can be used for credit to fulfill one of three electives. If you are interested in more information regarding how to count an internship for credit check out this link!
No matter for credit or experience, internships are a great way to apply the knowledge you have already learned to a new and different setting, as well as grow a social network that can lead you to possible future careers.
So stop on by the internship fair and learn more about what the Salem and Roanoke area has to offer for students!
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.
There is no applicationdeadline 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.
Interested in interning somewhere but not sure where to start? Come to the Psychology Internship Information Session on Tuesday, February 26th from 11:45 – 1:00 pm in Life Science 502 to learn more.
As always, pizza will be provided, but please bring your own drink.
If you are interested, please RSVP by Monday, February 25th at noon by either calling (540)375-2462 or emailing Mrs. Ellen Dyer at dyer@roanoke.edu. This is so that we know how much pizza to order.
Learn about a paid summer opportunity below, as described by the Center for Children and Families at Florida International University with edits by a RC student assistant for readability:
The Center for Children and Families at Florida International University announces Summer Treatment Program Counselor positions for 2019. The Summer Treatment Program (STP) provides services to children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Conduct Disorder, Oppositional-Defiant Disorder, learning problems, and related behavior problems. The program provides treatment tailored to children’s individual behavioral and learning difficulties. Counselors will work in the STP-PreK, for children in preschool or entering Kindergarten, or the STP-E, for children ages 6-12 in elementary school.
The dates of employment for the Counselor position are Monday, June 3, 2019 through Saturday, August 10, 2019. Counselor hours of employment are 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Monday through Friday, and on Saturday, August 10. In addition, Counselors continue to work with the children until 8:30 PM one evening each week while parents participate in weekly parent training groups.
Counselors are paid a salary of $4,000 for the summer. In addition, current students may be able to arrange for academic course credit through their university departments.
Desired qualifications for Counselors include: undergraduate-level study in Psychology, Education, Behavior Analysis, Social Work, or related field; experience working with children or adolescents in settings such as summer camps, after-school programs, sports programs, daycare programs, and educational programs; and experience with activities such as organized sports activities, art, music, dance, theater, journalism, photography, and videography.
Additionally, participation in the STP requires staff members to ensure the safety, well-being and treatment of children and adolescents with mental health, learning, attention and behavior problems. Staff must be able to visually scan the environment, effectively attend to and hear verbal exchanges between children, provide neutral, corrective feedback on children’s misbehavior (which can include aggression), provide a consistent, warm, positive climate for children, and actively engage in sports and physical activity. Applicants must be able to meet the above requirements of the position.
Applications for STP positions will be accepted beginning in October, 2018. Applicants are required to complete an online application form and to submit 3 letters of recommendation and an official transcript. There is no cutoff date for applying. Applications received after all positions have been filled will be placed on a waiting list. Positions are competitive so interested individuals should apply as soon as possible.
Interested in applying? Continue reading for a more in-depth description of the offered programs. You can also follow this link to visit their official website to learn more about their programs and apply!
The Salem VA Medical Center offers the chance for Roanoke College undergraduates to gain experience working in research with a seasoned Principal Investigator (PI) on current medical research. Available research projects have included topics such as “Predictors of Treatment Response Among Veterans with PTSD”, “Mental Health in Rural Veterans with and without Traumatic Brain Injury”, and “Effect of Exercise Training on Inflammation and Function in HIV Infected Veterans”.
If you are interested in completing research with the Salem VA Medical Center, please meet with the Director of Undergraduate Research (Dr. Chris Lassiter, Associate Professor of Biology) in the fall semester or early in spring semester to discuss the program.
Application and Requirements:
An overall GPA of 3.4 or higher is preferred (though an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher will be considered).
Materials to submit include:
cover letter (with research interests),
CV,
unofficial transcript and
two letters of recommendation
Please submit the above materials to the Director of Undergraduate Research by February 15 for research in the summer or the next academic year (fall and spring semester).
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.
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”.
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.
Remember Pie-a-Prof is today at 5 pm on Sutton Terrace!
Alexander, Maddie McCall, Adora Nguyen, and Ruth Woldu
Blue Ridge Behavioral Health Clinic
Shannon Yard, Alaina Thao Nguyen, and Karla Williams
Sydney Quantock, Kathryn Wicklund, & Griffith Wood
Eesha R. Imam, Shuhang Wu, Kathryn A. Flinchum, Grace E. Page, and Athena Buckthought
Samantha Baldwin, Victoria Blair, Amy Fox, and McKenna Polak
John Anderson, Sarah Waldinger, Alicia Robinson, Sarah Bocook, & Jessica Bowen
Laura S. Sullivan
Amber Durr, Mary Grove, Sydney Patterson-Bradbery, Licia Sheridan, Jeanne Skulstad, & Dr. Mary Camac
Jillian Barnard, Kaitlin Busse, Taylor Kracht, & Hannah Wuerthner
The Psychology Department hosted their research poster session on Thursday, April 19th 2018. Many students presented on their research projects and internships; students were also able to donate to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention while choosing which professor they’d like to see pied with whipping cream and sprinkles. Great job to everyone who presented and thanks to everyone who came!
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.)
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.
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.
On March 27th from 7 pm – 8 pm in Life Science 515, Psi Chi will be hosting a presentation by researchers from Salem Veteran Affairs Medical Center for students interested in learning about their research, as well as internship opportunities!
Growth Through Opportunity is a local non-profit organization whose mission is to create opportunities for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
GTO is looking for students who are respectful of others, positive, dependable, patient, flexible, and creative, among other traits.
Through the program, students partner with first responders at local fire stations, police departments, sheriff’s offices and courthouses, making this an ideal program for those especially interested in psychology, sociology, social work, criminal justice, education, communications, and business.
In addition to gaining experience with varying levels of our justice system and with first responders, students will also develop such skills as developing educational curriculum, teaching/job coaching, and fundraising and marketing.
Students can volunteer,intern, or complete service hours. (Though it is too late in the current semester to set-up an internship.)
Students work as job coaches with recent high school graduates with disabilities (physical, emotional, learning, behavioral), called ‘cadets,’ as they work on-site with members of our justice system and first responders. Each student will have a small group of cadets, around four-to-six, that they will look after.
The program would be both spring and fall, from five-to-twenty hours a week, or from 9 am – 2 pm Monday through Thursday, though students will have to be there all of that time.While students are not paid, GTO is applicable for academic credit or service/volunteer hours, as well as gaining invaluable experience and connections.
Furthermore, GTO will also be at the upcoming job fair on March 19th, 4:30 – 6:30 pm if you are interested and would like to speak to a representative.
Finally, if you are interested but cannot commit to the time or both semesters, the GTO team is currently working with the Virginia Department of Rehabilitative Services to create a summer camp where students will have the opportunity to be involved.
For those who are interested, please send a letter of interest and resume to Dawn Martin at GTOdawnmartin@gmail.com or contact her at (540)204-5945 if you have any questions.
Martin is a 1998 graduate of Roanoke College with a bachelors degree in psychology. She is happy to help interested students in finding a place at GTO.
Interested in conducting research on increasing political tolerance?
Thanks to a grant from the Charles Koch Foundation, the lab of Dr. Kurt Gray is looking for a few motivated undergraduates for a full-time paid 8-week summer internship (June 18th to August 10th). Interns will receive hands-on experience with study development, data collection, and data presentation, in addition to receiving $2,800 each.
To apply, please submit a CV and a letter addressing the following questions: 1) What does political tolerance mean to you? 2) Why do you want to join this summer program? 3) What unique perspectives can you provide this internship program? 4) What are your long-term career goals?
Please e-mail Emily Kubin (ekubin@ad.unc.edu) with the subject title Summer Internship 2018 by February 15th, 2018.
Interested in working with children in Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, or Elementary age groups? Want to be a Counselor, Classroom Aide, or Researcher? Looking for a chance to earn an internship credit?
Then consider applying to the Children’s Summer Treatment Program for children with ADHD or other related impairments at the Florida International University.
The Summer Treatment Program (STP) is a comprehensive program for children with ADHD and related behavioral, emotional and learning challenges. The STP has successfully helped more than 3,000 children and families and is composed of evidence-based intensive treatments incorporated into an eight-week therapeutic summer camp setting. Group and tailored individual treatment plans are focused on improving problem-solving, academic functioning and social skills—while also incorporating recreational, age-appropriate games and group activities.
The STP has been named a Model Program in Child and Family Mental Health by the American Psychological Association, and has been named the program of the year by CHADD, the national parent advocacy group for children with ADHD. Students who have worked with FIU and the STP have said that it is an incredibly rewarding. hands-on experience, with huge contributions to their professional development. The program is also helpful in continuing onto graduate school and careers, such as clinical psychopathology, pharmacology, and psychotherapy.
More information about the Summer Treatment Program and the Center for Children and Families can be found here. Information about applications can be found here.
Applications for all positions are competitive so students are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.
If you are considering applying to this program, please contact Dr. Camac about earning an internship credit.
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.
In the midst of winter as the cold seeps into our homes, we often tend to think of what we will be doing in the summer…
For students interested in summer research opportunities (including paid experiences), winter is also a good time to start thinking about applying to these opportunities, as many summer research opportunities have a deadline in January or February.
One notable exception to this is Roanoke College’s Summer Scholars program which has a deadline of March 15th.
Below are some of the opportunities available to students from every major, with the link to the full list of research opportunities here.
Examples from the Social Sciences and Humanities:
Leadership Alliance Mellon Initiative (many humanities and social science majors)
Interuniversity Consortium for Political and Social Research
American Economics Association Summer Training Program
American Political Science Association
Institute for the Recruitment of Teachers
Examples from the Sciences:
Research Experience for Undergraduates (REUs) – Includes the Sciences, Public Health, Psychology, and Anthropology
Pathways to Science
Department of Homeland Security
Commonwealth STEM Industry Internship Program
Student Conservation Association
National Institute on Drug Abuse
National Institute of Health (NIH) Summer Internship Program
Interested in internships? Then join us on Thursday, November 2nd, from 11:45 to 1:00 in Life Science 502 for an information session to learn about the different opportunities available, as well as their requirements and deadlines, and much, much more!
Pizza will be provided, but please bring your own drink.
RSVP by Wednesday, November 1, noon, to 540-375-2462, or to dyer@roanoke.edu
In a recent interview with Marcus Stewart for undergraduate research at Roanoke College, Sabrina McAllister ’18 talked about her research project titled “Time Perspective as a State-Based Measure” and gave advice for other prospective Summer Scholars.
For her research as part of the Summer Scholars program, McAllister worked over the summer with her faculty advisor, Dr. David Nichols, a professor of Psychology at Roanoke College whose primary research includes topics in neuroscience, vision perception, and time perception. Together, they examined the structure of the Zimbardo’s Time Perspective Inventory (ZTPI), a questionnaire that determines amounts of focus on past, present, and future, for ways to improve the inventory for more accurate results.
To learn more about what they discovered, as well as the the link for Dr. Nichols’ research lab, follow the links at the bottom of the page.
The Summer Scholar Program awards thirteen applicants from all majors with funding every year for independent study under the supervision of a professor. If all conditions are met, the scholar will receive one unit of credit for independent study, which can be counted towards the Honors project if part of the Honors Program. The program typically coincides with Summer Sessions I and II (June & July), but more time can be given if the student’s project requires it.
The deadline for applying to the Summer Scholar Program is March 15 and decisions are made by April 1st.
Summer Research Mentoring Program in Developmental Science
This summer, Dr. Elizabeth Simpson and her team will be leading a Summer Research Mentoring Program, funded by the National Science Foundation. Students will be compensated $1,800 to work 20 hours per week over the course of this of this 9-week program.
The Social Cognition Lab studies the development of social behavior in infants, including neonatal imitation and face perception. We use eye tracking to measure infant visual attention and we collect saliva to detect salivary hormones. You can read more about our research here: https://goo.gl/2lP2s8
Eligibility, Dates, and Location
High school seniors and undergraduate students are eligible. No prior research experience is required.
The program is from June 1st through August 4th, 2017.
The University of Miami is located in a culturally diverse and vibrant community. We are an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity University that values diversity and have progressive work-life policies. Women, persons with disabilities, and members of other underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply. We are especially interested in research-focused students from groups historically underrepresented in science, including racial/ethnic minorities, women, and students who are the first in their family to attend college.
Students are responsible for their own accommodations and transportation.
Components
Students will lead projects, under Dr. Simpson’s guidance. This student mentoring program aims to (a) introduce students to the general scientific method and specific methods of investigating infant social cognitive development; (b) identify student training and career goals; (c) facilitate student support networks, including peer mentoring; and (d) lead students in community science education through outreach and the dissemination of research findings to both the scientific community and the broader public. The research experience includes:
20 hours per week in the laboratory learning to measure social cognitive development in infants.
Weekly 1-hour face-to-face research meetings focused on the training and professional development.
Participating in a research conference to learn more broadly about developmental science and to network with other leading scientists. The South Florida Child Psychology Collaborative Research Conference is a student-focused conference held in Miami every summer.
Designing a summer collaborative outreach project. Students will be encouraged to be creative and develop a project to educate children or families in the community on a topic related to our research.
Pairing up with a graduate student to produce a tangible product summarizing research findings. At the end of the program, students will share their results through a paper or presentation.
Application
Materials must be received by April 24th, 2017 (midnight EST).
The Social Cognitive Development Lab at Yale University is now accepting applications for our undergraduate summer internship program.Highly motivated undergraduates can apply to help us uncover how children and adults think and reason about social groups and intergroup experiences.
Summer interns will be involved in many aspects of the research process, including participant recruitment and scheduling, study design, experiment facilitation, data entry and more. Interns will also attend and present at weekly lab meetings to discuss relevant research.
The program is 8-weeks from June 5 – July 28, 2017, full time (35-40 hours/week), with some weekend hours required. Eligible applicants are currently enrolled undergraduates and recent college graduates from US institutions.
These positions are unpaid; applicants are encouraged to apply for funding from their home institutions and other external funding sources for summer scholarships and grants.
Applications are due on March 3, 2017, send all applications to: helena.wippick@yale.edu in one email with subject line “[YOUR NAME] 2017 Summer Internship Application.” Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
Please see Dr. Buchholz for an application if you are interested in applying for this position.
Florida International University Center for Children and Families 2017 Summer Treatment Program — Counselor Positions
by Eduardo Merille
The Center for Children and Families at Florida International University announces Summer Treatment Program Counselor positions for 2017. The Summer Treatment Program (STP) provides services to children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Conduct Disorder, Oppositional-Defiant Disorder, learning problems, and related behavior problems. The program provides treatment tailored to children’s individual behavioral and learning difficulties. Counselors will work in the STP-PreK, for children in preschool or entering Kindergarten, or the STP-E, for children ages 6-12 in elementary school. The Center for Children and Families is directed by William E. Pelham, Jr., Ph.D., who is a Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at Florida International University. Paulo Graziano, Ph.D., and Katie Hart, Ph.D., are the Program Directors for the STP-PreK, and Erika Coles, Ph.D., is the Program Director for the STP-E.
The dates of employment for the Counselor position are Monday, June 5, 2017 through Saturday, August 12, 2017. Counselor hours of employment are 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Monday through Friday, and on Saturday, August 12. In addition, Counselors continue to work with the children until 8:30 PM one evening each week while parents participate in weekly parent training groups.
Counselors are paid a salary of $4,000 for the summer. In addition, current students may be able to arrange for academic course credit through their university departments.
Senior psychology major, Stephanie Shields, spent the summer abroad in Hamburg, Germany through an internship program, German Academic Exchange Service Research Internship in Science and Engineering. She worked alongside Ph.D. student Signe Luisa Schneider to complete her project on electroencephalography (EEG), learning, and memory. Read more about Stephanie’s work here!
Shannon Yard ’18, a junior Psychology major, is a health and basic needs intern during her time at the Lutheran College Washington Semester Program.
“I am the Health and Basic Needs Intern at Horton’s Kids. HK is an organization devoted to serving the Wellington Park community in DC’s Ward 8. Most recently at work I called over fifty mental health providers to find one that would be a good partner for us to provide counseling and therapy to the children enrolled in our program. My supervisor has set up meetings with a few potential matches, but during the process I learned more about the many differences in counseling and therapy practices and had to evaluate which ones would be the best for our kids. On a day-to-day basis, I distribute diapers to parents in need, help families access the emergency food pantry, and (my personal favorite) work directly with the kids during homework help or tutoring.
Sourcing Specialist for ScribeAmerica, a company that hires and trains “Medical Scribes” for Board Certified Physicians, is looking for candidates to fill positions! This is a truly unique employment opportunity for students interested in careers in medicine. Our company is currently looking to recruit students to work as Medical Scribes in your local area of Salem, VA.
The scribe will work one on one with board certified physicians assisting with documentation for each patient evaluated by the doctor. It is an exceptional opportunity for anyone interested in medicine to gain first-hand experience following a physician in an emergency department setting.
We offer paid classroom & clinical training. Each employee will have multiple training sessions both in the classroom and the department during which we teach extensive medical terminology and appropriate medical/legal charting documentation.
There is a flyer attached to this post providing more information about the positions and how to apply.
For more information you may also visit our website www.scribeamerica.com. Please contact Alexis Salters if you have any questions about our program at Alexis,Salters@scribeamerica.com.
This summer, as a part of the Pathways Summer Internship Program, Consumer Products Safety Commission is offering an internship to any current full-time or part-time student who resides within the D.C. Metro area.
Students should have at least a 3.0 GPA and are required to submit a resume and a college transcript, as well as answering interview questions. The deadline for this internship is MARCH 28.
Please see link for more information and application: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/433063900/
** If you do apply, make sure to select Social Sciences GS-0199.
If you have any questions about the internship, please contact Dr. Powell (dpowell@roanoke.edu), as she has previously participated in this internship opportunity.
“DePaul Community Resources, a non-profit agency in Roanoke, is interested in working with Roanoke College students as interns. They have different options, depending on the interests of students, and also location preferences. Besides their Roanoke office, which focuses on foster care programs, they have an office in Christiansburg that focuses on adoption care, and an office in Lynchburg as well. The Roanoke office is located on Hollins Rd, just off Plantation Rd, so it’s about 12-15 minutes from campus via I-81.
DePaul can have interns for academic credit or who just want the experience. They do have evening and weekend meetings and events, as well as those during the regular work day. Interns would participate with the full-time case workers with in-office visits, home visits, and training sessions. She did say that the students need to have a real interest in this field, as they will be exposed to severe situations that they’re hearing about from children, and it’s not for everyone. But it’s a good learning situation for one who thinks they want to work with children and youth in this way. All students must have a background check, which their agency has completed and pays for.
If you have serious interest in this placement for either summer and/or fall semester, please reply with your most updated resume (if you haven’t submitted it this semester already). If you’re interested in academic credit, you also need to check with either Dr. Camac (mcamac@roanoke.edu) for Psychology or Professor Brogan (dbrogan@roanoke.edu) for Sociology. I hope you will consider this opportunity. We are here and available to help you next week on documents, even if you’re not in town, via email and phone.”
Now Accepting Applications:
CFI Internship Opportunities
for Summer 2016
Each year, CFI provides opportunities for students to get more involved with the freethought movement by offering student internships and volunteer opportunities at CFI locations across North America. The following are the internship positions for summer 2016.
CFI Outreach Internships
Two positions available at CFI–Transnational in Amherst, NY
Last summer, Peter Wood of the Secular Student Alliance at Florida State University and Zach Ashton of the Secular Student Alliance at George Mason University joined the Outreach Department at CFI–Transnational, gaining valuable organizing and event management experience.
Now it’s your turn. We’re looking for two students to intern at CFI–Transnational in Amherst, NY this summer.
• Stipend: $200/week
• Dates: May 23—July 29 (flexible)
• Must be a U.S. citizen or legally authorized to work in the United States
Applicants should be:The interns will be trained in campus outreach, grassroots organizing, event planning and management, and other skills useful in nonprofit advocacy. Specific projects depend on the interns’ interests and experience but may include: developing new online campus organizing resources, producing audio and video materials, and designing new CFI On Campus promotional materials.
• Enthusiastic about freethought, humanism, and skepticism
• Able to work both individually and collaboratively
• Willing to follow instructions and accept constructive criticism
• Eager to contribute to CFI Outreach and advance its mission
To apply for an internship, please send a resume tooncampus@centerforinquiry.net and provide the following additional information:
• Statement of your academic and other interests.
• What are your activities with the skeptic/freethought movements?
• Why is interning at the Center for Inquiry something you want to do?
• What is your level of proficiency with Microsoft Word and Excel or comparable software?
• What is your level of proficiency with Photoshop, Illustrator or InDesign?
• Do you have experience with basic html and design?
• What skills and interests do you wish to develop during the internship?
Application Deadline: Thursday, March 31
Please contact CFI Outreach by email or at (716) 636-4869 ext. 402 if you have any questions about these internship positions. This is an exciting opportunity to learn more about outreach and advocacy, develop new skills, and gain grassroots organizing experience while contributing to the overall growth of the freethought community and strengthening your relationship with CFI! We hope you consider joining us this summer.
CFI–Michigan Internships
These are all on-site internships. Applicants must live within driving distance of our office in Grand Rapids, MI.
Custom Internships: CFI–Michigan is willing to structure a customized internship for interested students to meet their program requirements, even if no internship openings are posted. To inquire about a custom internship please send a letter of interest and resume to the email address below. We will contact you once we assess if we can facilitate an internship that meets your internship goals/requirements and our current program needs.
How to Apply for an Internship at CFI–Michigan
To be considered for an internship please submit:
• Your resume
• A letter of interest outlining your internship goals, program requirements, and why you’d like to do an internship at CFI–Michigan
• At least two samples of your writing skills. (PDFs or web links are preferred. We will also accept files from Microsoft Office or Adobe Creative Suite programs.)
• Applicants may also submit samples of graphic design, web development, photography or videography work (if applicable)
• Any additional materials requested for specific internships—see descriptions above for details
Submit application by email to michigan@centerforinquiry.net. Questions? Contact Jennifer Beahan, Assistant Director, by email or call (616) 706-2029.
Summer Internship in Daniel Gilbert’s Lab at Harvard University
Daniel Gilbert’s lab at Harvard University is accepting applications for volunteer research assistants for the summer. The ideal candidate is a motivated undergraduate or recent graduate with a keen interest in social psychology. Research experience is an asset but not a necessity.
Research relates to topics such as affective forecasting, the role of shared experience, altruism, self-knowledge, social interaction, and judgment and decision-making. Interns work approximately 35 hours a week; this includes study preparation, data collection (in the lab and in the field), statistical analyses, and lab meetings.
This opportunity is for summer 2016, early June through mid-August. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Please submit your application no later than March 1st.
To apply: please send a CV, unofficial grade report, a brief cover letter that explains your interest in the program, and your availability between June and August to gilbertlab.summer@gmail.com.
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.
Application Deadline: December 16, 2015
U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
2016 HS-STEM Summer Internships
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate Office of University Programs sponsors a 10-week summer internship program for students majoring in homeland security related science, technology, engineering and mathematics (HS-STEM) disciplines. The program provides students with quality research experiences at federal research facilities located across the country and allows students the opportunity to establish connections with DHS professionals. It is open to undergraduate and graduate students in a broad spectrum of HS-STEM disciplines and DHS mission-relevant Research Areas.
Undergraduate students receive a $6,000 stipend plus travel expenses.
Graduate students receive a $7,000 stipend plus travel expenses.
10-week research experiences are offered at: Coast Guard Research and Development Center ● Homeland Security Studies and Analysis Institute ● Customs and Borders Protection ● Engineer Research and Development Center ● Federal Emergency Management Agency ● National Security Technologies ● National Urban Security Technology Laboratory ● Naval Research Laboratory ● Office for Interoperabilty and Compatibility ● Transportation Security Laboratory ● DOE National Laboratories: Argonne, Berkeley, Idaho, Livermore, Los Alamos, Oak Ridge, Pacific Northwest, and Sandia
Areas of research: Engineering, computer science, mathematics, physics, chemistry, biological / life sciences, environmental science, emergency and incident management, social sciences, and more.
U.S. citizenship required
Application deadline: December 16, 2015, 11:59PM EST
How to Apply: Applications and supporting materials must be submitted at
https://www.zintellect.com/Posting/Details/1468
Program Information: Detailed information about the internships can be found at
http://www.orau.gov/dhseducation/internships/
For questions please email us at dhsed@orau.org.
The DHS Education Programs Team
ORAU/ORISE
“During my semester in Washington, DC, I interned at the DC Office of the Attorney General’s Mental Health Section. As a Psychology major with a Legal Studies concentration, this internship has given me valuable experience in a fascinating field of law. The Assistant Attorney Generals that I shadowed work to ensure that people who are likely to injure themselves or others as a result of mental illness legally get the help they need, while protecting the public and the rights of the patient. On a daily basis, I analyzed medical records, filed petitions for emergency hospitalizations, and occasionally attended witness interviews at psychiatric hospitals. I also had the opportunity to go to court and observe probable cause hearings, commission hearings, and jury trials. My internship at DCOAG taught me so much about the legal process and mental healthcare system in Washington, DC, because I got to experience it every day. Living, learning, and interning through the Washington Semester was an amazing experience!”
We’ll let Spencer,BA in Psychology class of 2014, describe it himself: “Journey of Hope is a cross country cycling trip across three different routes that raise money and awareness for people with disabilities. This event is one of many hosted by Pi Kappa Phi’s philanthropy, The Ability Experience. I worked as the Logistics Coordinator for the South Route of Journey of Hope where I was in charge of organizing the entirety of the trip and overseeing the safety of the team of thirty-six. Daily, we would meet with organizations that worked with people with different ability backgrounds. These “friendship visits” would serve as not only our inspiration to continue on the trip after hard days but as opportunities for us to create amazing memories with equally amazing individuals.
My educational pursuit was fueled by my passion to find a career where I can serve others. My time at Roanoke College benefited me greatly with my post graduate internship with The Ability Experience. Firstly, my research skills that I got from seminar allowed me to research and recruit several new organizational sponsors allowing for dozens of new first time visits. Secondly, my understanding of physical and developmental disorders allowed me to educate the cyclists so we could gain a stronger empathy to the many individuals we met.
I wish I could explain just how exactly incredible this summer has been. Every day on this trip was filled with memories I’ll cherish forever. Seeing the smiles on the client’s faces during baseball games, karaoke sessions, pool parties and all of the other events made every hardship seem so insignificant. I’m forever grateful for this opportunity that was available to me because of my time at Roanoke College.”
Are you thinking about doing an internship next fall or spring? If so, please come to one of the informational meetings! There are two meeting times: Thursday, April 9th at 12:00 and Friday, April 10th at 3:30. Both are in room 501 Life Science. Please attend even if you have already met with Dr. Macy Camac.
Because some of the internship guidelines are undergoing revision in order to comply with the Pathways Experiential Learning requirements, the website information is subject to change. The internship meeting will include a discussion of those changes. Two that might affect your decision are 1) that the number of hours required is now 120 (110 at the work site and 10 in meetings with the coordinator and/or your fellow interns) and 2) that you will be required to present a poster summarizing your experience at the Showcase of Experiential Learning at the end of the semester.
Please consider coming out to discuss internships!
Internships in the Department Kelsey Reedy ’15 at West End Center
“I did an internship this summer at the West End Center, and it was a fantastic experience. At the time, I was a rising senior. For the first month, Roanoke City Schools were still in session and their summer program hadn’t started yet, so from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. I supervised children grades K-5th, helped with homework, tutored, and mentored them in the West End Center’s after school program. I also assisted other staff members with various extra-curricular activities and problem solving. When the schools let out for summer, the West End Center’s summer program began. Then, my responsibilities included again supervising, tutoring, and mentoring the kids, but I also had the opportunity to teach the PeaceBuilders program, where I taught to 3 separate classes with approximately 20 students in each class. I created three separate lesson plans about building peace education and non-violent conflict resolution, based on the children’s age range.
All in all, it was one of the most rewarding and future determining experiences I’ve ever had. Through this internship I gained not only immense experience, but also a love for the West End Center. I still volunteer with them today, and I encourage anyone who has the opportunity to give it a try!”
Jessica (Jess) Gladfelter received a competitive internship at the Homeland Security Studies & Analysis Institute this past summer. She learned a great deal and even published a few commercial articles (see forthcoming blog entries). Way to go, Jess!
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
“Kati is an amazing young woman. She is bright, funny, smart, and talented, making you ask how she balances it all and keeps such a sunny disposition. Kati is currently completing an internship with Commonwealth Catholic Charities in preparation for pursuing adoption counseling.” ~Dr. Denise Friedman, Psychology Chairperson
I’m interning at Commonwealth Catholic Charities in the adoption department. I’m learning the ropes of adoption and foster care and I love it! I’m also training to become certified for the supervised visitation program. I’m learning so much about the field, and I love working with the families!
I interned at Carilion Behavior Health Clinic. During my internship, I was able to observe group therapy sessions. These sessions encompassed a wide range of therapy including expressive arts, cognitive behavior, and reality therapy. I was also able to see how the psychiatric hospital ran and learned more about how mental health clinicians and doctors work to help those in need of this type of treatment. I enjoyed this because my future goal is to become a Licensed Practicing Clinician so the hospital allowed me to see the ‘inside scoop’ of how an everyday tasks and goals are performed on individuals with mental illness. My favorite thing to witness was expressive arts therapy because it allowed for the individuals to express themselves in ways that are unique to them.
Internships are one of the main forms of experiential learning experiences offered at Roanoke College and within the psychology department. Each semester, our department sends students to work with various different organizations, across a number of fields or professions within psychology, to gain exposure to the field and to share their experiences with the department and other students on campus.
