Department of Psychology, Oklahoma State University

For Dr. Kathryn Weinland, a teaching associate professor in the Department of Psychology, the land-grant mission is central to the work she is doing in the community.

"The high school tutoring program at the Payne County Detention Center exemplifies Oklahoma State University's land-grant mission by extending the university's commitment to education and service to underserved communities and populations, particularly within the criminal justice system. This program also allows OSU to utilize resources that benefit and serve the broader public by empowering individuals with educational opportunities they might not otherwise have.

This program directly aligns with OSU’s land-grant mission by offering educational support to incarcerated individuals, a group often overlooked in society. Through tutoring and mentorship, OSU faculty and graduate students provide inmates with the academic skills and knowledge that can aid in their rehabilitation and eventual reintegration into society. This program not only benefits the inmates but also enriches our community and the educational experience of OSU faculty and graduate students, who gain practical, hands-on experience in applying their knowledge in impactful ways, fostering a deep sense of civic duty and social responsibility.

We are honored to lead OSU’s efforts in reaching out to our community members who are incarcerated and are deeply grateful for the support of the university, particularly through the College of Arts and Sciences Community Engagement Grant and the OSU Foundation."

Oklahoma State University Department of Psychology, Oklahoma State University

The psychology department is pleased to announce that Claire Anderson has been selected as September's student of the Month. Claire is from New Braunfels, Texas, pursuing a BS degree in Psychology with a minor in Child Development.

Claire serves as a research assistant in both Dr. Ciciolla’s CAMP lab and Dr. Yu’s SeEDS Lab. In the CAMP lab, she is actively involved in The EMBRACE study, where she shadows graduate students during participant interviews and the collection of biological samples from mothers and their babies to measure cortisol levels. In the SeEDS Lab, she focuses on reviewing literature related to cultural socialization from early childhood through adolescence and contributes to screening potential participants for eligibility in the StILI-SiP study. Notably, Claire has presented a poster as a second author at the Oklahoma Psychological Society and as a first author at the OSU Undergraduate Research Symposium.

In addition to her work as a research assistant, Claire serves as a CAS Ambassador and office assistant at the University Counseling Services and is an active member of the Psyc Club and Psi Chi student organizations.

When asked about her experiences at OSU, she says “When I joined the psychology department in my sophomore year, I had no idea how great of an impact it would have on me. My academic advisor, professors, and graduate mentors have been extremely supportive and encouraging, consistently pushing me to reach my full potential. They have taught me that I am capable of achieving goals I once thought were out of reach. I feel so grateful to be part of this amazing community!”

In the future, Claire plans to attend graduate school to earn a PhD in Human Development and Family Sciences. Her ultimate goal is to become a professor and research socio-emotional development in early childhood and adolescence while striving to support future generations of psychology/HDFS students in achieving their own academic and professional goals.

Join us on Thursday, September 19th from 4-5:40 for Psi Chi's first event of the semester, Dogs, Desserts & Trivia! Join us for snacks and and evening with Petes Pet Posse. This event is open to all psychology students and staff.

Meet the '24-'25 Psi Chi Executive team!

Congratulations to Cassidy Armstrong! One of our 2024-2025 Remember the Ten Run Memorial Scholarship Recipients. Cass will be receiving a $1,000 scholarship this coming academic year.

Cassidy (Cass) Armstrong is a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. They are originally from Waxahachie, Texas and they received a Bachelor of Science from Oklahoma State University in 2020. They are a fourth-year doctoral student at Oklahoma State University (OSU) in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program specializing in American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) health psychology under the mentorship of Dr. Ashley B. Cole. They are interested in research investigating AI/AN health behaviors and health inequities, specifically examining variables such as trauma, substance use, and resilience factors. Their future ambitions are to conduct clinical work and research at an integrated healthcare facility to help individuals dealing with various types of trauma and related health concerns. Further, they aim to serve as a mentor to young researchers from marginalized groups to help promote future generations of clinical scientists from underrepresented backgrounds.

“It is with great humility and enthusiasm that I accept the Remember The Ten Run Scholarship. This is an incredibly prestigious honor that will support me in reaching my goals of earning a degree in higher education, which will allow me to establish a successful career as a clinical health psychologist. Further, this scholarship supports me to not only develop the necessary clinical skills to treat individuals that are dealing with trauma and various other health concerns, but also supports the research to examine the relationships among trauma and related mental and physical health outcomes. It is an honor and a privilege to receive a scholarship that honors the legacy and memory of ten members of our Oklahoma State family and promotes the urgent need for mental health services through support for the education of current graduate students pursuing careers in mental health.”

We are excited to announce that this is our 13th class of scholarship recipients! That means that next year, we will have awarded $130,000 to OSU Master’s and Doctoral students who are studying in areas related to grief counseling. We couldn’t do it without all the support from our participants, volunteers, donors and community! THANK YOU!

Congratulations to Gabriella Atencio! One of our 2024-2025 Remember the Ten Run Memorial Scholarship Recipients. Gabriella will be receiving a $1,000 scholarship this coming academic year.

Gabriella Atencio is a second-year clinical psychology PhD student, originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico. Although having lived most of her life in Albuquerque, Gabriella and her family are originally from Española, New Mexico. Gabriella received both her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Master of Business Administration degrees from the University of New Mexico.

"A little bit about the research that I do is that it’s focused around investigating how adversity dimensionally impacts an adolescent’s brain and mental health. The biomedical research that my lab (The Laboratory for the Adolescent Brain) conducts aim to assess how adversity impacts an adolescent’s brain development and parent-child relationships through the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging. Additionally, we are interested in identifying areas for resiliency for adolescents, and how the parent-child relationship can foster their ability for regulating their emotions.

My research background strongly influences my trauma informed clinical approach and provides me with an expansive perspective of how exposure to adversity can influence emotional and behavioral problems in youth. Receiving this scholarship will help me pay for traveling to these conferences where I can learn more from other adversity researchers and present my own research".

We are excited to announce that this is our 13th class of scholarship recipients! That means that next year, we will have awarded $130,000 to OSU Master’s and Doctoral students who are studying in areas related to grief counseling. We couldn’t do it without all the support from our participants, volunteers, donors and community! THANK YOU!

Congratulations to Olufunke Benson! One of our 2024-2025 Remember the Ten Run Memorial Scholarship Recipients. Funke will be receiving a $1,000 scholarship this coming academic year.

Olufunke Benson, or Funke (Foon-keh) for short, is a second-year graduate student in the clinical psychology doctoral program at Oklahoma State University. Her graduate mentor is Dr. LaRicka Wingate, working in the Black Equity and Mental Health Lab. Funke's research interests focus on exploring risk and protective factors for su***de in Black women, with the aim of mitigating mental health disorders in this population. Funke is Nigerian, and very proud of her culture and heritage. "Receiving this scholarship will aid in my journey to becoming an even better-rounded and connected clinical psychologist and researcher. As an international student with limited financial support, I face significant financial pressures, and this scholarship would help mitigate some of those challenges."

We are excited to announce that this is our 13th class of scholarship recipients! That means that next year, we will have awarded $130,000 to OSU Master’s and Doctoral students who are studying in areas related to grief counseling. We couldn’t do it without all the support from our participants, volunteers, donors and community! THANK YOU!

Congratulations to Alexandra Blair! One of our 2024-2025 Remember the Ten Run Memorial Scholarship Recipients. Alex will be receiving a $1,000 scholarship this coming academic year.

Alex is a proud member of the Cherokee Nation here in Oklahoma. She is currently enrolled as a fifth-year graduate student in the Clinical Psychology Doctoral program.

"I am honored to receive this scholarship. I have been part of the Oklahoma State University community for almost nine years now. I graduated with my undergraduate degree in 2019 and continued my graduate degree here from 2019 to now, and it has always felt like home. Throughout my academic journey here, I've witnessed and experienced Oklahoma State’s commitment to honoring and supporting their people, even in times of adversity and tragedy. As a student, this sense of unity holds significant meaning for me, and I take great pride in being associated with Oklahoma State University and will always be Loyal and True."

We are excited to announce that this is our 13th class of scholarship recipients! That means that next year, we will have awarded $130,000 to OSU Master’s and Doctoral students who are studying in areas related to grief counseling. We couldn’t do it without all the support from our participants, volunteers, donors and community! THANK YOU!

Congratulations to Danielle Deros! One of our 2024-2025 Remember the Ten Run Memorial Scholarship Recipients. Dani will be receiving a $1,000 scholarship this coming academic year.

Danielle “Dani” Deros is a sixth-year doctoral student in the clinical psychology program at Oklahoma State University studying under the mentorship of Dr. DeMond Grant. Her line of research focuses on evaluating the different interpersonal and environmental contexts that can affect neural indicators underlying cognitive vulnerabilities, such as biased attention and information processing, associated with symptoms of social anxiety. She is originally from Baltimore, MD, but is grateful for all of the opportunities that she has had since moving to Stillwater. Clinically, she has served the OSU and surrounding Payne County communities as an associate at the Psychological Services Center conducting individual and group therapy as well as an Assistant Director of Assessment Services at the PSC. She also has served as the graduate clinical intern at OSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine where she advocated for and assisted veterinary students in obtaining mental health and wellness resources, including individual therapy and education on stress management interventions. Next year, she will be completing her doctoral clinical internship as one of her final steps to earning her doctoral degree.

She is proud to have been a member of the Cowboy family for the past 6 years, and wants to thank the Remember the Ten steering committee and the OSU community for their active commitment to helping students throughout their education in mental health-related fields. This scholarship program has truly provided a critical support to students across psychology at OSU, and she feels very blessed to be a two-time recipient. She is appreciative for their consideration and the privilege to receive this scholarship, which will help her to further her education in clinical practice as well as to better serve the communities she works with. Go Pokes!

We are excited to announce that this is our 13th class of scholarship recipients! That means that next year, we will have awarded $130,000 to OSU Master’s and Doctoral students who are studying in areas related to grief counseling. We couldn’t do it without all the support from our participants, volunteers, donors and community! THANK YOU!

During spring break, immerse yourself in the charm of two Belgian cities, Brussels and Bruges, as we meander through their cobblestone streets and savor renowned Belgian culinary delights, including their iconic chocolates and waffles. Enroll in psyc 3120 in the spring 2025. You will learn about the rich historical and cultural heritage of Belgium. For more information, contact [email protected], 405-744-8462 of visit https://cas.okstate.edu/study_abroad/belgium2025.html

What a great group of alumni Psychologists from the OSU Department of Psychology at the 2024 American Psychological Association Convention in Seattle, WA
L-R Dr. Boyd (2003), Dr. Knight (2005), Dr. Turner(2004), Dr. Aosved (2006), & Dr. Shaw(2006)

What a great group of almuni Psychologists from the OSU Department of Psychology at the 2024 American Psychological Association Convention in Seattle, WA
L-R Dr. Boyd (2003), Dr. Knight (2005), Dr. Turner(2004), Dr. Aosved (2006), & Dr. Shaw(2006)

Congratulations to all of our psychology graduates. Commencement '24 was a success!!

Please join us in congratulating several of our undergraduates on their outstanding achievements throughout this academic year.

The Department of Psychology Congratulates students receiving their Doctoral, Master, and Bachelors degree the Spring and Summer 2024

Oklahoma State Psychology Department congratulates the Spring and Summer graduates of the Psychology Doctoral Program. We are taking the month of May to celebrate their accomplishments and to wish them continued success in their careers

Congratulations to Dr. Shelia Kennison for being awarded the 2024 Excellence in Research Mentoring Award by the Vice President for Research.

Dr. Kennison's dedication to mentorship and her exemplary commitment to fostering the academic and personal growth of her students have been truly outstanding. Her tireless efforts in guiding students
through their research endeavors, while nurturing their individual interests and aspirations, have undoubtedly contributed to making Oklahoma State University a thriving hub of intellectual curiosity and achievement.

As a first-generation graduate herself, Dr. Kennison deeply understands the transformative power of mentorship and the pivotal role it plays in shaping the academic journey of aspiring scholars. Her
unwavering dedication to paying forward the support she received from her own mentors is truly commendable and serves as an inspiration to us all.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Kennison on this well-deserved recognition. Her contributions to our department and the broader academic community are invaluable, and her mentorship
will continue to enrich the lives of students for years to come.

Cassidy Armstrong, a valued member of our department, has been awarded the prestigious Aspen Institute and Aspen Ideas Festival Fellowship!

This remarkable achievement is a testament to Cassidy's dedication, hard work, and innovative thinking. Through their exceptional abilities, Cassidy has demonstrated a remarkable capacity to transform ideas into action, contributing positively to both our academic community and the broader society.

The Aspen Institute and Aspen Ideas Festival Fellowship is highly competitive and selective, recognizing individuals who exhibit exceptional leadership potential and a commitment to driving positive change. Cassidy's receipt of this fellowship is a reflection of their outstanding qualities and their potential to make a meaningful impact on the world.

Please join us in congratulating Cassidy on this well-deserved honor. Their accomplishment not only brings pride to our department but also serves as an inspiration to us all.

The Psychology Department at Oklahoma State University is pleased to announce River Riddle as the Student of the Month for May. River is from Pawhuska, Oklahoma, and will be graduating this semester with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology with a minor in Sociology.

River is an exceptional American Indians Into Psychology (AIIP) scholar who will leave an indelible mark upon graduation from OSU. His dedication to his studies and extracurricular activities is truly inspiring. This semester, he worked at the Psychology Diversified Systems Program (PDSP) office as an AIIP student representative.

Additionally, he has been a valuable research assistant (RA) for the COLE Lab, working under the esteemed guidance of Dr. Ashley Cole. River's contributions to the Native American Student Association (NASA) Club and the Psychology Club have been significant.

River says, “Oklahoma State's Psychology Department has provided me with numerous valuable opportunities to succeed in both my career and personal endeavors. I am thankful to all the faculty members and students that I have worked with.

After graduation, he plans to pursue a Master's degree in Counseling Psychology. His ultimate career aspiration is to be a supportive counselor who advocates for Native American mental health.

Justin Holt was awarded third prize for his picturesque view of the town of Sintra, which features the Pena Palace atop the mountain.

Bella Panganiban, another talented participant in the PSYC 3120 Study Abroad program, secured the second prize with her captivating photos of the National Tile Museum and the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos in Lisbon, Portugal. These locations, steeped in history and culture, are a testament to the rich experiences of the PSYC 3120 Study Abroad program.

Avery Evans and Lauren Tilly recently won the first prize for their photo that captured the essence of OSU students in front of Portugal's picturesque Pena Palace in Sintra. The photo captured the students' exuberant expressions and highlighted the reasons why PSYC 3120 Study Abroad has been such a popular study abroad program since 2012.

Dr. Kraines has been awarded the Early Career Research Achievement Award in Hospital-Based Research Faculty from the Psychiatry and Human Behavior department. This prestigious accolade recognizes Dr. Kraines' outstanding contributions to the field, particularly in her research endeavors focusing on affective-cognitive factors in mood disorders and health behaviors.

Dr. Kraines' work is truly groundbreaking as she delves into the intricate mechanisms and predictors of change in conditions such as depression, anxiety, smoking cessation, and alcohol use disorder. Her dedication to adapting evidence-based mindfulness interventions for at-risk populations is commendable and reflects her commitment to improving mental health outcomes for diverse communities.

As the principal investigator of a Career Development Award (K23) from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, Dr. Kraines is at the forefront of innovative research. Her investigation into whether affective executive functioning serves as a mechanism of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy holds great promise for advancing our understanding and treatment of mental health conditions. Congratulations to Dr. Morganne A. Kraines on this well-deserved recognition. Her accomplishments inspire our department and reaffirm the importance of our collective pursuit of excellence in psychological research and practice.