Life-Span Developmental Psychology
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Alumni Reflections: What do our alums say about their training?
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Preparation for Academic Careers: Reflections on Research Training
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Preparation for Academic Careers: Reflections on Teaching Training
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Preparation for Applied Careers
Reflections on Research Training
As a Fellow in the Kellogg Health Scholars Program, I have worked with colleagues from around the country on translating health disparities research into policy at the community, state, and national levels. The training I received in the Life-Span Developmental Program provided me with extensive research expertise and the ability to collaborate with a wide range of individuals. I had multiple opportunities in graduate school to teach courses and present at scientific meetings with my mentors. These activities made me a more effective and convincing public speaker, which has been an invaluable asset in my current position. I entered the Developmental Program with a vague idea of what I would do with my career. Now, with the help of my mentors from WVU, I am a productive, confident researcher in a dynamic and exciting field. The junior colleague model at WVU developed my individual strengths and encouraged me to be a motivated professional in psychology and aging.
- S. Melinda (Mindi) Spencer, Ph.D. (2006). Life-Span Developmental Program. Current position: Kellogg Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Pittsburgh.
Thanks to the junior colleague model, I was given ample opportunities to engage in research other than my major thesis and dissertation projects. This exposed me to a wide variety of research methods, data analytic techniques, and theoretical backgrounds which has allowed me to confidently and independently conduct my own research as a faculty member.
- Karri (Bonner) Verno, Ph.D. (2005). Life-Span Developmental Program. Current position: Assistant Professor, Mansfield University.
I am currently a post-doctoral research fellow at the Durham VA Medical Center working on ways to improve self-management of chronic illnesses among older adults. My training at WVU has prepared me for this position in a number of important ways. First, the breadth of available courses is matched only by the depth in which the faculty delve into the current issues pertaining to the relevant topics. Second, the faculty encourage individuality in thought and interests, while also providing a network of support structures designed to guide the students as the students develop their own research interests and plans. Third, the department as a whole encourages working with others within the department (both inside and outside of your own program area). Not only does this create and nurture an environment of collaboration and productivity, but it provides an excellent opportunity to learn how to be a successful collaborator in an increasingly interdisciplinary field. Separately, any one of these things could make any department good. Together, they make the department at WVU great.
- Brian Ayotte, Ph.D. (2007). Life-Span Developmental Program. Current Position: Postdoctoral Fellow, Health Services Research & Development, Duke University, U.S. Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
I believe that the Life-Span Developmental program at West Virginia University could not have prepared me better to enter the very competitive field of academia. The junior colleague model at WVU offers a unique experience from other graduate schools; by the time you graduate, you have a vitae that includes several years of teaching and/or research assistantships. These experiences gave me an edge when applying for academic positions and prepared me to start a successful career.
- Jennifer (Pickard) Leszczynski, Ph.D. (2003). Life-Span Developmental Program. Current Position: Assistant Professor, Psychology Department, Eastern Connecticut State University.
I attribute the ease of my transition to a professional career to three specific qualities of the program. The latest research methods and groundbreaking issues are a focus of the multidisciplinary curriculum and thus, contributed to my overall knowledge base. Grant-writing concepts and assignments are incorporated into the course load as well. As a result, my familiarity and abilities in grant writing and understanding the external funding arena increased. Finally, having the opportunity to teach, conduct research studies, and contribute in committees and other professional activities gave me valuable experience, which is not often incorporated into other graduate programs.
- Lesley Cottrell, Ph.D. (2001). Life-Span Developmental Program. Current Position: Assistant Professor & Section Chief: Epidemiological, Psychosocial, & Behavioral Research Department of Pediatrics, West Virginia University.
My experience in the department's junior colleague model helped give me a
taste of the reality of demands that I need to balance in my current position as an assistant professor. As a student, at times I was balancing teaching an introductory course, conducting my own research, helping to supervise the research of undergraduates, and serving on a departmental faculty committee. Aside from the difference in pay, I am balancing these same tasks today as a faculty member. The psychology graduate program provided me with extensive training in the research process. We learned how to conduct a research study from start to finish, including how to apply for grant funding, how to collect and analyze data, and how to present our findings through conferences and publications.
- Lisa M. Swenson, Ph.D. (2003). Life-Span Developmental Program. Current Position: Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University-Hazelton.