Senior Spotlight: Amber Weaver

Amber Weaver is a third year senior with a major in Psychology and minors in Business Management and Communications. She is involved in a number of organizations across campus and also holds several on-campus jobs, including positions in Career Services, Academic Advising, and the Development Office. Within psychology specifically she is the President of the Psychology Club, and is also a member of Psi Chi.

In her freshman year Amber became a research assistant for Dr. Metzger, helping him with his work on directed forgetting. She was able to attend the Eastern Psychological Association (EPA) Conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania last spring to present the findings of that research, and also presented it at the Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Symposium at AU. Over the summer she had an internship with the Permissions Department at McGraw-Hill in Columbus, Ohio, and will be returning to work there over winter break.

As a member of the Honors Program Amber is currently working on her Honors Capstone Project, which also counts for her research requirement within the Psychology major. She is planning to attend graduate school for a Higher Education Administration program next year, in hopes of one day working in a college Career Services, Academic Advising, or Admissions office.

Senior Spotlight: Alex Maus

As a senior, I plan to soon achieve a Bachelors of Science degree in psychology with a minor in biology and a minor in nutrition.  Throughout my years at Ashland I have accomplished various things.  I have emerged myself into campus life through my job as a tour guide and my athletic involvement in cross country and track.  I am also involved in research within the psychology department.  Through Research Methods (PSYC 210 and 310), I developed and conducted a study analyzing the effect of stress on appeal ratings of food images.  The following semester I presented my results at the Eastern Psychological Association Conference in Pittsburgh, PA, as well as the Undergraduate Research and Creative Acitivity (URCA) Symposium at Ashland University. I am still collecting data and even adding more elements to the study in order to present results with little ambiguity.  As I work to perfect my study, I plan to present my results again this year at a conference and hope to submit an article to a peer-reviewed journal. 

I have also been granted the opportunity to work with my professors on their research projects.  I have been assisting Dr. Bonfiglio and Dr. Metzger in their study examining the difference between coping strategies and related performance on directed forgetting tasks with respect to autonomic reactivity to a directed forgetting and speech task as well.  I have also started assisting Dr. Moore on her case study aiming to increase the memory capabilities of a man with severe short-term memory impairment. 

This year I will also be shadowing a clinical psychologist in Ashland, Ohio.  I feel that her expertise will give me the experience I need to get a better understanding of the job I hope to soon achieve.  I will also be volunteering at Appleseed Community Health Center in Ashland, Ohio, counseling individuals through a rape and crisis hotline.  This experience will be fulfilling in my ability to help others and rewarding in the opportunities I will receive to learn skills required in my future career. 

Lastly, Ashland has allowed me the opportunity to expand my horizon by studying abroad in Germany.  The trip consisted of two core courses totaling 6 credit hours and an unforgettable, life altering experience.  I feel confident that my education at Ashland will result in admittance to a graduate program and furthermore the job of my dreams; as a clinical health psychologist.  

Senior Spotlight: Sarah Guarino

The invaluable experiences and education that I have received as a student at Ashland University have allowed me to become more prepared for my future in the field of psychology. Although it was not until my sophomore year that I decided to change my major to psychology, I have had many opportunities to have an active role within the psychology department. During the second semester of my sophomore year, I began my position as a research assistant, which has enabled me to have a solid understanding of the research process. The research that I completed as a junior with psychology students Rachel Carson and Lauren Goossens also allowed me to present at the EPA conference, and our research won a Regional Award.

 

Going into my final year at Ashland, I am excited to be working on my Honors Capstone Thesis, continuing as a research assistant, and participating in psychology club as the marketing chair. Over the summer, I had the opportunity to be a human resources intern at the corporate office of Eliza Jennings Senior Care Network in Lakewood, Ohio. Because I want to pursue a graduate degree in Industrial/Occupational Psychology, this internship allowed me to gain insight into one possible career path in human resources. The Psychology Department at Ashland University has truly helped me to grow as a person, and has prepared me for the next step in my education.

Senior Spotlight: Niki Valentine

My opportunities at Ashland have been more than I could have ever imagined. I switched my major to Psychology my second semester freshman year. It was the best choice I could have made. My freshman year brought a lot of great opportunities for me. I began assisting Dr. Bonfiglio with research, which gave me great insight into research methods, i.e. collecting and analyzing data and running participants through different experimental procedures. I also became a tutor for Psychology 101. My sophomore year I continued with research. This was the first year that I got the opportunity to present research I had assisted with in Chicago, IL and the Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (URCA) Symposium at AU, a project titled "Weight Changes in First Semester University Students." My junior year, I once again continued with research, this time getting to present in Pittsburgh, PA and URCA on "Participation in a Priming Task Predicts Persistence". I also presented a group project with my partner Kayla Hoover at URCA, "Suicide Education Media." During my junior year, I also became president of Psi Chi, which was a great opportunity to learn about leadership and responsibility in an organization. I also had an internship at KSK Health Services, a counseling service center in Middleburg Heights, OH. This gave me insight into what daily counseling sessions are truly about, and it gave me a little look into a possible career choice.

I have also been involved in many other campus activities and organizations. My freshman year I ran track at AU, running the hurdles and sprinting. I also worked at the phone center, calling interested freshman and alumni. My sophomore year, I got a job at Applebees, where I still reside. I am also involved in Psych Club, Psi Chi, and fundraisers for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. I also participated in the AU Germany summer program -- what an amazing experience to go to another country and learn so much about the culture, while earning credits! I am so grateful to everything I've gotten the opportunity to be involved in, and I know no other university would've given me these type of experiences.

Senior Spotlight: Rachel Carson

At the beginning of my freshman year at AU I was not quite sure what the best way was to get the most out of my four years here. Towards the end of my first semester, I was asked to apply to be one of Dr. Mattingly’s research assistants and once being chosen, it opened up the door to so many other things. Being a research assistant has been an opportunity in itself, but it has also allowed me to branch out even further than I would have thought. I worked with Dr. Mattingly and a colleague of his and received the honor of being selected as one of fourteen winners of the Psi Chi Summer Research Grant. With this award I was able to complete research in New Jersey and step off the AU campus. The numerous research projects that I’ve been able to work on have led me to 3 conferences across the country. While scary at first, these conferences have made me more confident in talking about research and with dealing with other professors and students outside of Ashland. In fact, Sarah Guarino, Lauren Goossens, and myself won a Regional Research award at the Eastern Psychological Association Conference in Pittsburgh, PA this past March. Being a part of Dr. Mattingly’s research lab has given me countless opportunities and has taught me a great deal, especially while being lab manager. This position has helped me come into this year more than ready to tackle my Honors Capstone research thesis.

Outside of the lab I have just begun an internship at Appleseed—Community Mental Health Center and I look forward to going through the extensive Domestic Violence and Rape Hotline training in order to volunteer later this year. In addition, I enjoy helping out in Psych Club as social chair, being involved with Psi Chi, and volunteering at events as a CAS Scholar. The opportunities that I have gained at AU—specifically within the department—are countless and have taught me so much.

Senior Spotlight: Ashley Christman

Ashley is a senior majoring in Psychology and Political Science. She is an Ashbrook Scholar who is currently working on a senior thesis regarding Social Fraternities at Undergraduate Institutions. Ashley is also involved in organizations on campus. She is currently the Formal Recruitment Chair for Alpha Delta Pi sorority, as well as the  Education and Communication Coordinator for the Orientation Team. Throughout her time at Ashland, she has participated in AU in Germany and she has been involved with the Center for Community Service- previously serving as PAW co-leader, and currently serving as the Habitat for Humanity Fundraising Chair and the Center for Community Service Student Intern. In 2011, Ashley won the Volunteer Hall of Fame award at the University's Leadership and Service Awards banquet. Ashley has also interned at the Domestic Violence Shelter in Mansfield, where she was able to observe counseling session and help organize the children's activity nights. Ashley's long term goal is to open an orphanage, but prior to doing so she intends to go to Graduate School to earn a degree in Higher Education Administration after graduating from Ashland University.

Here is a photo of Ashley this past summer at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France.

Senior Spotlight: Lauren Goossens

The past three years at Ashland University have been a great experience, and I have had many opportunities to involve myself in campus activities and to excel in academics.  I switched my major to psychology my sophomore year, and I am glad that I made the decision to become a psychology major.  I began working as a research assistant for Dr. Bonfiglio, which has given me great insight into the research aspect of psychology.  Through being a research assistant, I have learned the process of conducting research and analyzing research, as well as presenting the findings.  In the spring of my sophomore year, I presented our research that I worked on as a research assistant titled "Weight Changes in First Semester University Students" at the Midwestern Psychological Association (MPA) conference in Chicago and at AU's Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (URCA) symposium.  I continued to work on studies with Dr. Bonfiglio during my junior year, but I also designed and conducted a study with Rachel Carson and Sarah Guarino for our Advanced Research Methods course.  We presented our research "The Influence of Context and Color on Memory" at the Eastern Psychological Association (EPA) conference in Pittsburgh and at AU's URCA symposium in the spring.  Also, I was awarded the Outstanding Sophomore Award for psychology, and the Outstanding Junior Award for psychology, and I am a part of Psi Chi.

I am also involved with other activities and groups outside of psychology.  I am a member of the Honors Program at Ashland, and I am a member of Alpha Lambda Delta.  I worked as a lifeguard at the Rec Center during my freshman year, and I now work as a Writing Assistant at the Writing Studio on campus, and that has given me the opportunity to work with students and improve my abilities to work with and help others.  I am a member of two Community Care Groups: PAW (Peers for Animal Welfare), and Adopt-a-Grandparent.  Psychology Club is another important group that I am in, and being in these different groups have taught me responsibility and teamwork.  I also attend The Well on campus, and I take part in several different exercise classes at the Rec Center.