Graduate Student Awards

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.

Congratulations to the 2024/2025 award winner, Jessica Tschida! 

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 2024/2025 award winner, Jessica Tschida!

This fellowship is given to a student in the year before applying to internship, based on research excellence.

Congratulations to the 2025/2026 award winner, Matthew Marvin!

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 relevant activities by the full CSA faculty during the annual review process that occurs at the end of Spring term.

Congratulations to the 2025/2026 award winner, Kenan Sayers!

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 relevant activities by the full CSA faculty during the annual review process that occurs at the end of Spring term.

Congratulations to the 2025/2026 award winner, Anna Benedict!

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 2025 award winner, Kristen Johnson! 

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 the 2025/2026 award winner, Elizabeth Eberlin

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

Congratulations to the 2023/2024 award winner, Carolina Anaya!

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 2025/2026 award winner, Reid Davis!

This is a Department of Psychology research grant, rather than a Clinical Science award, and it seeks to encourage and support graduate students' exemplary research on topics that examine or advance access, opportunity, and excellence.

Congratulations to the 2024/2025 award winner, Devon Kimball.

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.

Congratulations to the 2024 award winner, Alexandra Vazquez!