Roanoke College Psychology Department

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

Goals for the class include:
1. Clearly delineate the field of clinical psychology from all related professions
2. Help students understand the unique skills and abilities of clinical psychologists and how these things can be used across the many settings we work in
3. Give students the basic tools to think like clinical psychologists and learn how to approach things systematically and scientifically to be informed consumers and ethical providers in the future
When asked about his hopes and expectations for the class, Dr. Hilton responded:

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

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

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

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

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

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Blog: https://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/

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

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February 11, 2020
Looking for Research Opportunities & Internships?
Looking for research opportunities and/or internships this summer, but not sure where to start?

Never fear! I bring you good news.

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

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

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Get Connected!

Blog: https://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rcpsychology
Twitter: @RC_Psychology

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

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February 10, 2020
G.R.A.C.E. LAB SUMMER PROGRAM!
The Gender Race and Cultural Empowerment (G.R.A.C.E.) lab is hosting a 6-week summer program offering students the opportunity for one-on-one mentorship and research experience. The G.R.A.C.E. Lab’s emphasis is on social psychology with a focus on the experiences of Black women in STEM education.

Responsibilities include:
- Recruiting study participants
- Data collection and analyses
- Attending weekly lab meetings
Qualifications for this position:
- Strong academic performance in psychology,
  with a GPA requirement of 3.25 (overall and
  major)
- Dependability and takes initiative
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
- Rising juniors and seniors preferred
This program will run from June 8 – July 17, 2020, and will be hosted at Spelman College. You are expected to be committed for all 6 weeks. While attending this program, a stipend, housing for 6 weeks, and a campus meal plan will be included.

They will begin selecting applicants into the program on a rolling basis until February 14, 2020.

If you are interested in applying to this program follow this link and email your cover letter, curriculum vitae, and your most
recent unofficial academic transcript to Dr. Maria Jones, Postdoctoral Research Associate, at mjones35@spelman.edu!

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Get Connected!

Blog: https://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rcpsychology
Twitter: @RC_Psychology

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

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February 5, 2020
NIA’s Summer Research Opportunity: STAR Program

Looking for a summer research opportunity?

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 develop research skills through hands-on practice and seminars.

The program also provides aid regarding professional development, 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.

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Get Connected!

Blog: https://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rcpsychology
Twitter: @RC_Psychology

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

Instagram: rcpsychology

January 27, 2020
Ellen Dyer Receives 2019 STAR Award

Pictured left-to-right: Ellen Dyer, Rick Fox, and Sandy McGhee, recipients of the 2019 Roanoke College STAR Award. Photograph courtesy of Roanoke College News.

In 2019, the Psychology and Biology Department’s very own Ellen Dyer received the STAR Award!

“I was quite surprised and felt very honored to get [the STAR] Award. It’s nice to know that you are appreciated” said Ellen when asked on how she felt upon receiving the award.

The “Service to All Roanoke” or STAR is given annually to Roanoke College employees who have an “outstanding positive influence” on the College campus and with their local community as well, going above and beyond what is required.

The STAR Award is competitive, with only one recipient chosen from each employee category: exempt, non-exempt, and hourly.

Dr. Osterman, who wrote the nomination for Ellen, said this:

Ellen is amazing, embodying the perfect intersection of competence and kindness. We have all been hopeful that she would win the STAR Award for a number of years now and we were so thrilled to see her recognized for all of the outstanding work that she does with us. We’re really lucky to have her.

Mrs. Ellen Dyer, secretary of the Roanoke College Psychology and Biology Departments, with award. Photograph courtesy of Dr. Buchholz.

Dr. Buchholz, department chair of the Psychology department, agreed, saying:

Ellen is amazing! She is essential to the daily functioning of the Psychology (and Biology) departments. She is kind, considerate, and a really great human being. She is truly deserving of this award.

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January 24, 2020
2020 SUMMER PROGRAM STAFF POSITIONS!

The Center for Children and Families at Florida International University announces Summer Treatment Program Counselor, Research Assistant, and Teacher/Classroom Aide positions for 2020. 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. 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.

By participating in the STP, students will:

· Learn evidence-based techniques for working with children who have disruptive behavior disorders

· Gain valuable clinical and research experience to prepare for career and graduate school

· Help children to improve their social skills, sports skills, and academic skills

· Network with faculty members at the Center for Children and Families, as well as students from across the country.

Positions are available in three related programs serving children between the ages of 3-12. In each program, children and counselors are assigned to groups of four or five counselors and 10 to 15 children of similar age. Children participate in a variety of classroom-based and recreational activities. Staff members implement an extensive behavior modification treatment program during all program activities. The behavior modification program includes feedback and associated consequences for positive and negative behaviors, daily and weekly rewards for appropriate behavior, social praise and attention, appropriate commands, and age-appropriate removal from positive reinforcement. Staff members will also be responsible for recording, tracking, and entering daily records of children’s behavior and response to the treatment. Staff members will work under the supervision of experienced faculty and staff members and will receive regular feedback about their performance.

Experience in the STP may be helpful to prepare students for further study or employment in the fields of education, mental health, physical education, pediatrics, psychiatry, recreational therapy, behavior analysis, social work, counseling, and related areas. Staff members have uniformly reported the experience to be the most demanding but also the most rewarding clinical experience of their careers.

More than 100 positions are available across the three programs. Positions are available for undergraduate students, postbaccalaureate students, and graduate students. Detailed descriptions of each program, position descriptions, and application instructions are available at this link!

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Get Connected!

Blog: https://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rcpsychology
Twitter: @RC_Psychology

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

Instagram: rcpsychology

January 23, 2020
POSTER SESSION FALL ’19!

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.

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Get Connected!

Blog: https://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rcpsychology
Twitter: @RC_Psychology

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

Instagram: rcpsychology

January 17, 2020
PSYCHOLOGY DEPARTMENT T-SHIRT DESIGN CONTEST!

Need something to keep you busy during the holidays?!? Enter the T-shirt Design Contest for the Psych Department!

Get Connected!

Blog: https://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rcpsychology
Twitter: @RC_Psychology

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

Instagram: rcpsychology

December 19, 2019
NCFR Conference 2019!

© ncfr.org

On November 20-23, Dr. Powell took two students to the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR) Conference in Fort Worth, Texas to present research through poster sessions and to attend presentations. These students included Rachel Harmon ’20 and Morgan Hamilton ’21.

Morgan Hamilton Worked alongside Dr. Powell and presented their poster titled “The Association Between Implicit Theories of Relationships and Emerging Adults’ Expectations for Romantic Relationships,” which was based on a subset of results from Taylor Kracht’s ’18 honors in the major study.

The students have since given some insight onto what it was like presenting at the conference as well as their reactions to the conference and Fort Worth, TX:

Rachel Harmon and Morgan Hamilton at the NCFR conference

Rachel Harmon

I attended the annual NCFR conference with Dr. Powell and my fellow lab-mate, Morgan. Although I did not present at the conference I enjoyed attending the poster sessions and symposiums that were relevant to my current and future research interests, as well as supporting Morgan and Dr. Powell during their presentation. I specifically enjoyed attending presentations on the topics of disability and immigrant youth and families. Attending this conference was beneficial for me as I am currently applying to graduate programs in Human Development and Family Studies and Clinical Psychology. While I was at the conference I was able to interact and network with professors in Human Development and Family Studies programs as well as to receive feedback on my own research. Attending NCFR also prepared me to present my own research at a conference next semester. I am very thankful that Dr. Powell and Roanoke College encourage their undergraduate students to attend conferences to gain valuable experience in their areas of interest. Overall, I really enjoyed exploring Fort Worth with Dr. Powell and Morgan. The things I enjoyed most about the city were the food and the nice weather!

Morgan Hamilton and Dr. Powell presenting their poster

Morgan Hamilton

The opportunity to present at NCFR was incredible. Leading up to the poster session, I was very nervous because I had never presented to a group of scholars. After the session began and I had spoken to a few people who gave high praise to our research, my nerves significantly calmed. It was so cool to hear people’s thoughts about how our research applied to their own work. Although presenting was a great experience, my favorite part of the conference was listening to other scholars talk about research they conducted on topics I want to pursue and am truly passionate about. I was able to sit in a room with thirty people who all cared about adolescent mental health and was also able to meet a few professors at graduate programs too. It was fascinating to see how Psychology is growing & gave me great ideas about potential future research I would like. Finally, Fort Worth was such an amazing city! Rachel, Dr. Powell and I spent a lot of time walking around the shops in the city and finding great food along the way. Overall, the experience was something I am super grateful to have been warranted and I’m sure it will stand out as a highlight of my academic career at Roanoke College.

Fort Worth, TX gearing up for the holiday season!

Congratulations to all those who attended the conference and for having a successful presentation!

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Get Connected!

Blog: https://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rcpsychology
Twitter: @RC_Psychology

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

Instagram: rcpsychology

December 4, 2019
PREPARING FOR FINALS WEEK!

©GIPHY Want to learn how to avoid looking like this during finals week? Then keep reading!

With the start of finals week being just 2 weeks away, it is time to start studying and preparing for any final projects or assignments due. Students stress levels spike during this time of year and while the idea of having a week full of deadlines and exams can seem terrifying, if you start attacking the projects and studying now, finals week can become much less stressful.

This post is to help relieve some of the stress that comes with finals! Below is an action plan on how to attack projects and start studying early, as well as how to stay on top of deadlines before they come.

Step 1: Start early!

While this may be easier said than done, especially with Thanksgiving being this Thursday, starting on projects and studying early will help to relieve most tension and stress that is felt during finals week. Here is a simple way to get started early:

1. Start off my marking down the due dates of any final projects/assignments and dates of final exams. By putting the dates into a calendar you will be able to better visualize what needs to be completed and by when.

2. Write down each day leading up the final project/assignment/exam. Next to each day write down something to accomplish. Typically putting a little bit of time into each objective/goal daily is better than spending one whole day on one item. For example, if you have a final exam that includes a study guide attack 1 portion of the study guide (such as 1 chapter) daily, or every few days depending on how much is on the exam. Likewise, if you have a final paper try to work on a paragraph or portion each day or every few days depending on how much time you have.

This may seem like a lot at first but dividing each assignment or exam studying across multiple days will be much more efficient than waiting till the day before to write a whole paper or study for an entire exam.

© kissclipart

Step 2: Prioritize!

Make the choice on what assignments/projects/exams are most important to you and put more of a focus on those. If there is a class you are struggling in or a class that has deadlines coming up sooner than others, you would want to put in more time preparing for the items due in that class.

Step 3: Talk to the Professor or classmates!

When you start studying and preparing early it gives you optimal time to ask for clarification from the Professor or from classmates. This will help to relieve any anxiety with topics or assignments that may stump you during your studying/prepping for the end of the semester.

Step 4: Relax, Breathe, and take time for yourself

Make sure that during all of your prepping for finals week you take time for yourself. Whether it be meditating, exercising, shopping, or petting the campus cat or visiting dogs, make sure to take some much needed breaks and step away from the assignments, projects and studying. Not only will this allow you to clear your mind and come back with more ideas and a fresh head space, it is also extremely beneficial in increasing your moral and reducing the stress and anxiety that comes with finals.

© Zedge; Remember Hakuna Matata and when in doubt spend some time watching Disney+

This action plan may not work for everyone and is in no way exhaustive in terms of preparing for finals week. However, if you start early you will find that finals week is not as bad at it seems and you will be able to get through each exam, project, or assignment with much less stress than if you wait till the day or few days before.

While finals are fast approaching, there is more than enough time to get started and get ahead, and know that you can do it!

Good luck with your finals preparation and have a wonderful Thanksgiving break!

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Get Connected!

Blog: https://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rcpsychology
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Website: https://www.roanoke.edu/inside/a-z_index/psychology

Instagram: rcpsychology

November 26, 2019