UNCW Psychology
Department of Psychology ▪ Volume 3 ▪ Spring 2008 ▪ Faculty Editor: Robert Hakan ▪ Student Editor: Andrew McCullough
Welcome From the Chair
It has been another exciting year in the Psychology Department! Student interest in psychology
continues to be very strong. We now have over 600 undergraduate pre-majors and majors and over
60 graduate students! We added four tenure-track faculty members, Dr. Wendy Donlin, Dr. Cameron
Gordon, Dr. Christine Hughes, and Dr. Hayden Kepley, and each contributes exciting new research
and teaching strengths to our program. You can learn more about them in the New Faculty Profiles on
page 4.
Psychology faculty members continue to be recognized for their outstanding teaching and research. For
example, this year Dr. Dale Cohen received a UNCW Faculty Scholarship award, presented for excellence in
research and scholarly activities. Additionally, Dr. Nora Noel received the UNCW Graduate Mentor award,
recognizing her outstanding contributions to teaching at the graduate level.
A noteworthy milestone was the retirement of C. Sue Lamb in November, 2007, following 32 years of
distinguished service to UNCW (page 9). Many of the alumni reading this will have had their first psychology
practicum experience under Sue’s expert and passionate supervision. It should be noted that Sue was the
architect of the department’s successful undergraduate counseling practicum program. This program
continues to engage students in applied learning settings that take them outside the traditional classroom.
For example, this year nearly 80 students were placed in a host of community agencies including Crisis Line,
Coastal Horizons Substance Abuse Center, Wilmington Treatment Center, Department of Aging, Domestic
Violence Shelter, New Hanover Hospital and many local schools. Practicum students get “hands on”
experience in psychology as a helping profession and provide valuable service to our community. Sue will
be greatly missed; our program, and indeed, our entire community owe her a debt of gratitude for her
remarkable contributions.
Our commitment to applied learning extends beyond the counseling practicum experience. We believe that
direct involvement with psychological research is one of the most critical forms of active learning that we can
provide our students. By providing diverse research opportunities, we continue to engage students in what is
essentially a “research practicum”. Students work as junior colleagues with faculty on a broad range of
psychological research projects. More than 170 undergraduate students were involved in psychological
research, and a record number of 14 undergraduates completed Honors projects reporting their
discoveries last year! (Continued on page 2… )
Attention Alumni
The Psychology Department
wants to hear from you!
Please visit our website:
http://uncw.edu/psy/
and take a minute to fill out the
alumni survey. We are
interested in what you have
been doing since leaving
UNCW, both in psychology and
non-psychology fields.
Plus, while you are there, you
can tell us if you would like to
receive a physical or electronic
copy of future issues of the
department newsletter.
Alumni in Focus: Erik Snyder
Erik Snyder graduated from UNCW in
1992 with a B.A. in Psychology. Soon
after graduation from UNCW, Snyder
moved to Washington, D.C. to work
under the US Department of Defense
as a program analyst with the Arist
Corporation. In 1994, Mr. Snyder and
a colleague founded Tax Modernization
Incorporated (TMI), a Wilmington-based
company that provides information systems support and data analysis
for the government and small businesses. On any given day, he could
also be working as ‘the numbers guy’ for Real Estate Holding
Company, LLC, in which he’s partnered up with three other UNCW
graduates, or as a service representative for Real Estate Holding
Service, Inc. (Continued on page 7… )
UNCW Psychology ▪ Page 2
Welcome From the Chair, continued...
Above: The Psy Chi
bake sale keeps the
department healthy.
What makes this active learning possible for our students is the outstanding research activity of
our faculty. Last year, faculty members were involved in more than $3 million of grant funded
projects, and continued to make outstanding contributions through publication of books and
scientific articles and presentations. We had 3 books and 35 articles published last year with
20 student co-authors and 67 papers presented at scientific meetings with 92 student coauthors. Our faculty continues to be actively engaged in the field through positions of
leadership in regional and national organizations, service on editorial boards of prestigious
journals, and appointments to federal, state and local boards. Support from alumni and friends
is critical, as well. Many of you have contributed funds to the Psychology Trust fund or to the
Williams/Jackson merit scholarship fund. In fact, last year, we received record support with
more than $20,000 in contributions from more than 25 different donors. Thank you all for your
generous support! I think that you will see within this newsletter that your contributions are
supporting exciting and worthwhile endeavors.
I hope you enjoy this issue of the newsletter and if you have not yet visited our website,
www.uncw/edu/psy, please know that regular updates on our activities are posted there.
Left: Current and recent
newsletter editors, grad.
students Andrew &
Mary Beth McCullough
(no relation).
Above: Grad. student
Bridget Byrd connects
an EEG net.
Right: Grad. students
Lisa Smith & Deb Kemp
investigating driving
abilities and cognitive
functioning.
Right: Grad. Student
Cedric Turner moves
from the lab to the
classroom.
Faculty in Focus: Dr. William Overman
William Overman was recently awarded a grant from the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA). The two-year
research grant, in the amount of $80,000, is funding an ongoing investigation of the development and functioning
of frontal lobes in adolescents. Dr. Overman has been one of the department’s leaders in research and teaching
for 30 years. He has received both the Faculty Scholarship Award and the Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence
Award and his pioneering research in developmental neuroscience has been funded by several of the National
Institutes of Health.
The basic research question posed in the newly funded project involves the improvement of decision-making
skills in adolescents. It has been proposed that contemplation of moral dilemmas may aid individuals in
subsequent risk-related decisions by activating areas of the frontal lobes. Adolescents, in whom the frontal lobes
are rapidly maturing, represent a population constantly faced with
decisions of significant future consequence. The research team, which
included several graduate and undergraduate students, will use the
Iowa Card Task (a task widely used for the assessment of decisionmaking) to investigate possible ways of improving risk-related decisionmaking strategies in adolescent volunteers from several of the New
Hanover County schools.
Above: Grad. student Luke Watterson tests the
Iowa Card Task with colleague Billy Higgins.
Dr. Overman hopes this research will help scientists understand how
adolescents make decisions regarding drug use and may lead to new
approaches to help young people develop better decision-making skills.
This information will precede NIDA development of programs targeted
at minimizing adolescent use on a national scale.
UNCW Psychology ▪ Page 3
Faculty Highlights
Kate Bruce, Director of the UNCW Honors Scholars Program, served as President of the
National Collegiate Honors Council. This organization supports Honors undergraduate
programs throughout the country and is committed to improving the quality of
undergraduate education.
Carrie Clements served as an Associate Editor in the re-launching of the Journal of
Effective Teaching, a peer-reviewed journal publishing articles on teaching effectiveness.
Dale Cohen began research on his five year, $700,000 National Institute on Child Health
and Human Development grant studying numerical reasoning and biases.
Dale Cohen
Anne Hungerford published an article presenting her analysis of family factors in child
care research.
Ruth Hurst served as Vice President of the North Carolina Association for Behavior
Analysis.
Andy Jackson served as President of the North Carolina Psychological Association.
Julian Keith continued his 5-year NIH grant ($1.3 million) on adult neurogenesis, the
creation of new neurons in the adult brain and published three articles based on this
research program. He also published two papers on assessment of neuropsychological
deficits following open-heart surgery, one with with Dale Cohen and Len Lecci and the
other with Tony Puente.
Julian Keith
Len Lecci and Dale Cohen published a paper on their research project on psychological
aspects of bioterrorism showing how personality and other variables affect cognitive
processing of threats to health.
Shanhong Luo published a paper on personality assessment of Chinese college students.
Bryan Myers published a forensic psychology paper on how the general public perceives
the accuracy of polygraph-based lie detector testing.
Shanhong Luo
Simone Nguyen published two articles on the development of concepts in children. One
paper was a study on how children develop concepts of gender identity and the other
focused on children’s concepts about healthy eating and nutrition.
William Overman published an article on gender differences in cognitive processes. He
also received a grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse to continue his research on
the neuroscience of the development or impulsivity and self-control.
Ray Pitts co-authored three papers with Christine Hughes describing their research on
drug effects on impulsive behavior. Other co-authors included colleagues from the
University of Canterbury in New Zealand based on the collaboration research program the
two developed while they were visiting scholars in that country. Dr. Pitts was elected to
Fellow status in the American Psychological Association Division on Behavior Analysis.
Simone Nguyen
Tony Puente received the National Academy of Neuropsychology Presidential Award and
the North Carolina Psychological Association Sally Cameron Award. He also co-authored
two articles and a book on neuropsychological assessment.
Jeff Toth published two articles on effects of aging on cognitive processes.
Ray Pitts
UNCW Psychology ▪ Page 4
New Faculty Profiles
Wendy Donlin, Ph.D.
Wendy Donlin, Ph.D., has recently joined the UNC Wilmington Psychology faculty.
Dr. Donlin received her B.A. from the University of West Virginia, and then moved on
to Auburn University, where she received an M.S. and Ph.D. in 2005. At Auburn, Dr.
Donlin worked under Christopher Newland, and studied the behavioral effects of the
neurotoxin methyl-mercury for her doctoral dissertation. She comes to us following
completion of a post-doctoral fellowship at the Johns Hopkins University School of
Medicine, Center for Learning and Health.
Dr. Donlin’s primary interests were developed during her John’s Hopkins postdoctoral
training and focus on the application of empirically-supported behavioral treatments,
known as contingency management programs, to drug abusing populations. These techniques emphasize
positive reinforcement of abstinence from the drug of choice and have been highly successful in the treatment
of cocaine addiction and alcoholism. Dr. Donlin is now studying the effectiveness of these techniques in
cigarette smokers. Abstinence from cigarettes can be determined by measurement of carbon monoxide levels
throughout each day, and effects of reinforcement for pre-specified periods of abstinence are assessed. Dr.
Donlin is enthusiastic about improving the quality of substance abuse treatment using these techniques. She is
beginning her research at UNCW with investigations of nicotine and alcohol use in college students, prior to
moving to broader studies of illicit substances. Additionally, her research and teaching interests include
psychopharmacology, behavior analysis and behavioral economics. She was recently elected to the board of
directors for the Southeastern Association for Behavior Analysis.
Cameron Gordon, Ph.D.
After discovering an interest in how social relationships affect the individual as an
undergraduate at the University of Illinois, Cameron Gordon pursued advanced
degrees, receiving his M.A. and Ph.D. from UNC Chapel Hill. Studying under Don
Baucom, his Master’s thesis took a unique approach to interpersonal relationship
research, focusing on the identification and measurement of (an individual’s) traits that
serve to foster, rather than hinder, relationships. Drawing upon the social psychology
construct of self expansion, Dr. Gordon has created a scale for the measurement of
an individual-focused trait, termed personal expansion. Dr. Gordon’s dissertation
implemented a longitudinal investigation of the roles of intimacy and autonomy in
marriage that incorporated the personal expansion research. Results of the five-year
study, which periodically assessed relationships during engagement and early
marriage, suggest levels of intimacy and satisfaction are well related, but the complex integration of individuals’
traits warrants further research. The high proportion of divorces occurring in early marriage suggests that there
is a large population experiencing early marriage problems and not receiving adequate support and assistance.
One of the goals of Dr. Gordon’s research on interpersonal relationships is to increase the availability of
assistance for the individual struggling to remain engaged in a dynamic and complex relationship.
Dr. Gordon has enjoyed his first year at UNCW. In addition to teaching General Psychology, he has worked on
developing his interpersonal relations laboratory. He is continuing his research on the utility of the personal
expansion construct here at UNCW. A major goal is to determine how personal expansion relates to various
aspects of relationship quality in a number of populations undergoing difficult life changes, including college
students, married couples and parents of college-aged children.
UNCW Psychology ▪ Page 5
New Faculty Profiles
Christine Hughes, Ph.D.
Christine Hughes, a recent addition to the UNCW Psychology tenure-track, received
an Honors Baccalaureate in Liberal Arts & Sciences at McMaster University and
completed her M.S. and Ph.D. at the University of Florida (1991). While her initial
interests were in social work, Dr. Hughes found courses in physiology, learning, and
psychophysics intriguing. She changed her academic focus to behavioral
pharmacology, and completed her thesis and doctoral dissertation under the
supervision of Marc Branch on variables that affect the development of cocaine
tolerance. Post-doctoral work under Linda Dykstra at UNC Chapel Hill provided
Dr. Hughes with an opportunity to develop new behavioral and pharmacological
techniques, and provided opportunities to study tolerance and dependence on opiate
drugs such as morphine.
Dr. Hughes joined the UNCW program as a lecturer in 1995 and she has taught a number of Psychology
courses, including behavioral change and research methods courses. She received the 2007 Lecturer of the
Year Award by the UNCW Center for Teaching Excellence. Dr. Hughes will soon resume research in the study
of drug tolerance with a focus on stimulant drugs of abuse. She and Dr. Ray Pitts have recently undertaken a
collaborative project (with colleagues at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand) investigating the effects
of stimulant drugs on self-control and impulsive behavior. This project has implications for the development of
effective treatment strategies for children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Dr. Hughes is also
interested in the study of classroom learning and is currently investigating the strengths and weaknesses of
various teaching strategies.
Hayden Kepley, Ph.D.
Hayden O. Kepley, Ph.D., is another of the new additions to the UNCW Psychology
Department faculty. After receiving his A.B. from Davidson College, where he found
psychological research to be a fascinating endeavor, Dr. Kepley completed his M.A.
and Ph.D. in clinical psychology at UNC Greensboro. While at UNCG, his doctoral
research investigated Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and personality
in young adults. In addition to a graduate fellowship and the UNCG Department
Dissertation Award, Dr. Kepley received a doctoral minor in statistics. Following
graduation from UNCG, Dr. Kepley won a post-doctoral fellowship at the Johns
Hopkins University School of Medicine, where he worked on a US-Canada
collaborative study of treatment outcomes for children and adolescents with anxiety
and tic-related disorders.
Dr. Kepley is already an experienced teacher as he joined the UNCW faculty as a lecturer in 2006 and has
taught courses in statistics, psychopathology, and child psychopathology. He brings to UNCW an approach to
research that centers on the societal applications of empirical research. His current work is investigating the
relationship of ADHD to strategies of anger management, as well as the relationship of ADHD to a person’s
sensitivity to reward and punishment. Dr. Kepley is also collaborating with Dr. Ruth Hurst in an investigation of
decision making strategies in high-functioning populations suffering from autism and Asperger’s Syndrome.
Furthering our understanding and improving treatments for developmental disabilities such as ADHD, autism,
and mental retardation are key goals of the department’s mission and Dr. Kepley’s research program will
provide new contributions in this area.
UNCW Psychology ▪ Page 6
Broadening Perspectives, Welcoming the World
An important strategic goal for UNCW is to help students become global citizens by nurturing intellectual
diversity and integrative curricula. Many psychology students study overseas to broaden their horizons;
another avenue for helping students to gain international perspective is through the presence of visiting
scholars from around the world. The Psychology Department is engaged in an exceptional level of
international activity this year, with visiting faculty and students from all over the world! As a result of
UNCW’s embracing and encouraging divergent perspectives and ideas, the psychology department has
enjoyed the presence of two visiting scientists this year; Dr. Carlos Aparicio and Dr. Raquel Vilar-Lopez.
Dr. Aparicio is Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Guadalajara, Mexico who is visiting UNCW
while on sabbatical leave. Dr. Aparicio is no stranger to the USA: His Ph.D. is from the University of New
Hampshire where he studied psychopharmacology and behavior analysis under Dr. Tony Nevin. However,
he has spent most of his working career at the University of Guadalajara, and is enjoying the opportunity
to visit a new part of the USA in North Carolina.
Dr. Aparicio is using his sabbatical to develop new research on psychopharmacology and issues of drug
abuse in collaboration with UNCW faculty members, Drs. Ray Pitts and Chris Hughes. For many years, Dr.
Aparicio has been researching drugs that are antagonists of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Dopamine has
traditionally been thought to be critical in the experience of pleasure and reward. Compounds in this class
have often been linked with anhedonia and reduced motivation, but Dr. Aparicio’s research suggests that
dopamine antagonists do not affect the reinforcement value of stimuli, but rather, that they alter a subject’s
ability to respond appropriately. Here at UNCW, he is working with Drs. Pitts and Hughes to determine the
effects of these compounds on tasks that the UNCW research group has designed to test impulsivity in
animals. These procedures may help to the determine behavioral and pharmacological variables that are
related to human problems that involve impulsive behavior and self-control, such as Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and substance abuse.
While visiting UNCW, Dr. Aparicio has been participating in a variety of activities including guest lectures,
regular meetings with the behavior analysis group seminars, and teaching General Psychology. He plans to
continue his collaboration with the UNCW research team after he returns to Mexico.
Dr. Raquel Vilar-Lopez, a post-doctoral fellow, is studying clinical neuropsychology with Dr. Antonio Puente,
who has mentored a number of international scholars. Dr. Puente has long been a UNCW leader in
establishing international collaborations in Europe and Latin America; the two researchers met while Dr.
Puente was lecturing in Grenada, Spain. Dr. Vilar-Lopez was a student at the University of Grenada at the
time and she came to UNCW after completing her Ph.D. there. Dr. Vilar-Lopez is taking advantage of her
opportunity to work with Dr. Puente in a variety of academic and applied settings, including the classroom, the
courtroom, and the clinic. Her research concerns the application of neuropsychological tests to cross-cultural
populations, and has thus far suggested that tests for the diagnosis of mild and malingering neurological
traumas are widely applicable. In addition to her collaborative research, Dr. Vilar-Lopez is gaining experience
as a lecturer in the UNCW Psychology department. She also works under Dr. Puente in an outpatient facility,
and volunteers for the Tileston clinic, a mental health clinic for non-insured patients. According to Dr.
Vilar-Lopez, not only does her visit to the US allow her to experience the academic research environment in a
different culture, it is also an opportunity to work with more diverse patient populations. Working in the
Tileston clinic has introduced Dr. Vilar-Lopez to the wide variety of patient populations one sees in mental
health practice, as she sees patients spanning the spectrum from personality disorders to neuro-cognitive
disorders. Additionally, by working closely with Dr. Puente, she is able to observe the direct application
of neuropsychology to society through courtroom proceedings, an arena that has recently garnered some
attention in Spain.
UNCW and, indeed our region, has been enriched by the presence of these two accomplished visitors. They,
in turn, are grateful for the opportunity to continue their studies in the UNCW environment. They agree on a
point we should all be grateful for: the United States cultivates a flourishing academic environment.
According to Dr. Aparicio, “Many great researchers spend some time studying in the US; they are here
for the academic community.” (Continued on next page… )
UNCW Psychology ▪ Page 7
In addition to visiting faculty members, the psychology
graduate program continues to attract international attention
from prospective students. Currently, the program hosts
students from Argentina, China, the Dominican Republic,
Jamaica, and South Africa. Like Drs. Aparicio and VilarLopez, these international students benefit from the academic
environment to be found in the USA, but also like them, they
bring to UNCW a cultural diversity that helps both UNCW
students and faculty learn to be global citizens.
Left: Dr. Carlos Aparicio
& Dr. Raquel Vilar-Lopez
Alumni in Focus
(Continued from Page 1.)
TMI is a company providing information systems support and data analysis for the government and small
businesses. At TMI, Erik focuses on data and application solutions centered in structured query language
(SQL) and web application development. In addition to SQL, Erik also speaks Visual Basic, HTML, and several
scripting and macro languages. TMI clients include organizations within the Department of Defense,
the Department of Treasury, and the Department of Homeland Security.
While attending UNCW, Erik Snyder enjoyed classes that challenged his abilities by teaching him how to think
(rather than what to think), such as psychology, philosophy, and math. Snyder worked in Dr. Kate Bruce’s lab
examining the mating behavior of the freshwater guppy, Poecilia reticulate. In addition to Dr. Bruce, he is
ever-grateful to his advisors, Drs. Johnson and Pilgrim, and teachers, Drs. Altrichter, Bruce, Galizio, Jackson,
Kowal, Pilgrim, Puente, Sawrey and Turrisi. An active student on campus, he was president of his dorm in the
Resident Hall Association, co-founder of the Kappa Alpha (KA) Fraternity, president of the Inter-Fraternity
Council (IFC) and a member of Psi Chi.
Mr. Snyder credits his experience and degree in psychology from UNCW with helping him to advance in his
professional career. “For example, I use techniques from classes like Statistics and Experimental Methods
every day. I’ve used what I learned to build a measuring model called the ‘Quantitative Risk Assessment
Model’. Those classes were instrumental.” According to Erik, the QRAM model and associated information
systems that implement the model are still in use at the IRS and Customs & Border Protection agencies.
“While at UNCW, I certainly succeeded in picking up the skepticism that is inherent in the scientific method
taught in many of my classes. This is good for software and systems but sometimes not so good for dinner
conversation!”
Having returned to the Wilmington area in 2002, Mr. Snyder still
loves living and working near the beach and UNCW. When not
working, Snyder enjoys surfing, reading, traveling, yoga, sports
(especially the Seahawks!) and spending lots of time outdoors with
nature and his best friend, “Buddy LongDog”. The Department of
Psychology is pleased to honor Erik Snyder, our "Alumnus in
Focus," both for his generous contributions to the department and
his personal and professional accomplishments.
Right: Mr. Erik Snyder
enjoying life at the beach
UNCW Psychology ▪ Page 8
Psychology Awards & Honors
New Scholarships Awarded
Last year, Mark Griffis and David Robertson made a historic contribution to UNCW scholarship funds, which
included an endowment designated for an outstanding Psychology major with a commitment to community
service. The Nielsen Family Award, named by Robertson, is in recognition of the importance of family in
psychological development. The 2007 Nielson Family Award has been awarded to Alicia Skorupinski. A
senior at UNCW, Alicia’s main interests lie in mental health psychology, specifically, chronic medical illness.
Alicia provided extensive volunteer service at New Hanover Regional Hospital and eventually hopes to
contribute to the development of effective methods for helping patients adjust to and cope with medical
diagnoses. She completed her Honors thesis under the direction of Dr. Pitts and Dr. Hughes, and will begin
doctoral training at Boston University next year.
The Williams-Jackson Merit Scholarship has been awarded to Katherine Tinker. The scholarship honors
the first two chairs of the UNCW Department of Psychology, Dr. John T. Williams and Dr. Lee A. Jackson.
Kat is a graduating senior in the UNCW Psychology department who recently completed her Honors project
with Dr. Galizio on the effects of opiate drugs on learning and memory. She plans to expand both her current
knowledge and future opportunities regarding the application of psychological research by attending the
Master’s program at UNCW in the upcoming Fall.
Undergraduate
Award Winners:
(left - right)
Alicia Skorupinski;
Katherine Tinker;
Jason Boye;
Emily Hanks
Undergraduate Research Awards
Jason Boye was awarded the Williams-Kowal Award, presented to a Psychology undergraduate with a
dedicated interest in basic research. This award is named in honor of Professor Emeritus John Williams
and Professor Emerita Kathleen Kowal. Jason completed an Honors project under the supervision of Dr.
Carol Pilgrim and his interests center on helping young populations. He plans to enter the UNC
Greensboro doctoral program in psychology in the Fall semester.
Katherine Tinker (see above) was the recipient of the Michael Bradley Award, named for Professor
Emeritus Michael Bradley, which is awarded to a student interested in applied research.
Emily Hanks won the Cape Fear Psychological Association Award, which is awarded to an undergraduate
interested in graduate research in an applied area, such as the mental health professions. Emily is mainly
interested in age-related degenerative disorders, as well as cancer populations. Emily completed an
Honors thesis under the supervision of Dr. Len Lecci and will enroll in the UNC Charlotte doctoral
program in psychology in Fall, 2008.
Alicia Skorupinski (see above) was awarded the Joseph C. Awkard Award for outstanding service to
Psi Chi, the psychology honorary society. The award is named for Professor Emeritus Joseph Awkard,
who founded Psi Chi on the UNCW campus.
UNCW Psychology ▪ Page 9
Psychology Awards & Honors
Psychology Student Achievements
This year, psychology students at both the graduate and undergraduate levels participated in numerous
and diverse academic activities. The public communication of empirical research findings is a critical
component of any scientific endeavor, an element which our students are strongly encouraged to pursue.
For example, 20 students were published as co-authors this year, and nearly 100 students co-authored
research presented at conferences all across the US. In recognition of their accomplishments, many
students received grants and/or travel awards, providing financial assistance for deserving students
presenting research.
Student achievements in the psychology graduate program were also recognized at the University level,
by way of financial support. Javier Gontier, a clinical psychologist working towards a research-oriented
Master’s degree, was awarded a scholarship from the Academic and Professional Programs for the
Americas (LASPAU), funded by the Sue Davis Educational Fund. Dave MacQueen received the Sylvia &
BD Schwartz Fellowship, awarded to a deserving student from any graduate program at UNCW. To assist
in his pharmacology research, MacQueen was also awarded the Ralph W. Brauer Fellowship, a financial
award meant to assist in extraordinary academic activities not normally funded by the university.
This year, the psychology department had record numbers of undergraduates complete Honors research
projects under the guidance of psychology faculty members. In addition to the scholarship awardees
described on page 8, the UNCW Center for Support of Undergraduate Research & Fellowships (CSURF)
has provided support to a number of undergraduate students engaging in psychological research.
Information regarding the academic and professional placement of recent graduates can be referenced on
the Alumni & Friends page of the Department of Psychology webpage: www.uncw.edu/psy/alumni.html .
We encourage recent graduates to visit the site and tell us about the early stages of their career. We in
the psychology department are proud of the diverse academic achievements our students and graduates
have made this year; congratulations!
Dr. Sue Lamb, Professor Emerita
Dr. Lamb served on the faculty of UNCW for over 32 years, including eight years as Associate Dean of
the College of Arts and Sciences. She had an exceptionally distinguished teaching career and was the
second recipient ever of the Board of Trustees Teaching Excellence Award. This award remains the
highest award for teaching offered on the UNCW campus, and at the time she received it, was the only
teaching excellence recognition available. Dr. Lamb is
best known for her contributions to our undergraduate
counseling practicum course that has allowed
countless students to experience “service learning”
long before such a term was popular. Indeed, she
was the architect of this program. Her devotion to the
students who came through the practicum program
gave students a profoundly deeper understanding of
psychology as a profession and their service, in turn,
benefited thousands of people in our community and
region. We are pleased to announce that she has
been awarded the status of Professor Emerita.
Dr. Sue Lamb (center),
pictured with two
practicum students
UNCW Psychology
Left: Dr. Galizio with
returning graduate
students (left - right):
Lisa Smith, Emalee
Weidemann, David
Zimmerman, Gina Green
Below: Returning grad.
students welcoming
incoming students (l-r):
Cedric Turner, Steve
Manna, Nina Heyhurst,
Holly Jones, Stephanie
Kress, Diane Louder.
ming
Welco
ities!!
Festiv
Welcoming functions for
program applicants take
place both on campus
and around the beautiful
Wilmington area.
Thanks again to Dr. Sally
MacKain for opening her
home for the graduate
student welcome party!
Left: Psychology
faculty outside of the
Social & Behavioral
Sciences Building.
Above: The newest inductees into the
UNCW chapter of Psi Chi, the National
Honor Society in Psychology
Help Us Grow !
We wish to sincerely thank the department’s alumni and friends who have been so generous in their support over the
years. We continue to need support. Donations and gifts to the Department of Psychology may be allocated to
support merit scholarships for undergraduate students, faculty and student research or our departmental speaker
series. Since the inception of the psychology department we have continued to strive for excellence and you can help
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