Tag Archives: faculty news

Faculty News

Introducing Dr. Michael Love, Psy.D. Enriching Roanoke College’s Psychology Department!

Roanoke College is thrilled to welcome a new addition to its esteemed Psychology Department, Dr. Michael Love Psy.D. With an impressive academic background, a passion for teaching, and a unique blend of research interests, Dr. Love promises to be a valuable asset to both the faculty and students at Roanoke College.

Educational Journey

Dr. Love’s journey in the field of psychology began with his undergraduate studies at Virginia Tech, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2002. He later pursued his Doctorate in Psychology (Psy.D.) in counseling psychology at Radford University, successfully completing his degree in 2015.

One of the highlights of his academic journey was his dissertation, a longitudinal study on opioid injection rates among rural and urban adolescents and adults. Under the guidance of his advisor, Dr. Tracy Cohn, Dr. Love’s research yielded intriguing results which can be found at http://wagner.radford.edu/id/eprint/229

Professional Experience

Dr. Love completed his residency at Virginia Tech’s counseling center from 2015 to 2016, then became a staff psychologist, developing a passion for working with students. During this time, he led Interpersonal Processing-Based Group Therapy and played a pivotal role in establishing a unique therapeutic gaming group. In this innovative program, individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder learned valuable social skills through the popular game, Dungeons and Dragons, focusing on perspective-taking and frustration management.

His teaching experience, acquired during his time in graduate school at Radford University and later at Boston University, paved the way for his decision to join the Roanoke College faculty. Dr. Love was deeply impressed by the level of student engagement and passion for interactive learning that he encountered on campus, making Roanoke College his preferred choice for nurturing the next generation of psychologists.

Courses at Roanoke College

Dr. Love is currently teaching multiple of courses at Roanoke College, including PSYC101 – Introduction to Psychology, PSYC384 – Abnormal Psychology, and INQ120 – Social Media: Influence and Health. His interactive teaching style and commitment to engaging with students promise an enriching educational experience for all who have the privilege of attending his classes.

Beyond the Classroom

Outside of his academic pursuits, Dr. Love has a diverse set of interests that reflect his multifaceted personality. He is an avid gardener, an enthusiastic chef, and a talented audio engineer. These passions not only enrich his personal life but also contribute to his holistic approach to psychology and learning.

While he is not currently accepting research assistants this semester, Dr. Love looks forward to involving students in his research endeavors in 2024. His wide range of research interests holds the promise of exciting opportunities for students eager to explore the world of psychology through hands-on experiences.

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Alumni News, Faculty News, Faculty Post

Welcome Dr. Kennedy-Metz!

Dr. Kennedy-Metz

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Welcome back to Roanoke, Dr. Kennedy-Metz!

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Faculty Fun, Faculty News, Faculty Post

Dr. Eyad Naseralla

Meet Dr. Eyad Naseralla!

Dr. Naseralla is a first year professor of psychology here at Roanoke College. Dr. Naseralla completed his undergraduate degree at Texas Tech University, and his PhD at St. Louis University. His research investigates perceptions of victims, focusing on victims of sexual violence. When asked about his research, Dr. Naseralla explained, “What I like to do is find things that are common, but also overlooked. Things like reporting. Sexual assault is really underreported, so looking at that and seeing how people respond to that.”

When discussing his research further, Dr. Naseralla gave us his two key takeaways as a researcher, “The two biggest takeaways as a researcher are not to get too caught up with things, I think that sometimes it is better to keep things moving. The second biggest thing is that it’s super important to be conscientious….Being organized and managing your time well. That is really key to doing the things that you love to do.” 

Dr. Naseralla is currently teaching two Psych-101 courses, as well as Psych-319: Psychology and Law. When asked what his favorite part of teaching at Roanoke College was so far, Dr. Naseralla responded with, “The fact that the students here are extremely eager. The smaller classes make things feel more personal. It feels like there is more of a relationship there, and students are really eager to learn and participate. I really enjoy that.” 

We are very excited to have Dr. Naseralla with us at Roanoke College this year!

Faculty Fun, Faculty News, Faculty Post

Dr. Andrea Burchfield

Meet Dr. Andrea Burchfield!
We are excited for her to join our psychology team this year 🙂

Dr. Burchfield gives us a little background information about herself when she writes, “I grew up in Northern Virginia before finding my home in the Roanoke Valley. I earned a BS in Psychology from Radford University in 2006, and then worked as an ABA Therapist with the Blue Ridge Autism and Achievement Center before returning to school. I earned a MA (2012) and PhD (2018) in Psychology from George Mason University, where my research focused on the effects of a mindfulness-based program for parents of children with autism.

I enjoy bringing my clinical experiences into the classroom through sharing relatable stories, exposing students to the practice of mindful meditation, and by using the science of behaviorism to teach course material effectively. My favorite thing about teaching is building relationships with students, and watching them learn and succeed. Therefore, I’m passionate about discovering ways to enhance access to connections, education, and opportunities on campus, particularly for students with disabilities.”

We are lucky to have her here at Roanoke College!

Faculty News

What actor is your professor?

Dr. Allen: Helena Bonham Coato
Dr. Buchholz: Daniel Craig
Dr. Camac: Jamie Lee Curtis
Dr. Day: Cate Blanchett
Dr. DeMarce: Liv Tyler
Dr. Early: Richard Gere
Dr. Friedman: Jennifer Lawrence
Prof. Friedman: Vince Vaughn
Dr. Lynch: Meryl Streep
Dr. Nichols: Jim Parsons
Prof. Nichols: Julia Roberts
Dr. Osterman: Louis Ck
Dr. Pranzarone: Robert Deniro
Dr. Shenal: Hugh Laurie
Dr. Whitson: Michael Caine

Bereavement Announcement, Faculty News

Blog Dedication

1713049

The Roanoke Psychology blog is dedicated to Dr. Curt Camac, former chair of the psychology department. Dr. Camac passed away on October 6, 2012. He was a full professor at the college. Curt was well loved by faculty and students alike and is responsible for the tremendous growth and well-being the department has experienced over the past decade. We hope to honor his memory by celebrating our successes and sharing our stories with you.

Dr. Camac’s obituary can be found here: http://www.johnmoakey.com/fh/obituaries/obituary.cfm?o_id=1713049&fh_id=12548. If you would like to share your story about how Dr. Camac influenced you, please contact us.