Roanoke College Psychology Department

Latest

  • Congratulations to Molly Zydel!

    Molly Zydel ’19, courtesy of Dr. Powell

    Congratulations to Molly Zydel ’19 for being awarded the Mamie Phipps Clark Diversity Research Grant!

    Zydel will use this grant towards funding her Distinction Project, titled “Perceptions of Foster Care Youth’s Academic Identity: Comparing Reports from Foster Parents and Former Foster Care Youth.” Specifically, she will be using the grant in order to offset the costs of compensating participants for their time.

    She has been a member of Dr. Powell’s research lab since fall 2016.

    Zydel also went to Thailand as part of Dr. Powell’s May Term last summer. You can read about the trip here.

    The Mamie Phipps Clark Diversity Research Grant was founded in honor of Mamie Phipps Clark. Graduating in 1943, Clark was the first African American woman to earn a Ph.D. in psychology from Columbia University.

    As such, this grant is awarded to Psi Chi students and faculty advisors who are seeking to study diverse populations and issues.

    For more information about the research grant, click here.

    Congratulations again to Molly Zydel! We’re proud of you and look forward to learning about the results of your Distinction Project!

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

  • Salem Veteran Affairs Medical Center Presentation

    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!

    Hope to see you there!

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

  • The Story Behind the GIF

    In honor of three very special birthdays, including Dr. FVN and recent alums Stephanie Shields and Nikki Hurless, Dr. Nichols demonstrated how to “floss.”

    Naturally, it was made into a GIF.

    For a brief period of time, it was also shown on the psychology television near the elevators.

    To see the original video that inspired this masterpiece, click here.

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

  • Students Present at the Academy of Human Resource Development Conference

    Riker Lawrence ’20 (left) and Kaitlin Busse ’18 (right) presented two posters at the Academy of Human Resource Development conference in Richmond, VA, this past week..

    Congratulations to Kaitlin Busse ’18 and Riker Lawrence ’20 for their successful poster sessions at the Academy of Human Resource Development (AHRD) Conference in Richmond, Virginia!

    Part of Dr. Powell’s lab, Busse and Lawrence presented two posters on their findings from researching work-life balance and perceptions of organizational climate and job satisfaction in employees from the United States and the United Kingdom.

    The conference began on Wednesday, February the 14th, ending on the 18th. AHRD, a global organization, focuses on “leading human resource development through research.” 

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

  • Toy Like Me Dates & Delivery

    Need some service hours?

    Want to get involved with a worthwhile (and fun) program?

    Roanoke College’s Psychology Department will be delivering modified toys February 20th-26th made to look like the children they will be going to as part of the Toy Like Me program.

    There is a sign-up sheet in the hallway for specific times deliverers are needed. Primary and back-up deliverers are needed, so feel free to sign up for more than one slot if you can!

    Furthermore, Construction Day will be on March 15th from 5 pm-8 pm in Patterson if you would like to get experience modifying toys (and service hours).

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

  • Relay for Life!

    Interested in doing something fun and meaningful?

    Then consider signing up with the RCPA and Psi Chi team for the Relay for Life at Roanoke College on April 7th.

    We would love it for anyone available to join our team and help spread the word to raise money for this cause.

    Cody Dillon-Owens, incoming Psi Chi President

    If you would like to sign-up or donate, please follow this link to the official site.

    There will also be a booth where students will get to tie dye T-shirts, so be sure to come see us!

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

  • Student Publication & Updates

    Last semester, students from Dr. Nichols lab published a paper titled “Exploration of Methodological and Participant-Related Influences on the Number of Artifacts in ERP Data.”

    Under the direction of Dr. Nichols, Ms. Stephanie M. Shields and Ms. Caitlin E. Morse conducted a study in order to see how the number of trials needed to collect enough data for Event-related Potential (ERP) could be minimized through the reduction of artifacts.

    Typically, this type of research requires a number of trials in order to collect enough data. Oftentimes, several of these trials have to be discarded as a result of artifacts, or errors.

    Shields, Morse, and Nichols focused specifically on the connections between “the number of trials that have to be eliminated due to artifacts and a set of methodological variables, physical considerations, and individual differences.”

    To read more about what they found as a result of their research, follow this link to the original article.

    Related: Ms. Shields was awarded a Fulbright grant to return to Germany to study bat vocalizations and vocal learning in Munich, Germany from September 2017-July 2018. Prior to this, she spent a summer in Hamburg, Germany through the German Academic Exchange Service Research Internship in Science and Engineering. While there, she completed a research project with Ph.D. student Signe Luisa Schneider on electroencephalography (EEG), learning, and memory. (To find out more about this latter project, follow this link.) Shields also completed over three years of research in the psychology department and had other articles published as well. She graduated with a major in psychology, a concentration in neuroscience, and a minor in German. She plans on earning a Ph.D. in Neuroscience.

    Related: Ms. Morse currently works as a Licensed Nursing Assistant at Portsmouth Regional Hospital in New Hampshire. Graduating from Roanoke College with a degree in Kinesiology and Exercise Science in 2017, she followed this by attending the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences where she completed a Bachelor of Science degree in order to become a registered nurse. While at Roanoke College, she worked as a research assistant in the psychology department for around three and a half years, starting in 2013. She has also participated in two other published articles through Dr. Nichols lab, alongside Ms. Shields and other students. Her Linked In account can be found here.

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

  • Application Deadline for Radford University’s Graduate Programs in Psychology

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

    These programs include:

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

    Other opportunities include:

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

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

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

  • UVA’s L. Starling Reid Psychology Undergraduate Research Conference

    Have you recently completed a research study, are an undergraduate student, and want to present your findings at a well-regarded conference?

    On Friday, April 13th, 2018, the University of Virginia’s annual L. Starling Reid Psychology Undergraduate Research Conference will occur.

    This event highlights “outstanding empirical research conducted by undergraduate scholars.”

    The proposal deadline has been extended to Monday, March 15th, 2018 at 8:00 am.

    Accepted students will be notified by 5:00 pm on Thursday, March 22nd.

    Due to the high volume of applicants and the limited number of spots available, this conference is competitive.

    Presentation formats are either research talks lasting around fifteen minutes, or posters. The selection process for research talks are more competitive, but if an applicant fails to secure a research talk position, then they will automatically be considered for a poster.

    The application is now live and can be found here. For more information about the conference, follow this link.

    If you have any questions, please contact UVA psychology department’s Taylor Young, who is the Interim Undergraduate Coordinator. His email is psy-umaj@virginia.edu.

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

  • Job Fair & Growth Through Opportunity

    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.

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