ESU’s Psychology Department Hosts 54th Biannual Research Forum

The psychology department at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania hosted the 54^th Biannual Research Forum at the end of the fall 2025 semester. The Research Forum was started over 25 years ago by Sussie Eshun, Ph.D., professor of psychology, and Richard Wesp, Ph.D., retired distinguished professor of psychology, as a venue to showcase the outstanding student research being done in the psychology department.  It has steadily grown since then and now includes numerous research and internship posters, student award presentations, and honor society inductions.

The encouragement and recognition of student research are central aspects of the Forum.  Each semester, selected student researchers 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 two student presenters for the fall 2025 Research Forum were Rhyan Lillman, from Effort, Pa., who recently earned a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology, and presented research conducted with Bonnie Green, Ph.D., professor of psychology, titled, “The Impact of Retroactive and Proactive Interference on Encoding and Retrieval of Paired Words,” and Natasha Merchant, a senior psychology major from Bushkill, Pa., who presented research conducted with Jyh-Hann Chang, Ph.D., distinguished professor of psychology, titled, “Using AI in Development and Validation of 2 & 3 Generation Practice Exams for Psychopharmacology Exams for Psychologists (PEP).”

During the Research Forum, the celebration of student excellence also includes the presentation of various awards and honors, including the Drago Family Scholarship Award, the John Kramer Science Award, and student inductions into Psi Chi: The International Honor Society in Psychology.  The Drago Family Scholarship Award, given by the family of Anthony Drago, Ed.D., distinguished professor and chair of psychology, is a monetary scholarship awarded each fall to a psychology major who exemplifies academic excellence. The fall 2025 recipient of this award was Victoria Barrios, a senior psychology major from Saylorsburg, Pa.

As the day’s celebration of student excellence continued, those psychology undergraduates who have met rigorous academic achievement standards were formally inducted into Psi Chi. Psi Chi holds the distinction of being the largest student psychological organization in the world, having over 900,000 lifetime members. Psi Chi’s mission is to promote excellence in scholarship and to advance the science of psychology. The ESU chapter was founded in 1980 and since that time, hundreds of students have become members of this prestigious organization.  The ESU Chapter of Psi Chi, along with its counterpart, The Psychology Association, a general membership student organization for anyone interested in the study of psychology, sponsors educational, charitable, and civic programs, which are of value to the professional discipline, as well as to the local community. Deena Dailey, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology, and Irina Khusid, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology, are the faculty advisors for these organizations. During the fall 2025 Research Forum, nineteen undergraduate students were inducted into Psi Chi: Isabella Anderson, a senior criminal justice major from Matamoras, Pa.; Akasha Baranello, a senior psychology major from South Orange, N.J.; Victoria Barrios; Gianna Cancel, a senior psychology major from Telford, Pa.; Kendra Curnkey, a junior psychology major from Milford, Pa.; Casey Gemzik, a senior psychology major from Willow Grove, Pa.; Kat Ingle, a sophomore psychology major from Bangor, Pa.; Kayla Irizarry, a senior psychology and marine science double major from Little Ferry, N.J.; Lilianna Kain, a junior psychology major from Broomall, Pa.; Sophia Lowery, a senior psychology major from Perkasie, Pa.; Anaiya McFadden, a junior psychology major from Lewisburg, Pa; Rebecca Moss, a senior psychology major from Tobyhanna, Pa.; Brooke O’Connor, a senior psychology major from West Milford, N.J.; Jocelyn Redcay, a junior psychology major from Lancaster, Pa.; Afzaa Reece, from Brooklyn, N.Y., who recently earned a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology; Emily Seymour, a junior psychology major from Carbondale, Pa.; Estella Shaheid, a senior psychology major from East Stroudsburg, Pa.; Katiera Smith, from Philadelphia, Pa., who recently earned a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology and criminal justice; and Taniese Washington, a senior psychology major from New York, N.Y.

After the formal student presentations, awards, and inductions were completed, students and faculty reconvened in the hallway and in rooms 116 and 118 of Stroud Hall to view additional research studies presented in poster format by numerous students enrolled in various research-oriented psychology courses. Informational posters presented by students who recently completed internships were also presented. Any students who prepared research posters were eligible to submit their projects for consideration of the John Kramer Science Award. This award, given in memory of former student, John Kramer, who graduated from the ESU psychology program in 2002, recognizes the most outstanding student research submission of the Forum. The awardees of the fall 2025 John Kramer Science Award for their study titled, “Cell Phone Use and Lecture Retention in College Students,” were: Brooke O’Connor; Emily Thomas, a junior psychology major from Quakertown, Pa.; Riley Trentowski, a sophomore psychology major from Rocky Point, NY; Jet Vermeulen, a junior psychology major from Arnhem, Netherlands; and Josepha York, a senior psychology major from Brodheadsville, Pa.

For more information, contact Dr. Drago at tdrago@esu.edu.

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