JMU Graduate Psychology

Registration is now open for the Nondiscriminatory Assessment Workshop taking place May 28–29, presented by Sam Ortiz. Please see the attached flyer for additional details.
We encourage you to register as soon as possible to reserve your spot for this valuable learning opportunity.
Register now https://jmu.irisregistration.com/Form/NACLDS2026

On Thursday, May 14th, the programs within the Department of Graduate Psychology celebrated their graduates! Congratulations to the graduates for all academic programs:

M.A./Ed.S. - Clinical Mental Health Counseling Concentration
M.Ed./Ed.S. – School Counseling Concentration
M.A./Ed.S. – School Psychology Concentration
M.Ed. – College Student Personnel Administration Concentration
M.A. – Psychological Sciences
Psy.D. – Clinical and School Psychology
Ph.D. – Assessment and Measurement
Ph.D. – Counseling and Supervision

And the award winners:

Outstanding Scholarship:
Cameron Piper - Clinical & School Psychology
Emily Bogaev - Counseling & Supervision Program
Juste Mehou - Assessment & Measurement Program
Caitlyn Hewitt - Psychological Sciences

Outstanding Service:
Samantha Sitzman - School Psychology
Nisa Khaldun - Clinical and School Psychology
Madison McGuire - Psychological Sciences
Jada Willse - Psychological Sciences

Distinguished Teaching:
Kathryn Grisdale - Clinical and School Psychology
Art Beqiraj - Psychological Sciences
Taylor Morgan - School Psychology
Riley Herr - Assessment and Measurement
Tiffany Snow - Counseling and Supervision

Most Distinguished:
Anna Garst - Applied Research
Autumn Wild - Assessment and Measurement
Jina Yang - Counseling and Supervision

William Hall Award for Contributions to the Learning Community:
Emily Plowright - Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Liana Turturro - School Counseling

Helen Moore Award for the Pursuit of Counseling Excellence:
Morgan Williams - Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Morgan Melchor - School Counseling

Carl Swanson Award for Service to the Counseling Profession:
Daisy Foncha - Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Alexia Cravens - School Counseling

Tina Kauten Memorial Service Award:
Allyana Musa - School Psychology

O. Ashton Trice Memorial Scholarship:
Christine Berry - School Psychology

Patricia Warner Leadership and Advocacy Award:
Ursula Vogt - School Psychology

Madison Scholar of the Year - Dr. Debbie Sturm
Distinguished Teaching - Dr. Cara Meixner
Distinguished Service - Dr. Renee Staton
Outstanding Junior Faculty - Dr. Caitlyn Owens
Excellence in Teaching - Dr. Nattalie Wolff Tseng
Excellence in Mentorship - Dr. Robert Harmison

Drs. Debbie Sturm and Renee Staton just graduated from their 16-week Forest Therapy Training with The Forest Therapy School. They are now officially Certified Forest Therapists!

Debbie and Renee are excited to continue their training in Scotland in July and look forward to bringing principles of forest therapy to their students!

On Friday, May 1st, the students in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC), College Student Personnel Administration (CSPA), School Counseling, and School Psychology programs participated in JMU's Annual Symposium in Research and Practice at The Union/Taylon Hall.

The Counseling and Supervision Ph.D. program's Dr. Debbie Sturm delivered the keynote address titled, "The Long Game: Growing a Research Agenda into Advocacy".

Dr. Caitlyn Owens put on a workshop last week for farmers from Augusta and Rockingham.

This is part of the AgriTHRIVE initiative, a university community partnership that seeks to promote farmer wellness and train clinicians about agriculture.

Dr. Caitlyn Owens and Dr. Cara Meixner were recognized at the 2026 Academic Affairs Awards and Recognition Luncheon.

Caitlyn received the Provost’s Award for Excellence in Research and Scholarship, and Cara received the 2026 Hanson Roberts Endowment Outstanding Faculty Award in recognition of her nomination for the SCHEV Outstanding Faculty Award (OFA).

Congratulations!

Congratulations to our wonderful School Counseling alum, Amanda Francis, Director of Counseling at Staunton High School, who won the prestigious Dawbarn Award!

The Community Foundation honors community members for their significant impact on youth in the three local public-school systems, Staunton, Augusta County, and Waynesboro.

Calling all current and past JMU School Counseling program folks!

Please join us for a reception on May 1 from 5-7pm (see invite below for details). Attendees must RSVP https://forms.gle/b3xHBmHhsk6737HY8

Please make sure to share this with your friends from the SC program!

We can't wait to see you. - Michele

Drs. Debbie Sturm, Cara Meixner, and Ryan Reese (Oregon State University - Cascades), traveled to OSU in Bend, Oregon to complete a research project and submit a manuscript on how school counselors and environmental educators address climate-related emotions among K-12 students. They submitted the manuscript to a special issue for the Journal for Child and Adolescent Counseling.