East Central University Psychology Department

Welcome back to the the start of the Fall 2024 Semester!

We've already had a busy week on campus but we hope you all are getting settled into a routine.

Have great semester!

The Psychogy Department had a couple of phenomenal students go to the Oklahoma Psychological Society (OPS) conference to present their research on friday.

Hannah Camp presented some of her Honors Thesis Data and Marienne Surginer presented her group project data from Dr. Klippenstine's Experimental Psychology Class. Both students did a great job presenting their independently generated research at the annual conference.

These students worked incredibly hard to design, research, obtain IRB approval, and implement their study in less than 3-months. These projects are 100% the creation of the students. I am very proud of all they accomplished this semester!

Our programs teach students a lot of varied skills that are not always captured on a transcript. Skills such as persistence, task completion, logical thinking, and a questioning mind are essential skills for future success.

Pictured here is Hannah Camp working on the qualitative analysis of her Honors Thesis data. Hannah will be defending her thesis later this semester and plans to present her research at a number of conferences across the state.

Great job Hannah and all the best in the final stages of your thesis!

It was a sad day today for the Psychology Department as we learned of former Professor - and Professor Emeritus - Dr. John Burke's passing at his home in Fort Smith. Arkansas.

John taught in the Psychology Department from 1980 until he retired in 2016. He was a staunch proponent of behaviorism and taught countless students across all levels - from General Psychology to Graduate Courses in our Counseling Program. John's classes were always entertaining and he was never short of a story to tie everything together. John started every semester with the proclamation that it was "Time for another opening and another show" - and he never ceased to do just that - providing an engaging and thought provoking learning experience that brought students to class. He will be missed but his impact will live on in all the students, counselors, fellow faculty members, colleagues, and friends that knew him along the way.

Pictured below are Dr. Klippenstine, Dr. Burke, Dr. Harris-Young, Dr.Fountain, Dr. Velez, & Dr. Paschall.

Remember that self-care is beneficial for everyone in your world. We have a hard time taking care of others if we don't take care of ourselves first.

Dr. Leaf provided a mental skills clinic for a group of Rowing Athletes this week. The clinic was designed to work on visualization to improve race day and test day routines.

Dr. Leaf is the director of our Sport Psychology Program and works with athletes across the state and in various athletic pursuits. For more information on our program please check out the link provided in the comments.

Welcome back to the Spring 2024 Semester!

Starting yesterday (delayed because of the Ice Day), we will post a Mental Health Monday post to help us all have a great mental health start to the week.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Enjoy the break before the final push to the end of the semester.

They do come fast! As we finish up week 11 of the semester remember that a little bit of time management can go a long way. Develop a plan, reflect, and adjust as needed. We got this!

Good things to remember as you end each week.....

Dr. Beau Leaf - Director of our Sport Psychology Program - invited some students out to the rink to observe him providing Sport Performance Consulting in the field.

Students in our programs get great opportunities to both learn the knowledge base of their chosen field AND to see that knowledge put into practical application.

Check out the link in the comments to learn more about our Sport Psychology Program.

Photo cred: Betsy Timken

We learn through different experiences and each type plays a role in our success.

Happy Monday!

We all get overwhelmed at some point during the semester ‐ Students, Faculty, and Staff alike. Just remember these words of advice for processing those feelings.

More information on applying to a Graduate Program.

Questions (and Answers) Every Student Should Know When Preparing for Graduate School Our three experts weigh in on how many schools to apply to, standing out from the crowd, and more.

Internship opportunity!

Careers Join our team! We are currently hiring for the positions listed below. We will give preference to applications received by June 9, 2023 but the posting will remain open until the position is filled. Please reach out to [email protected] for any questions. Instructional Designer Social Justic...

Below is s great resource for students applying to Graduate Programs that require a letter of recommendation.

Obtaining Letters of Recommendation for Graduate School Discover who to ask, how to ask, and what to prepare before you ask.

Scholarship applications are now being accepted! Link provided in the comments.

Happy Monday!

If Psychology has taught us anything it's that nothing is as it first appears and that perspective is everything.

Welcome to the start of the 2023/2024 Academic Year! Time to get a whole new group of people thinking that those who study psychology are analyzing everything their doing.....we are 😉!