From left: Queen Miller and Amanda McHugh received Psi Chi Regional Awards for their student projects at the 2024 Southwestern Psychological Association Conference in San Antonio.
Eight students and faculty from Texas A&M University—Central Texas attended the 2024 Southwestern Psychological Association Conference. Over the three-day event, the attendees engaged in a series of workshops, research presentations, and teaching demonstrations.
Queen Miller and Amanda McHugh received Psi Chi Regional Awards for their student projects and the opportunity to lead designated presentations sessions. Miller’s project, “Beyond the classroom: External factors as contributors to academic success and resilience,” and McHugh’s study, “Explaining ‘why you care’ helps them share: Overcoming reluctance to share feedback,” were both supervised by Dr. Madelynn Shell, associate professor in the Department of Counseling and Psychology.
Further contributions from attendees included Shaina Spence and Stacie Gilyard, who presented their research on the dynamics of first-year college student friendships and the role of social support in academic success. Michelle Sandy, another student from the BS Psychology Program, showcased her work on the interplay between socioeconomic status, student stress, and depressive symptoms, after receiving a Psi Chi Travel Grant.
In addition to student accolades, faculty Dr. Malin Lilley, assistant professor of psychology, presented collaborative research with Dr. Dawn Weatherford from Texas A&M University-San Antonio on the contents of psychology research lab manuals.
The conference also facilitated networking opportunities for attendees and discussions on future research and educational strategies facilitated by Dr. Walter Murphy, associate vice president for research, economic development, and innovation at Texas A&M University—Central Texas, including a Psi Chi panel on graduate school admissions.
For more information on the Counseling & Psychology programs at A&M—Central Texas, visit www.tamuct.edu.
