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2009 Student Award Recipients
Eileen Nelson Scholarship
- Allyson Vasi
- Allyson Vasi
LeAnn Whitlock Memorial Scholarship
- Shavonne Turner
- Shavonne Turner
James J. Hart Memorial Award for Outstanding Junior
- Heather Davis
- Margaret Hawkins
- Grace Jimenez
- Bradley Joachim
- Donna Melchione
- Bradley Joachim
- Donna Melchione
- Grace Jimenez
- Heather Davis
Jerry O. Haynes Memorial Award for Outstanding Seniors
- Theresa Egan
- Maria Gandolfo
- Kimberly Rodgers
- Christina Wolf
- Maria Gandolfo, Theresa Egan
- Kimberly Rodgers, Christina Wolf
James O. Benedict Senior Teaching Award
- Amanda Sorg
- Amanda Sorg
Senior Award for Achievement in Research
- Christopher Gesualdi
- Eric Miner
- Loretta Vitt
- Chris Gesualdi
- Loretta Vitt, Eric Miner
Senior Distinguished Service Award
- Stephanie Tigue
- Jackee Webster
- Jackee Webster, Stephanie Tigue
Outstanding Achievement in Statistics and Research
- Joseph Bloom
- Cassandra Castro
- Kerri Easterbrook
- Jerusha Gerstner
- Nicole Giacopelli
- Christina Gregory
- Emily Jacobson
- Heather Merner
- Megan Salmons
- Pamela Talman
- Ariana Vanderveldt
- Ariana Vanderveldt, Christina Gregory, Heather Merner,Nicole Giacopelli
Emily Jacobson, Kerri Easterbrook
- Megan Salmons. Cassandra Castro
- Jerusha Gerstner
- Joseph Bloom
- Pamela Talman
Outstanding Field Placement Award
- Elizabeth Berke
- Whitney Smiley
- Elizabeth Berke
- Whitney Smiley
Outstanding Peer Advisor Awards
Senior Peer Advising Award
- Stephanie Tigue
- Allyson Vasi
- Allyson Vasi
- Stephanie Tigue
Junior Peer Advising Award
- Alaina Vinacco
- Alaina Vinacco
Past Awards
There were no winners of these awards in 2009.
- CISAT Dean’s Scholar Award in Psychology (Discontinued) [View more details]
- Junior Award for Outstanding Research [View more details]
- Junior Award for Distinguished Service [View more details]
- Senior Award for Academic Achievement [View more details]
Previous Student Awards
- [View Student Awards 2008]
- [View Student Awards 2007]
- [View Student Awards 2006]
- [View Student Awards 2005]
Other Achievements
The 2009 Psychology Symposium was a tremendous success! On April 20, over 100 students presented 45 posters describing their research projects, field placements, and internships. The program is available [Download Program]. The following students received awards for their excellent work:
Psychology Major Candace Avalos has been elected 2009-10 President of the JMU Student Government Association (SGA).Jason Kopp & Daniel Jurich, “Impulsivity and Work Ethic: Predictors of Course Performance.”
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Tracy Zinn (Dean’s Award for Outstanding Honors Thesis).Kacey Bardwell & Scott Secamiglio. “Practicum: Organizational Psychology.” Faculty Advisor: Dr. Tracy Zinn. (Dean’s Award for Outstanding Field Placement).
Chelsea Rainear. “The Relation Between Religiosity and Delay Discounting in College Students.”
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Bryan Saville. (Dean’s Award for Outstanding Research).Nishi Vijay. “Increasing Physical Activity Among College Students: Testing a Motivational Intervention.” Faculty Advisor: Dr. Monica Reis-Bergan (Department of Psychology Award for Outstanding Thesis).
Marissa Mangual & Caitlin Vitale. “Western State Hospital: Stigma and Medication Adherence Group.” Faculty Advisor: Dr. Michael Shutty. (Department of Psychology Award for Outstanding Field Placement).
Daniel Jurich, Matt Portner, & Michael Boitnott. “Ready for the Future?: An Evaluation of two Career Courses in Psychology.” Faculty Advisor: Dr. Tracy Zinn. (Department of Psychology Award for Outstanding Research).
Psychology Major Michael Livesey has been selected to be one of three flag and banner bearers for CISAT during commencement this year because of his excellent academic performance.
Psychology Major Michael Livesley has been selected by the Department of Mathematics to receive the 2009 Outstanding Statistics Minor award.
Elizabeth Berke has will present a poster at the Virginia Psychological Association Spring conference in Williamsburg Virginia on April 23. Her poster is titled "Dialectical Behavior Therapy in a Hospital Setting." Her faculty advisor is Dr. Joann Grayson.
Nishi Vijay has been selected to present her paper, Increasing physical activity in college students: Testing a motivational intervention, at the National Conference for Undergraduate Research (NCUR) to be held in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, April 15-18, 2009. Her advisor is Dr. Monica Reis-Bergan.
The following students have been selected to present their research at the Colonial Academic Association (CAA) Undergraduate Research Conference to be held at Towson University, April 4-5:
- Maria Gandolfo. Fear of rape: An examination of college students. (Advisor: Dr. Arnie Kahn).
- Laura MacNaughton. Validating the premise of the IAT Reasoning Test. (Advisor: Dr. Natalie Lawrence).
- Erin Ovitt. Are the entitlement and unrealistic optimism of generation me related to depression and anxiety? (Advisor: Dr. JoAnne Brewster).
- Kimberly Rogers. The sexual refusal efficacy of acknowledged and unacknowledged rape victims. (Advisor: Dr. Arnie Kahn).
- Kacey Sax. Social idenitity perspective: Group membership and norms as predictors of binge drinking on college campuses. (Advisor: Dr. Monica Reis-Bergan)
- Loretta Vitt. Barriers to success of women seeking elected office. (Advisor: Dr. Arnie Kahn).
The Department of Psychology is pleased to announce that the following students have been selected to receive conference travel grants during the Spring 2009 semester:
- Jason Kopp, Daniel Jurich. Entitlement and Impulsivity: Predictors of Course Performance. Presentation at VPA. ($400)
- Matt Portner, Victoria Brown, Michael Boitnott. Are you ready for the real world? An evaluation of two career development course in Psychology. Presentation at VPA. ($400)
- Christine Mason. Male and Female Use of the University Recreation Center. Presentation at VPA. ($200)
- Jocelyn Simon. Maximizing, Social Comparison, and Choice: The ‘Effects’ on Satisfaction and Regret in a Restaurant Setting. Presentation at VPA. ($200)
- Matthew Slater, Kerri Easterbrook. How Maximizers and Delay Discounters Decide: choosing from Menus of Varying Sizes. Presentation at VPA. ($400)
- Elizabeth Berke. Dialectical Behavior Therapy in the Hospital Setting. Presentation at VPA. ($200)
- Kristin Lazos, Christina Gregory, Kirsten Gamotis, Stephanie Fultz, Kristin Davidoff.The Relationship between Academic Entitlement and Attribution of Success and Failure. Presentation at VPA. ($600)
- Theresa Egan. Training Discrimination of Blood Alcohol Level following Oral Ethanol: Self Administration in College Students. Presentation at ABAI. ($200)
- Jennifer Hoyle.Discounting of Delayed Tokens and Consumable Reinforces in Individuals with Developmental Disabilities. Presentation at ABAI. ($200)
- Jacqueline Jackson. Using the Elevated Plus Maze (EPM) to Evaluate the Putative Anxiolytic Effects of St. John’s Wort Administration in Rats. Presentation at MABA. ($200)
The Department of Psychology “adopted” a needy family this holiday season. The family included two parents, three girls and one boy (12-18 years of age). Gifts included jewelry, clothing, bath gel sets, CD’s, DVD’s and several gift cards. Thanks to everyone who contributed!,
Judy West’s Life Span Human Development (Gpsyc 160) classes “adopted” needy families who had children enrolled at Lacey Spring Elementary School. In addition to sending many gifts of clothing and games, $375 was also donated by her 3 classes!
Nelson Scholarship winner announced! The Department of Psychology is pleased to announce that Allyson Vasi has been selected to receive the Eileen Nelson Scholarship for Senior Excellence. The Eileen Nelson Scholarship honors the contributions of emeritus faculty member Eileen Nelson, by recognizing a student who has exemplary involvement in the honors thesis program, vigor in research and service, excellence in academic achievement, and the intention to pursue graduate education in psychology. The scholarship provides substantial scholarship assistance to the award winner during their senior year. This scholarship was made possible by the generous donations of the family and friends of Dr. Eileen Nelson. Here’s a description of some of Allyson’s accomplishments that led to her selection for this award:
Allyson is a top notch student in our department, currently serving as the Coordinator of Peer Advising and the Secretary of Psi Chi. Allyson was the recipient of the Junior Peer Advising Award last year, and also received the Outstanding Achievement in Statistics and Research Methods Award. Additionally, she is a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. This year, Ally is conducting her honors thesis project with Dr. Jessica Irons. She is investigating the effects of contingency management on increasing fitness behavior in college women. Parts of her thesis have been included in an invited manuscript that is currently under final review. Last May, Ally contributed to a professional presentation on the use of contingency management in a classroom setting at the Association for Behavioral Analysis in Chicago. She served as a Teaching Assistant for Dr. Bill Evans last year in the "Preparing for a Job in Psychology" class, and she is currently serving as a Teaching Assistant for Dr. Irons in Psychology 211. With Peer Advising, Ally has volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, Special Olympics, Relay for Life, a Grief Camp for kids, and the annual Food Fight Against Hunger, and she has also served as a Tutor at Plains Elementary School. Ally plans on pursuing graduate work in Counseling Psychology.
Congratulations Allyson!
The Department of Psychology is pleased to announce that the following students have received undergraduate research grants from the Department of Psychology:
- Leah Power, has received funding in support of her Honors Thesis entitled “Discrimination of Blood Alcohol Concentration Following Oral Ethanol Self-Administration” ($380).
- Theresa Eagan has received funding in support of her Honors Thesis entitled “Training Discrimination of Blood Alcohol Level Following Oral Ethanol Self-Administration in College Students.” ($350).
- Nishi Vijay has received funding in support of her Honors Thesis entitled “Increasing Physical Activity in College Students: Testing a Motivational Intervention” ($180).
- Erin Beech has received funding for her research entitled “Measuring Female Rat Social Stress.” ($455).
- Katie Bowen, Nicholas Curtis, and Christina Wolf have received funding for their research project entitled “Psychology Major Success.” ($500).
- Jennifer Hoyle has received funding for her honors thesis entitled “Discounting of Delayed Tokens and Consumable Rein forcers in Individuals with Developmental Disabilities” ($300).
- Amanda Jaworski has received funding for her honors thesis project entitled “An exploration of gender norm violations and their consequences” ($85)
- Maria Gandolfo has received funding for her honors these project entitled “Fear of Rape: An Examination of College Students”($100).
- Liz Loveless has received funding for her honors thesis project entitled “The Effects of Social Anxiety on Alcohol Choice” ($450).
- Max Berkheimer has received funding for his honors thesis project entitled “The Effect of Stereotype Threat on High Pressure Sport Situations” ($300).
- Kelsey Cutchins & Brian Kozol have received funding for their project entitled “Collaboration with Online Tools” ($33).
- Michael Livesey has received funding for his honors thesis project entitled “Clinical Self-Hypnosis versus Heart Rhythm Coherence Biofeedback” ($450).
- Caroline Cleary & Tyler Brown have received funding for their research project entitled “Laboratory Examination of Just-In-Time Teaching.” ($140)
- Jason Kopp has received funding for his Honors Thesis Project entitled “Entitlement & Impulsivity: Predictors of Course Performance.” ($160)
- Allyson Vasi has received funding for her Honors Thesis Project entitled “Contingency Management and Fitness.” ($500)
Many thanks and congratulations to Psychology Peer Advising for substantially contributing to the Special Olympics "Day with the Dukes" event co-sponsored by Peer Advising, Chi Sigma Iota, and JMU Athletics. It was a great day for everyone involved! Virginia Special Olympics tells us this is their best event all year! There were about 50 Special Olympic athletes at JMU on Saturday, September 6. The event was hosted by 34 Peer Advisors, 12 counseling graduate students, 20 JMU athletes from various sports, the entire football team and both women's and men's basketball teams. This exceptional event is described in the Breeze article available at http://www.thebreeze.org/2008/09-08/news1.html
