ESU’s Psychology Department Hosts 37th Biannual Research Forum

Pictured is Bridget Bowe the 2015 recipient of the John Kramer Service Award, given in memory of John Kramer, who graduated from the ESU psychology program in 2002. Bowe is standing beside the tree planted in John Kramer’s memory in front of Stroud Hall on the university’s campus.

The psychology department at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania hosted its 37th biannual research forum on April 28 in the Niedbala Auditorium of the Hoeffner Science and Technology Center. The research forum was started 19 years ago by Sussie Eshun, Ph.D., professor of psychology, and Richard Wesp, Ph.D., distinguished professor of psychology, as a venue to showcase the outstanding student research in psychology. It has steadily grown since and now includes numerous research and internship posters, student research presentations, student award presentations, and honor society inductions. The research forum is the highlight of the semester for both faculty and students in the psychology department.

Encouragement and recognition of student research are central to the research forum. Each semester, selected students give oral presentations discussing their recent empirical research projects. These presentations are similar to those that would be given at a professional conference in that the students provide detailed accounts of their hypotheses, research methods, data analysis, and conclusions. The student presenters for the spring 2015 research forum were: Jacqueline Cassaro, a junior psychology major from Bethel, N.Y., who presented research that she conducted with Jyh-Hann Chang, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology, and Kirstin Schafer, from White Haven, Pa., who recently earned her Bachelor of Science in psychology and presented research that she conducted with Dr. Eshun.

During the day’s celebration of student excellence, psychology undergraduates who met rigorous academic achievement standards were formally inducted into Psi Chi, the International Honor Society in Psychology. Psi Chi holds the distinction of being the largest student psychological organization in the world, having over 600,000 members. The organization’s purpose is to promote excellence in scholarship and to advance the science of psychology.

The ESU chapter of Psi Chi was founded in 1980 and since that time, hundreds of students have become members. Psi Chi, along with its counterpart, The Psychology Association, which is a general membership student organization for anyone interested in the study of psychology, sponsors many educational, charitable, and civic programs, which are of value to the professional discipline as well as to the local community. Renee Boburka, Ph.D. and Irina Khusid, Ph.D., both associate professors of psychology, are the faculty advisers for the organizations. During the spring 2015 research forum, six ESU undergraduate students were inducted into Psi Chi: Kaitlyn Dietrich, a junior psychology major from Weatherly, Pa.; Theresa Gehring, a sophomore psychology and criminal justice major from Stroudsburg, Pa.; Zachary Getz, a senior psychology major from Scotrun, Pa.; Abigail Hawk, a sophomore psychology and criminal justice major from Allentown, Pa.; and Caitlin Trainer, a junior psychology major from Tamaqua, Pa. In addition, John Herrmann, from Norwood, Pa., who recently earned his Bachelor of Science in psychology, was inducted.

Two awards are presented annually at the research forum to psychology majors who have demonstrated exceptional service to the department, university and community. The scholarship award, given in memory Evelyn and Valerie M. Hodge, honors their lives and promotes the principles and ideals they espoused, including compassion and service. Recipients of this award need to have met certain academic criteria and demonstrate active participation and service in student organizations, such as Psi Chi and The Psychology Association. The 2015 recipient of the Evelyn and Valerie M. Hodge Award was Caitlin Trainer. The John Kramer Service award, given in memory of John Kramer, who graduated from the ESU psychology program in 2002, recognizes a psychology major who demonstrates exemplary service to the university, department, and community, taking into account community volunteer work and participation in student organizations. The 2015 recipient of the John Kramer Service Award was Bridget Bowe, from Staten Island, N.Y., who recently earned her Bachelor of Science in psychology.

After the student presentations, awards, and inductions, students and faculty reconvened on the first floor of Stroud Hall to view additional research studies presented in poster format by students enrolled in various research-oriented psychology courses. Informational posters created by students who recently completed internships were also presented. Students who have prepared research posters are eligible to submit their projects for consideration of the John Kramer Science Award, which recognizes the most outstanding student research poster submission of the forum.

The John Kramer Science Award, recognizes a group of students with the best poster submission for the forum. The recipients for this year were Theresa Eskow, a sophomore psychology major from Jefferson, N.J.; Sarah Schaeffer, a junior psychology major from Tafton, Pa.; and Amy Sparango, a sophomore psychology major from Warminster, Pa. for their study titled, “The Effects of Self Esteem on Body Image.”
For more information, contact Dr. Boburka at rboburka@esu.edu or 570-422-3328.

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