Department News
In this issue (Fall 2024)
Award Winners
Undergraduate Awards
- The John C. Peterson Undergraduate Scholarship Prize was awarded to Maggie Fontanini, Hunter Strating, Ivy Auletti, Lindsey Wilson, and Paige Anderson
- Ellie Warnes is this year's recipient of the E. Jerry Phares Undergraduate Research Award
- The Sewell Undergraduate Research Scholarship was awarded to Emily Gregg and Colleen Fulton
- Dalton Green, Madison Deslatte, and Rachel Pratt received the Curtis Lee and JB Gee Psychological Sciences Scholarship
- Alyssa Smith and Audrey Etgen received the Leon Rappaport Psychology Undergraduate Scholarship
- The James and Doreen Shanteau Undergraduate Research Award was awarded to Luna Borgelt, Lujan Lopez Zavala, and Olivia Edwards
- Academic Honors: Peyton Woods recieved Cum Laude academic honors. Maggie Gontanini, Lindsey Wilson, and Ivy Auletti recieved Magna Cum Laude academic honors, and Anthony Frias II, Colleen Fulton, and Hunter Strating recieved Summan Cum Laude academic honors.
Graduate Awards
- Troy Fort received the Outstanding Graduate Research Award/Harry Helson Memorial Scholarship
- Christine Seitz was awarded the Dunlap Fellowship
- Noah Renken received the Outstanding Graduate Instructor Award
- The Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award was jointly presented to Patrick Hancock and Troy Fort
Faculty Updates
Regina Crowell (pictured above) celebrated 30 years of state service!
New Tenure-Track Faculty
Shalene Allen received her doctoral degree
in Industrial-Organizational Psychology and
minors in quantitative methodology and
occupational health psychology from Portland State University. Shalene is a trained expert in workplace social support, leadership, mental health and intervention evaluation and design. She is interested in examining how to improve coworker support behavior via rigorous intervention and how such support can improve the mental health of employees and organizations. Shalene enjoys hot yoga, walking with her two dogs and spending quality time with her family. She is very excited and looking forward to joining the community at K-State.
Naidan Tu is a doctoral candidate in Industrial/ Organizational Psychology at the University
of South Florida. Her research interests are in psychometrics, selection and organizational
effectiveness. Naidan is expected to defend her dissertation in June, complete her Hogan internship in August and then relocate to Kansas. She is very excited to become a part of the K-State community and explore all that Manhattan has to offer.
MIOP
The Master’s in Industrial and Organizational Psychology program, or MIOP, began its
25th year this summer! Program director Sarina Maneotis and program assistant Chi-Leigh Warren remain busy not only delivering classes but fostering the program’s social media presence on Instagram and LinkedIn and planning the in-person summer program, including several special social events to foster connectedness. As they think about the MIOP of the future, they are working to build connections across the university, such as with the Staley School of Leadership, and hope to develop an organizational science microcredential that will require the development of several new courses. Stay tuned for more information in the future.
Please look for MIOP on LinkedIn and Instagram — @ksumiop — or visit our website.
- Sarina Maneotis
GAPS
The 2023-2024 year was full of new things for both the Graduate Association for Psychology Students, or GAPS, and the department. GAPS saw the induction of all first-time officers, and the department saw the onboarding of new faculty, including a new head. The 2023-2024 GAPS chose Inclusion and Information as our goals this year and focused on making our department one where adjusting to graduate school life goes as seamlessly as possible. This year, GAPS introduced an “Unspoken Rules” book, where we have solicited guidelines and advice for new graduate students and collected it in one place for easy accessibility. Other efforts to demystify the process of obtaining a doctoral degree at K-State included updating all preliminary exam guidelines for each program area, organizing a study night and arranging a virtual visit from K-State alumni in different career tracks where they talked about their experiences applying for and working in different areas.
Following the precedent set by previous GAPS members in pursuing diversity, equity and inclusion education, the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Student Affairs presented a Safe Zone workshop to the department, which certified everyone in attendance to continue attending advanced workshops to further their education. In addition to the resources provided by the office, stay tuned for an open contribution resource list for psychology teachers and colloquia coming up in the fall featuring research on identity, crossrace
communication and respectful engagement in research on minority populations.
This year, we also had a donation drive with commemorative psychology themed keychains as a gift for donating. The drive has been a success so far, with $270 raised! This wonderful year would not have been possible without Michael Tollefsrud, vice President; Alma Pahua, treasurer; Christine Seitz, mentor Chair; and Nora Balboa, DEI Officer. After a successful year, GAPS is excited to see what comes next and is happy to introduce a great group of new officers: Andrew Olah, president; Luke Watson, vice president; Jacob Wilson, treasurer; Jordan Scott, mentor chair; and Mohsen Davoudkhani, DEI officer (pictured left). Best wishes for the coming year!
- Kari Payne, 2023-2024 GAPS president
PSI CHI
The K-State chapter of Psi Chi was led by Ivy Auletti, president; Jendaya Leder, vice president;
Maggie Fontanini, secretary; Lindsey Wilson, treasurer; Lujan Lopez Zavala, ambassador;
and Dr. Heather Bailey, faculty advisor. We welcomed over 30 new members in the 2023-
24 academic year. Psi Chi also hosted and supported several events throughout the year,
including preparing for graduate school panel, a panel about various helping professions,
a hot chocolate fundraiser that raised more than $300 for the local crisis shelter, the All-
University Open House and the annual departmental graduation and awards ceremony.
The officers also organized monthly member meetings that involved social activities as well
as professional development activities such as presentations on research within various
labs in the department. The incoming officers for the 2024-2025 academic year are Lujan Lopez Zavala, president; Finn Wilson, vice president; Tristan Polton, treasurer; Kutina Cabrera, secretary; and Max Eber, ambassador (pictured right) .
- Heather Bailey