I very much enjoyed attending the SPSP Annual Convention in Chicago and learning about a wide range of research in social and personality psychology. I always enjoy seeing the work of established scholars, but the student projects were especially impressive. This award-winning student study was a highlight, especially because research on close relationships is close to my heart. ; )

I am very grateful for this professional development opportunity to strengthen my instructional and course design skills. The training session was extensive (7.5 hours!), but also highly informative and productive. Working through the QM standards reinforced my belief that strong online courses are built with intention and meaningful alignment.

I am truly honored to have received the “Excellence in Student Learning Improvement” award for the Psychology Department’s assessment initiatives. Achieving meaningful learning improvements is always a team effort, so I want to extend my gratitude to my colleagues for their collaboration and support. Pictured below are my fellow nominees, whose dedication and hard work make us all stronger together. I also want to express my deep gratitude to Larry Frazier for his unwavering support and guidance throughout the assessment process.

I would like to extend a huge thank you to Genesis Women’s Shelter and Whitney Ball, LCSW, for their generosity with their time and expertise. Our students appreciated the presentation and had many great discussions afterwards. This information inspired our students to think more deeply about DV and women’s advocacy. 

The UNT Dallas Psychology Department hosted our annual Psychology Career Day. This is always a fun experience, where students can network with professionals and share their research with faculty and peers. As always, we are already planning next year’s Career Day, so please reach out if you would like to contribute to the professional development of our students.

I had the pleasure of attending a “Free the People” event hosted by the Bridwell Institute for Economic Freedom. We watched a moving documentary, The Free Life: Portrait of an Artist, that examined Cuban-born artist Carlos Luna, who creates art critical of Castro’s policies. Many similar stories were told of oppressed people who created social movements, and even revolutions, through their art. Through the lens of these stories we are able to see how artistic expression can be a means of creating freedom and social change within an oppressed society. This was an extremely impactful experience, full of touching testimonials. 

We had the pleasure of hearing from Dallas County Sheriff, Marian Brown, as the keynote speaker for this year’s LAS Research and Teaching Showcase. Attendees were able to gain an inside perspective of what it takes to manage one of the top 3 municipalities in the country. We thank you for taking the time to share your experience and wisdom with us.

Roughly 600 guests attended this year’s resource fair featuring UNT-Dallas academics, departments, and student organizations. In addition to tasty fair food, raffle prizes, dance competitions, bouncy houses – there was also a petting zoo! Fun was had by all. See you next year!

Sharing the wonders of Psychology with a prospective student

I highly recommend this conference for any mental health professionals, victim advocates, educators, cult survivors, and their support network. I had an amazing experience that was extremely informative and emotionally impactful. I experienced information overload, and I’m still processing all that I learned, but I can’t wait for the next conference! If you are interested, The International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA) is holding its 2024 Annual International Conference in Barcelona, Spain.

The UNT Dallas Center for Socioeconomic Mobility through Education (CSME) organized the first Advancing Socioeconomic Mobility Conference. I gained such valuable insights and was able to learn from a diverse team of thought leaders who presented evidence-based and innovative approaches to addressing challenges that students commonly face on their educational and career journey. I’m grateful to be a part of this community, and for the opportunity to learn from leading change-makers.