James Madison University Wordmark

Department of Psychology

Senior Award for Academic Achievement

This award is given to senior students who have demonstrated significant overall academic achievement in their undergraduate studies, and especially in psychology.

No recipients for this award this year.

Past Award Recipients

2007

  • Renae Columbe
    Renae Columbe is a Family Studies minor. Renae is a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, Sigma Alpha Lambda National Leadership and Honors Society, Psi Chi, Mortar Board, where she serves as Membership Chair, and Psychology Peer Advising, where she serves as Coordinator of Fundraising. She has completed several Independent Research experiences with Dr. Bryan Saville, and has given three professional presentations at the Southern Behavior Analysis conference and the Eastern Psychological Association conference. Renae completed her Field Placement experience in the Counseling and Guidance office of a local high school, and she has volunteered for the Association for the Help of Retarded Children, the Commonwealth Center for Children and Adolescents, The Harrisonburg Gus Bus, and with the mentally handicapped at Pleasant View. Renae plans to earn her Masters degree in school counseling and hopes to become a school counselor in her home state of New York.
  • Tamara Shore
    Tamara Shore is a student in JMU’s Bachelors of Individualized Study program. She has conducted research with Drs. Kevin Apple and Jim Benedict on Just in time Teaching, and with Jessica Dudley on a program for ADHD high school students. She completed a senior project with Dr. Serpell which examined the relationship between parenting skills of parents of ADD/ADHD children and their children’s coping skills. She has home schooled four children, and has worked at Grafton School in Winchester. Her professional goal is to earn a MA in psychology and proceed onto a doctoral program focused on treating children with learning disabilities. Tamara is a member of Psi Chi, and will be inducted into Phi Kappa Phi this spring.

  • Tyler Rosenberg
    Tyler Rosenberg has been a teaching assistant for Psychological Research Methods. and a program assistant for the JMU Counseling and Student Development Center. She is a member of Psi Chi and has completed a field placement in school psychology. She is a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and Sigma Alpha Lambda as well as Psychology Club. In Spring, 2005 she received the Outstanding Achievement in Research Methods and Statistics Award.

 

2006

  • Emily Burgdorf - completed one year of research with Dr. Arnold Kahn, and is also working as a counselor and research assistant with Dr. Steve Evans in the Challenging Horizons Program for children with ADHD. She completed a field placement at Thomas Harrison Middle School with a school counselor. She completed an internship at Anderson Associates Psychology and Consulting. She is a Psychology Peer Advisor and has been in charge of the Department of Psychology new major orientation program during the 2005-2006 academic year. Emily has also been heavily involved with the Food Fight against Hunger, the Relay for Life Team, and Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. She was a member of the Department of Psychology Academic Program Review self-study committee. Emily serves as a Big Sister. Emily was a previous winner of the Department of Psychology Award for Research Methods and Statistics and the James Hart Memorial Award for Outstanding Juniors. She is a member of Phi Kappa Phi and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. Emily would like to pursue a career in School Psychology.
  • J. Philip Erb - completed independent research projects with Dr. Cheryl Talley and Dr. Monica Reis-Bergan. He is completing his honors thesis this semester with Dr. Sherry Serdikoff and Dr. Monica Reis-Bergan. Philip volunteered with the Boys and Girls Club at Plains Elementary and tutored students through his home church Outreach Program. Philip also served as the youth group leader at his home church. Philip was previously awarded by the Psychology Department for Outstanding Achievement in Statistics and Research Methods. He is member of Psi Chi, Phi Kappa Phi fraternity, and the Golden Key Honor Society. Philip plans to become a practicing clinical psychologist.
  • Elizabeth McGee - is completing her honors this semester with Dr. Tracy Zinn in the area of academic performance and satisfaction with interteaching. She completed a field placement at the Sunnyside Retirement Community during the Spring. She is a Big Sister, a tutor for America Reads at Spotswood Elementary School . Elizabeth received a Department of Psychology Grant for Outstanding Undergraduate Scholarship, and she is a member of Psi Chi, and the Society for Industrial/Organizational Psychology (SIOP). She hopes to someday earn her Ph.D. in I/O Psychology and work as a consultant at her own firm.
  • Andrea Schleifman - has been completing research with Dr. Arnold Kahn during the past year. She completed a Trauma Externship at Fairfax INOVA Hospital , was a Pharmacology Research Assistant at Georgetown University Medical Center , and was a Hematology Department volunteer at Georgetown University Hospital . She was a member of the Psychology Learning Community as a freshman, a First Year Orientation Guide (FROG) during sophomore year, and was the Department of Psychology representative to the Dean’s Student Advisory Committee during her Senior Year. She is a member of Psi Chi, Phi Kappi Phi, and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. Andrea aspires to become a physician and she is particularly interested in adolescent medicine and at this writing was already accepted into three prestigious medical schools for Fall 2006.