Program Status and Award Recipients

The Psychology Department currently has 6 full-time professors, including Drs. Deanna Dodson, Lou Manza, Kerrie Smedley, Lou Laguna, Michael Kitchens, & Michelle Niculescu. Drs. Kitchens and Niculescu are the most recent additions to our program, both arriving for the start of the Fall 2007 semester.

Recent objective data confirm the notion that the Psychology Department has both a (a) strong presence on campus and (b) rigorous program that compares extremely favorably to ANY Psychology Department in the United States. In regard to Psychology's presence on the LVC campus, in comparison to all other majors at LVC, the Psychology Department is ranked 3rd (and 1st among all the sciences) in terms of the number of degree recipients between 1998 and 2006. In this light, 7.9% (n=250) of LVC graduates during this time span earned Psychology degrees (with only Elementary Education (14.3%) and Business Administration (12.4%) ranking higher). Furthermore, the Department's percentage increases to 10.2% when the number of Psychobiology students (n=72), who are also part of the Department, are factored into the calculations.

Several pieces of evidence attest to the high quality and academic rigor of our program. First, since 1995, three Psychology majors (George Hollich '95, Meredith McGinley '02, and Jessica Barber '07) have been awarded the Howard Anthony Neidig Award, presented annually to the College's most outstanding student. Furthermore, results from the Major Field Test taken by 14 senior-level Psychology majors during the Spring 2007 semester show that our students compare very favorably to other psychology undergraduates on a national level. This standardized test, administered under the auspices of the Educational Testing Service, was also taken by 9,967 other psychology students, representing 238 institutions of higher education across the United States. Our students earned an overall percentile rank score of 91 on the exam, placing them in the top 9% of all students who took the exam!

Robert S. Davidson Award for Research in Psychology

Michele Marie Durkin: Class of 1988
Melissa Ellen Haunton: Class of 1989
Kevin B. Dempsey and Robyn M. Cashmore: Class of 1990
Karl Liedtka: Class of 1991
Kristen Boeshore: Class of 1992
Stanley Hulet and Michael Smith: Class of 1993
Jennifer L. Emery and Donna M. Smoyer: Class of 1994
Kelly L. Reese and Rebecca L. Wiest: Class of 1995
Robert Twining: Class of 1996
Carolyn A. Hallman: Class of 1997
Amy B. Parsons: Class of 1998
Carrie Champ: Class of 1999
Heather L. Herb: Class of 2000
Sharon E. Zook: Class of 2001
Kerri A. Hansell and Eun K. Kim: Class of 2002
Lauren M. Hindley: Class of 2003
Laura A. Poff: Class of 2004
Caitlin S. Flinn and Jarred R. Jenkins: Class of 2005
Douglas P. Arnold and Sarah L. Fleegal: Class of 2006
Jessica M. Barber and Daniel P. Vernau: Class of 2007
James A. Henrie: Class of 2008
Melissa A. Kayes: Class of 2009
Caitlin J. Douglass & Bethany N. Smith: Class of 2010
Christine M. Whiteley, Mary Katherine E. Mitchell, & Kathryn J. Cerullo: Class of 2011
Megan L. Santaniello and Tierney L. Snyder: Class of 2012

The J.O. Love Psychology Award for Outstanding Achievement in Psychology

Michael D. Plank: Class of 1985
Anthony J. Fitzgibbons and Tracy L. Wenger: Class of 1986
William H. Bruaw: Class of 1987
Joseph C. Pennington: Class of 1987
Kimberly Ann Burd: Class of 1988
Deana Marie Crumbling: Class of 1989
Teresa M. Kruger and Connie L. Pyle: Class of 1990
Rachel Grella: Class of 1991
Donna Vanbrackle: Class of 1992
Lori Folk: Class of 1993
Bethany A. Yohe: Class of 1994
George J. Hollich: Class of 1995
Cecily Joyce: Class of 1996
Kristi S. Lorah: Class of 1997
Desiree J. Nguyen, Heather M. Krause and Tracie L. Gilpin: Class of 1998
Karlin Schroeder and Adria Keefer: Class of 1999
Kimberly M. Zang: Class of 2000
Michelle A. Vosburgh: Class of 2001
Joanna M. Bissell and Meredith A. McGinley: Class of 2002
Cristina M. Cook and Eileen J. Emery: Class of 2003
Sarah A. O'Connell: Class of 2004
Liza A. McLucas: Class of 2005
Jennifer L. Northcott: Class of 2005
Roseauna G. Good and Cindy McGuire: Class of 2006
Jessica M. Barber and Elise K. DeVere: Class of 2007
Krista M. Wisner: Class of 2008
Rasa E. Rupslaukyte: Class of 2009
Kimberly J. Flanagan: Class of 2010
Ann Marie C. Crider: Class of 2011
Rachel E. Leer: Class of 2012

David I. Lasky Award for Service

Holly Carey: Class of 1990
Joan Landis: Class of 1991
Kimberly Sollenberger: Class of 1992
Lori Folk: Class of 1993
George Hollich: Class of 1994
Julia Foose: Class of 1995
Heather Merz: Class of 1996
Jennifer J. Mihalsy: Class of 1997
Michele L. Ruczhak: Class of 1998
Amie Jumper: Class of 1999
Pamela J. Arminavage: Class of 2000
Kathleen A. Flory: Class of 2001
Stacy R. Dove: Class of 2002
Christina M. Marco: Class of 2003
Maria E. Perozzi: Class of 2004
Jennifer L. Northcott: Class of 2005
Roseauna G. Good: Class of 2006
Rebecca M. Shank: Class of 2007
Kathryn M. Hewitt: Class of 2008
Kathryn M. DeBlock: Class of 2009
Monica R. Ferenz: Class of 2010
Michelle A. Little: Class of 2011
Rachel E. Leer: Class of 2012

Psychology Department's Leadership Award

Robert Mikus: Class of 1990
Rachel Grella: Class of 1991
Sheryl Drake: Class of 1992
Andrea Shaffer and Stacey Hollenshead: Class of 1993
Jennifer Willet: Class of 1994
Kristie M. Radetzky: Class of 1995
Jennifer Stites: Class of 1996
Lavinia M. Garcia: Class of 1997
Danielle L. Boileau: Class of 1998
Jody Jacobetz: Class of 1999
Elspeth A. Shumway: Class of 2000
Pamela J. Arminavage: Class of 2001
Meredith A. McGinley: Class of 2002
Janelle A. Niznik: Class of 2003
Christina M. Marco: Class of 2004
Christina R. Barrera: Class of 2005
Katherine D. Davis: Class of 2006
Nikki M. Wynn: Class of 2007
Amanda N. Cole: Class of 2008
Kyle C. Ward: Class of 2009
Whitney E. McCain: Class of 2010
Mary A. Kent: Class of 2011
Jennifer Zellner and Darcy R. Jenkins: Class of 2013