Students Inducted to Psi Chi

Two psychology students were inducted into the Psychology Honorary Society, Psi Chi, on March 8.  Adrianna Goodyear and Ashley Merritt both met the requirements of the society (minimum of 9 credit hours in psychology and in the top 35% of their class), and are pictured here with Psi Chi President Taylor Kaye.  Congratulations!

Recent Grads Accepted into Doctoral Programs

Two recent alumni of the Ashland University Psychology program, Natalie Bisignano '18 and Hannah Drake '19, have been accepted into the doctoral program in Counseling Psychology at Ball State University. Both women were active in the Psychology Department and involved in research while undergrads at Ashland, and both went on to continue their studies in Master's programs. Natalie is currently a Master's student at Eastern Michigan University. Hannah is a Master's student at Ball State. We wish Natalie and Hannah great success in this next phase of their education. We are proud to call both of them alumni!

Congratulations, graduates!

Seven Ashland University Psychology majors took part in the commencement ceremony on Saturday, December 14.  Pictured below are Dr. Bonfiglio, Yuanyuan Jiang, Liz Takacs, Kaylei Ruffing, Paige Leitz, Jessica Wilson, and Dr. Metzger (Ariana Graves and Sabrina Dickens not pictured).  Congratulations!!!

Psychology Graduates Perform Well on National Test!!!!

This spring 11 graduating psychology majors completed an examination of psychological knowledge by taking the Psychology Area Concentration Achievement Test (PACAT). The PACAT measures student knowledge in six foundational areas of the discipline and this exam is used by our department to improve student learning and make data-driven decisions about our curriculum. Students were tested on their knowledge in the areas of abnormal, developmental, experimental design, physiological psychology, personality, and social psychology, and this year's group scored in the 79th percentile of the 5,840 students nationally who also took this exam. Congratulations!!

Psychology Students Present Research at APS

Three recent AU Psychology graduates presented research they conducted at while AU at the Association for Psychological Science Conference on May 25th. Natalie Bisignano, Hannah Drake, and Tiffany Pryce presented their work, "Women Endorse Their Own Stereotyped Preferences: A Replication of Conrad and Scheve (2017)" during the Saturday morning poster session. The conference was held in Washington, D.C. The students' travel was supported by a Provost Student Research Grant.

Outstanding Students

The Psychology Department recognized their "outstanding students" at the annual Academic Honors Convocation, which was held on April 14 in the AU chapel.  This year's outstanding students were nominated by the faculty in the psychology department and included Andrew Bailey (Outstanding Sophomore), Christine Shelton (Outstanding Junior), and Hannah Drake (Outstanding Senior).  These students were nominated because of their academic achievements and their dedication to to the psychology program.  Congratulations!!!

Todd Marshall (interim Provost) and Hannah Drake

AU Psychology Majors Present at URCA

A number of psychology students presented their research at the annual Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (URCA) symposium that was held on the Ashland University campus on April 9.  The psychology department was well-represented at this year's symposium, as 14 students presented their research, and each of the five members of the psychology department faculty served as sponsors.  Participating students were Nicholas Bloxsom, Kaylei Ruffing, Dana Awlia, Mallorie Harding, Bryce McClish, Elizabeth Takacs, Miranda Bielawski, Katherine Conley, Savannah Lewis, Tiffany Smolinski, Jessica Wilson, Hannah Drake, Natalie Bisignano, and Tiffany Pryce.  Excellent job!

Jessica Wilson

Curt Ickes, Katherine Conley, and Peter Mallik

Psychology Students Present at the Annual Meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association

Five students from the Psychology Department at Ashland University recently presented their research at the annual meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association in Chicago.  These students were involved in research over the past year that took place in a research methods class, as directed research, or as independent studies, and the students were accompanied to Chicago by Drs. Bonfiglio and Metzger.  Congratulations to Dana Awila, Talyah Fogle, Savannah Lewis, Kaylei Ruffing, and Jessica Wilson!

Student Publishes Article in Psi Chi Journal

Derek Baker, a psychology major who graduated from Ashland University in May 2017, recently published an article with Dr. Chris Chartier in the Psi Chi Journal of Undergraduate Research.  The article, titled "Participant Attentiveness to Consent Forms" is available full-text and online by clicking here.  Derek is currently a student in the School Psychology graduate program at Miami University (OH).  Congratulations!! 

Psychology Students Earn Their Diplomas!!

Congratulations to the following students who were awarded their diplomas during Spring Commencement 2018!  This list includes students earning BA and BS degrees, double majors, and those graduating with distinction!  We are proud of you!

Amanda Case

Psychology/Criminal Justice

Cum Laude

Samantha Demers

Psychology

Kelly Dremenn

Psychology

Manga Cum Laude

Bryce Garman

Psychology

Cum Laude

Gamma Alpha Kappa

Nicole Paradis

Psychology

Rylee Shoup

Psychology/Criminal Justice

Kimberly Vidika

Criminal Justice/Psychology

Magna Cum Laude

Students Present Their Work at MPA in Chicago

AU Psychology students Tiffany Pryce, Hannah Drake, and Natalie Bisignano presented their original research at the Midwestern Psychological Association annual conference in Chicago on April 12th. The students conducted their research as part of Dr. Bonfiglio’s Fall 2017 Research Methods course. They had the opportunity to connect with psychologists across the region to discuss their research interests, and were also able to spend some time exploring downtown Chicago. We are incredibly proud of these students!

AU Faculty Member and Student Publish Article

Dr. Chris Chartier (Associate Professor of Psychology) and Savannah Lewis (psychology major), along with Dr. Randy McCarthy (Northern Illinois University) recently published an article in Eye on Psi Chi.  The article is titled "Undergraduate Researchers Will Save Psychological Science" and details how undergraduate researchers have "been making significant contributions" to the discipline.  Click HERE to read the full transcript of the article.  

AU Alum Makes Team USA

Katie Nageotte, former Ashland University Psychology major, recently earned a spot on Team USA for the IAAF World Indoor Championships which will be held in March in Birmingham, England.  While at Ashland University, Katie was a national champion in the pole vault in 2013, and made a spot on Team USA by clearing 15' 7 1/4" last week at the USATF Indoor Championships in Albuquerque, NM.  That vault leads the WORLD so far during the 2017/2018 indoor track season.  Click HERE to read the press release from Ashland University.  Congratulations, Katie!

Emily Wirtz - December 2017 Intern of the Month!

Congratulations to Emily Wirtz who has been named Ashland University’s December Intern of the Month! Emily graduated in December and majored in Pychology, Creative Writing, and Religion. During her internship she worked as an Outreach and Prevention Assistant at Safe Haven, a rape crisis and domestic violence center. 

Emily assisted in rebranding general marketing materials as well as created a new set of marketing materials to be used on campus. She also researched and assisted in the creation of new programs, including a college-geared social media platform, college-age support group for sexual assault survivors, and teaching curriculum for high school and college students. Additionally, she had the opportunity to attend training in advocacy and awareness for sexual assault and domestic violence. Emily continually worked directly with the Title IX committee of AU to improve policy and support for all students.

“The subject matter of this internship has prepared me to do ground-level work with people in need. It has given me the tools to care for others and myself in stressful and high-risk situations, such as those present in circumstances of domestic violence and sexual violence. Additionally, the internship, and more specifically my supervisor, has provided me with the social and business etiquette to function and excel in the workplace, no matter who I am working with. Working in this environment has showed me how to raise my voice for important issues and be respectful while doing so.”

The Career Services Center is so glad you achieved a great deal at your internship, Emily. We hope the skills and knowledge you obtained will continue to benefit you on your career path. Thank you for sharing your experience with us and we wish you the best in your future endeavors.

AU Psychology Majors Are Going Places!

Melanie Ward and Muslimah Williams, two Ashland University students who graduated in May 2017 with a major in psychology, are beginning their graduate studies in Europe this fall.  Melanie is attending Utrecht University in the Netherlands, and Muslimah is enrolled at Swansea University in Wales.  Both students will be working toward Master's degrees in Clinical Psychology.  To the best of our knowledge, these are the first psychology students to pursue graduate degrees at institutions located out of the United States.  Congratulations!

Psychology Majors Accepted to Graduate Programs

Ten of our graduating seniors from 2017 have been accepted into graduate programs.  These students were accepted to such institutions as the University of Kentucky, Loyola University (MD), Arizona State University, Miami (OH) University, Kent State University, and Palo Alto University, among others.  These ten students are entering a wide range of graduate programs including School Psychology, Health Care Administration, Forensic Psychology, Mental Health Counseling, and Clinical Psychology.  Congratulations!!!!

Psychology Majors Perform Well on National Exam

This past spring our graduating seniors scored in the 80^th percentile on the PACAT exam.  This exam is taken by nearly 6,000 psychology graduates across the country, and measures student competency in a variety of different content areas.  The national average on this exam is the 50^th percentile, so our students far outperformed that average this year.  Congratulations!

AU Psychology Major Presents at the 31st Annual OUPRC

Emily Civittolo presented at the 31st Annual Ohio Undergraduate Psychology Research Conference hosted by John Carroll University.  Her presentation was titled, "College Students' Attitudes Towards Mental Illness", and Dr. Curt Ickes was her faculty sponsor.  This was Emily's third research presentation of the semester, as she also presented at the Ashland University's Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Symposium and at the Midwestern Psychological Association in Chicago.  Congratulations!!

Eleven Psychology Majors Present Research in Chicago

Eleven Psychology majors recently presented their research at the 89th annual meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association in Chicago on April 20th and 21st.  Ashland University was well-represented by Derek Baker, Danielle Bruno, Kate Budzik, Emily Civitollo, Elizabeth Kemp, Danny Lawson, Lydia Smith, Morgan Snyder, Melanie Ward, Muslimah Williams, and Emily Wirtz, all who did poster presentations of research they completed in the department over the past year.  These students join a long list of student researchers from the Psychology Department who have presented their findings at conferences in places like Chicago, New York City, Philadelphia, and San Antonio.  Great job!

 Danny Lawson

 Lydia Smith

  Kate Budzik and Melanie Ward

Emily Wirtz and Danielle Bruno Win Regional Research Award

Congratulations to Emily Wirtz and Danielle Bruno who were presented with a "regional research award" from Psi Chi at the annual meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association in Chicago on April 20th!  Their research project, titled The Effects of Aggression on Ability, was one of 20 award winners out of 600 research abstracts that were submitted to the MPA conference.  In addition to being recognized at a banquet in Chicago, they were awarded a certificate and $400.  Nice job!