Program Awards & News

Study examines the power of play for children showing early signs of autism

A new study from the MSU Autism Lab analyzes the effectiveness of training early-intervention providers to use play-based interventions called Reciprocal Imitation Teaching, or RIT, when working with young children showing signs of autism.

Read the full article about this research here.

Access Spotlight: Dr. Lauren Wiklund

Dr. Lauren Wiklund was named the College of Social Science's Access Spotlight for the month of October. Dr. Wiklund is a 2024 graduate of the MSU Department of Psychology's Clinical Science program. Her dissertation and research was centered around the sexual health and wellbeing of individuals from marginalized communities, in particular queer women of color.

Read the full story here.

Access Torch: Kalei Glozier

Kalei Glozier was named the College of Social Science's Access Torch for the month of October. Kalei is a fifth-year clinical science doctoral student in the Department of Psychology. His research interests include sexual behavior, drug and alcohol use, and protective/resilience factors in the trans and gender diverse community. Through his program, he is a graduate student clinician at the MSU Psychological Clinic and receives specialized training supervised by MSU faculty who are licensed psychologists.

Read the full story here.

New Clinical Science Faculty: Dr. Henry (Raffles) Cowan

The MSU Psychology Department welcomes Henry (Raffles) Cowan, Ph.D., as a new assistant professor in the Clinical Science research area. Dr. Cowan's research lies at the intersection of clinical science and personality psychology. His focus inccludes a person-centered approach to understanding risk, resilience, and recovery from serious mental illnesses. He also has a special interest in narrative identity.

MSU study finds non-deceptive placebos reduce stress, anxiety, and depression—even when administered remotely

The study, co-authored by Dr. Jason Moser, found a significant decrease in stress, anxiety and depression in just two weeks compared to the no-treatment control group. Participants also reported that the non-deceptive placebos were easy to use, not burdensome and appropriate for the situation.

Learn more about the findings.

Ask the Expert: Disadvantaged Neighborhoods and Mental Health

Can parents counteract a violent neighborhood? Does green space have an impact on brain development? Dr. S. Alexandra Burt shares about her research on under-resourced neighborhoods and its impact on mental health and brain development.

Read the full Q&A here.

Dr. Kelly Klump on Big Ideas in Eating Disorders Podcast

Check out Dr. Kelly Klump on the Big Ideas in Eating Disorders podcast! Dr. Klump shares about her groundbreaking research that has reshaped our understanding of the complex interplay between genetics, hormones, and environmental factors in the development of eating disorders.

Translating her findings to clinical practice has the potential to inform more effective prevention strategies and personalized interventions for individuals at risk of developing eating disorders.

Listen to Dr. Klump's podcast episode here.

College of Social Science Names Dr. Lee June Diversity Champion

Dr. Lee June is an award-winning scholar administrator who has dedicated his career to uplifting and improving access and support services for underserved students. The College of Social Science recognizes his work to create a better future or world for all.

MSU welcomes inaugural 1855 Professorship recipients including Dr. Blair Brunette

The first cohort of Spartan professors, including Dr. Blair Burnette from MSU Psychology, dedicated to advancing MSU's diversity, equity, and inclusion objectives were welcomed and celebrated. The 1855 Professorships were created under the leadership of then Provost Woodruff and are named for the year the university was founded.

MSU Twin Registry partners with Pistons for first-ever twin theme night

The MSU Twin Registry and the Detroit Pistons are partnering for the first-ever "Twin Night" On Friday, January 12th and you're invited!

Learn more here.

New Clinical Science Faculty: Dr. Blair Burnette

The MSU Psychology Department welcomes Blair Burnette, Ph.D., as a new assistant professor in the Clinical Science program. Dr. Burnette’s research explores the forces that shape how people feel about eating and their bodies, weight bias in healthcare settings, and intuitive eating.

Dr. Brooke Ingersoll Named the 2023 Undergraduate Research Faculty Mentor of the Year

This student-driven award is presented annually and recognizes faculty who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to mentoring undergraduate researchers.

"I feel so incredibly honored to receive this," said Dr. Ingersoll. "I really do enjoy mentoring students and watching them grow as students and as researchers. I feel very lucky to have been nominated.

Dr. Alexandra Burt selected as the inaugural SSC Diamond Distinguished Professor in the College of Social Science.

The College of Social Science established the Diamond Professorships this year in honor of its 60th anniversary, traditionally referred to as the diamond anniversary, to assist MSU in the retention of outstanding faculty who are widely recognized for their inclusive excellence in teaching, research, and service, and who have demonstrated scholarly impact.

"I am deeply honored and excited to receive this professorship from the College of Social Science," said Dr. Burt. "It means the world to me, as does the College's unwavering support over the last 15+ years. Most of all though, I am full of immense gratitude for my brilliant collaborators, trainees, and colleagues in the Department of Psychology, without whom none of this work would have been possible."

Dr. Alytia Levendosky won the 2022 Linda Saltzman Memorial Intimate Partner Violence Researcher Award from The Institute on Violence, Abuse, and Trauma (IVAT).

As noted by IVAT:

“This award is given in memory of Linda Saltzman, who dedicated her life to ending intimate partner violence through research. This award encourages continued research in this field by recognizing either new or established researchers who have made substantial contributions to the field of intimate partner violence in the past 5 years.”

Graduate Student Awards

The graduate students in our clinical psychology doctoral program are the backbone of the program. The program has 20-25 active graduate students at any one time, and all students are actively involved in research labs, staffing the training clinic, and assisting in course instruction. The quality of our students is evidenced by their high-level of research productivity and their success on the internship and job market, including a 100% match rate to American Psychological Association (APA) accredited APPIC internships for more than 15 years.

Bob and Bets Caldwell Land-Grant Values Award

This is a Psychology Department award, rather than a Clinical Science award, and it recognizes a psychology graduate student who exemplifies public-spirited attitudes and actions that encourage each of us to bridge divides, to discover unity in common purpose, and to be a positive force for hope and possibilities.

Alexandra Vazquez, a Clinical Science graduate student, was awarded the 2024 Bob and Bets Caldwell Land Grant Values Award for her notable record of service-oriented research, mentorship, and community involvement.

Learn more about Alexandra here.

The John Hurley Endowed Fellowship Award

This award, in honor of the late Professor John Hurley, is given to the best dissertation in the Clinical Psychology Program each year. John Hurley was Professor of Psychology at MSU for 45 years. He earned his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Iowa in 1953 and later earned a Diplomate in Clinical Psychology. Dr. Hurley was a nationally known scholar in group psychotherapy who studied T-groups, group therapy processes, interpersonal theory, leadership in groups, and interpersonal perceptions. He served as the President of the Michigan Group Psychotherapy Society.

The 2023/2024 Hurley Award was given to Alexandra Vazquez! Congratulations Alex!

Past Hurley Award Winners

2008/2009 - Kristen Culbert
2009/2010 - Cecilia Martinez-Torteya
2010/2011 - Alexia Spanos
2011/2012 - Sarah Racine
2012/2013 - Brittany Lannert
2013/2014 - Kate Thomas
2014/2015 - Matt Yalch
2015/2016 - Britny Hildebrant & Sharon Lo
2016/2017 - Shannon O'Connor
2017/2018 - Xiaochen Luo
2018/2019 - Brooke Slawinski
2019/2020 - Jade Kobayashi
2020/2021 - Beier Yao
2021/2022 - Mikayla Kim
2022/2023 - Megan Mikhail

Jaqueline J. Oatman Graduate Fellowship in Clinical Psychology

This fellowship is given to a fifth year graduate student who has most clearly demonstrated excellence in their clinical work during graduate school.

Congratulations to the 2023/2024 award winner, Sarah Carroll!

Past Fellowship Winners

2017/2018 - Nicola Bernard
2018/2019 - Allison Gornik
2019/2020 - Karís Casagrande
2020/2021 - Evan Good
2021/2022 - Kyle Frost
2022/2023 - Diondra Straiton

Master's Thesis Presentation Award

Each year, the second year Clinical Psychology graduate students present their master's research to the entire Clinical Psychology Program. The Master's Thesis Presentation Award is selected by the program faculty and given to the student with the best presentation that year.

Congratulations to Christophe Delay, the 2023/2024 recipient of the Master's Thesis Presentation Award!

Past Award Winners

2011/2012 - Katey Smagur
2012/2013 - Natalie Berger
2013/2014 - Katherine Pickard
2014/2015 - Jeff Lin
2015/2016 - Brooke Slawinski
2016/2017 - Jade Kobayashi
2017/2018 - Kyle Frost
2018/2019 - Lili Gloe
2019/2020 - Lauren Wiklund
2020/2021 - Dominic Roberts
2021/2022 - Carolina Anaya

Research Excellence Award

This award is given to a fourth year student for excellence in research during graduate school.

Congratulations to the 2023/2024 winner, Carolina Anaya!

Past Award Winners

2017/2018 - Brooke Slawinski
2018/2019 - Karís Casagrande
2019/2020 - Kyle Frost
2020/2021 - Diondra Straiton

2021/2022 - Megan Mikhail
2022/2023 - Anamiguel Pomales-Ramos

The Norman Abeles Award for Outstanding Clinical Service

This award is given to a second year student who has most clearly demonstrated clinical skill and growth as a clinician over the course of their first year of practicum. The benefactors of the award are former graduate students of the MSU Clinical Psychology Program who contributed to the fund in honor of Dr. Norman Abeles' retirement in 2010. Dr. Abeles is an Emeritus Professor who served as the clinic director for 26 years and significantly contributed to the clinical and research training of our graduate students.

Congratulations to the 2023/2024 award winner, Hannah Tokish!

Past Award Winners

2013/2014 - Matt Yalch
2014/2015 - Katherine Pickard
2015/2016 - Katey Smagur
2016/2017 - Xiaochen Luo
2017/2018 - Beier Yao
2018/2019 - Courtney Louis
2019/2020 - Megan Mikhail
2020/2021 - Dominic Roberts
2021/2022 - Carolina Anaya

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Excellence Recognition Award - Doctoral

This award recognizes a student in the Doctoral portion of the program who most exemplify the values of cultural responsivity, diversity, equity, and community engagement in their academic pursuits. These values may be demonstrated in the areas of research, clinical work, teaching, and/or service. The award is based on an evaluation of their DEI activities by the full CSA faculty during the annual review process that occurs at the end of Spring term.

Congratulations to the 2023/2024 winner Alexandra Vazquez!

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Excellence Recognition Award - Master's

This award recognizes a student in the Master's portion of the program who most exemplify the values of cultural responsivity, diversity, equity, and community engagement in their academic pursuits. These values may be demonstrated in the areas of research, clinical work, teaching, and/or service. The award is based on an evaluation of their DEI activities by the full CSA faculty during the annual review process that occurs at the end of Spring term.

Congratulations to the 2023/2024 winner Kenan Sayers!

The John and Margo Reisman Award

This award helps recruit exceptional students of unusual promise, who in turn have the potential to elevate the MSU Clinical Psychology Program to new levels of excellence. The annual scholarship provides additional funding, over and above what could otherwise be offered, to one top applicant in each admissions class.

The scholarship was endowed by the late Dr. John M. Reisman and his wife, Margo Reisman. Dr. Reisman was an alumnus of the MSU Clinical Psychology doctoral program and an Emeritus Professor of Psychology at DePaul University in Chicago. Mrs. Reisman was also a proud MSU graduate in Elementary Education.

Congratulations to the 2022 award winner, Hannah Tokish!

Past Award Winners

2008 - Sarah Racine
2009 - Zori Kalibetseva
2010 - Tim Moran
2011 - Natalie Berger
2012 - Katherine Pickard
2013 - Jeff Lin
2014 - Karis Casagrande
2015 - Evan Good
2016 - Beier Yao
2018 - Alexandra Vazquez
2020 - Devon Kimball

Bob and Bets Caldwell Land-Grant Values Award

Karis Casagrande, a Clinical Science graduate student who received her doctorate in 2021, was honored with the 2020 award. Congratulations Karís!

"Of all the excellent nominees, Karís stood out for her inspiring volunteer work that has helped to create more inclusive and accessible services and community activities for individuals with autism and developmental disabilities." - Dr. Emily Durbin, Associate Chair for Graduate Studies

Joseph L. White Outstanding Student Multicultural Research Award Values Award

This is another Psychology Department award that recognizes outstanding graduate student research on multicultural issues.

Lauren Wiklund, a Clinical Science graduate student, won the 2020 award for her project entitled "The Intersection of Race and Sexuality in a National Sample: Examining Discrimination and Mental Health." Congratulations Lauren!